"L'l  B  R.AR.Y 

OF  THL 

UN  IVER.SITY 
OF    1LL1  NOIS 


977.37SY 
B77b 


Kims  WHHL  sn»^ 


4 
i 


BRINKERHOFFS  HISTORY 

OF 

MARION  COUNTY 

ILLINOIS 


By  PROF.  J.  H.  0.  BRINKERHOFF 


ILLUSTRATED 


F.  BOWEN  &  COMPANY,  PUBLISHERS 
INDIANAPOLIS,  INDIANA 

19O9 


AUTHOR'S   PREFACE. 


In  writing  a  history  of  Marion  county  it  is  necessary  that  the  author  pre- 
sent a  brief  outline  of  the  history  of  the  state  of  which  the  county  forms  a 
part,  in  order  that  the  reader  may  refresh  his  memory  of  the  conditions  and 
difficulties  to  be  met  and  overcome  by  the  men  and  women  of  an  age  which  de- 
manded the  best  and  bravest  and  called  for,  not  only  an  indomitable  spirit,  but  a 
body  as  well,  inured  to  privations  and  hardships,  inseparable  from  a  pioneer  life. 
The  youth  of  today  can  hardly  realize,  surrounded  as  they  are  by  every  conve- 
nience and  many  of  the  luxuries  of  modern  life,  the  utter  lack  of  conveniences 
and  comforts  that  faced  the  pioneer  of  a  century  ago  in  the  then  wilderness  of 
Illinois;  and  brave,  indeed,  was  the  man  who  with  his  family  traversed  the 
woodland  and  the  plain  to  literally  hew  out  with  the  axe  the  home  which  he 
must  defend  with  the  rifle;  upon  which  he  also  must  largely  depend  for 
sustenance. 

Yet  it  is  of  these  we  must  write,  if  we  are  to  preserve  the  records  of  our 
people  and  trace  the  character  of  the  men  of  today  back  to  its  foundation  in  the 
lives  of  those  who  have  gone  before,  and  instill  into  the  life  of  coming  gener- 
ations that  love  of  liberty  and  independence  which  characterized  the  fathers  and 
made  the  hardy  American  pioneer  the  noblest  work  of  the  Creator,  unsung  he- 
roes and  heroines  whose  bones  rest  peacefully  in  the  soil  their  energy  con- 
quered, and  left  a  rich  heritage  to  succeeding  generations. 

J.  H.  G.  BRINKERHOFF. 


INDEX. 


Carrigan 


County    & 

Population 


H>7       Jollitrt.    Clievaiif-r IH       Railroads     

,    :  .      .              .    :      :                                                                                                                                                                                             !            Kit.e 30 

1  .  , 

Early    Sports ri    Public   L 



:                  Klnniiincly,    •.  -.         -  Salem    Township 

ruindy.    Towns!  •-  of  Prescii 

Kighty-eishth    Regiment  ml,   City  <n 

'•ohm-                        Mt,    Doctor    i              :          ;i    Towiisl: 

teer  iui  ^n 

Elec.tioua,   First    : 

Expcution.   Firsr.   LVJW.\  .  "i'-'st  Regime 


ling 

Young,  Samuel 


Abcrua 

Andrev 

Andert 


Adam  H . , 
Balriridgn,    George   P. 


Gfeorva    R. 

Frank  A. 


Brigham, 

HrinkeT'hc 
Tlronson. 


James,    O.    A  

260 

Miles,  Celia  M  

802 

Robb,   Mary  A  

.   381 

Jennings  Family   

600 

Miller,  Charles   

!   739 

Robinson,  Klbridge  

.    583 

603 

Miller  Franklin  P 

691 

359 

Jennings',   Z.   C  

464 

Moehlmann,  Henry  W  

,   372 

Rodgers,    Benjamin   F  

,'.    528 

Johnson,  William  T  

581 

Morris,    Ira    C  

.   599 

Rogers,    Frank   A  

,  .   252 

Jolliff,  Samuel  A  

750 

Morris,   William    

.   377 

Rogers,  Tilman  J  , 

.   609 

Jones    Eli  W 

585 

Morris,   Samuel    

,   399 

Rogier,  William  B  

575 

Jones,  James  R  

530 

Morrison,  Col.  Napoleon  B. 

,   676 

Rohl,  Robert  

,  .   698 

Jones,  J.  T  

258 

Morton,   James    S  

.   58G 

Rchrbough,   Calendar   .  

,  .  621 

Jones,   Samuel  W  

409 

Mundwiler,  George  

,   511 

Root,  Joseph   P  

.   649 

Jones,  William  A  

542 

McBride,  H.  S  

733 

Rosborough,  J.  F  

,  .   754 

Jourdan,   Joseph    

819 

McClelland,  Andrew  J  

,   774 

Rose,  Wiley   

,  .   555 

Joy,   Thomas  L  

633 

McCollum,  Metta  

.   509 

Ross,  J.  W  

,  .   791 

Joy,  Verne  E  

685 

McKee,  Robert  M  

.   798 

Ryman,  Herbert  D  

..   589 

Kagy,  Shannon    
Kagy,  Levi  Monroe  
Kelchner,    Henry   F  
Kell,  Charles  T  

366 
421 
607 
368 

McLaughlin,  Joseph  K.  .  .  . 
McMillan,  Henry   
McNicol,    James    
McQuinn,  Robert  T  

,   463 
.   789 
.   618 
221 

Sanders,  Charles  C  
Sanders,   Samuel   O  
Saxer,    Arnold    

,  .   512 
.  .   724 
.   783 

Kell,  William  R  
Kilpatrick,  John  A  
Kimberlin,  James  Henry  .  .  . 
Kline    Calvin  B 

304 
810 
293 
532 

Neeper,   Andrew    
Neal,   Thomas  B  
Netherton,   Clark   B  

558 
479 

.   775 

Schmelzer,  John    
Schultz,  John  M  
Secor,  F.  D  
See,  Charles   M  

.   667 

.  .   493 
.   643 

Knight,  George  R  
Knight,  J.  F  
Kugler,  Daniel   

Lacey   Winfleld  S 

762 
635 

758 

519 

Newman,  William  D  
Nichols,    David   F  
Noleman,  Frank  F  
Norfleet,    Benjamin   F  
Norris,  G.  E  

.  715 
396 

.   759 

477 
.    580 

See,  Henry  William,  Sr.  !i 
See,  Orcelas   
See,  Michael   
Seley,  A.   "           
Schaffei.    J.isi-ph    H 

".   523 
,  .   388 
,.   404 
.    690 
606 

Lambert,  Robert  L  
Lamblin,  Frank  P  
Lane,   Thomas    M  

392 
721) 
705 

Orr,  Hiram    
Owens,  Sallie   

.   332 
349 

Shanafe) 
Schanafe:i.  Sa.uuel  A  
Shirwood.  George   

'.   498 
.   354 
.   850 

Larimer.  John  W  
Lear,  I.  D  
Leckrone,  William    
Lederman,  Emile  R  
Legreid,  Severt   
Leonard,  Walter    
Leseman,    William    H  
Lewis,  James  B  

442 
77H 
510 
771 
795 
779 
553 
246 

Pace.   H.   T  
Parkinson,  Joseph  C  
Parkinson,  William  K  
Pan-ill,    A.   J  
Patton,  Thomas  A  
Peddicord,  A.  M  
Peddicord,  Andrew   M  

236 

.   484 
.   566 
.   480 
.   432 
.   596 
768 

Shook.  Samuel   
Simcox,  George  B  
Simer,   William  J  
Singer,  Oscar   
Sisscn,    George    W  
Skipworth,  J.  W  
Smith,  Alex.  C  
Smith,  Benajmin  M  

.   653 
.  313 

.  .   526 
.  .   468 
.   699 
.   544 
.   799 
.   268 

Library,    Centralia    Public.. 
Livesay,  Alfred    

802 
f,4l 

i  'etrie..   T).   S  
Perrine.   George  H  

'.   807 

Smith,  John    
Smith,    June    C  

.   525 
.   766 

Livesay,  Harvey  R  
Livesay,  Jackson  L  
Loomis,  Frank   
Lovell,    Samuel    \V.  
Lucas,  Am«l    
Luttrell,   Thomas  .O  :  

March,  John  t..,,  
Martin,  Benjamiii  E.,  Sr.  .  .  . 

746 
719 
459 
538 
59Y 
843 

400 
234 

Pigg.  James  B  
Phillips,    Samuel    F  
Pittenger,  Col.  George  L.  .  . 
Porter,  Albert  G  
Prusz,   Frank    
Prather,   Joseph   A  
Puffer,  Samuel   
Pullen,  Burden    
Purcell,  Francis  M  

.   490 
.   686 
,    619 
.   736 
,   452 
.   521 
.   707 
.   364 

Snodgrass,  John  A  
Soger,   John    
Songer,  A.  W.    .  .  .  ,  
Stevenson,   Noah   R  
Stonecipher,  John  S  
Stonecipher,   Jesse    
Stonecipher,  Thomas   
Storer,  B.  W  
Storment,  S.  A  

..   711 
.    838 
.   285 
.   346 
.   324 
.  MI; 
816 
..   697 
.   315 

Martin,  Gen.  Jaraes  S  

433 

Purdue,  James  F  

.    o<0 

Storment,  William  T  

.   384 

Martin,  John  C  
Martin,  John   E  
Martin,  Robert   

276 
429 
317 

Quayle,  J.  R  
Quick,  Albert  E  

266 
.   731 

Stratton,  George  W  
Spiese,  Wilfred    
Swalley,  M.  V.  B  

,  .   557 
.  .   387 
,  .   360 

Martin,  William  j  

363 

Schwartz  Brothers   

.   418 

Mattinly,  Rola.nd  W  

362 

Raines,  William  F  

.   790 

Matthews,   Leander  C  

307 

Rainey,  George  S  

.    318 

May,  Harvey   D  

371 

Randall,  Alfred  J  

.   717 

Tate,  J.  W  

.  .   786 

Meartor.    Sim»».n    W  

569 

Reed,   Lewis   H  

.   659 

Telfcrd,    Erastuu    D  

.  .   311 

Mragher,  Tbonms  F  

711' 

Reese,  Francis  M  

.   376 

Telford,  J    D  

.  .    445 

ilank,  Cen- 

778 

Reese,  George  E  
Reichenbach,  Jacob  J  

.   383 

.   747 

Touve,  Jacob    

.  .   784 

Meredith,  Theodore  F  

730 

Reinhardt,  Julius  

.   660 

Trenary,  G.  H  

.  .   278 

Merritt,    Thomas    E  

489 

Rennie,  J.   A  

.   389 

Tubbs,  Harriet/  

.  .   551 

Merritt,  Charles  D  

264 

Rhodes,   Henry   L  

.   658 

Tufts,  C.  D.  .  .  i  

.  .   632 

Merz,   Wilfred   W  
Michaels,  M.  W  

290 
447 

Richardson,  James  R  
Robb,    Francis    M  

.  .469 
.   617 

Utterback,  Jeter   

..   218 

Van  Patten,  Martin 

Vasel,  Harry  A 

Vawter,   John   H . . . 

Walker,  Joseph  H .  . 
Wallis,  Matthew  S. 
Walton,  Orville  T.  . 
Warfield,  Bowie  C. 
Warner,  Harry  M . . 
Warner,  Perry  W . . 
Warren,  Henry  . . . 

Watts,  Edwin  L 

Wells,  George  C . . . 


788 

723 
443 


(1 1  r, 

7M 

768 
867 
878 

729 

518 


Well,  Matthew  B 

Welton.  Edwin  L 

West,  Charles  H 

Wham,  Henderson  B. . 

Wham,  William   

Wilkinson,  William  T. 

Wild,  Samuel  R 

Williams,  John   P 

Williams,    A.    R 

Williams,  T.  W 

Wilson,  George  C 

Wilson,  Lucian  O 

Wilson,  William  G... 


845 
654 
297 
474 
431 
554 
744 
516 
262 
243 
556 


Wright,   Newton    

Wright,  Thomas  J. . . . 

Wilson,   Richard    

Woodward,  H.  N 

Woodard,    W.    R 

Woods,  Johns  

Wooldridge,  William  C 
Wooldridge,  James  R. 
Wyatt,  John  H 


582 

494 
515 
713 
836 
840 
487 


336       Young,  William  J. 


RELATED   ILLINOIS   HISTORY. 


Illini,  "the  river  of  men,"  a  title  of  the 
confederacy  of  Indian  tribes,  occupying  the 
territory  now  included  within  the  limits  of 
the  state,  which  is  known  by  the  slightly 
changed  name,  Illinois.  Many  evidences  of 
an  earlier  occupation  than  that  of  the  red 
men  are  to  be  found  within  the  borders  of 
the  state,  especially  along  the  watercourses, 
in  the  form  of  earthworks  or  mounds,  many 
of  which  were  built  with  the  exactness  of 
modern  science,  and  give  undisputable  evi- 
dence of  a  civilization,  crude  though  it  may 
have  been,  that  evidenced  constructive  abil- 
ity of  no  mean  order,  since  its  traces  remain 
although  the  people  who  wrought  are  lost 
in  the  darkness  of  the  receding  centuries. 
The  mound  builders  were,  but  are  not,  and 
the  works  of  their  hands  are  eloquent  with 
the  silence  of  the  ages,  and  the  red  child  of 
the  forest  and  plain  who  occupied  the  land 
when  the  white  man  first  viewed  the  inland 
empire,  void  of  all  save  savage  life,  were 
as  ignorant  of  who  their  predecessors  were 
as  we  are  today,  and  conjecture  is  useless, 
as  it  must  prove  to  be  only  conjecture  still. 
The  reliable  history  of  Illinois  begins  with 
the  discovery  of  the  Indian  occupants  of  the 
soil  by  the  white  men  in  the  year  1673.  All 
before  is  myth  and  mystery,  the  traditions  of 
the  tribes  or  the  imaginary  events  of  their 
people  as  told  by  their  sages  and  medicine 
men. 


Shortly  after  Columbus  had  made  known 
the  practicability  of  a  westward  passage  to 
what  was  thought  to  be. the  Indies,  but  was 
soon  discovered  to  be  a  hitherto  unknown 
land,  the  powers  of  Europe  planned  to  lay 
claim  to  all  they  might  be  able  to  grasp  and 
hold,  with  an  exquisite  disregard  of  the 
rights  of  the  occupants  and  of  each  other. 

In  1498  Henry  Cabot,  sailing  under  a 
commission  from  Henry  VII  of  England, 
laid  the  foundations  upon  which  was  builded 
the  English  claim  to  Illinois,  although  no 
thought  of  the  vastness  of  the  territory 
claimed  had  occurred  to  the  discoverer  or 
his  sovereign. 

France  based  her  claim  to  what  is  now 
Illinois  on  the  discoveries  and  explorations 
of  Verrazanni,  who  in  1525  explored  the 
coast  from  Florida  to  New  Foundland, 
claiming  all  territory  included  within  those 
points  westward  indefinitely. 

In  1513  Ponce  de  Leon  discovered  Flor- 
ida, and  as  he  was  an  adventurer  acting  un- 
der a  grant  from  the  government  of  Spain, 
he,  in  the  spirit  of  the  times,  laid  claim  to  all 
territory  north,  south  and  west,  that  Spain 
might  be  able  to  seize  and  hold,  and  thus 
setting  up  a  right  to  all  North  America  from 
the  lakes  to  the  gulf,  which  shadowy  claim 
overlapped  the  claims  of  both  England  and 
France,  which  in  turn  overlapped  each  oth- 
er. No  very  serious  attempt  was  made,  how- 


rS 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ever,  by  Spain  to  contest  the  rights  of  Eng- 
land and  France  to  any  part  of  what  is  now 
Illinois. 

The  grant,  by  patent,  in  1606,  and  by 
charter,  in  1609,  by  James  I  of  England,  to 
a  company  for  the  purpose  of  colonizing 
Virginia,  reinforced  England's  claim  and 
as  the  grant  extended  from  the  forty- 
fifth  degree  of  latitude  on  the  north 
to  the  thirty-fourth  degree  on  the  south 
and  extended  westward  to  the  Pacific 
Ocean,  it  included  the  territory  of 
the  Illini,  although  the  same  territory  was 
claimed  by  the  French  as  a  part  of  their  new 
France. 

In  1671,  France  made  a  treaty  with  the 
Indian  tribes  of  the  West,  by  which  the  ter- 
ritory west  of  the  Alleghany  mountains  was 
to  become  French  territory,  thus  reinforc- 
ing the  claim  of  France  to  that  which  Eng- 
land also  claimed,  but  as  the  English  made 
no  attempt  to  explore  or  occupy  the  North- 
west, France  took  possession  without  the  use 
of  the  sword;  although  the  English  never 
admitted  the  French  title  to  be  good. 

To  the  spirit  of  the  enthusiasm  which  filled 
the  soul  of  the  French  missionary  priests,  and 
chevaliers,  is  due  the  first  exploration  of  Il- 
linois, a  passion  for  the  conversion  of  the 
Indians  was  the  motive  which  induced  the 
heroic  spirits  of  Marquette,  Jolliet  and  their 
co-laborers  in  the  labors,  perils,  and  hard- 
ships of  a  life,  devoid  of  all,  that  to  the  most 
of  mankind  is  regarded  necessary  to  exis- 
tence, regardless  of  summer's  heat,  or  win- 
ter's cold,  facing  the  icy  blast  that  swept 
over  almost  boundless  prairies,  or  the  heat- 
burdened  winds,  dangers  by  flood,  dangers 


from  a  lurking,  savage  host,  with  their  lives 
in  their  hands,  these  heroes  of  the  Cross 
blazed  the  way  to  the  present  greatness  of 
Illinois. 

INDIAN   CONFEDERACY. 

When  the  first  white  men  visited  Illinois 
it  was  inhabited  by  five  tribes  of  Indians, 
which  formed  the  confederacy  of  the  Illini, 
viz:  the  Mitchiganis,  a  tribe  that  had  been 
admitted  to  the  confederacy  from  the  west 
side  of  the  Mississippi  river  and  have  left 
their  impress  on  the  nation  in  the  name  of 
a  great  state — Michigan. 

The  Kaskaskias,  a  powerful  tribe,  occu- 
pied the  northern  portion  of  Illinois  and 
roamed  as  far  south,  perhaps,  as  the  present 
city  of  Shelbyville.  Their  name  is  perpetu- 
ated in  the  largest  river  of  the  state,  namely, 
the  Kaskaskia,  or  Okaw,  and  also  in  the  first 
capital  of  the  state,  now  only  a  memory  to  be 
spoken  of  more  fully  with  the  organization 
of  the  state.  The  Peorias  have  their  name 
perpetuated  in  the  city  of  Peoria,  about 
which  site  the  tribe  held  sway.  The  Ameri- 
can bottoms  and  eastward  were  the  hunting- 
grounds  of  the  Cahokias,  and  for  them  is 
named  the  village  and  creek  of  Cahokia  and 
also  Cahokia  mound.  Southeast  of  the  Ca- 
hokias roamed  the  Tammarois,  probably 
holding  what  is  now  Marion  county,  as  their 
territory.  They  are  remembered  in  the  name 
of  the  flourishing  little  city  of  Tamaroa,  in 
Perry  county.  Our  state  perpetuates  the 
name  of  the  confederacy,  and  one  of  our 
principal  rivers  also  is  called  from  it — the 
Illinois. 

The  confederacy,  if  ever  strong,  had  lost 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


its  power,  to  a  great  extent,  at  the  time  the 
white  men  invaded  their  territory.  Having 
been  a  prey  to  the  more  warlike,  and  fiercer 
tribes,  to  the  eastward,  ten  or  twelve  thou- 
sand is  perhaps  a  just  estimate  of  the  num- 
ber of  Indians  within  the  boundary  of  Illi- 
nois, at  the  time  the  French  explorers  first 
set  foot  on  the  soil;  about  1679.  Membre 
estimates  about  seven  or  eight  thousand 
souls  at  the  principal  villages;  this  number 
dwindled  until  only  a  remnant  remained  and 
they  confined  in  the  southern  portion  of  the 
state.  The  Kaskaskias  drifted  to  the  junc- 
ture of  the  Kaskaskia  and  Mississippi,  under 
the  leadership  of  their  Mission  priest,  who 
had  gained  considerable  influence  over  them. 
This  migration  took  place  about  the  year 
170x5,  and  within  forty  years  the  remnants 
of  the  other  tribes  had  been  absorbed  by 
them.  A  numbering  of  the  tribes  in  1736 
shows  only  about  six  hundred  warriors,  and 
because  of  the  murder  of  the  great  chief, 
Pontiac,  at  Cahokia,  by  an  Indian  of  the 
Illini,  this  number  was  almost  extinguished. 
In  1778,  Hutchins  gives  the  total  number  of 
the  fighting  men  of  all  the  original  tribes  of 
the  Illini  at  three  hundred.  In  the  year  1800, 
according  to  Governor  Reynolds,  only  about 
one-half  that  number  remained  with  Du 
Quoin,  a  French  half-breed,  as  chief.  The 
name  of  Du  Quoin  is  perpetuated  by  the 
prosperous  city  of  that  name  in  Perry 
county ;  after  Illinois  became  a  state  and  the 
government  of  the  United  States  took  the 
Indian  lands  by  treaty,  the  miserable  rem- 
-nant  of  the  Illini  was  removed  to  the  Indian 
Territory,  and  the  new  state  of  Oklahoma 


may  yet  furnish  even  a  president  from  the 
blood  of  the  Illini. 

FIRST  EXPLORERS. 

Father  Marquette,  the  chevalier,  Jolliet, 
and  five  other  white  men,  were  the  first  to 
explore  any  part  of  Illinois,  as  far  as  au- 
thentic history  gives  us  proof.  Marquette 
was  a  Jesuit  priest,  and  while  yet  a  young 
man,  joined  the  colony  of  new  France  in 
what  is  now  Canada.  He  was  filled  with  a 
zeal  for  the  conversion  of  the  Indians  that 
amounted  to  a  passion — such  a  passion  as 
makes  heroes  of  men,  even  though  the  re- 
ward be  suffering  and  death  and  an  unknown 
grave.  Jolliet  was  American-born,  of  the 
city  of  Quebec,  and  was  also  educated  as  a 
priest,  but  became  a  trader,  then  an  explorer, 
and  while  still  a  young  man,  cast  his  life 
with  Father  Marquette.  Together  they  dis- 
covered the  "Father  of  Waters,"  and  for  a 
considerable  distance  followed  its  winding. 
On  their  return  they  followed  the  Illinois 
river  and  thus  traversed  a  considerable 
portion  of  Illinois.  Marquette  died  •  in 
the  summer  of  1675,  and  other  hands 
took  up  his  work.  In  the  spring  of 
the  same  year  a  mission  was  estab- 
lished and  has  had  a  continued  existence 
A  mission  was  also  founded  in  1693  at 
Starved  Rock  and  the  records  of  the  church 
are  still  preserved.  But  the  field  of  research 
is  too  rich  to  be  further  explored  in  a  work 
of  this  character.  Suffice  it  to  say,  that  the 
French,  in  an  early  day,  left  the  impress  of 
their  lives  and  character  of  the  history  of  II- 


2O 


RRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


linois,  and  it  is  doubtless  due  to  their  treat- 
ment of  the  Indian  that  the  soil  of  Illinois 
was  not  reddened  by  the  white  men's  blood 
until  after  it  had  passed  out  of  their  control. 
Illinois  was  claimed  by  the  French,  and 
also  by  the  English.  Under  the  name  of 
Louisiana,  the  French  claimed  the  Missis- 
sippi country  and  all  lands  watered  by  its 
tributaries,  in  the  name  of  Louis  XIV,  bas- 
ing their  claim  on  the  explorations  of  the 
Chevalier,  La  Salle,  who  in  1682,  set  up  a 
cross  and  under  the  flag  of  France,  took  pos- 
session of  the  country  in  the  name  of  his 
sovereign,  and  added  this  vast  but  indefinite 
territory  to  new  France,  thus  surrounding 
the  English  from  Nova  Scotia  on  the  north, 
in  a  great  arc,  to  the  mouth  of  the  Missis- 
sippi, and  these  conflicting  claims  later  in- 
volved the  colonies  in  three  wars,  and  were 
only  definitely  settled  by  the  expulsion  of 
the  French  from  Canada.  Under  the  name 
of  Virginia,  after  the  "Good  Queen  Bess," 
Illinois  was  claimed  by  the  English  and 
made  their  claim  good  with  the  victory  of 
the  English  over  the  French  in  the  last  of 
the  French  and  Indian  wars,  in  which  the 
colony  of  Virginia  bore  a  considerable  part, 
both  in  men  and  money,  and  in  the  last  of 
which  a  Virginian  learned  the  art  of  war 
against  the  French,  and  who  afterward,  with 
French  aid,  was  to  defeat  the  aggressions  of 
the  British  crown  and  give  to  the  world  a 
new  nation,  bom  of  a  new  idea  of  human 
liberty  and  human  responsibility  in  a  repub- 
lican form  of  government. 

THE  OLD  FORTS. 

'When  war  broke  out  between  France  and 


Spain,  Boisbriant  was  sent  to  the  Illinois 
country  to  aid  in  its  protection  from  the 
Spaniards  who  might  attack  from  the  south- 
west, where  they  had  flourishing  missions 
and  considerable  settlements,  and  the  inter- 
vening so-called  Great  Desert  was  not  reck- 
oned a  barrier  awful  enough  to  deter  an  at- 
tack from  that  quarter  by  men  to  whom  the 
spirit  of  adventure  was  the  very  life.  Bois- 
briant began  the  erection  of  Fort  Char- 
tres,  which  for  many  years  was  the 
strongest  fortress  in  America.  Fort  Char- 
tres  was  built  on  the  east  side  of  the 
Mississippi,  seventeen  miles  northwest  from 
Kaskaskia.  The  company  of  the  west, 
which  had  succeeded  to  the  commer- 
cial rights  of  the  Louisiana  territory, 
built  their  warehouses  near  the  fort  also. 
Fort  Chartres,  as  described  in  1770,  con- 
sisted of  an  irregular  quadrangle,  the  sides 
of  the  exterior  quadrangle  was  built  of 
stone,  two  feet  two  inches  thick,  and  four 
hundred  and  ninety  feet  long  and,  being 
built  only  for  defence  against  Indian  at- 
tack, was  more  than  strong  enough  to  re- 
sist any  assault,  except  by  artillery.  There 
were  two  portholes  in  the  faces  and  two  in 
each  bastion,  around  the  inside,  three  feet 
high,  ran  a  banquette,  upon  which  the  men 
could  stand  and  fire  at  the  foe  through  the 
loopholes,  with  which  the  walls  were  pierced. 
Within  the  walls,  occupying  the  square,  was 
the  commandant's  house,  ninety-six  feet  long 
by  thirty  feet  wide  and  was  divided  into  a 
kitchen,  a  dining  room,  a  bed  chamber, 
one  small  room  and  five  closets  for  the  serv- 
ants, and  beneath  a  cellar,  and  here  all  the 
pomp  and  stilted  etiquette  of  the  French 


BRIXKERHOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


court  of  that  day  were  strictly  enforced,  as 
far  as  the  circumstances  would  permit.  Also 
within  the  walls  was  the  commissary's  house, 
an  exact  copy  of  the  commandant's ;  also  a 
storehouse  and  guardhouse,  each  ninety  feet 
long  by  twenty-four  feet  wide.  The  store- 
house was  divided  into  two  large  rooms  and 
was  built  over  a  large  vaulted  cellar,  a  large 
room,  a  bed-room  and  a  closet  for  the  store- 
keeper. The  guardhouse  consisted  of  a 
guard-room  for  officers  and  soldiers,  a 
chapel,  a  bed-room  and  closet  for  the  chap- 
lain, and  an  artillery  storeroom.  Within 
the  bastion  was  a  prison,  a  bakehouse  and 
a  powder  magazine.  The  soldiers'  barracks 
consisted  of  two  rooms  each,  twenty-five 
feet  square,  with  a  narrow  hall  or  passage 
between.  About  forty  families  lived  in  the 
village  nearby  at  the  time  of  the  transfer  of 
Illinois  to  the  English;  also  the  parish 
church  of  St.  Anne,  under  the  care  of  a 
Franciscan  friar.  These,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  three  or  four  families,  removed  across 
the  Mississippi  river  to  live  under  the  flag 
of  France,  rather  than  remain  under  the 
rule  of  the  English,  whom  they  hated  with 
an  hereditary  hatred. 

Fort  Chartres.  in  1756,  was  nearly  one- 
half  mile  from  the  bank  of  the  Mississippi. 
By  1760,  the  river  had  washed  away  the 
bank  and  was  now  within  eighty  yards  of  the 
fort.  A  sand  bar  had  formed  and  was  now 
an  island,  covered  with  a  growth  of  young 
cottonwoods,  and  the  main  channel,  forty 
feet  deep,  was  between  it  and  the  fort.  In 
1772  the  American  bottom  was  covered 
many  feet  by  a  great  freshet,  and  the  west 


wall  of  the  fort  and  two  of  the  bastions  were 
carried  away  by  the  flood,  and  Fort  Char- 
tres was  abandoned  by  the  British  garrison, 
and  the  seat  of  government  was  removed  to 
Fort  Gage,  which  occupied  a  bluff  opposite 
Kaskaskia  on  the  east  bank  of  the  Kaskas- 
kia.  The  remains  of  Fort  Chartres  are 
but  faintly  to  be  traced,  and  now  stand 
about  one  mile  from  the  Mississippi, 
that  fickle  stream  having  again  sought 
a  passage  to  the  west  of  the  then 
sandbar  island.  A  heavy  growth  of 
timber  now  stands  where  in  1772  rolled  the 
turbid  waters  of  the  mighty  river,  and  where 
once  the  pioneer,  the  soldier,  and  the  savage 
mingled  their  joys,  their  sorrows,  and  their 
fears,  peaceful  fields  lay  smiling  in  a  sunny 
silence  or  wrapped  in  the  ever-changing  robe 
of  nature's  handiwork. 

From  1763  until  the  War  of  the  Revolu- 
tion, the  history  of  Illinois  contains  nothing 
of  grave  importance,  but  continued  much  in 
the  same  condition  as  before  the  treaty  of 
Paris.  The  Indians,  under  the  guidance  of 
the  priests,  were  partially  tamed  and  thor- 
ougly  over-awed  and  were  a  sneaking,  thiev- 
ing set  of  vagabonds,  but  too  cowardly  and 
too  lazy  to  be  of  any  serious  moment  and 
as  north,  east,  south  and  west  of  the  Illini 
tribes  were  fierce,  powerful  tribes,  the  Illini 
sought  the  protecting  nearness  of  the  white 
man. 

The  scene  of  the  white  man's  activity  had 
shifted  from  the  Peoria  region,  to  the  mouth 
of  the  Kaskaskia  and  a  church  had  been 
erected  on  the  point  of  land  between  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  Kaskaskia  rivers  and  the  French 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


town  of  Kaskaskia  became  the  seat  of  gov- 
ernment, and  the  center  of  all  social  life  as 
well,  while  along  the  river  to  the .  north, 
French  settlements  were  established  at 
Prairie  Du  Pont  and  Cahokia,  near  which  it 
is  thought  the  first  grist  and  sawmill  was 
built — crude  affairs,  no  doubt,  but  sufficient 
to  grind  corn  and  cut  plank  to  supply  the 
few  wants  of  the  settlers. 

In  1775  active  hostilities  broke  out  be- 
tween the  English  colonies  and  the  mother 
country,  and  the  county  of  Illinois  of  the 
colony  of  Virginia,  was  to  be  involved  before 
the  conflict  was  brought  to  a  close,  although 
a  bloodless  campaign,  yet  one  filled  with 
hardship,  privation  and  suffering,  an  account 
of  which  reads  like  a  romance  of  the  heroic 
age. 

THE   CONQUEST  OF  ILLINOIS. 

Old  Fort  Gage  was  built  on  the  top  of  a 
bluff,  some  two  hundred  feet  above  the  Mis- 
sissippi and  on  the  east  side  of  the  Kaskas- 
kia, about  one-half  mile  from  and  over-look- 
ing the  town  of  Kaskaskia.  The  town  was 
built  on  a  tongue  of  land  east  of  the  Missis- 
sippi river  and  west  of  the  Kaskaskia,  and 
a  short  distance  above  the  juncture  of  the 
two  rivers,  and  the  town  was  under  the  di- 
rect command  of  the  fort.  The  fort  was 
built  of  huge  logs  of  native  wood,  squared 
and  built  upon  an  earthwork.  It  was  two 
hundred  and  eighty  feet  by  two  hundred  and 
fifty-one  feet,  oblong  in  form  and  of  sufficient 
strength  to  withstand  any  attack  likely  to  be 
brought  against  it.  In  1772  only  one  officer 
and  twenty  men  composed  the  garrison.  To 


such  a  state  of  fear  had  the  Indians  of  the 
Illini  been  reduced  that  they  rather  re- 
garded the  white  man  as  a  protector 
from  the  fierce  tribes  of  the  north  and 
east,  than  as  an  enemy,  and  thus 
the  savage  of  America,  the  peasant 
of  France,  the  trader  and  the  chevalier 
dwelt  together,  and  over  all  the  tolerant  rule 
of  the  priest,  which  was  more  the  rule  of  a 
father  than  of  a  master.  It  is  true  that  a 
foreign  flag — the  English — waved  over 
them,  but  the  English  rule  was  not  felt  so 
far  from  English  power,  and  English  domin- 
ion was  but  an  empty  name,  so  far  as  the 
people  were  concerned.  From  Kaskaskia 
two  trails  led,  one  to  Detroit  in  the  far 
north  and  distant  hundreds  of  miles,  with  a 
wilderness  of  forest  and  prairie  land  between, 
over  which  only  the  god  of  silence  reigned. 
The  other  led  from  Kaskaskia  to  Fort  Vin- 
cennes  on  the  Wabash,  distance  about  one 
hundred  and  fifty  miles  direct,  but  by  the 
trail  considerably  farther.  Both  trails 
crossed  what  is  now  Marion  county,  but 
slight  indications  of  either  trail  now  re- 
main. The  French  in  Kaskaskia  had  two 
well-trained  companies  of  militia  in  1772, 
which,  with  the  twenty  men  in  Fort  Gage, 
was  the  total  military  strength  of  the  Illi- 
nois country.  But  the  Treaty  of  Paris,  in 
1763,  had  forever  extinguished  the  French 
claim  to  the  territory,  for  the  possession  of 
which  so  much  French  energy,  toil,  suffer- 
ing and  privation  had  been  freely  bestowed ; 
and  never  again  were  the  Kaskaskians  to  see 
the  Lillies  of  France  wave  its  protecting 
folds  over  them  as  the  symbol  of  their  coun- 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


try.  They  had  accepted  British  dominion  in 
good  faith,  and  were,  outwardly  at  least,  con- 
tent. Rumors  of  a  struggle  between  the 
English  colonies,  nearly  a  thousand  miles  to 
the  east  of  them,  and  the  mother  country 
reached  them,  but  they  were  secure,  for  a 
wilderness  lay  between  and  not  even  an  echo 
of  the  war  was  likely  to  reach  them  to  alarm 
their  fears  or  disturb  their  calm.  In  1778  a 
Frenchman,  M.  de  Rochblave,  was  in  com- 
mand at  Fort  Gage  and  not  a  British  soldier 
was  on  duty,  and  the  military  was  French- 
men and  Breeds,  but  under  the  English  flag, 
acting  under  the  hair  buyer  of  the  English 
army,  General  Hamilton's  orders,  when  such 
orders  reached  them,  which  was  at  infre- 
quent intervals,  and  this  was  the  situation 
when  General  George  Rogers  Clark  began 
the  march  for  the  conquest  of  Illinois. 

GENERAL  CLARK. 

General  Clark  was  born  in  Albemarle 
county,  Virginia,  November  19,  1752,  and 
enjoyed  only  such  opportunities  to  acquire 
an  education,  as  the  country  afforded  in  that 
part  of  Virginia.  He  studied  surveying  and 
practiced  his  profession  as  opportunity  of- 
fered until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Dun- 
more's  war,  when  he  enlisted  as  a  staff  offi- 
cer, and  served  in  that  capacity  until  the 
close  of  that  war,  taking  part  in  the  cam- 
paign on  the  Scioto  river  during  which  un- 
fortunate campaign  he  conducted  himself  so 
gallantly  as  to  attract  attention,  and  for 
which  conduct  he  was  offered  a  commission 
in  the  British  army,  but  the  spirit  of  revo- 


lution was  in  the  land  and  the  war  cloud 
threatened,  the  storm  that  was  to  burst  into 
action  at  Lexington  and  to  rage  over  the 
colonies  through  long,  weary  years,  until 
the  sun  of  liberty  rose  resplendent  over  the 
field  of  Yorktown,  and  young  Clark  refused 
the  offered  commission,  that  his  native  land 
might  benefit  by  his  patriotism  should  she 
ever  need  his  brain  or  brawn.  The  spirit 
of  military  adventure  led  him  to  the  fron- 
tier, as  Kentucky  was  then,  with  the  expecta- 
tion of  finding  that  adventure  in  the  struggle 
of  that  dark  and  bloody  ground,  with  the 
hostile  tribes  then  conducting  a  merciless 
warfare  with  the  settlers.  He  found  the 
Kentuckians  greatly  excited  over  the  ques- 
tion as  to  whether  they  belonged  to  Virginia 
or  as  a  body  of  land  sharks  maintained,  be- 
longed to  North  Carolina.  Clark  was  instru- 
mental in  calling  a  conference  of  the  settlers, 
and  a  paper  was  prepared  setting  forth  the 
grievances  of  the  pioneers,  and  Clark  and 
Gabriel  Jones  were  appointed  to  lay  the 
same  before  the  Virginia  legislature,  and 
they  started  on  their  perilous  journey,  but 
before  reaching  the  capital  they  learned  the 
legislature  had  adjourned  and  Jones  returned 
home,  but  Clark  continued  the  journey  and 
visited  the  Governor,  Patrick  Henry,  who 
was  sick  in  Hanover  county,  Virginia.  Gov- 
ernor Henry  approved  of  the  action  of  the 
Kentuckians  and  gave  Clark  a  letter  to  the 
council.  When  the  legislature  met  in  the 
fall  of  1776,  Clark  and  Jones  presented  their 
petition,  and  in  spite  of  violent  opposition  by 
the  land  speculators,  succeeded  in  having  the 
county  of  Kentucky  formed,  with  boun- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


daries  coinciding  with  those  of  the  present 
state,  Virginia  also  presented  the  new  county 
with  five  hundred  pounds  of  powder  (noth- 
ing- now,  but  then  a  pearl  of  great  price),  to 
the  pioneers,  as  not  only  their  living,  but 
their  life  depended  upon  the  use  of  powder 
and  ball.  Clark  was  placed  at  the  head  of 
the  Kentucky  militia  and  believing  the  Brit- 
ish at  Detroit  and  Vincennes,  as  well  as  Kas- 
kaskia,  were  inciting  the  Indians  to  rav- 
ish and  murder,  sent  two  men — More  and 
Dunn — as  spies  to  ascertain  the  truth  of  the 
reports.  They  reported  great  activity  among 
the  militia  and  Indians.  Clark  also  believed 
that  the  fear  of  the  "Long  Knives,"  as  the 
Americans  were  called,  and  which  fear  had 
been  instilled  into  the  French  and  Indian 
mind  by  the  British  emissaries,  who  related 
tales  of  the  fierce  atrocity  of  the  American 
soldiery  could  be  easily  overcome  by  actual 
contact  and  just  treatment,  began  to  plan  for 
the  conquest  of  the  Illinois  country  and  to 
wrest  it  from  the  grasp  of  the  English,  and 
making  it  a  part  of  the  commonwealth  of 
Virginia,  in  fact,  as  it  had  been  in  theory, 
since  the  close  of  the  last  French  and  Indian 
war. 

General  Clark  again  visited  Governor 
Henry  and  captivated  that  brilliant  man  with 
the  plans  he  had  formed  and  also  secured  the 
powerful  aid  of  Thomas  Jefferson,  and 
Messrs.  Wyth  and  Mason,  who  pledged 
their  aid  in  securing  a  grant  of  three  hun- 
dred acres  of  land  as  a  bounty  to  each  man 
who  should  take  part  in  the  projected  cam- 
paign. And  as  the  success  of  the  expedi- 
tion depended  upon  all  knowledge  of  its  ob- 


ject being  kept  from  the  British,  all  pro- 
ceedings were  taken  with  the  avowed  object 
of  protecting  the  Kentucky  frontiers.  Gov- 
ernor Henry  gave  Clark  one  thousand  two 
hundred  pounds  depreciated  currency,  and 
an  order  on  the  commandant  of  Fort  Pitt  for 
ammunition,  boats  and  other  necessary 
equipments  to  forward  the  enterprise,  and 
also  gave  him  two  sets  of  instructions,  one 
open  and  public,  the  other  secret  and  known 
only  to  Clark  and  those  close  to  him.  The 
first  set  of  instructions  authorized  Clark  to 
raise  seven  companies  of  militia  of  fifty 
men  each,  for  the  defense  of  Kentucky.  The 
secret  intsructions  were  as  follows: 
"Lieutenant  Colonel  George  Roger  Clark: 
"You  are  to  proceed  with  all  convenient 
speed  to  raise  seven  companies  of  soldiers,  to 
consist  of  50  men  each,  officered  in  the  usual 
manner,  and  armed  most  properly  for  the 
enterprise ;  and  with  this  force  attack  the 
British  force  at  Kaskaskia.  It  is  conjec- 
tured that  there  are  many  pieces  of  cannon 
and  military  stores  to  a  considerable  amount, 
at  that  place,  the  taking  and  preservation  of 
which  would  be  a  valuable  acquisition  to  the 
state.  If  you  are  so  fortunate,  therefore,  as 
to  succeed  in  your  expedition,  you  will  take 
every  possible  measure  to  secure  the  artillery 
and  stores,  and  whatever  may  advantage  the 
state.  For  the  transportation  of  the  troops, 
provisions,  etc.,  down  the  Ohio,  you  are  to 
apply  to  the  commanding  officer  at  Fort  Pitt 
for  boats,  and  during  the  whole  transaction 
you  are  to  take  especial  care  to  keep  the  true 
destination  of  your  force  secret;  its  success 
depends  upon  this.  Orders  are  therefore 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


given  to  Captain  Smith  to  secure  the  two 
men  from  Kaskaskia.  (Evidently  More  and 
Dunn  above  refered  to. — Editor.) 

"It  is  earnestly  desired  that  you  show  hu- 
manity to  such  British  subjects,  and  other 
persons  as  fall  into  your  hands.  If  the  white 
inhabitants  of  that  post  and  neighborhood 
will  give  undoubted  evidence  of  their  at- 
tachment to  this  state,  for  it  is  certain  they 
live  within  its  limits,  by  taking  the  test  pre- 
scribed by  law,  and  by  every  other  way  and 
means  in  their  power,  let  them  be  treated  as 
fellow-citizens,  and  their  persons  and  prop- 
erty be  duly  respected.  Assistance  and  pro- 
tection against  all  enemies,  whatever  shall 
be  afforded  them,  and  the  commonwealth  of 
Virginia  is  pledged  to  accomplish  it.  But 
if  these  people  will  not  accede  to  these  rea- 
sonable demands,  they  must  feel  the  conse- 
quences of  war,  under  that  direction  of  hu- 
manity that  has  hitherto  distinguished  Amer- 
icans, and  which  it  is  expected  you  will  ever 
consider  the  rule  of  your  conduct,  and  from 
which  you  are  in  no  instance  to  depart.  The 
corps  you  are  to  command  are  to  receive  the 
pay  and  allowances  of  militia  and  to  act  un- 
der the  laws  and  regulations  of  this  state 
now  in  force  as  to  militia.  The  inhabitants 
of  this  post  will  be  informed  by  you  that  in 
case  they  accede  to  the  offers  of  becoming 
citizens  of  this  commonwealth,  a  proper  gar- 
rison will  be  maintained  among  them,  and 
every  attention  bestowed  to  render  their 
commerce  beneficial ;  the  fairest  prospects  be- 
ing opened  to  the  dominions  of  France  and 
Spain.  It  is  in  contemplation  to  establish  a 
post  near  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio.  Cannon 


will  be  wanted  to  fortify  it.  Part  of  those  at 
Kaskaskia  will  be  easily  brought  thither  or 
otherwise  secured  as  circumstances  make  nec- 
essary. You  are  to  apply  to  General  Hand, 
at  Pittsburg,  for  powder  and  lead  necessary 
for  this  expedition.  If  he  can  not  supply  it, 
the  person  who  has  that  which  Captain  Sims 
brought  from  New  Orleans  can.  Lead  is 
sent  to  Hampshire  by  my  orders,  and  that 
may  be  delivered  to  you.  Wishing  you 
success,  I  am  your  humble  servant, 

P.  HENRY." 

It  will  be  seen  from  the  above  that  the 
campaign  was  to  be  of  such  a  character 
that  the  men  themselves  were  not  to  know 
more  than  that  the  service  was  to  be  on  the 
frontier  and  against  the  Indians  and  British, 
as  they  well  knew  the  British  were  secretly 
in  league  with  the  Indians  and  furnishing 
them  with  the  munitions  of  their  cruel  and 
treacherous  warfare. 

THE  LAST   FRENCH   FORT. 

Clark  succeeded  in  raising  three  com- 
panies, whose  rendezvous  was  Corn  Island, 
nearly  opposite  the  present  city  of  Louis- 
ville, then  a  wilderness.  A  part  of  one 
company  deserted,  but  many  of  them  were 
induced  to  return,  and  with  some  additional 
recruits  were  formed  into  a  fourth  company. 
Some  seven  or  eight  families  with  the  troops 
afterward  founded  Louisville  in  1780.  The 
four  companies  totaled  one  hundred  and 
fifty-three  men  and  were  captained  by  Jo- 
seph Bowman,  John  Montgomery,  Leonard 
Helm  and  Howard  Harrod.  On  the  24th 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


day  of  June,  1778,  as  the  little  army  which 
was  to  wrest  the  empire  of  Illinois  from  the 
Britton's  hand  were  descending  the  Falls 
of  the  Ohio,  a  total  eclipse  of  the  sun  oc- 
curred, and  the  little  band  took  it  as  an 
omen  of  success,  and  that  they  were  to 
forever  dim  the  lustre  of  the  British  arms 
in  the  Illinois.  The  voyage  down  the  Ohio 
was  in  keel  boats,  with  a  double  row  of 
oars.  Working  day  and  night,  they  ar- 
rived at  an  island  near  the  mouth  of  the 
Tennessee  river,  where  they  landed  and  had 
the  good  fortune  to  meet  with  a  party  of 
eight  American  hunters,  who  had  been  at 
Kaskaskia  a  few  days  before ;  Clark  induced 
them  to  join  the  expedition  and  one  of  them, 
named  John  Saunders,  undertook  to  guide 
the  force  to  Kaskaskia.  On  the  evening  of 
the  same  day  they  ran  their  boats  into  a 
creek  about  a  mile  above  Fort  Massac,  which 
at  that  time  was  not  garrisoned  but  was 
abandoned  and  falling  into  decay. 

Fort  Massac  was  the  last  of  the  French 
forts  built  in  the  chain  of  forts  extending 
from  Quebec  to  New  Orleans  like  a  great 
bow  around  the  English  colonies.  It  was 
built  by  Lieutenant  Massac,  in  October, 
1758,  after  the  taking  of  Fort  Duquesne 
by  the  English,  but  relinquished  when  the 
Illinois  country  was  ceded  to  Great  Britain 
after  the  fall  of  Quebec.  There  is  no  proba- 
bility that  the  English  ever  garrisoned  it, 
and  at  this  time  it  stood  a  silent  monument 
over  the  dead  dream  of  a  French  empire  in 
the  new  world.  On  the  next  morning  the 
little  army  took  up  the  line  of  march  for  its 
objective  point,  the  seat  of  empire  in  the  Il- 


linois. The  men  were  without  uniform, 
each  clad  in  his  own,  in  the  style  of  the  back- 
woods of  that  day,  and  armed  with  the 
rifle  or  musket,  as  circumstances  had  de- 
creed. With  ax  and  hunting  knife  at  their 
belt,  an  undisciplined  force,  yet  all  domi- 
nated by  a  master  mind  and  a  master  pres- 
ence in  the  person  of  Clark.  Kaskaskia  was 
distant  about  one  hundred  and  twenty  miles, 
with  an  unbroken  wilderness  between.  There 
was  no  trail  from  Massac  to  Fort  Gage  and 
each  man  carrying  four  days'  supply  of  food, 
they  set  their  faces  to  the  northwest  and 
plunged  into  the  forest  that  had  never 
echoed  to  the  tread  of  the  white  man's  foot. 
Through  forest  dark,  dense  and  tangled, 
across  glades  of  intervening  prairie  lands 
which  were  often  covered  with  reed-like 
grasses  higher  than  the  head  of  the  tallest 
among  them,  over  hill  and  through  valley, 
often  without  water  for  hours,  save  only 
that  which  each  man  carried,  under  the  blaz- 
ing of  a  southern  Illinois  summer  sun,  with- 
out transportation  of  any  kind,  no  horses, 
no  wagons,  no  tents,  no  baggage,  no  artil- 
lery; this  band  of  heroes  led  by  a  hero, 
pressed  on.  When  in  the  confines  of  what  is 
now  Williamson  county  the  guide,  Saun- 
ders, became  confused  and  lost  his  bear- 
ings and  the  troops  believing  he  was  be- 
traying them,  were  on  the  point  of  wreaking 
summary  punishment  on  him  for  his  sus- 
picioned  treachery,  when  he  recognized  a 
point  of  timber  which  he  said  marked  the 
way  to  Kaskaskia. 

The  little  band  pressed  on  with  clothes 
ragged   and   soiled   with   the  wear  of   the 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


march  and  faces  scratched  and  bruised  by 
brambles  and  briar,  footsore  and  weary  with 
the  labor  of  forced  marching  and  want  of 
proper  rest,  with  only  the  sod  for  a  bed,  and 
the  canopy  of  heaven  for  a  covering-  when  at 
night  they  lay  down  for  a  few  hours'  sleep 
in  strict  silence,  not  a  shot  being  fired  for 
fear  its  echoes  might  be  heard  by  some 
prowler  and  the  news  of  their  approach  car- 
ried to  the  enemy,  they  arrived  in  the  evening 
of  July  4th  at  the  Kaskaskia  river,  about 
three  miles  above  the  village.  So  secretly 
had  the  expedition  been  planned  and  so  well 
had  the  secret  been  guarded  that  not  a  whis- 
per had  reached  the  ears  of  Rochblave,  who 
was  in  command  at  Kaskaskia,  and  who 
never  dreamed  of  any  attack  from  the 
Americans  of  Virginia,  by  way  of  the  Ohio, 
as  no  trail  led  that  way,  and  one  hundred 
and  twenty  miles  of  wilderness,  unbroken, 
was  thought  to  be  a  barrier  sufficient  to  deter 
any  foe.  As  soon  as  the  night  grew  dark 
enough  to  cover  the  movement  of  the 
troops,  Clark  divided  his  command  into  three 
divisions  of  about  fifty  men  each,  and 
marched  silently  to  the  ferry,  about  a  mile 
above  the  village,  where  boats  sufficient  to 
carry  two  divisions  across  the  river  were 
secured,  while  the  other  division  was  to  at- 
tack Fort  Gage,  on  the  bluff. 

The  division  whose  duty  was  to  take  the 
fort  silently  crept  up  to  the  works  and  were 
admitted,  by  ruse,  and  found  the  command- 
ant in  bed  by  the  side  of  his  wife,  and  the 
first  intimation  he  had  of  a  foe  within  a  hun- 
dred miles  was  the  demand  for  his  surren- 
der, which  demand  was  instanly  complied 


with.  The  two  divisions  which  crossed  the 
river  surrounded  the  town  and  arrested  the 
authorities.  Within  fifteen  minutes  every 
street  was  secured  and  runners  were  sent 
through  the  town,  warning  the  inhabitants 
to  keep  within  their  houses,  none  being  al- 
lowed to  appear  on  the  streets  under  penalty 
of  death.  Thus,  without  the  firing  of  a  gun, 
without  the  shedding  of  one  drop  of  blood, 
an  empire  was  added  to  Virginia,  which 
was  destined  to  become  one  of  the  brightest 
stars  in  the  galaxy  of  states. 

By  daylight  the  next  morning  every  in- 
habitant had  been  disarmed  and  all  were  in 
deadly  fear  of  the  terrible  Long  Knives, 
which  the  British  emissaries  had  taught 
them  to  believe  were  devils  in  human 
form,  and  which  the  harsh  orders  of 
the  night,  to  keep  within  doors  on 
pain  of  death,  seemed  to  confirm. 
Captain  Helm  commanded  the  division 
that  captured  the  town,  and  the  after- 
ward celebrated  Simon  Kenton,  that  division 
which  took  the  fort.  As  the  morning  ad- 
vanced, the  people  requested  permission  to 
go  to  the  church  for  prayer,  General  Clark 
granting  them  this  permission,  and  when 
the  whole  town  had  assembled,  he  took  the 
opportunity  to  address  them  and  allay  their 
fears  of  personal  violence.  He  assured  them 
that  they  came  not  in  a  spirit  of  vengeance, 
but  as  friends,  to  relieve  them  from  the 
thralldom  of  the  British  yoke,  and  assured 
them  that  the  rumors  that  had  reached  them 
of  the  alliance  between  France  and  the  colo- 
nies were  true,  and  told  them  if  they  would 
accept  the  American  rule,  they  should  be 


28 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


treated  as  brothers,  and  have  all  the  rights 
of  Americans.  Gladly  were  the  terms  ac- 
cepted, and  beyond  doubt  faithfully  ob- 
served, as  the  dominion  of  England  was 
most  cordially  hated,  and  today,  Illinois  has 
no  more  loyal  citizens  or  truer  men  and 
women  than  the  descendants  of  those  who 
covenanted  fealty  to  the  American  cause 
with  their  captor,  George  Rogers  Clark. 

THE  GARRISON  AT  FORT  GAGE. 

From  July  4,  1778,  until  February  7, 
1779,  Clark,  with  a  portion,  at  least,  of  his 
followers,  remained  as  the  garrison  of  Fort 
Gage,  cultivating  the  most  friendly  rela- 
tions with  the  inhabitants  of  Kaskaskia. 
The  Americans  freely  mixed  with  the  peo- 
ple, and  friendship  sprung  up  that  later  had 
an  influence  in  procuring  enlistments  from 
the  ranks  of  the  Kaskaskians  into  the  ranks 
of  the  army,  which  Clark  was  in  contem- 
plation of  raising,  with  a  view  of  capturing 
Fort  Sackville,  on  the  Wabash,  about  one 
hundred  and  thirty  miles  to  the  east,  and 
north  from  Kaskaskia. 

Clark  found  a  few  Americans  at  Kaskas- 
kia, and  they,  too,  aided  in  cementing  the 
friendship  of  the  French  to  the  American 
cause.  He  learned  that  at  Cahokia  was  an- 
other party  of  Americans  dwelling  in  amity 
with  their  French  neighbors.  On  the  5th  of 
July  he  sent  a  detachment  of  thirty  men,  un- 
der Captain  Bowman,  to  that  settlement,  and 
there  the  American  party  was  strong  enough 
to  persuade  all  the  villagers  to  take  the  oath 
of  allegiance.  The  position  of  Vincennes. 


on  the  road  to  Detroit,  made  it  important 
that  that  post  be  held  by  the  Americans. 
Clark  was  assured  of  the  friendly  spirit  of 
the  French  inhabitants  of  that  village.  The 
British,  with  singular  lack  of  judgment,  had 
withdrawn  most  of  their  troops  from  the 
west,  and  Vincennes  was  held  by  only  the 
local  militia,  and  that  was  favorably  inclined 
toward  the  Americans,  and  would  not  make 
a  very  strenuous  resistance.  Pierre  Gibault 
was  the  priest  of  the  parish  at  Kaskaskia ;  he 
was  much  beloved  by  the  inhabitants  of  the 
French  settlements,  over  which  he  was  the 
cure,  and  was  to  them,  indeed,  Father  Gib- 
ault. He  was  favorably  disposed  toward  the 
Americans,  and  the  just  treatment  of  the 
French  by  .Clark  made  this  broad-minded 
man  a  partisan  of  the  Americans.  He  as- 
sured Clark  that,  as  there  was  no  British 
force  at  Fort  Sackville,  that  he  could  per- 
suade the  French  at  Vincennes  to  cast  their 
lot  with  the  Americans,  and,  accompanied  by 
Dr.  Jean  Baptiste  Lafont,  who  was  to  act  as 
civil  magistrate  or  agent,  he  journeyed  to 
distant  Vincennes,  with  a  small  company  of 
followers,  one  of  whom  was  a  spy  in  Clark's 
employ.  A  proclamation  was  prepared  to 
the  people  of  Vincennes,  reciting  the  fact 
that  Governor  Hamilton  had  issued  orders 
to  various  officers  to  assemble  savages  and 
conduct  them,  and  to  furnish  them  with  sup- 
plies, and  incite  them  to  assassinate  the  in- 
habitants of  the  frontiers,  and  that  these  or- 
ders were  being  carried  out,  and  that  the 
murder  of  women  and  children  called  for 
vengeance.  It  seems  to  be  a  fact  that  Gov- 
ernor Hamilton  offered  a  bounty  and  paid 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


bounties  for  the  scalps,  not  only  of  men 
killed  in  battle,  but  of  women  and  children 
as  well. 

THE  PROCLAMATION. 

The  proclamation,  in  full,  was  as  follows : 
"George  Rogers  Clark,  colonel  commanding 
the  troops  of  Virginia  at  the  Falls  of  Ohio 
and  at  the  Illinois,  etc.,  addresses  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  Post  of  Vincennes.  The  inhabi- 
tants of  the  different  British  posts,  from  De- 
troit to  this  post,  having,  on  account  of  their 
commerce  and  position,  great  influence  over 
the  various  savage  nations,  have  been  con- 
sidered as  persons  fitted  to  support  the  tyr- 
annies which  have  been  practiced  by  the 
British  ministry  from  the  commencement  of 
the  present  contest,  the  Secretary  of  State 
for  America  has  ordered  Governor  Hamil- 
ton, at  Detroit,  to  intermingle  all  the  young 
men  with  the  different  nations  of  savages, 
to  commission  officers  to  conduct  them,  to 
furnish  them  all  necessary  supplies,  and  to 
do  everything  which  depends  on  him  to  ex- 
cite them  to  assassinate  the  inhabitants  of 
the  frontiers  of  the  United  States  of  Ameri- 
ca which  orders  have  been  put  in  execution 
at  a  council  held  with  the  different  savage 
nations  at  Detroit,  the  I7th  to  the  24th  day 
of  the  month,  June,  1777.  The  murders  and 
assassinations  of  women  and  children,  and 
the  depredations  and  ravages  which  have 
been  committed,  cry  for  vengeance  with  a 
loud  voice. 

"Since  the  United  States  has  now  gained 
the  advantage  over  their  British  enemies, 
and  their  plenipotentiaries  have  now  made 


and  concluded  treaties  of  commerce  and  al- 
liance with  the  Kingdom  of  France  and 
other  powerful  nations  of  Europe,  His  Ex- 
cellency, the  Governor  of  Virginia,  has  or- 
dered me  to  reduce  the  different  posts  to  the 
west  of  the  Miami  with  a  part  of  the  troops 
under  my  command,  in  order  to  prevent 
longer  responsibility  for  innocent  blood. 
According  to  these  orders,  I  have  taken  pos- 
session of  this  fort  and  the  ministrations  of 
this  country  and  I  have  caused  to  be  pub- 
lished a  proclamation  offering  assistance  and 
protection  to  all  the  inhabitants  against  all 
their  enemies  and  promising  to  treat  them 
as  the  citizens  of  the  Republic  of  Virginia 
( in  the  limits  of  which  they  are,  and  to  pro- 
tect their  persons  and  property,  if  it  is  neces- 
sary, for  the  surety  of  which  the  faith  of  the 
government  is  pledged  provided  the  people 
give  certain  proofs  of  their  attachment  to  the 
states  by  taking  the  oath  of  fidelity  in  such 
case  required,  as  prescribed  by  law,  and  by 
all  other  means  which  shall  be  possible  for 
them,  to  which  offer  they  have  voluntarily 
acceded. 

"I  have  been  charmed  to  learn  from  a  let- 
ter written  by  Governor  Abbott  to  M.  Roche- 
blave  that  you  are  in  general  attached  to  the 
cause  of  America.  In  consequence  of  which, 
I  invite  you  all  to  accept  offers  hereafter 
mentioned,  and  to  enjoy  all  their  privileges. 
If  you  accede  to  this  offer,  you  will  proceed 
to  the  nomination  of  a  commandant,  by 
choice  or  election,  who  shall  raise  a  com- 
pany and  take  possession  of  the  fort  and  of 
all  the  munitions  of  the  King,  in  the  name  of 
the  United  States  of  America,  for  the  Re- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


public  of  Virginia,  and  continue  to  defend 
the  same  until  further  orders.  The  person 
thus  nominated  shall  have  the  rank  of  cap- 
tain, and  shall  have  the  commission  as  soon 
as  possible,  and  he  shall  draw  for  rations 
and  pay  for  himself  and  company  from  the 
time  they  shall  take  the  fort,  etc.,  into  pos- 
•session.  If  it  is  necessary,  fortifications  shall 
be  made,  which  will  be  also  paid  for  by  the 
•state. 

"I  have  the  honor  of  being,  with  much 
obedient  servant. 

"G.  R.  CLARK." 

THE   CAPTURE   OF   VINCENNES. 

Father  Gibault  and  Doctor  Lafont,  with 
this  proclamation  and  several  letters  from 
French  Kaskaskians,  proceeded  to  Vin- 
cennes to  make  what  was  to  prove  a  blood- 
less capture  of  Vincennes,  which  was  ef- 
fected in  a  few  days  by  their  explaining  the 
advantage  to  them  and  by  persuading  them, 
as  Frenchmen,  to  join  with  their  brothers 
on  the  Mississippi.  The  entire  population, 
with  a  few  exceptions,  and  they  British 
•emissaries,  took  the  oath,  the  few  adherents 
•of  the  British  immediately  leaving  the  vicini- 
ty. The  oath  subscribed  to  by  one  hundred 
and  eighty-two  inhabitants  was  as  follows : 
'"You  make  oath  on  the  Holy  Evangel  of  Al- 
mighty God  to  renounce  all  fidelity  to  George 
the  Third,  King  of  Britain,  and  to  his  suc- 
cessors, and  to  be  faithful  and  true  subjects 
of  the  Republic  of  Virginia  as  a  free  and  in- 
dependent state  and  I  swear  that  I  will  not 
•do  or  cause  anything  or  matter  to  be  done 


which  can  be  prejudicial  to  the  liberty  or  in- 
dependence of  the  said  people,  as  prescribed 
by  Congress,  and  that  I  will  inform  some 
one  of  the  judges  of  the  country  of  the  said 
state,  of  all  treasons  and  conspiracies  which 
shall  come  to  my  knowledge  against  the  said 
state  or  some  other  of  the  United  States  of 
America  in  faith  of  which  we  have  signed, 
at  Post  Vincennes,  July  20,  1778." 

Father  Gibault  and  party,  with  a  few  of 
the  inhabitants  of  Vincennes,  returned  to 
Kaskaskia  early  in  August  and  brought  the 
oath  of  Vincennes  and  soon  the  French  vil- 
lagers were  rejoicing  over  the  news  that  the 
Wabash  country  was  with  them  in  the  sup- 
port of  the  Americans  against  the  British 
This  condition  was  of  but  short  duration. 
Lieutenant-Governor  Hamilton,  late  in  the 
fall,  retook  Vincennes,  and  again  became  a 
menace  to  American  interests  in  the  Illinois 
country,  but  owing  to  the  lateness  of  the  sea- 
son deferred  operations  until  the  next  spring 
and  dispersed  the  Indians  and  many  of  his 
troops,  but  the  victory  of  the  soldier  of  the 
Cross,  Father  Gibault,  was  not  empty,  but 
bore  fruit  in  the  reception  of  Clark  by  the 
French  in  his  taking  of  Vincennes. 

Clark  now  saw  that  he  must  act  before 
the  British  could  gather  an  overwhelming 
force  in  the  spring  and  attack  him  at  Kas- 
kaskia, and  sent  word  to  the  French  of  Vin- 
cennes to  expect  him,  with  what  troops  he 
could  raise.  They  kept  the  expected  attack 
from  the  British,  and  welcomed  Clark  when 
•  his  worn  and  exhausted  soldiers  arrived. 

When  Clark  marched  his  little  army  from 
Massac  to  Kaskaskia,  across  the  glades  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


timberlands  of  Southern  Illinois,  it  was  sum- 
mer time.  Soft  winds  wafted  the  perfume  of 
flower-sprinkled  prairies,  and  the  fragrance 
of  the  woodlands  about  the  marching  troops, 
the  water  of  the  streams  was  comparatively 
low  and  the  swamp  lands  were  firmer  to  the 
tread  of  their  moccasin-clad  feet.  The  can- 
opy of  sky  and  cloud  was  covering  enough 
by  night,  and  while  the  blazing  of  a  June 
sun  was  far  from  soothing  to  spirits  or 
temper,  it  was  not  to  be  compared  to  the 
hardships  to  which  the  troops  on  the  march 
to  the  capture  of  Vincennes  were  to  en- 
counter. 

On  the  morning  of  February  7,  1779. 
General  Clark,  with  his  little  army  partly 
made  up  of  re-enlistments  from  the  men  who 
marched  from  Massac  to  Kaskaskia,  and 
partly  of  recruits  from  among  the  French  of 
the  settlements,  set  out  upon  the  march  to 
retake  Fort  Sackville  and  Vincennes.  They 
crossed  the  River  Kaskaskia,  or  Okaw,  as  it 
is  more  frequently  called,  in  Marion  county, 
and  followed  the  old  trail,  as  most  writers 
affirm  (and  we  see  no  good  reason  to  think 
they  are  mistaken)  ;  passing  through  what  is 
now  Washington  county  and  through  the 
southern  part  of  Marion  county  eastward, 
crossing  many  creeks  and  flatlands,  at  this 
time  submerged  under  the  water  from  one  to 
four  or  five  feet ;  during  a  February,  in  this 
most  changeable  climate,  carrying  their  ac- 
coutrements in  packs  on  their  backs,  except- 
ing the  ever-ready  and  often  necessary  rifle, 
which  was  is  hand  all  day  and  at  hand  all 
night,  wet  oftimes  to  the  neck,  by  the  icy 
waters  of  a  February  thaw  in  southern  Illi- 


nois, the  water-soaked  ground,  with  mayhap 
a  water-soaked  blanket  for  bed  and  bedding, 
they  crossed  the  Little  Wabash  in  a  canoe 
they  made  for  that  purpose,  on  the  I3th  of 
February,  having  built  a  scaffold  on  which 
to  put  their  baggage  to  keep  it  out  of  the 
water.  They  proceeded  as  rapidly  as  the  ex- 
hausted condition  of  the  troops  would  admit, 
many  of  whom  seemed  to  be  unfit  to  march 
a  step  farther.  At  the  crossing  of  the  Little 
Wabash,  Clark  cheered  them  on,  and  called 
to  his  aid  an  Irish  drummer,  celebrated  for 
his  fund  of  droll  and  comic  songs,  the  sing- 
ing of  which,  at  a  time  when  the  men  were 
chilled  almost  to  freezing  by  the  icy  waters 
through  which  they  had  been  wading,  some- 
times for  an  hour,  up  to  their  armpits,  would 
put  new  life  into  the  men,  and  again  they 
would  struggle  on.  What  a  picture !  What 
melody  can  equal  the  living  picture  of  this 
band  of  heroes  or  the  song  of  this  wild  Irish- 
man's singing?  The  painters  of  the  picture 
have  passed  away.  The  song  of  the  singer  is 
stilled  forever,  but  truly  their  works  live 
after  them. 

The  party,  on  the  i8th,  heard  the  morning 
gun  of  Fort  Sackville,  at  Vincennes,  and 
when  they  reached  the  Wabash,  below  the 
mouth  of  the  Embarrass  river,  they  were  ex- 
hausted, destitute,  and  starving — literally 
starving,  with  no  means  of  crossing  the 
river,  which  was  overflowed  and  was  several 
miles  wide.  On  the  2oth  of  February,  a  par- 
ty of  French,  in  a  boat,  was  hailed  and  came 
to  the  little  army.  From  them  Clark  learned 
that  the  French  of  Vincennes  were  true  to 
the  oath  of  Vincennes,  which  thev  had  taken 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  previous  summer,  and  that  the  British 
garrison  had  no  knowledge  of  the  approach 
of  the  expedition,  indeed,  had  no  knowledge 
that  an  expedition  had  even  been  planned, 
much  less  had  they  thought  it  possible  that 
men  would  undertake  so  hazardous  an  expe- 
dition, and  one  which,  if  undertaken,  must, 
as  they  thought,  result  in  the  death  of  every 
soldier  from  the  hardships  of  the  march. 
And  now,  with  the  facts  before  us  it  seems 
to  us  they  accomplished  the  impossible.  By 
wading  and  rafting,  they  managed  to  cross 
to  the  highlands,  below  Vincennes.  Clark 
immediately  sent  the  following  notice  to  citi- 
zens of  Vincennes:  "To  the  inhabitants  of 
Post  Vincennes:  Gentlemen:  Being  now 
within  two  miles  of  your  village,  with  my 
army,  determined  to  take  your  fort  tonight, 
and  not  being  willing  to  surprise  you,  I  take 
this  method  to  request  such  of  you  as  are 
true  citizens,  and  would  enjoy  the  liberty  I 
bring  you,  to  remain,  still,  in  your  houses. 
Those,  if  any  there  be,  that  are  friends  to  the 
King,  will  instantly  repair  to  the  fort  and 
join  the  hair-buyer  general,  and  fight  like 
men  and  such  as  do  not  go  to  the  fort,  and 
shall  be  discovered  afterwards,  they  may  de- 
pend on  severe  punishment.  On  the  contra- 
ry, those  that  are  true  friends  to  liberty  shall 
be  treated  as  friends  deserve.  And  once 
more  I  request  them  to  keep  out  of  the 
streets,  for  everyone  I  find  in  arms  on  my 
arrival  I  shall  treat  as  an  enemy. 

"G.  R.  CLARK." 

Clark's  army,  consisting  of  one  company 
from  Cahokia,  commanded  by  Captain  Mc- 


Carty,  and  one  company  from  Kaskaskia. 
commanded  by  Captain  Charleville,  and 
were  composed  of  French,  and  the  rest, 
about  seventy  men,  were  Americans  of  his 
old  command,  in  all  not  over  one  hundred 
and  seventy  men,  were  made  to  appear  to  the 
villagers'  minds  as  much  greater  by  this  pe- 
culiar note,  and  to  still  further  deceive  them 
and  to  make  the  garrison  believe  a  large 
force  was  about  to  attack  them,  Clark 
marched  his  men  back  and  forth  among  some 
mounds  in  the  prairie,  changing  the  flags, 
so  that  the  British  believed  many  times  the 
true  number  of  fierce  Kentuckians  were 
about  to  assail  them,  as  the  British  only 
knew  them  as  Kentucky  bordermen,  and 
had  no  thought  that  more  than  half  were 
Illinois  French.  At  about  sunset  on  Febru- 
ary 23d,  Lieutenant  Baylay  was  sent  with 
fourteen  men  to  make  an  attack  on  the  fort. 
He  led  his  men  to  about  thirty  yards  of  the 
fort,  where  they  lay  concealed  behind  a  bank 
of  earth,  protected  from  the  guns  of  the  fort. 
Every  one  of  the  Americans  was  an  expert 
rifleman,  and  whenever  a  porthole  was 
opened  a  storm  of  bullets  whistled  in,  killing 
or  wounding  the  men  at  the  guns,  so  that 
none  would  work  the  cannon.  At  nine  in 
the  morning  of  the  24th,  while  his  men  were 
eating  the  first  breakfast  they  had  had  for 
several  days,  Clark  sent  the  following  note 
to  the  British  commandant: 

"Sir:  In  order  to  save  yourself  from  the 
impending  storm  which  now  threatens  you, 
I  order  you  immediately  to  surrender  your- 
self, with  all  your  garrison,  stores,  etc.  If 
I  am  obliged  to  storm,  you  may  depend  upon 


JRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


33 


such  treatment  alone,  as  is  justly  due  a 
murderer.  Beware  of  destroying  stores  of 
any  kind,  or  any  papers  or  letters  that  are  in 
your  possession,  or  hurting  one  house  in 
town,  for,  by  heaven,  if  you  do,  there  shall 
be  no  mercy  shown  you. 

"G.  R.  CLARK" 

This  note  may  seem  brutal  to  modern 
minds,  but  when  it  is  remembered  that  it  was 
addressed  to  a  man  who  was  paying  a  boun- 
ty to  the  merciless  savage  as  a  reward  for 
the  murder,  not  only  of  the  American  men, 
but  of  helpless  women  and  innocent  chil- 
dren, it  is  not  too  harsh.  Governor  Ham- 
ilton was  deeply  impressed  by  this  note,  it 
is  certain,  by  the  meek  reply  returned  by 
him,  which  is  as  follows: 

"Governor  Hamilton  begs  leave  to  ac- 
quaint Colonel  Clark  that  he  and  his  garri- 
son are  not  to  i>e  awed  into  any  action  un- 
worthy of  British  subjects." 

About  midnight,  of  the  23d,  Clark  had  cut 
a  ditch  near  the  fort,  and  in  it,  secure  from 
the  guns  of  the  fort,  the  riflemen  lay,  with 
watchful  eye  and  unerring  aim.  They 
poured  in  a  steady  fire,  and  in  fifteen  min- 
utes had  silenced  two  pieces  of  artillery  and 
killed  every  gunner  approaching  them  or  had 
driven  them  away  from  their  guns,  horror- 
stricken,  at  the  certainty  of  death  or  of 
wounds,  if  but  the  smallest  portion  of  their 
person  was  exposed  but  for  an  instant.  This 
terrible  fire  was  kept  up  for  eighteen  hours. 
This  incessant  fire  convinced  the  garrison 
that  they  would  be  destroyed,  and  Governor 
Hamilton  sent  Clark  the  following  note : 
3 


"Governor  Hamilton  proposes  to  Colonel 
Clark  a  truce  of  three  days,  during  which 
time,  he  promises,  that  there  shall  be  no  de- 
fensive work  carried  on  in  the  garrison,  on 
condition  that  Colonel  Clark  will  observe, 
on  his  part,  a  like  cessation  of  offensive 
works,  that  is,  he  wishes  to  confer  with 
Colonel  Clark,  as  soon  as  can  be,  and  prom- 
ises that  whatever  may  pass  between  them 
two  and  another  person,  mutually  agreed  on 
to  be  present,  shall  remain  secret  until  mat- 
ters be  finished,  as  he  wishes  whatever  the 
result  of  the  conference  may  be,  it  may  tend 
to  the  honor  and  credit  of  each  party.  If 
Colonel  Clark  makes  a  difficulty  of  coming 
into  the  fort,  Lieutenant-Governor  Hamil- 
ton will  speak  to  him  by  the  gate. 

"HENRY  HAMILTON." 
February  24,  1779. 

Clark  replied : 

"Colonel  Clark's  compliments  to  Governor 
Hamilton,  and  begs  to  say  that  he  will  not 
agree  to  any  terms  other  than  Mr.  Hamilton 
surrendering  himself  and  garrison  at  dis- 
cretion. If  Mr.  Hamilton  wants  to  talk 
with  Colonel  Clark,  he  will  meet  him  at  the 
church,  with  Captain  Helm." 

A  conference  was  held  and  Clark  de- 
manded a  surrender,  otherwise  he  threatened 
to  put  the  leaders  to  the  sword  for  the  gold 
paid  for  American  scalps.  He  was  in  earn- 
est and  the  garrison  so  understood.  In  an 
hour  Clark  dictated  the  following  terms  of 
surrender,  which  Hamilton  accepted: 


34 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


"First — Lieutenant-Governor  Hamilton 
agrees  to  deliver  up  to  Colonel  Clark,  Fort 
Sackville  and  all  the  stores,  etc. 

"Second — The  garrison  to  deliver  them- 
selves as  prisoners  of  war,  and  to  march  out 
with  their  arms  and  accoutrements. 

"Third — The  garrison  to  be  delivered  up 
by  tomorrow,  at  ten  o'clock. 

"Four — Three  days  are  allowed  the  gar- 
rison to  settle  their  accounts  with  the  inhabi- 
tants and  traders. 

"Fifth — The  officers  of  the  garrison  are  to 
be  allowed  their  necessary  baggage. 

"Signed  at  Post  Vincennes,  this  24th  day 
of  February,  1779. 

"Agreed  to  for  the  following  reasons : 
First,  remoteness  from  succor;  second,  state 
and  quantity  of  provisions;  third,  the  unan- 
imity of  the  officers  and  men  in  its  expedi- 
ency: fourth,  the  honorable  terms  allowed, 
and  lastly,  the  confidence  in  a  generous  ene- 
my. 

"HENRY  HAMILTON. 

"Lieutenant-Governor  and  Superintendent.'' 
On  the  25th,  this  surrender  took  place. 
Fifty  thousand  dollars'  worth  of  arms  and 
stores  were  turned  over  to  Clark.  Governor 
Hamilton,  Major  Hay  and  some  other  offi- 
cers were  sent  under  guard  to  the  capital  of 
Virginia,  seventy-nine  prisoners  were  pa- 
roled and  sent  to  Detroit.  Thus  ended  the 
conquest  of  Illinois,  for  Vincennes  in  the 
hands  of  the  enemy,  could  control,  and  the 
conquest  was  completed  by  Illinois  troops 
for  liberty,  honor  and  glory  of  Illinois.  The 
heroes  of  that  day  sleep  in  the  soil  of  the 


land  they  loved  and  their  descendants  loving 
it  as  well  as  they,  stand  ready  to  protect  it 
under  all  circumstances,  with  a  devotion  as 
heroic  as  animated  their  fathers. 

ILLINOIS  COUNTY. 

In  1878,  all  the  country  embraced  in  the 
triangle  formed  by  the  great  lakes  on  the 
north,  the  Ohio  on  the  east  or  southeast,  and 
the  Mississippi  on  the  west,  was  known  as 
the  Illinois  county,  and  John  Todd  was  ap- 
pointed by  the  Virginia  legislature  as 
"County  Commandant."  By  act  of  con- 
gress, September  6,  1780,  all  states  holding 
waste  or  unappropriated  lands,  in  the  west- 
ern country,  were  requested  to  relinquish  all 
claims  to  the  same  to  the  United  States.  On 
January  2,  1781,  Virginia  made  a  cession  of 
her  claims  to  the  Illinois  territory,  under  cer- 
tain stipulations,  which  were  accepted,  and 
the  Northwest  Territory  was  formed.  By  the 
Ordinance  of  1787,  provisions  were  made 
that  not  less  than  three,  nor  more  than  five, 
states  should  be  formed  from  this  territory : 
"The  eastern  state  shall  be  bounded  by  the 
Mississippi,  the  Ohio,  and  the  Wabash  riv- 
ers, and  a  direct  line  drawn  from  Post  Vin- 
cennes north  to  the  boundary  line  between 
the  United  States  and  Canada."  This  includ- 
ed Illinois  and  Wisconsin  of  today.  The  ordi- 
nance provided  for  a  governor,  a  secretary 
and  a  court  composed  of  three  judges.  The 
governor  and  the  judges,  or  a  majority  of 
them,  had  power  to  make  laws,  subject  to 
approval  by  Congress,  until  a  General  As- 
sembly should  be  organized.  The  Governor 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


35 


was  also  commander-in-chief  of  the  militia, 
with  the  customary  powers  of  such  com- 
mander. 

On  February  ist.  General  St.  Clair  was 
appointed  Governor  of  the  Northwest  Ter- 
ritory, after  the  revision  of  the  Ordinance 
of  1787,  and  its  acceptance  by  Virginia, 
St.  Clair  was  re-appointed,  and  the  seat  of 
government  was  established  at  Marietta, 
Ohio.  In  the  spring  the  Governor  visited 
Illinois  and  established  a  county,  named 
after  himself,  and  was  the  first  county  estab- 
lished in  what  is  now  Illinois.  It  covered 
about  one-fourth  of  the  present  state,  and 
embraced  the  present  county  of  Marion.  The 
St.  Clair  county  boundary  was  as  follows: 
"Beginning  at  the  mouth  of  the  Little  Mich- 
ilnakinack  river,  thence  running  southerly 
in  a  direct  line  to  the  mouth  of  the  little 
river  above  Fort  Massac,  upon  the  Ohio 
river;  thence  with  the  said  river  to  its  junc- 
tion with  the  Mississippi,  thence  up  the  Mis- 
sissippi to  the  mouth  of  the  Illinois  river, 
to  the  place  of  beginning,  with  all  the  adja- 
cest  islands  of  said  rivers — Illinois  and  Mis- 
sissippi." At  this  time  the  entire  population 
of  Illinois  was  estimated  at  two  thousand. 
The  same  year  that  St.  Clair  county  was  or- 
ganized, a  belief  in  witchcraft  was  prevalent 
among  the  French  inhabitants  of  the  Bot- 
toms, as  the  flatland  between  the  Mississippi 
river  and  the  bluffs  is  called,  led  to  the 
hanging  of  one  negro  and  the  shooting  of 
another  for  being  witches.  Singularly 
enough,  the  belief  confined  the  evil  power  to 
African  negroes,  and  not  even  the  negro  of 
American  birth  was  capable  of  becoming  a 


witch.  This  delusion  never  made  much 
headway,  as  the  good  sense  of  the  better  edu- 
cated French  and  of  the  Americans  put  a 
stop  to  such  utter  foolishness.  In  1795,  St. 
Clair  county  was  divided,  and  the  southern 
part  was  called  Randolph  county. 

Marion  was  still  a  part  of  St.  Clair  Coun- 
ty. These  two  counties  were  the  only  organ  - 
ized  counties  in  Illinois.  In  1800,  what  is 
now  the  State  of  Ohio  was  cut  off  from  the 
Northwest  Territory,  and  the  rest  of  the 
Northwest  was  erected  into  the  Indiana  Ter- 
ritory, and  Gen.  W.  H.  Harrison,  afterward 
President,  was  appointed  Governor,  with 
Vincennes  as  seat  of  government,  and  Illi- 
nois sent  delegates  to  the  territorial  assembly 
at  Vincennes.  In  1809,  Indiana  Territory 
was  divided,  and  Illinois  Territory  was  cre- 
ated, its  eastern  boundary,  as  now,  but  ex- 
tending north  to  the  Canadian  line.  Ninian 
Edwards  was  appointed  Governor.  At  this 
time  Illinois  contained  about  twelve  thou- 
sand people.  In  1812,  Illinois  was  made  a 
territory  of  the  second-class  and  three  new 
counties  formed  from  the  original  St.  Clair. 
viz:  Gallatin,  Johnson  and  Madison.  New 
counties  were  rapidly  formed:  Edwards,  in 
1814;  White,  in  1815;  Jackson  and  Pope,  in 
1816;  Crawford,  in  1816;  Bond,  in  1817; 
Franklin,  Union  and  Washington,  in  1818, 
all  carved  out  of  the  original  St.  Clair. 

WHEN     ILLINOIS     WAS     ADMITTED     TO     THE 
UNION. 

In  1818,  Illinois  was  admitted  into  the  sis- 
terhood of  states,  but  from  the  time  of  the 
close  of  the  Revolution  to  the  admission  of 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  state,  much  interest  to  the  citizens  of  Ma- 
rion county  took  place.  The  settlements 
were  growing  away  from  the  Missisippi, 
farther  and  farther  toward  the  interior,  and 
a  tide  of  immigration  had  set  in,  mostly 
from  Virginia  and  the  South.  Indian  depre- 
dations continued  until  the  victory  of  "Mad 
Anthony"  Wayne  broke  their  spirit,  after 
which  only  widely  scattered  murders  were 
committed,  but  some  of  these  were  most 
cruel  and  were  generally  swiftly  and  ter- 
ribly punished. 

The  first  lawyer  in  the  country  was  John 
Rice  Jones;  the  second,  Isaac  Darnelle,  and 
the  first  regular  minister  of  the  Protestant 
faith  was  James  Smith,  a  Baptist  preacher, 
from  Kentucky,  who  came  in  1787,  to  New 
Design.  Before  his  advent,  in  fact,  in  1781, 
the  families  of  J.  Moore,  Shadrack  Bond, 
Robert  Kidd,  James  Garrison,  Larkin  Ruth- 
erford and  J.  Piggott  arrived  and  settled 
near  the  New  Design.  In  1785  they  were 
joined  by  the  families  of  Captain  Joseph 
Ogle,  Joseph  Worley  aend  James  Andrews. 
In  1786  they  were  joined  by  James  Lemon. 
Sr.,  James  McRobirth,  George  Atcheson, 
and  David  Waddle,  and  they,  or  descendants 
from  nearly  every  family,  had  much  to  do 
with  the  development  of  Marion  county,  and 
many  of  their  descendants  now  reside  within 
its  borders.  None  of  the  above  were  mem- 
bers of  any  church,  but  had  been  trained  up 
by  moral  and  religious  parents,  and  had  been 
taught  to  regard  with  reverence  the  day  set 
apart  to  the  Lord's  service.  They  met  on 
Sundays  at  the  various  houses  alternately, 
and  services  were  conducted  by  Shadrack 
Bond,  Junes  Piggott,  and  James  Lemon. 


who  read  the  Scriptures,  especially  the 
Psalms,  read  sermons  from  books,  and  sung 
hymns.  No  prayers  were  offered  at  these 
meetings,  but  order  and  morality  were  pro- 
moted. When  Smith  came,  in  1787,  he 
preached  much  to  the  people  and  was  very 
successful  in  his  labors ;  many  of  the  leading 
pioneers  were  converted,  among  whom  were 
James  Ogle  and  James  Lemon.  Elder  Smith 
went  back  to  Kentucky,  but  returned  again 
in  1790,  and  many  more  became  deeply  in- 
terested in  the  Gospel. 

On  May  iQth,  Mr.  Smith,  with  a  Mrs. 
Huff  and  a  Frenchman,  on  going  to  the  lit- 
tle village,  were  fired  on  by  a  party  of  Kick- 
apoo  Indians.  Mrs.  Huff  was  wounded, 
Smith's  and  the  Frenchman's  horses  were 
wounded.  Smith  threw  his  saddlebags  in 
the  brush  and  crawled  to  the  edge  of  the 
bluff,  where  he  prayed  while  the  Indians 
were  murdering  Mrs.  Huff.  The  French- 
man made  his  escape.  Smith,  who  was  a 
large,  portly  man,  was  captured,  and  loaded 
with  spoils,  was  forced  to  rapid  inarching, 
and  soon  grew  fatigued.  The  Indians  held 
a  consultation  and  some  proposed  to  kill 
him.  He  opened  his  coat  and  dared  them 
to  shoot,  pointing  upward.  The  supersti- 
tions of  the  Indians  were  aroused,  and  as 
they  had  found  him  praying,  they  thought 
he  must  be  a  great  medicine  man  that  held 
converse  with  the  Great  Spirit.  They  took 
him  to  their  town  on  the  Wabash  (probably 
Prophets'  Town),  where  some  French 
traders,  from  Vincennes,  interceded  and  pro- 
cured his  release,  the  people  of  New  Design 
paying  one  hundred  and  seventy  dollars- 
ransom.  The  second  minister  was  Rev. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


37 


Joseph  Lillard,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  1793. 
He  formed  a  class  and  appointed  Capt.  Jo- 
sephus  Ogle  class  leader.  Several  of  the  de- 
scendants of  Mr.  Ogle  now  reside  in  Marion 
county.  The  next  preacher  who  visited  Illi- 
nois was. Rev.  Josiah  Dodge,  who  was  on  a 
visit  to  his  brother,  Dr.  Israel  Dodge,  who 
was  the  father  of  Governor  Dodge.  Mr. 
Dodge  preached  frequently  for  the  people, 
who  were  without  a  minister  (Smith  and 
Lillard  both  being  in  Kentucky),  and  in 
February,  he  baptized  James  Lemon  and  his 
wife,  Catharine,  John  Gibbons  and  Isaac 
Enoch,  the  ice  in  Fountain  creek  being  cut 
that  the  ceremony  might  be  performed. 
Governor  Reynolds  says  these  were  the  first 
persons  ever  baptized  in  Illinois  (See 
Pioneer  History). 

For  the  next  two  years  there  was  no  min- 
ister in  Illinois.  The  Methodists  and  Bap- 
tists were  not  organized,  but  united  to  hold 
prayer  meetings  from  house  to  house.  At 
these  meetings  sermons  were  read,  the  Scrip- 
ture was  also  read,  prayers  offered,  and 
hymns  of  praise  sung  to  the  God  whom  they 
worshiped  in  their  sincere,  though  primi- 
tive way  and  in  whom  they  implicitly 
trusted.  In  1796  the  first  Protestant  churcli 
in  Illinois  was  established  by  Elder  David 
Badgley  and  Lay  Elder  Joseph  Chance,  with 
twenty-eight  members.  The  church  was 
also  called  New  Design  church.  Mr.  Chance 
left  numerous  descendants,  many  of  whom 
reside  in  Marion  county;  some  have  lived 
here  more  than  sixty  years  and  are  among 
those  who  helped  make  the  country  what  it 
is.  This  family  will  be  more  fully  treated 


in  the  chapters  devoted  to  the  county  after  its 
organization.  William  Riggs  came  in  1803, 
and  was  long  a  local  preacher  in  the  Metho- 
dist church.  Benjamin  Young  came  to  Illinois 
in  1804  as  a  missionary  and  was  the  first 
Methodist  circuit  rider  under  the  direction 
of  the  conference,  and  from  this  time  on 
there  were  supplied  by  immigration,  minis- 
ters enough  to  meet  the  growing  demand 
for  religious  teaching. 

DEPREDATIONS  OF  INDIANS. 

The  War  of  1812,  so-called,  was  ushered 
in  as  early  as  1807  by  Indian  depredations 
in  the  northwest,  and  in  consequence,  the 
settlements  of  Illinois  were  in  constant  alarm 
and  required  constant  vigilance  on  the  part 
of  the  settlers.  Soon  after  the  establish- 
ment of  the  Illinois  Territory,  Ninian  Ed- 
wards, of  Maryland,  was  appointed  Gov- 
ernor. He  was  a  lawyer,  and  had  been  for 
some  years  living  in  Kentucky,  where  he 
had  become  Chief  Justice  of  the  Court  of 
Appeals,  and  upon  the  recommendation  of 
Henry  Clay,  President  Madison  appointed 
him  Governor  of  the  new  territory.  He  was 
reappointed  in  1812  and  served  until  the 
state  was  admitted  in  1818.  He  was  then 
elected  one  of  the  first  Senators  from  the 
state,  Jesse  B.  Thomas  being  the  other. 

In  1811  the  Indians  became  more  trouble- 
some and  Governor  Edwards  used  his 
utmost  power  to  protect  the  settlers,  but 
their  safety  was  largely  dependent  upon 
themselves.  Companies  of  rangers  were 
formed  and  captains  chosen  and  self-pro- 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tection  was  the  entire  object  of  all  military 
organizations,  which  were  indeed  of  the 
very  loosest  sort,  and  no  man  was  a  soldier 
or  ranger  save  from  choice.  But  by  con- 
stant watchfulness  and  prompt  action,  the 
Indian  murders  were  kept  to  an  increditably 
small  number,  under  the  circumstances. 

Until  1799  the  public  lands  could  not  be 
sold  in  tracts  of  less  than  four  thousand 
acres.  In  1799  General  Harrison,  after- 
ward elected  President,  was  elected  delegate 
to  Congress,  and  succeeded  in  having  a  bill 
passed  permitting  tracts  of  four  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  to  be  sold,  and  afterward 
this  amount  was  reduced  to  forty  acres  as 
the  minimum  amount  of  public  land  that 
could  be  sold.  The  reduction  of  the  amount 
of  land  that  could  be  bought  from  the  pub- 
lic domain  was  an  important  factor  in  the 
growth  of  the  territory,  and  immigration 
was  greatly  stimulated. 

In  1810  the  census  returned  12,282  inhab- 
itants in  Illinois,  and  this  number  increased 
so  rapidly  that  in  1818  the  population  had  in- 
creased to  such  an  extent  that  the  territory 
was  admitted  into  the  Union  as  a  sovereign 
state.  In  1820 the  censusgave  Illinois 55, 211. 
The  act  admitting  the  state  was  passed 
April  1 8,  1818.  A  convention  was  held  in 
Kaskaskia,  and  a  state  constitution  was 
framed,  which  was  adopted  August  26, 
1818,  and  ratified  by  Congress  on  the  3d  of 
December  following. 

An  election  for  state  officers  had  been  held 
in  the  meantime  and  Shadrack  Bond  was 
chosen  Governor,  and  Pierre  Menard,  Lieu- 
tenant-Governor.  Governor  Bond  was  in- 


augurated on  the  6th  of  October,  1818. 
Kaskaskia  was  chosen  capital  of  the  new 
state,  and  a  new  era  was  thus  entered  upon 
by  the  people  of  what  was  soon  to  be  one 
of  the  great  states  of  the  American  Union. 

The  counties  of  Alexander,  Clark,  Jeffer- 
son and  Wayne  were  formed  in  1819,  and 
the  county  of  Marion  was  a  part  of  Jeffer- 
son as  then  formed.  The  first  Legislature 
also  selected  Vandalia  as  the  capital  of  the 
state  and  the  government  was  moved  to  that 
place  in  1820.  In  1821  the  counties  of  Law- 
rence, Greene,  Sangamon,  Pike,  Hamilton, 
Montgomery  and  Fayette  were  formed. 
The  state  now  had  twenty-six  counties  all 
east  and  south  of  the  Illinois  river,  and  con- 
fined to  the  southern  half  of  the  state,  except 
Pike,  which  embraced  all  of  the  state  west 
and  north  of  the  Illinois.  Pike  county  was 
more  than  one-third  of  the  state  in  extent, 
had  a  population  in  1823  estimated  at  seven 
or  eight  hundred,  and  Chicago,  then  a  vil- 
lage of  Pike  county,  had  about  twelve 
houses  and  about  seventy  inhabitants,  and 
now,  only  eighty-eight  years  after,  that 
same  village  of  Pike  numbers  its  people  by 
millions,  and  its  commercial  transactions  af- 
fect the  markets  of  the  world. 

The  first  legal  execution  in  the  new  state 
took  place  at  Belleville  on  the  3d  day  of 
August,  1821.  The  circumstances  leading 
to  the  hanging  were  as  follows :  On  March 
8,  1819,  on  an  occasion  of  a  gathering  of  a 
large  number  of  people  at  Belleville,  a  scheme 
was  proposed  to  have  a  sham  duel  between 
Alonzo  C.  Stuart  and  Timothy  Bennett. 
Everybody,  save  Bennett,  understood  it  to 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


39 


be  a  hoax,  for  the  purpose  of  getting  a 
laugh  at  Bennett's  expense.  The  second?, 
Jacob  Short  and  Nathan  Fike,  pretended  to 
load  the  rifles,  but  did  not  put  bullets  in 
t'lem,  but  Bennett,  suspicious  of  foul  play, 
slipped  a  bullet  in  his  gun.  The  principals 
were  placed  forty  yards  apart,  and  at  the 
word  "fire,"  Stuart  was  shot  in  the  breast 
and  killed.  Bennett  broke  out  of  the  Belle- 
ville jail  and  escaped,  but  was  afterwards 
captured  and  excuted  after  due  trial.  Thus 
a  foolish  practical  joke  caused  the  death  of 
two  good  citizens,  as  citizens  go,  and  the 
remorse  and  regret  of  many  others.  At  the 
court  convicting  Bennett,  John  Reynolds 
was  Judge,  W.  A.  Beard,  Sheriff,  and  John 
Hay,  Clerk. 

Edward  Coles  was  elected  Governor  in 
1822;  there  were  three  other  candidates, 
and  the  votes  were  so  nearly  equally  divided 
that  out  of  8,606  votes  cast,  Coles  received 
only  2,854  votes,  yet  he  was  elected  by  a 
plurality.  This  campaign  was  on  the 
slavery  issue,  and  although  the  Ordinance 
of  1787  prohibited  slavery,  yet  it  kept  agi- 
tating the  politics  of  the  state  from  time  to 
time.  Coles  was  anti-slavery,  as  was  one 
of  the  other  candidates.  The  administration 
of  Governor  Cole  was  a  good  one,  although 
somewhat  troublous  on  account  of  vigorous 
opposition  to  his  plans  for  public  improve- 
ments. In  1825,  General  LaFayette  visited 
the  state,  being  entertained  at  Kaskaskia. 
and  later  at  Shawneetown.  During  the  year 
1823,  Edgar  county  was  formed,  January 
3d;  Marion  county,  January  24th;  Fulton, 
January  28th,  and  Morgan,  January  3ist. 


MARION  COUNTY  IN    1823. 

Marion  county  was  erected  from  the 
north  half  of  Jefferson  county,  of  which  it 
formed  a  part.  The  bill  creating  Marion 
county  was  introduced  by  Zadoc  Casey,  Rep- 
resentative from  Jefferson,  who  was  instru- 
mental in  having  it  named  after  his  father's 
revered  and  beloved  commander  of  the  Rev- 
olution, under  whom  he  had  served  in  the 
Carolinas.  The  full  text  of  the  act  creating 
the  county  is  as  follows : 

AN   ACT  ESTABLISHING  MARION  COUNTY. 

"SECTION  i.  Be  it  enacted  by  the  people 
of  the  State  of  Illinois  represented  in  the 
General  Assembly,  That  all  that  tract  of 
country  lying  within  the  following  boun- 
daries, to-wit :  Beginning  where-  the  base 
line  intersects  the  third  principal  meridian; 
thence  north  along  said  third  principal  meri- 
dian twenty-four  miles;  thence  east  along 
the  lines  dividing  townships  four  and  five 
twenty-four  miles  to  the  range  line  dividing 
ranges  four  and  five  east ;  thence  south  with 
the  said  range  line  twenty-four  miles  to  the 
base  line;  thence  west  to  the  place  of  begin- 
ning, shall  constitute  a  separate  county,  to 
be  called  Marion. 

"SEC.  2.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That 
for  the  purpose  of  fixing  the  permanent  seat 
of  justice  for  said  county,  the  following  per- 
sons are  appointed  commissioners,  viz:  An- 
drew Bankson,  William  Hicks  and  John  G. 
Fitch,  which  said  commissioners  or  a  major- 
ity of  them,  being  first  duly  sworn  before 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


some  judge  or  justice  of  the  peace,  in  this 
state,  faithfully  to  take  into  view  the  con- 
venience of  the  people,  the  situation  of  the 
settlement,  with  an  eye  to  the  future  popu- 
lation, and  the  eligibility  of  the  place,  shall 
meet  on  the  second  Monday  in  May  next, 
at  the  house  of  James  Roberts,  in  said  coun- 
ty, and  proceed  to  examine  and  determine 
on  the  place  for  the  permanent  seat  of  jus- 
tice,  and  designate  the  same;  provided  the 
proprietor  or  proprietors  of  the  land  shall 
give  to  the  said  county,  for  the  purpose  of 
erecting  public  buildings,  a  quantity  of  land 
not  less  than  twenty  acres,  to  be  laid  out  in 
lots  and  sold  by  the  county  commissioners 
for  that  purpose;  but  should  the  proprietor 
or  proprietors  of  the  land  refuse  or  neglect 
to  make  the  donation  aforesaid,  then,  and 
in  that  case,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  com- 
missioners to  fix  on  some  other  place  for  the 
seat  of  justice  of  said  county,  as  convenient 
as  may  be  to  the  inhabitants  of  said  county, 
which  place  being  fixed  and  determined 
upon,  the  commissioners  shall  certify  under 
their  hands  and  seals,  and  return  the  same  to 
the  next  county  court,  in  the  county  afore- 
said, which  court  shall  cause  an  entry  thereof 
to  be  made  in  their  books  of  record. 

"SEC.  3.  Be  it  further  enacted.  That 
until  public  buildings  shall  be  erected  for  the 
purpose,  the  courts  shall  be  held  at  the 
house  of  James  Young,  in  said  county. 

"SEC.  4.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That 
the  said  county  shall  constitute  a  part  of  the 
second  judicial  circuit,  and  circuit  courts 
shall  be  holden  therein  at  such  times  as  may 
hereafter  be  fixed  bv  law. 


"SEC.  5.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That 
an  election  shall  be  held  at  the  house  of 
James  Young  on  the  second  Monday  of 
April  next,  for  one  sheriff,  one  coroner,  and 
three  county  commissioners  for  said  county, 
who  shall  hold  their  offices  until  the  next 
general  election,  and  until  their  successors 
be  qualified,  and  that  James  Roberts,  Joseph 
Hensley  and  Joshua  Piles  be  judges  of  said 
election;  provided,  that  said  judges  may  ap- 
point their  own  clerk  and  that  said  election 
shall  in  all  respects  be  conducted  according 
to  the  provisions  of  an  act  regulating  elec- 
tions, passed  at  the  last  session  of  the  Gen- 
eral Assembly. 

"SEC.  6.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That 
the  citizens  of  Marion  county  shall  vote  for 
senators  and  representatives  to  the  General 
Assembly  in  conjunction  with  the  citizens 
of  Jefferson  and  Hamilton,  at  such  precincts 
as  may  be  laid  off  by  their  county  commis- 
sioners agreeable  to  law. 

"SEC.  7.  Be  it  further  enacted,  That 
each  of  the  commissioners  appointed  to  fix 
the  county  seat  of  Marion  county  shall  re- 
ceive a  compensation  of  two  dollars  per  day 
for  each  and  every  day  they  may  be  neces- 
sarily employed  in  performing  that  duty. 

"Approved  January  24,  1823. 

"EDWARD  COLES,  Governor." 

THE  COUNTY'S  POPULATION. 

There  were  only  about  five  hundred  inhab- 
itants in  the  county  when  it  was  established, 
as  the  record  of  a  census  of  the  county,  taken 
in  1825,  by  R.  C.  Chance,  and  filed  with  the 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


county  clerk  November  26,  1825,  shows  the 
total  population  to  be  five  hundred  and  fifty- 
seven,  of  which  two  hundred  and  seventy- 
three  were  white  males,  two  hundred  and 
eighty-two  white  females,  and  one  negro 
man  and  one  negro  woman  slaves. 

There  were  one  hundred  and  four  heads  of 
families,  including  five  widows.  The  heads 
of  families  in  the  county  were  as  follows : 
Samuel  Huff,  Isaac  McClelland,  Eli  Mc- 
Kinney,  James  Martin,  Samuel  Martin, 
James  Young,  Mathew  Young  (son  of 
Samuel),  Aaron  Hicks,  Ebenezer  Daggett, 
Henry  Lee,  Dorcas  Tully,  Christiania  Tul- 
ly,  Malachi  Ware,  Michael  Radcliffe,  Wil- 
liam Carrigan,  D.  R.  Chance,  Henry 
Walker,  William  Taylor,  Simon  Albert, 
Richard  Piles,  William  Albert,  Hardy  Fos- 
ter, Thos.  Neal,  John  S.  Davis,  Thos.  Ful- 
ton, William  King,  Darrington  Baldridge, 
William  Pursley,  John  Davidson,  Samuel 
Davidson,  Green  Depriest,  John  Warren, 
Robert  Nichols,  James  Piles,  Henry  Mc- 
Donald, Jesse  Griffin,  William  Gunnerson, 
John  W.  Nichols,  William  Marshall,  Joseph 
Hensley,  Isam  Watson,  Robert  Snodgrass, 
John  Wilson,  John  Phillips,  John  Edington. 
Montgomery  Ingram,  Nathan  Huff,  Jesse 
Nichols,  Zadock  Phelps,  Henry  C.  Nichols, 
Rufus  Ricker.  Leonard  P.  Piles,  Mark  Tul- 
ly. John  Tully,  William  Nichols.  Thomas 
Ash,  Robert  Nichols,  George  Kell,  William 
Gaston,  Henry  Rodes,  Jacob  Fulfer,  Mary 
Caleton,  William  Ingram,  Cowles  Dunham, 
Isaac  Fulfer,  William  Baldwin,  Patrick 
Cowen,  David  Fulton,  Abram  Romine, 
James  Goudy,  Rosana  Fulton,  John  Boucher, 


Chatsworth  P.  Black,  Samuel  Eblen, 
John  Eblen,  Israel  Jennings,  Caswell  Wan- 
teres,  Robert  Bandy,  Dorcas  Bandy,  J.  P. 
Gaines,  Jacob  Albert,  Samuel  Shook,  Lethe 
Dunkin,  Nathaniel  Litterell,  Alfred  Ray, 
Henry  Ware,  William  Tully,  Pegg  Brack, 
Thomas  How,  Solomon  Allen,  Benjamin 
Vermillion,  Frederick  Phelps,  John  Little. 
Thomas  Parkinson,  Daniel  Phelps,  Wiley 
Burton,  G.  Burton,  Lodrick  Phelps,  John 
Coles,  Robert  Man,  Polly  McKinney, 
Charles  Radcliffe,  Josiah  Fykes  and  — 
Rogers. 

At  this  time  there  were  but  one  hundred 
and  seventeen  voters  in  the  county.  Money 
was  scarce  and  stock  low  in  price,  a  good 
cow  not  being  worth  more  than  from  six  to 
ten  dollars,  and  horses  from  twenty  to  forty 
dollars;  hogs  at  two  cents  per  pound  were 
considered  well  sold,  and  grain  in  propor- 
tion. Of  the  entire  population,  only  one  was 
a  mechanic — G.  Burton,  who  was  a  black- 
smith— all  the  rest  were  farmers  and  more 
or  less  hunters,  both  as  a  pastime  and  as  a 
means  of  adding  to  the  family  larder. 

IS  SQUARE  IN  SHAPE. 

Marion  county  is  a  square  of  twenty-four 
miles  on  each  side  and  has  for  its  west  line 
the  third  principal  meridian  of  the  United 
States  survey,  from  which  the  ranges,  every 
six  miles  east  and  west,  are  numbered.  Its 
south  line  is  the  base  line  of  the  government 
survey  from  which  the  towns  are  numbered 
every  six  miles  north  and  south,  and  con- 
tains sixteen  townships,  six  miles  square,  of 


WNKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


thirty-six  sections  each,  each  section  being 
one  mile  square  and  contains  six  hundred 
and  forty  acres,  so  the  township  contains 
twenty-three  thousand  and  forty  acres  and 
the  county,  three  hundred  and  sixty  eight 
thousand  six  hundred  and  forty  acres,  near- 
ly every  acre  of  which  is  susceptible  of  culti- 
vation, and  would  support  a  population  of 
many  times  that  now  dwelling  within  its 
borders.  The  towns  are  in  all  government 
surveys  and  are  numbered  north  and  south 
from  the  base  line  and  the  ranges  east 
and  west  from  the  principal  meridian, 
so  that  the  southwest  township  is  town 
one,  north,  and  range  one,  east.  The  town 
north  of  this  is  town  two,  north,  range  one, 
east;  the  next  north  is  town  three,  north, 
and  range  one,  east,  and  the  next  town  still 
furher  north  is  town  four,  north,  and  range 
one,  east,  which  is  the  northern  town  in 
range  one,  in  Marion  county.  Then  again, 
beginning  at  the  base  line  with  town  one 
north,  and  range  two,  east,  until  we  reach 
town  four,  range  two,  east,  when  again  the 
numbers  begin  on  the  base  line  with  town 
one,  north,  and  range  three,  east,  and  so  on 
until  town  four,  north,  and  range  four,  east, 
is  reached,  which  is  the  town  lying  in  the 
northeast  corner  of  the  county.  The  county 
is,  therefore,  one  of  the  few  in  the  state  that 
is  a  perfect  square.  The  sixteen  school,  or 
government  survey  townships,  are  the  same 
in  boundary  and  extent  as  the  civil  towns,  ex- 
cept townships  2  north,  i  east,  which  is  di- 
vided north  and  south  through  the  center 
into  the  towns  of  Odin  and  Sandoval,  each, 
three  miles  wide  from  east  to  west,  and  six 
miles  long  from  south  to  north. 


The  county  is  about  two-thirds  timber 
land  and  one-third  prairie,  and  the  soil  is 
well  adapted  to  all  the  productions  of  the 
central  temperate  zone.  Corn  is  grown  in 
considerable  quantities,  and  wheat  was,  until 
within  a  few  years,  extensively  raised,  but 
for  some  reason  a  comparatively  small  acre- 
age is  now  sown.  The  timber  land  was 
thickly  covered  with  a  magnificent  growth 
of  oaks,  white,  black,  red ;  of  hickory ;  wal- 
nut, and  maple,  with  numerous  other  woods 
in  lesser  quantities,  but  these  forests  have 
now  largely  disappeared  and  the  timber  of 
today  in  this  county  consists  mostly  of  elm, 
sycamore  and  such  other  wood  which  the 
pioneer  regarded  of  no  value,  but  which  the 
present  owners  hold  as  an  item  of  consider- 
able value.  Small  fruits  thrive  and  produce 
abundantly,  so  much  so  that  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral and  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  rail- 
ways run  fruit  cars,  and  even  trains,  during 
the  season,  to  carry  these  products  of  the 
garden  and  field  to  the  markets  of  Chicago. 
In  some  parts  of  the  county  vegetables: 
beans,  peas,  beets,  cabbage,  etc.,  are  raised 
for  shipment  and  usually  bring  fair  returns 
to  their  producers,  while  strawberries  flour- 
ish to  such  an  extent  that  Centralia,  in  the 
southwestern  part  of  the  county,  is  known 
far  and  near  as  the  "Queen  of  the  Straw- 
berry Belt."  While  several  canning  fac- 
tories consume  the  product  of  many  hun- 
dreds of  acres  planted  to  tomatoes,  beans, 
corn,  etc.,  all  of  which  industries  will  be  more 
particularly  described  under  the  head  of  the 
several  townships.  The  county  government 
was  at  first  under  the  system  of  County 
Commissioners  or,  as  they  were  called,  coun- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


43 


ty  judges.  It  will  be  remembered  that  An- 
drew Bankson,  William  Hicks  and  John  G. 
Fitch  were  appointed  commissioners  to  se- 
lect a  county  seat  and  that  an  election  was 
held  on  the  second  Monday  in  May,  1823, 
and  that  all  the  voters  of  the  county  cast 
their  votes  at  one  polling  place,  viz :  the 
house  of  James  Young,  at  which  election, 
John  Edington,  Benjamin  Vermillion  and 
John  Walling  were  elected  and  constituted 
the  first  Board  of  Commissioners.  They  re- 
ceived this  certificate  of  election:  "We  do 
hereby  certify  that  John  Edington,  Benja- 
min Vermillion  and  John  Walling  were 
duly  elected  County  Commissioners  for  the 
county  of  Marion,  at  an  election  held  at  the 
house  of  James  Young,  on  Monday,  the  I4th 
of  April,  1823.  Given  under  our  hands 
this  day,  above  written. 

"JAMES  ROBERTS, 
"JOSEPH   HENSLEY, 
"JOSHUA  PILES, 

"Judges." 

"WILLIAM  MARSHALL, 
"AARON  HICKS, 

"Clerks." 

The  three  commissioners  took  the  oath  of 
office,  which  was  administered  by  Rufus 
Ricker,  whom  they  in  turn  appointed  Clerk 
of  the  Commissioners'  Court,  or  in  other 
words,  the  County  Clerk.  Ricker-filed  his  of- 
ficial bond  with  Jesse  Roberts  as  bondsman. 
William  Marshall  was  appointed  County 
Treasurer,  his  bondsmen  were  Jesse  Roberts 
and  John  Edington,  and  the  bond  was  in  the 
penal  sum  of  two  thousand  dollars,  which 
was  quite  enough  when  we  consider  that  the 


total  value  of  all  the  property  in  the  county 
was  less  than  fourteen  thousand  dollars  at 
this  time.  The  same  parties  also  went  on  the 
bond  of  Jesse  Wade,  who  was  appointed 
constable  for  East  Fork.  William  Marshall 
was  recommended  to  the  Governor  as  a  fit- 
ting citizen  to  be  appointed  justice  of  the 
peace  for  the  east  fork  of  the  county,  and 
John  Walling  for  the  Middle  settlement. 
The  county  was  divided  into  two  districts, 
known  as  the  North  and  South  districts. 
The  dividing  line  was  as  follows :  beginning 
where  Crooked  creek  crossed  the  third  prin- 
cipal meridian  on  the  west  line  of  the  county, 
thence  up  the  said  Crooked  creek  to  the 
range  line  between  towns  two  and  three, 
thence  east  to  the  east  line  of  the  county. 

In  that  day  there  was  always  present  at 
the  humble  fireside  of  the  settler  a  spectre  of 
dread,  and  although  no  Indian  troubles  were 
at  that  time  existing  near  the  county,  yet 
well  they  knew  that  some  thieving  band 
might  at  any  time  commit  some  overt  act, 
hoping  to  escape  to  their  towns  in  northern 
Indiana,  Wisconsin  or  Canada  unless  over- 
awed by  a  show  of  military  preparation  for 
pursuit  and  punishment.  The  County  Com- 
missioners ordered  that  all  citizens  subject 
to  military  duty  be  organized  and  divided 
into  two  companies,  one  in  the  North  district 
and  one  in  the  South  district;  also  than  an 
election  of  officers  be  held  on  the  28th  day 
of  June,  in  the  South  district  at  the  house 
of  Joseph  Hensley,  and  that  Dornton  Bald- 
ridge,  Samuel  Huff  and  Samuel  Martin  act 
as  judges ;  and  on  the  same  day,  in  the  North 
district,  at  James  Roberts'  with  Alark  Tully, 


44 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Aaron  Hicks  and  William  Nichols  as 
judges.  Unfortunately  no  record  of  the  re- 
sult of  these  elections  is  obtainable  at  the 
present  day.  Samuel  Huff  and  John  Wilson 
were  appointed  overseers  of  the  poor  for 
the  South  district  and  William  Nichols  and 
William  Davidson,  in  the  North  district. 
The  first  order  for  making  an  assessment  for 
a  tax  levy  was  also  made  on  the  second  day 
of  June,  1823,  and  the  assessor  was  ordered 
to  list  for  taxation. horses,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs, 
distilleries,  pleasure  carriages,  indentured 
servants  and  slaves,  and  that  he  extend  the 
tax  at  one-half  of  one  per  cent,  at  this 
first  meeting  of  the  Commissioners,  viz :  on 
June  2,  1823.  The  commissioners  to  select 
a  county  seat,  made  their  report.  It  was  in 
ful  as  follows: 

"Marion  Co.,  111.,  May  13,  1823. 
"We,   the  commissioners   who  were  ap- 
pointed by  the  legislature  of  the  state  of  Il- 
linois, to  fix  the  seat  of  justice  for  the  coun- 
ty of  Marion,  after  being  duly  sworn,  ac- 
cording to  law,  have  proceeded  to  view  the 
situation  of  the  county,  and  after  examin- 
ing the  donations  offered,  have  decided  that 
the  permanent  seat  of  justice  shall  be  fixed 
on  the  east  half  of  Section   n,  in  Town- 
ship 2  north.   Range  2  east,    the    land    of 
James  Roberts,  who  donated  thirty  acres,  to 
the  county  for  that  purpose.     Signed  by 
JOHN  FITCH 
WILLIAM  HICKS." 

DONATION  FOR  COUNTY  SEAT. 

The  deed  conveying  the  thirty  acres  of 
land  to  the  county  was  not  made  until  June, 


1826,  the  title  to  the  land  in  the  meantime 
having  passed  to  Rufus  Ricker  and  Mark 
Tully,  who  completed  the  gift  by  making 
the  following  deed :  "This  indenture  made 
this  6th  day  of  June,  A.  D.  1826,  between 
Rufus  Ricker  and  Lydia,  his  wife,  and  Mark 
Tully  and  Suky,  his  wife,  all  of  the  county 
of  Marion,  and  state  of  Illinois,  of  the  first 
part;  and  John  S.  Davis,  Leonard  P.  Piles 
and  Benjamin  Vermillion,  County  Commis- 
sioners for  the  county  aforesaid,  witnesseth : 
that  in  conformity  with  an  act  of  the  legis- 
lature of  the  state  of  Illinois,  passed  at  the 
Third  General  Assembly  of  the  state,  en- 
titled 'An  Act  Establishing  Marion  County,' 
approved  January  24,  1823,  that  the  parties 
of  the  first  part  have  given,  granted,  bar- 
gained and  confirmed  and  by  these  presents 
do  give,  grant,  barga'T  and  confirm  unto  the 
said  parties  of  the  second  part,  County  Com- 
missioners for  the  county  of  Marion,  and  to 
their  successors  in  office,  for  the  use  and 
benefit  of  said  county  of  Marion,  in  con- 
formity with  the  laws  of  this  state  making 
donations  for  county  seats,  all  that  tract  or 
parcel  of  land  situate  and  being  as  follows, 
to-wit:  commencing  at  a  stake  standing  at 
the  northeast  quarter  of  section  1 1 ,  in 
range  2  east,  town  two  north,  thence 
south  seventeen  chains  and  thirty-two  links 
to  a  stake  standing  on  the  southeast  quarter 
of  said  section  n,  thence  west  seven- 
teen chains  and  thirty-two  links,  thence 
north  seventeen  chains  and  thirty-two 
links,  thence  east  seventeen  chains  and 
thirty-two  links,  to  the  place  of  be- 
ginning, containing  thirty  acres  of 


RRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


45 


land,  together  with  all  and  singular  the 
hereditaments  and  appurtances  thereunto  be- 
longing or  in  anywise  appertaining,  and  the 
reversion  and  reversions,  remainder  and  re- 
mainders, rents,  issues,  and  profits  thereof, 
and  all  the  estate,  right,  title,  interest,  claim 
and  demand  whatsoever  of  the  parties  of  the 
first  part,  either  in  law  or  equity,  of,  in  and 
to  the  above  bargained  premises,  with  the 
said  hereditaments  and  appurtenances,  to 
have  and  to  hold  the  said  piece  of  land  to  the 
said  parties  of  the  second  part,  for  the  use 
and  benefit  of  the  said  county  of  Marion, 
and  to  the  sole  and  proper  use  and  benefit 
of  the  said  county  forever — and  the  said 
parties  of  the  first  part,  for  themselves,  their 
heirs,  executors  and  administrators,  do  cove- 
nant, grant,  bargain,  promise  and  agree  to 
and  with  the  said  party  of  the  second  part, 
and  their  successors,  the  above  bargained 
premises  in  the  quiet  and  peaceable  posses- 
sion of  the  party  of  the  second  part  and 
their  successors  in  office  against  all  and 
every  person  or  persons  lawfully  claiming  or 
to  claim  the  whole  or  any  part  of  the  above 
mentioned  premises,  will  forever  warrant 
and  defend. 

"In  witness  whereof  the  said  parties  of  the 
first  part  have  hereunto  set  our  hands  and 
seals  the  day  and  year  above  written. 

RUFUS   RICKER    (Seal), 
LYDIA  RICKER   (Seal), 
MARK  TULLY  (Seal), 
Her 

L.  S.  SUKY  X  TULLY.  (Seal). 

Mark. 

"Signed,  sealed  and  delivered  in  the  pres- 


ence of  John  Davidson  and  William  Omel- 
vany.  This  deed  was  acknowledged  before 
Leonard  P.  Piles,  justice  of  the  peace.  This 
deed  is  recorded  in  Book  A,  pages  14,  15 
and  1 6,  by  Rufus  Ricker,  the  first  clerk  and 
recorder  of  the  county." 

When  the  report  of  the  commissioners 
was  received  on  the  I3th  of  June,  1823, 
there  was  no  delay  on  the  part  of  the  county 
board,  but  they  immediately  accepted  the 
offer  of  James  Roberts,  and  ordered  that 
the  seat  of  justice  for  the  county  be  known 
and  designated  by  the  name  of  Salem.  It  is 
generally  said  that  the  name  Salem  was 
given  to  the  county  seat  by  Mark  Tully,  but 
from  the  records  it  appears  that  the  name 
was  chosen  by  the  county  court.  Mr.  Tully 
may,  however,  have  suggested  the  name  to 
them,  and  as  he  was  a  man  of  influence  in 
his  clay,  may  have  impressed  the  name  upon 
the  minds  of  the  commissioners.  The  clerk 
was  instructed  to  advertise  the  sale  of  thirty 
lots,  a  part  of  the  thirty  acres  promised.  The 
advertisement  was  to  be  in  the  Illinois  In- 
telligencer, and  the  sale  was  held  on  the 
2d  of  March,  1824,  and  brought  the  county 
nine  hundred  and  eighty-six  dollars  and  fifty 
cents,  in  state  scrip,  worth  three  hundred 
and  twenty-eight  dollars  and  eighty-three 
cents  in  money,  the  state  paper  having  at 
that  time  depreciated  to  that  extent. 

WHEN    LICENCES    WERE    CHEAP. 

At  this  meeting  the  following  business 
was  transacted :  Jesse  Roberts  received  a  li- 
cense to  keep  a  tavern  for  one  year,  for 


46 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


which  license  he  paid  the  sum  of  four  dol- 
lars, and  the  board  fixed  the  following  rates : 
each  meal,  twenty-five  cents;  keeping  horse 
all  night,  fifty  cents ;  single  feed,  twenty-five 
cents;  lodging,  twelve  and  a  half  cents; 
whiskey,  half  pint,  twelve  and  a  half  cents; 
rum,  twenty-five  cents.  T.  Baldridge  also 
got  license  for  one  year  for  two  dollars  per 
year.  Rufus  Rick  was  also  allowed  eighteen 
dollars,  state  paper,  worth  about  six  dollars 
in  specie,  for  books,  stationery,  etc.,  supplied 
the  county.  This  seems  to  be  the  extent  of 
the  business  done  at  this  first  meeting  of  the 
County  Commissioners  of  the  new  county  of 
Marion.  The  court,  as  the  sessions  of  the 
commissioners  was  in  name  and  in  fact,  then 
adjourned  to  July  7,  1823. 

At  the  second,  or  July  term,  of  the 
county  court,  which  met  pursuant  to  ad- 
journment, the  question  of  a  courthouse  re- 
ceived the  attention  of  the  court,  and  a  con- 
tract was  entered  into  with  Aaron  Hicks  to 
build  the  same  at  a  cost  to  the  county  of  four 
hundred  and  ninety-nine  dollars.  The  speci- 
fications called  for  a  log  building,  without 
windows,  twenty  by  thirty  feet,  one  and  one- 
half  stories  high,  with  a  log  partition,  seven 
inches  thick,  of  hewed  logs,  and  extending 
to  the  roof,  with  good  hewed  or  sawed  joists 
enough  for  two  loose  plank  floors,  with  two 
good  doors,  one  through  the  partition,  and 
the  other  through  the  wall,  with  good  iron 
hinges  and  lock  and  key  for  the  outside 
<loor ;  to  be  covered  with  boards  and  weight 
poles  (spelled  polls),  the  cracks  to  be  well 
chinked  and  daubed — all  to  be  completed  by 
the  first  day  of  June,  1824.  The  contract 


was  let  to  the  lowest  bidder  and  Hicks  won. 
The  courthouse  was  completed  according  to 
plans  and  specifications,  and  received  by  the 
commissioners  on  the  tenth  day  of  April, 
1824,  and  was  used  as  a  courthouse  until 
August  i,  1837. 

The  first  public  road  laid  out  by  the  com- 
missioners was  petitioned  for  by  Dornton 
Baldridge.  It  began  at  the  county  line  near 
William  Carrigan's  and  led  past  Samuel  Eb- 
len's,  Israel  Jennings'  and  Benjamin  Ver- 
million's,  in  a  direct  line  to  Crooked  creek 
bridge,  near  Gillmore's,  and  had  been 
viewed  by  John  Bandy,  Samuel  Huff  and 
William  Taylor.  Dornton  Baldridge  was  ap- 
pointed supervisor  of  said  road  and  William 
Pursley  supervisor  of  the  northern  part  of 
the  Vandalia  and  Golconda  road  as  far  south 
as  William  Marshall's,  and  Samuel  Martin 
of  the  south  part  to  the  county  line.  L.  P. 
Piles  was  made  supervisor  of  the  Vincennes 
road  from  the  east  county  line  to  the  ford  of 
the  creek,  and  Aaron  Hicks  from  the  ford 
of  the  creek  to  the  west  line  of  the  county 
and  also  of  the  road  from  William  Mar- 
shall's to  Crooked  creek.  As  treasurer  of 
the  county,  William  Marshall  made  the  first 
assessment  of  the  county  in  1823,  for  which 
work  he  received  the  sum  of  three  dollars. 
The  amount  of  taxes  levied  was  seventy- 
three  dollars  and  forty-four  cents.  The 
collector's  commission  was  four  dollars  and 
sixty-nine  cents,  leaving  a  balance  to  be 
turned  into  the  treasury  of  sixty-eight  dol- 
lars and  seventy-five  cents,  which,  with 
twelve  dollars  from  licenses  and  fines,  made 
up  a  total  revenue  for  the  county 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


47 


of  eighty  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents. 
William  Marshall  resigned  as  Treasurer 
and  Assessor  December  i,  1823,  prob- 
ably because  the  duties  and  responsi- 
bilities of  the  office  far  exceeded  the 
very  scanty  pay  received  for  the  same.  The 
first  board  did  not  fill  out  their  full  term. 
John  Walling  was  succeeded  by  Aaron 
Hicks  in  October,  1823,  and  when  John  Ed- 
ington  resigned  in  January,  1824,  Leonard 
P.  Piles  was  elected  to  fill  the  vacancy,  the 
election  being  held  February  2,  1824.  When 
William  Marshall  resigned  as  assessor  and 
treasurer,  John  S.  Davis  was  appointed  to 
fill  his  place,  and  for  his  service  in  making 
tax  lists,  he  received  ten  dollars,  and  for 
his  service  as  treasurer  he  received  ten  dol- 
lars and  twenty-four  and  one-half  cents. 
Truly  a  scanty  recompense,  but  when  it  is  re- 
membered that  that  salary,  small  as  it  was, 
was  equal  in  value  to  about  fifteen  acres  of 
land,  it  does  not  appear  so  small. 

The  second  board  of  commissioners  was 
composed  of  Benjamin  Vermillion,  Leonard 
P.  Piles  and  Aaron  Hicks,  and  they  were 
elected  to  serve  from  1824  to  1826,  or  two 
years,  but  a  vacancy  was  caused  by  the  death 
of  Hicks,  in  1825,  and  John  L.  Davis  was 
elected  to  fill  out  the  remainder  of  the 
term.  The  taxable  property  for  the  year 
1825  was  sixteen  thousand  four  hundred 
and  sixteen  dollars,  and  the  estimated  tax 
for  county  purposes  was  eighty-two  dollars 
and  eight  cents,  just  think  of  it — eighty-two 
dollars  and  eight  cents  to  run  the  county  of 
Marion  for  one  year,  only  eighty  years  ago. 
The  third  board  was  elected  to  serve  from 


1826  to  1828,  and  was  composed  of  the  fol- 
lowing gentlemen  :  John  Edington,  William 
King  and  C.  P.  Black.  Edington  seems  to 
have  been  quite  popular,  and  to  have  re- 
ceived the  suffrages  of  his  fellow-citizens 
whenever  he  would  consent  to  run  for  office. 
There  seems  to  have  been  a  necessity 
at  this  time  for  a  jail  and  the  board 
contracted  with  William  Davidson  and 
Henry  Ware  to  build  one  at  a  cost  of  two 
hundred  and  seventy  dollars.  The  county 
was  also  divided  into  two  election  precincts 
by  the  board  at  this  meeting,  the  precincts  to 
be  the  same  as  those  before  provided  for  the 
justices  of  the  peace,  and  were  called  the 
North  precinct  and  the  South  precinct,  and 
the  South  precinct  was  again  divided  in 
1827  into  Walnut  Hill  and  Romine  pre- 
cinct. The  tax  list  for  1826  providing  coun- 
ty revenues  for  1827,  showed  a  total  value 
of  all  property  in  the  county  of  twenty-two 
thousand  two  hundred  and  sixty  dollars, 
and  produced  a  revenue  of  one  hundred  and 
eleven  dollars  and  thirty  cents.  The  tax 
was  collected  in  full.  It  may  be  wondered 
at  that,  with  so  small  a  revenue,  a  court- 
house and  jail  had  been  erected,  costing 
many  times  the  entire  tax,  but  we  must  not 
forget  that  all  the  lots  in  the  county  seat  be- 
longed to  the  county,  and  the  public  build- 
ings were  paid  for  from  the  proceeds  from 
the  sale  of  lots  from  time  to  time. 

The  fourth  Board  of  Commissioners 
served  for  the  years  1828  and  1830,  the  term 
being  two  years.  It  was  composed  of 
Hardy  Foster,  William  King  and  L.  P. 
Piles.  They  ordered  ten  more  lots  sold, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


which  was  done,  and  the  money  turned  into 
the  county  treasury. 

A    NEW    JAIL. 

The  fifth  Board  was  elected  in  1830  to 
serve  two  years  and  was  composed  of  Hardy 
Foster,  H.  W.  Higgins  and  Abraham  Ro- 
mine.  During  this  term  a  new  jail  became 
a  necessity  and  the  board  entered  into  a  con- 
tract with  W.  Tully  to  build  one  for  five 
hundred  dollars.  This  jail,  as  described  by 
several  old  citizens,  who  remember  it  well, 
was  constructed  of  logs,  laid  closely  togeth- 
er and  about  twelve  feet  from  floor  to  ceil- 
ing. It  was  of  one  room  and  was  covered 
with  great,  hewed  logs  for  a  ceiling,  there 
were  no  doors  or  windows  cut  in  the  walls, 
but  a  trap  door  in  the  ceiling,  which  was 
reached  from  the  outside  by  a  ladder  or 
stair.  A  ladder  was  let  down  through  the 
trap  door  for  the  descent  of  prisoners,  and 
then  the  ladder  withdrawn,  and  the  prisoner 
was  secure,  no  breaking  out  by  anyone  likely 
to  be  placed  therein.  The  building  was  then 
covered  in  the  usual  way,  with  clapboards 
and  poles.  During  the  term  of  this  board 
the  North  Fork  precinct,  in  the  northwest 
part  of  the  county,  was  established  June  4, 
1832,  and  the  poling  place  fived  at  the  house 
of  Eli  Jones.  During  this  administration, 
the  first  bridge  of  any  size  was  built  and 
paid  for  partly  by  the  state,  which  gave  one 
hundred  dollars,  and  partly  by  a  loan  sub- 
scription of  seventy-nine  dollars  advanced 
by  twenty-two  citizens,  ranging  from  one 
dollar,  given  by  James  Beaver,  the  smallest 


subscriber,  to  thirteen  dollars,  by  A.  L. 
Miles,  the  largest.  The  sixth  board  was 
composed  of  Hardy  Foster,  Abram  Romine 
and  James  J.  Richardson,  who  served  in 
1832  to  1834,  and  there  is  no  record  of  any 
action  by  them  out  of  the  routine  business 
of  the  county.  The  same  may  be  said  of  the 
seventh  board,  composed  of  Hardy  Foster, 
Abram  Romine  and  James  Gray.  The 
latter  resigned  November  28,  1835,  and 
Mark  Tully  was  chosen  to  fill  the  vacancy, 
to  the  close  of  that  term,  ending  in  1836. 
The  eighth  board,  1836  to  1838,  was  com- 
posed of  Mark  Tully,  Isaac  McClelland  and 
Benjamin  Vermillion.  A  new  courthouse 
was  ordered  by  this  board  to  be  built,  and 
Mark  Tully  took  the  contract  for  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty-five  dollars,  and  was,  by  the 
contract,  to  have  it  finished  by  August  first, 
1837,  but  for  some  reason,  now  unknown, 
failed  in  the  performance,  and  in  March  of 
the  following  year  (1838)  surrendered  his 
contract  and  was  excused  from  paying  any 
penalty  for  the  non-performance  of  the 
same,  so  it  may  be  assumed  that  the  reason 
was  a  good  one.  Nathaniel  Adams  then 
completed  the  building.  The  total  cost  of 
the  building  was  seven  hundred  and  ninety- 
nine  dollars  and  forty-three  cents.  This 
building  is  still  standing  and  is  in  a  good 
state  of  preservation,  being  occupied  by  Mr. 
Clarence  Mills  as  a  residence.  It  is  about 
thirty-eight  by  forty  feet,  two  stories  high, 
with  a  "hip"  roof,  it  is  of  frame  construc- 
tion and  if  built  now  would  cost  at  least 
three  thousand  dollars.  It  was  moved  from 
the  public  square  to  where  it  now  stands,  to 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


4') 


make  room  for  the  present  courthouse  in 
1849  or  1850.  The  old  courthouse  was 
bought  by  Mr.  Scott,  who  moved  it  to  its 
present  location. 

The  sale  of  city  or  town  lots,  and  the 
money  realized  from  the  sale  of  the  court- 
house, kept  the  county  treasury  well  sup- 
plied with  funds,  despite  the  small  tax  levy, 
and  in  1838  the  county  board  ordered  that 
three  hundred  dollars  of  the  county  money 
be  loaned  out  at  twelve  per  cent  on  well  se- 
cured notes  on  four  months'  time.  Up  to  the 
year  1838,  there  had  been  no  delinquent 
taxes,  but  in  that  year  the  following  list  was 
returned  as  not  collected :  Samuel  Forkman, 
fifty  cents;  John  Simpson,  sixty-two  and  a 
half  cents ;  Abner  Farthing,  sixty-five  cents ; 
\V.  Woods,  sixty-seven  and  a  half  cents ;  L. 
Farthing,  thirty-seven  and  a  half  cents; 
Asa  Ballard,  twenty-five  cents ;  W.  Gault- 
ney,  fifty  cents;  Isaac  Barr,  twelve  and  a 
half  cents;  M.  C.  Wells,  two  dollars  and 
eighty  cents;  H.  G.  Burrow,  thirty-five 
cents;  John  Saunders,  one  dollar  and  thirty 
cents;  John  Carter,  thirty-seven  and  a  half 
cents;  James  Homes,  twenty  cents,  and 
Leven  Wootener,  one  dollar  and  twenty 
cents,  making  a  total  of  nine  dollars  and 
ninety-two  and  one-half  cents,  not  collected. 
The  probability  is  that  owing  to  the  small 
amounts  and  the  remoteness  of  the  delin- 
quents from  the  collector's  office,  they  were 
never  called  upon  by  the  collector,  as  the  ex- 
penses would  be  as  great  as  the  returns. 

The  legislature  in  1837,  changed  the 
terms  of  the  County  Commissioners  from 
two  to  three  years  and  provided  that 
4 


there  should  be  one  elected  every 
year,  and  that  the  commissioners  elected 
in  1838  should  be  one  for  one  year, 
one  for  two  years,  and  one  for  three 
years.  W.  H.  Haynie  was  elected  for 
three  years,  Abram  Romine  for  two  years, 
and  Mark  Tully  for  one  year.  From  this 
time  until  about  1849,  the  various  boards 
seem  to  have  attended  to  only  the  ordinary 
business  of  the  county,  which  certainly  was 
well  conducted,  as  the  county  was  kept  out 
of  debt  by  them  and  all  bills  were  promptly 
paid ;  during  all  this  time  there  had  been  but 
a  small  increase  in  the  population  of  the 
county,  as  there  were  millions  of  acres  of 
what  was  called  government  land  in  Illinois 
and  much  in  Indiana,  and  there  were  no 
special  inducemaits  for  emigration. 

COUNTY    COURT    CREATED. 

The  constitution,  which  was  adopted  in 
1848,  abolished  the  County  Commissioners 
as  a  court  and  created  the  county  court,  con- 
sisting of  one  judge  and  two  associate 
judges.  The  first  election  under  the  new 
constitution  was  held  in  November,  1849, 
and  Samuel  Hull  was  elected  the  first  county 
judge  of  Marion  county,  with  R.  M.  Elliot 
and  Alfred  Ray  as  associates,  to  serve  for 
four  years.  In  1852  Elliot  resigned  and 
Hardy  Foster  was  elected  in  November  of 
that  year  to  fill  out  the  unexpired  term.  The 
precinct  of  Raccoon  was  organized  in  1851, 
with  a  polling  place  at  the  house  of  James 
Guilford.  The  second  county  court,  pre- 
sided over  by  Durham  Tracey  as  judge,  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


with  Hardy  Foster  and  L.  A.  Spittler  as  as- 
sociates, was  elected  in  1853  ^or  f°ur  years. 
This  court,  during  its  term,  let  the  contract 
for  a  new  jail  to  D.  W.  Norris,  of  Carlyle. 
This  jail  was  built  of  brick,  two  stories  high, 
and  had  cells  for  prisoners,  and  living 
rooms  for  the  jailer  and  family,  and  was 
one  of  the  best  and  finest  in  the  state, 
and  was  used  until  1884,  when  the  present 
jail  was  built  at  a  cost  of  sixteen  thousand 
dollars.  It  cost  the  county  three  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  thirty-seven  dollars  and 
was  completed  in  1854  and  received  on  the 
first  clay  of  December  of  that  year.  This 
court  also,  during  their  term  of  office, 
caused  a  detailed  statement  of  the  financial 
condition  of  the  county  to  be  prepared,  in 
which  it  appeared  that  up  to  this  time  the 
monetary  affairs  had  been  conducted  in  the 
same  careful  manner,  as  were  those  of  any 
county  in  the  state. 

In  July,  T857,  the  court  contracted  with 
Joseph  A.  Miller  for  the  building  of  a  new 
courthouse  at  a  cost  to  the  county  of  thirty- 
five  thousand  dollars.  Miller  fell  down  on 
his  contract  and  used  inferior  material.  The 
court  then  annuled  their  contract  with  him 
and  employed  Messrs.  Moore  &  Morrow, 
of  Salem,  to  complete  the  work  for  twenty- 
six  thousand,  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 
The  court  took  charge  of  all  the  material  on 
the  ground,  but  in  the  meantime  a  new  court 
had  been  elected  and  the  third  county  court, 
composed  of  B.  F.  Marshall,  judge,  with  J. 
P.  Rogers  and  Isaac  McClelland  as  asso- 
ciates, made  the  contract  with  Moore  & 


Morrow.  A  part  of  the  work  already  done 
was  torn  down  and  the  house  built  in  such 
an  honest  way  that  it  stands  today  as  a  mon- 
ument to  the  skill  and  honesty  of  the  con- 
tractors. It  is  still  the  courthouse  for  Mar- 
ion county,  and  though  out  of  style,  is  yet 
a  substantial  building,  and  but  that  modern 
conveniences  and  comforts  are  lacking, 
would  stand  a  century.  The  building  was 
turned  over  to  the  county  in  April,  1860. 
The  total  cost  was  thirty-five  thousand,  one 
hundred  and  four  dollars  and  seventy-five 
cents,  only  one  hundred  and  four  dollars  and 
seventy-five  cents  more  than  the  original 
contract,  notwithstanding  the  failure  of 
Miller  to  fulfill  his  contract.  Twenty-five 
thousand  dollars,  in  ten  per  cent,  bonds,  was 
issued  by  the  authority  of  this  court  at  the 
December  term,  and  then  an  additional  five 
thousand,  two  hundred  and  fifty  dollars  was 
ordered  borrowed  at  a  special  term  of  the 
court  in  1860. 

The  county  brough  suit  against  the  or- 
iginal contractor,  Miller,  for  non-fulfillment 
of  contract,  and  recovered  judgment  for 
eight  thousand  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
dollars  and  fifty  cents,  but  it  was  only  a 
paper  recovery,  as  the  money  could  not  be 
collected  for  the  good  and  sufficient  reason 
that  Miller  was  not  worth  anything  finan- 
cially. During  this  term  of  the  county 
judges  the  first  case  of  capital  punishment 
took  place,  a  full  account  of  which  will  be 
given  in  its  appropriate  chapter.  The  fourth 
county  court,  1861-1865,  was  composed  of 
John  M.  Oglesby,  judge,  with  Daniel  J. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Doolin  and  J.  P.  Rogers  as  associates.  J. 
P.  Rogers  died  on  March  24,  1864,  and  J. 
P.  Huff  was  selected  to  fill  out  the  term. 

PAY    FOR    THE    SOLDIERS. 

In  1865,  in  February,  the  county  court 
ordered  that  thirty-seven  thousand  two 
hundred  dollars  be  issued  in  ten  per  cent, 
county  bonds  to  pay  a  bounty  of  three  hun- 
dred dollars  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
four  volunteers  who  enlisted  under  the  call 
of  the  government  of  the  United  States  to 
suppress  the  rebellion.  Under  this  bounty 
the  quota  for  the  county  was  filled.  Dissat- 
isfaction with  the  couny  court  system  of 
county  government  had  developed  and  had 
'been  steadily  growing  and  petitions  were 
circulated  early  in  1865  and  presented  to 
the  court,  asking  that  the  question  for  or 
against  township  organization  be  submitted 
to  the  voters.  The  proposition  was  ordered 
submitted  in  September,  and  at  the  ensuing 
election  in  November  was  lost.  A  heavy 
debt  now  burdened  the  county,  bearing  in- 
terest at  the  high  rate  of  ten  per  cent.,  which 
at  that  time  was  not  unusual. 

The  first  foreigners,  so  far  as  the  records 
show,  to  be  naturalized  in  the  county, 
took  out  their  papers  during  this  four  years' 
term  of  the  county  court.  They  were  three 
Irishmen,  viz :  Dennis  Rooney,  John  Cleney 
and  William  Steward,  and  one  German, 
Jacob  Heyduck.  They  all  made  useful  and 
•exemplary  citizens.  At  the  election  in  1868, 
James  S.  Martin  was  elected  judge  and  D. 
P.  Snelling  and  J.  \Y.  Primmer  associate 


justices.  Judge  Martin  was  appointed 
United  States  pension  agent,  and  in  May, 
1869,  resigned.  Judge  W.  W.  Willard  filled 
out  the  unexpired  term  of  General  Martin. 
In  1868  the  County  Treasurer  was  author- 
ized to  borrow  five  thousand  dollars  for 
bridge  construction  in  the  county.  This  was 
the  fifth  county  court.  The  precinct  of 
Alma  was  organized  by  this  board  at  the 
March  term,  1867.  Marion  county  was  now 
divided  into  sixteen  ejection  precincts  as 
follows:  Centralia,  Sandoval,  Odin,  Patoka, 
Alma,  Central  City,  Walnut  Hill,  Raccoon, 
Haines,  luka,  Romine,  Omega,  Meacham. 
Kimmimdy,  Foster  and  Salem.  Tilman 
Raser  was  elected  judge  and  with  John  H. 
Gray  and  J.  W.  Jennings  constituted  the 
sixth  county  board  and  only  routine  business 
was  transacted  by  them.  The  proposition  to 
adopt  township  organization  was  again  sub- 
mitted and  this  time  carried. 

The  state  constitutional  convention,  held 
in  1870  reinstated  the  old  system  of  coun- 
ty boards,  which  were  discontinued  in  1849, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  the  term  of  the 
sixth  board,  James  W.  McClure,  Robert 
McM.  Wham  and  J.  McClelland  were 
elected  at  the  general  election  in  November, 

1873,  but  did  not  take  office  until  after  the 
meeting  of  the  legislature,   because  of  the 
very  defective  law,  which  defects  required 
legislative  action.     They  served  only  three 
months  when  their  offices  were  made  vacant 
by  the  election  of  the  first  Board  of  Super- 
visors,  which   election   was  held  April   22, 

1874.  The  board,  at  their  last  regular  meet- 
ing, appointed  Hon.  T.  E.  Merritt,  \Yilliam 


BKINKKKIIOKK  S     HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Walker  and  S.  L.  Dwight  to  divide  the 
county  into  townships.  Of  these  commis- 
sioners, Walker  is  dead,  Dwight  is  at  pres- 
ent serving  his  second  term  as  circuit  judge, 
and  Merritt,  after  serving  the  people  of  his 
county  for  twenty-one  years  in  the  legisla- 
ture of  the  state  as  representative  and  sena- 
tor, is  still  living  in  Salem,  enjoying  the  love 
and  respect  of  his  fellow-citizens. 

The  commissioners  reported  that  they  had 
divided  the  county  into  sixteen  townships, 
to  be  called,  respectively,  as  follows: 

Township  i  North,  Range  i  East,  Cen- 
tralia. 

Township  2  North,  Range  i  East,  Odin. 

Township  3  North,  Range  I  East, 
Carrigan. 

Township  4  North,  Range  i  East, 
Patoka. 

Township  i  North,  Range  2  East, 
Raccoon. 

Township  2  North,  Range  2  East,  Salem. 

Township  3  North,  Range  2  East, 
Fredonia. 

Township  4  North,  Range  2  East,  Foster. 

Township  i  North,  Range  3  East, 
Haines. 

Township  2  North,  Range  3  East, 
Stevenson. 

Township  3  North,  Range  3  East, 
Pleasant. 

Township  4  North,  Range  3  East, 
Kimmundy. 

Township  i  North,  Range  4  East,  Ro- 
mine. 

Township  2  North,  Rage  4  East,  luka. 

Township  3  North,  Range  4,  East, 
Omega. 


Township  4  North,  Range  4  East, 
Meacham. 

These  names  remain  to  the  present  time 
with  the  exception  of  Fredonia,  which  is 
now  Tonti ;  Pleasant,  which  is  now  Alma, 
and  Odin,  which  was  divided  into  two  town- 
ships, the  east  half  of  which  is  still  called 
Odin  and  the  west  half  is  called  Sandoval. 
This  division  took  place  about  ten  years  ago. 

The  first  Board  of  Supervisors,  from 
1874  to  1875,  organized  by  electing  Eras- 
mus Hull  chairman,  was  composed  of 
the  following  members,  viz:  Salem,  E. 
Hull;  Centralia,  E.  S.  Condit  and  J.  Mc- 
Clelland; Odin,  John  Robinson;  Carrigan, 
A  Steel;  Patoka,  J.  Hudspeth;  Raccoon, 
James  Snow ;  Fredonia  L.  M.  Bisel ;  Foster, 
J.  W.  Arnold;  Haines,  Robert  McM. 
Wham.  Centralia,  owing  to  its  population, 
was  entitled  to  two  members  at  that  time, 
and  at  the  present  has  three  members  of  the 
Board  of  Supervisors,  and  Salem  is  entitled 
to  two,  who  will  probably  be  elected  in 
April,  1909. 

The  county  debt  was  now  about  seventy 
thousand  dollars  and  a  feeling  that  the  af- 
fairs of  the  county  could,  and  would  be 
more  economically  administered  by  a  Board 
of  Supervisors  than  by  three  commissioners, 
was  the  motive  actuating  the  voters  in  mak- 
ing a  change,  although  experience  has  not 
proven  the  truth  of  the  notion.  The  court- 
house debt,  i.  e.,  debt  for  building  and  debt 
for  bounty  during  the  last  year  of  the  Civil 
war,  the  first  incurred  under  the  administra- 
tion of  Judge  Marsall,  and  the  second  under 
the  adminstration  of  Judge  Oglesby,  were 
both  necessary  measures  and  reflect  credit 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


53 


on  the  gentlemen  who  were  responsible,  yet 
they  grew  burdensome  in  the  minds  of  the 
people  and  the  authorties  made  strenuous 
efforts  to  pay  off  the  indebtedness,  and  that 
object  was  accomplished  by  heavy  taxation 
and  for  a  short  period.  The  debt  was  paid, 
but  much  complaint  was  made  of  the  bur- 
densome tax,  but  the  credit  of  the  county 
was  maintained.  The  county  out  of  debt, 
and  the  affairs  were  well  managed  generally 
but  with  the  change  in  the  per  cent,  of  val- 
uation, made  in  the  revenue  law  of  1900. 
the  county  did  not  receive  revenue  enough  to 
meet  running  expenses  which  had  largely  in- 
creased and  the  county  again  began  to  ac- 
cumulate a  debt,  which  was  put  by  the  offi- 
cers at  about  forty-five  thousand  dollars, 
but  as  it  was  no  officer's  special  duty  to  go 
over  the  books  to  ascertain  the  amount,  it 
was  only  an  estimate.  In  1907,  the  new 
County  Treasurer  and  J.  H.  G.  Brinkerhoff 
went  over  the  books  and  found  the 
debt  to  have  been  above  eighty  thou- 
sand dollars,  but  in  1903  the  Board 
of  Supervisors  had  submitted  a  propo- 
sition to  the  voters  for  a  special  tax 
of  forty-two  cents  on  the  hundred  dollars 
of  valuation  to  pay  the  debt  and  this  tax  has 
so  rapidly  reduced  the  debt  that  it  is  certain 
that  the  spring  of  1909  will  see  the  last  dol- 
lar paid  and  the  county  out  of  debt,  besides 
for  the  last  four  years  the  county  revenues 
have  been  ample  to  meet  all  necessary  ex- 
pense, thus  the  county  again  is  out  of  debt 
and  that  without  any  hardship  having  been 
worked  to  the  taxpayers. 

A     resume     of     the     revenues     of     the 


earlier  years  of  the  county  will  prove 
interesting.  The  first  revenue  was  from 
the  lots  in  the  city  of  Salem,  which, 
as  will  be  remembered,  was  a  part  of 
the  thirty  acre  donation  made  the  county 
by  James  Roberts,  but  conveyed  to  the 
county  in  1826  by  Rufus  Ricker  and  Mark 
Tully.  The  first  sale  of  lots  took  place 
March  2,  1824,  and  was  as  follows: 

Leonard  B.  Farr  $15.50 

William   Maxwell    48.25 

John  G.  Fitch 34-OO 

Aaron  Hicks    IO-75 

Chance  Lee 33-25 

Leonard  P.  Piles  '.  .  .  .      7.75 

D.  R.  Chance 2.50 

William  Baldwin   8.50 

Benjamin  Allen   8.25 

The  following  were  paid  for  as  shown  : 

James  Piles,  March  9 $  9.00 

Joseph  Hensley,  March  12 10.50 

John  Wilson,  March  20 18.25 

John  Phillips,  April  20 13.75 

William   Maxwell,   April   24 48.25 

Aaron  Hicks,  May  27 32-5° 

Chance  Lee,  May  27 99-75 

William  Davidson,  June  2 29-3& 

John  Harrington,  June  2 6.62 

There  was  a  total  of  four  hundred  thirty- 
six  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents.  The  taxes 
collected  for  the  year  1823,  the  first  year  of 
the  county's  existence,  were  sixty-eight  dol- 
lars and  seventy-five  cents;  received  for 
licenses,  twelve  dollars,  making  a  grand 
total  of  five  hundred  seventeen  dollars 
and  twenty-five  cents.  From  March  2d  to 
June  7th,  the  Treasurer,  paid  out  five  hun- 


54 


liKIXKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


dred  fourteen  dollars  and  forty-one  and  a 
half  cents,  leaving  two  dollars  and  eighty 
three  and  a  half  cents  in  the  treasury.  It 
might  be  well  here  to  state  that  in  that  day 
in  Illinois  a  coin  worth  twelve  and  a  half 
cents  was  in  circulation.  Its  proper  name 
was  a  shilling,  but  it  was  known  by  the  pio- 
neers as  a  "bit,"  and  it  is  quite  common, 
even  to  this  day,  to  hear  the  expression  "two 
bits,"  meaning  twenty-five  cents,  or  "six 
bits,"  meaning  seventy-five  cents,  hence  the 
half  cents  in  the  reports  of  that  day. 

A    SMALL    BALANCE. 

For  the  first  ten  years  the  County  Treas- 
urer's report  shows  a  small  balance  in  the 
treasury,  except  the  report  for  December  i, 
1828,  which  shows  the  county  in  debt  nine- 
ty-one and  one-half  cents,  which  he  had 
overpaid.  When  the  books  were  examined  in 
1833  a  balance  of  twelve  dollars  and  nine 
and  one-half  cents  was  reported  in  the  hands 
of  the  Treasurer.  The  total  receipts  for  the 
first  ten  years  of  Marion  county's  existence 
were  as  follows : 

Sale  of  lots  in  Salem $1,273.77^ 

Taxes    1,063.44 

Licenses  and  fines 403.70 

Estrays  sold    120.08 


Balance  on  hand,   December   i, 
1833    


Total  revenue,  from  all  sources  $2,860.97^ 

During  the  same  time  the  expenditures 
were  as  follows: 

Erection  of  Public  Buildings   .  .$  769.00 
Running  Expenses  of  County .  .    2,079.90 


Total    $2,860.97^ 

From  this  report  it  will  be  seen  that  the 
expense  of  the  county  administration  aver- 
aged two  hundred  seven  dollars  and 
ninety-nine  cents  per  year,  truly  a  modest 
beginning,  but  perhaps  ample  for  the  day, 
and  the  people  of  that  frugal  time. 

The  population  of  the  county  increased  as 
shown  by  the  census  report  as  follows : 

Assessed        Wealth 

Year      Population      Value          Per  Capita 
1823          550         $        14,690  $  26.50 

1830       2,125  75^50  35.60 

1840      4,742  238,080  50.20 

1850       6,720  482,790  71.80 

1862     12,789  1,654,140  129.85 

1870     20,622  3,453,098  167.45 

1880     23,691  4,452,424  187.93 

1890     24,341  10,707,057  444-43 

1900    30,446  13-353485  438.57 

1908  18,919,430 

Of  the  population  of  the  county  in  1900, 
fourteen  thousand  one  hundred  and  sixteen 
were  residents  of  the  nine  incorporated  cities 
and  villages,  and  the  rest  country  residents, 
nearly  one-half  therefore  dwelt  in  the  cities 
and  villages.  It  will  be  noticed  that  from 
1880  to  1890  only  a  increase  of  six  hun- 
dred and  fifty  inhabitants  for  the  ten  years, 
this  may  be  accounted  for  by  the  heavy  im- 
igration  from  the  county  to  newer  fields, 
farther  west,  during  that  decade.  The  above 
table  shows  a  steady  increase  in  values  and 
per  capita.  In  1900  is  shown  a  slight  fall- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


55 


ing  off  of  the  per  capita  tax,  but  owing  to 
a  change  in  the  system  of  assessment,  it  is 
more  apparent  than  real.  The  true  value  is 
many  millions  more  than  shown  by  the 
assessors'  books. 

PHYSICAL    AND    STATISTICAL    FACTS    OF    THE 
COUNTY. 

The  original  field  notes  of  the  survey  of 
the  county  give  only  about  three  thousand 
acres  of  swamp  land  in  the  county,  and  that 
is  not  really  swamp,  but  low  lands  which 
could  be  and  indeed,  most  of  it  has  been, 
drained  and  forms  the  most  fertile  farm 
lands.  These  same  notes  give  a  total 
of  three  hundred  and  sixty-four  thou- 
sand nine  hundred  and  sixty-five  acres 
in  the  county.  In  accord  with  the  act 
of  Congress,  of  March  4,  1854,  the 
county  has  sold  of  the  swamp  lands  at 
from  one  dollar  and  fifty  cents  to  two  dol- 
lars and  fifty  cents  per  acre.  In  1824  the 
records  show  ownership  of  only  one  thou- 
sand and  forty  acres,  the  rest  all  being  public 
domain,  on  which  the  settlers  "squatted,"  i. 
e.,  settled  without  title.  The  law  of  1852, 
granting  to  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
Company,  all  unsold  lands  in  the  even  num- 
bered sections  on  each  side  of  the  said  road, 
six  sections  deep,  or  in  width  east  of  said 
road,  and  the  same  amount  west  of  the 
same,  it  was  found  that  not  over  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-five  thousand  acres,  in  round 
numbers,  had  become  the  property  of  indi- 
viduals, but  by  the  close  of  1865,  all  the 
lands  in  the  county  had  been  entered.  The 


last  was  eighty  acres  entered  by  John  W. 
Clark,  April  28,  1865,  it  being  the  east  half 
of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  25,  in 
township  i  north,  range  4  east,  or  in  Ro- 
maine  township.  The  first  sale  of  land  after 
the  county  was  formed  was  by  Rufus  Ricker 
and  Lydia,  his  wife,  who  conveyed  by  deed, 
to  D.  Baldridge,  eighty  acres,  being  the 
east  half  of  the  northeast  quarter  of  section 
33,  township  i  north,  range  i  east  (Cen- 
tralia).  The  price  was  four  hundred  dollars 
and  the  deed  is  dated  March  18,  1823.  This 
land  is  near  the  city  of  Centralia,  and  is 
worth  in  the  neighborhood  of  one  hundred 
dollars  per  acre.  In  the  same  year  the  west 
half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  15, 
town  i  north,  range  2  east,  was  sold  for 
one  hundred  and  ten  dollars.  This  land  was 
farther  from  settlements  and  not  much 
improved. 

There  is  no  record  of  any  land  sales  in 
1824  and  only  two  in  1825;  one  eighty-acre 
piece,  which  sold  for  one  hundred  dollars, 
and  another  which  brought  three  hundred 
dollars.  Only  one  piece  was  sold  in  1826, 
it  being  twenty-four  acres,  now  a  part  of  the 
city  of  Salem,  which  sold  for  one  hundred 
dollars.  There  were  six  sales  in  1827,  three 
of  these  being  in  section  n,  town  2,  range  2, 
two  of  these  were  eighty-acre  pieces 
and  sold  for  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
five  cents  per  acre,  the  third  was  twenty 
acres  and  brought  five  'dollars  per  acre. 
Two  sales  of  land  in  what  is  now 
Centralia  township,  one  eighty,  at  two 
dollars  and  fifty  cents  per  acre,  and  another 
eighty  brought  three  dollars  and  seventy-five 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


cents  per  acre.  And  one  eighty  in  Meacham 
brought  one  dollar,  eighty-seven  and  one- 
half  cents  per  acre.  In  1828  only  one  sale  is 
recorded.  It  was  the  same  eighty  acres  in 
section  29,  town  i,  range  i,  which  had  been 
sold  in  1825  for  one  hundred  dollars,  now  it 
brought  two  hundred  dollars.  Only  one  sale 
is  on  record  for  1829,  it  being  eighty  acres 
in  section  28,  town  i,  range  i,  and  brought 
four  dollars,  thirty-seven  and  one-half  cents 
per  acre.  In  1830  there  were  three  sales: 
ninety-six  acres  near  Salem  for  five  hundred 
dollars  and  seventy  acres  also  near  Salem, 
sold  for  two  hundred  dollars,  and  an  eighty- 
acre  piece  in  section  27,  town  i,  range  i, 
was  bought  for  two  hundred  dollars.  In 
1831  but  three  sales  are  of  record,  the  same 
eighty  in  section  29,  town  I,  range  I,  which 
already  had  been  sold  twice  was  sold  again 
at  three  dollars  and  seventy-five  cents  per 
acre.  Eighty  acres  in  section  17,  town  i, 
range  2,  brought  one  dollar  eighty-seven 
and  one-half  cents  per  acre  and  eighty  acres 
in  section  9,  town  2,  range  4  (luka).  This 
was  the  first  land  sale  in  this  township  and 
the  land  brought  five  dollars  per  acre.  There 
was  only  one  sale  of  land  in  1832,  eighty 
acres  in  section  n,  town  2,  range  2,  which 
sold  for  two  hundred  dollars. 

In  the  first  ten  years  of  the  county's  ex- 
istence there  were  only  twenty  sales  of  land, 
and  only  fifteen  hundred  and  sixty  acres  had 
been  transferred ;  the  lowest  price  paid  was 
one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre  and 
the  highest,  five  dollars  per  acre.  Land  sales 
were  of  rare  occurrence  until  after  the  build- 
ing of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  and  the 


Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad,  which  were 
projected  about  the  same  time  and  which  not 
only  opened  a  way  for  the  emigrant  to  come 
into  the  county  easily  and  speedily  but  by 
furnishing  transportation  for  products  of 
the  farm,  added  an  impetus  to  sales  of  land. 
In  1850  there  were  only  four  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  land  that  changed  ownership 
at  an  average  price  of  four  dollars  and  ten 
cents.  Other  property  was  low  also,  as  the 
report  of  a  few  sales  will  show.  Some  ar- 
tcles  sold  high  because-  of  the  scarcity  of 
manufactured  articles.  At  an  administra- 
tor's sale,  held  by  Hardy  Foster,  administra- 
tor of  Henry  Whatley's  estate,  the  following 
articles  were  sold  at  the  price  named:  one 
bay  mare,  fifty-two  dollars ;  one  colt,  twenty- 
nine  dollars;  one  bed,  seventeen  dollars  and 
twelve  and  one-half  cents;  one  saddle  and 
bridle,  ten  dollars  and  twelve  and  one-half 
cents ;  one  beadstead,  two  dollars  and  twelve 
and  one-half  cents ;  one  skillet,  two  dollars ; 
one  pair  of  saddlebags,  one  dollar  and 
eighty-seven  and  one-half  cents;  one  razor, 
fifty  cents;  one  bottle  castor  oil,  fifty  cents; 
one  butcher  knife,  twenty-five  cents.  This 
sale  was  held  on  the  2Oth  day  of  January, 
1828,  and  is  the  first  of  record  in  the  coun- 
ty, of  administrator's  sale.  At  another  sale, 
held  in  March,  1828,  hogs  were  sold  at  one 
dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  each;  one  sow 
for  three  dollars  and  twenty-five  cents;  a 
plow  for  four  dollars ;  an  ax,  one  dollar  and 
fifty  cents;  hoe.  seventy-five  cents;  spinning 
wheel,  one  dollar:  loom,  eleven  dollars;  a 
counteqjane,  two  dollars ;  quilt,  ninety  cents ; 
well  rope,  seventy-five  cents ;  yoke  of  steers, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


57 


eighteen  dollars ;  a  cow,  five  dollars  and  sev- 
enty-five cents;  a  heifer,  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents;  a  cart,  five  dollars,  thirty-seven 
and  one-half  cents;  three  chairs,  one  dollar 
and  fifty  cents;  smoothing  iron,  fifty  cents. 
It  will  be  noticed  that  no  guns  or  other 
weapons  were  sold.  Yet  every  household 
was  well  supplied  in  that  day  with  imple- 
ments for  hunting  and  defense,  and  though 
this  list  of  articles  is  small,  it  comprises  the 
articles  found  among  the  wealthiest  citizens. 
On  Monday,  August  2,  1824,  was  held  the 
first  election  for  county  officers,  of  which 
any  record  can  be  found.  There  seems  to  be 
only  a  partial  return  made,  as  the  vote  for 
commissioner  is  about  twice  that  for  cor- 
oner. Mark  Tully,  for  Sheriff  received  fifty- 
five  votes ;  H.  C.  Nichols,  for  the  same  office, 
received  thirty-eight  votes;  Samuel  David- 
son received  thirty-four  votes  for  coroner, 
while  for  commissioner,  three  to  be  elected, 
Benjamin  Vermillion  received  fifty-three 
votes;  Israel  Jennings,  forty-three  votes; 
Aaron  Hicks,  fifty-one  votes;  Leonard  P. 
Piles,  fifty-five  votes;  J.  W.  Nichols,  thirty- 
nine  votes;  James  Piles,  forty-three  votes. 

The  following  abstract  of  the  vote  was 
made  out : 

"I,  Rufus  Ricker,  Clerk  of  the  County 
Commissioner's  court,  and  Joseph  Hensley, 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  said  county,  state  of 
Illinois,  do  hereby  certify  that  the  above  is 
a  correct  abstract  of  the  votes  for  the  officers 
above  mentioned,  as  returned  of  the  poll 
book.  Given  under  our  hands  this  /th  day 
of  August,  1824.  RUFUS  RICKER." 

Justice  of  the  Peace  Hensley    failed    to 


sign  this  crude  instrument  and  it  as  a  record 
is  thus  incomplete  and  might  have  led  to 
questioning  the  legality  of  the  officers'  ten- 
ure of  office,  but  it  seems  that  in  that  day 
the  office  was  not  worth  contesting  for,  and 
the  lack  of  Hensley's  signature  was  unno- 
ticed. The  first  circuit  court  was  held  in 
the  house  of  James  Young.  John  Reynolds, 
one  of  the  associate  judges  of  the  supreme 
court  of  Illinois,  presided  as  Judge,  Rufus 
Ricker  was  Clerk  and  Jesse  Roberts  was 
Sheriff.  Court  was  opened  April  29,  1823, 
and  the  following  were  impannelled  as  a 
grand  jury:  Benjamin  Vermillion,  foreman, 
Leonard  Piles,  William  Nichols,  William 
Davidson,  James  Young,  Mark  Tully, 
William  Pursley,  William  Marshall,  James 
Martin,  Thomas  Welch,  Gidion  Burton, 
John  Wilson,  John  Bundy,  Dornton  Bald- 
ridge,  Thomas  Neal,  D.  R.  Chance,  Mala- 
chi  Ware,  William  Albert,  John  Phelps, 
Samuel  Davidson,  John  Edington,  Nimrod 
Phelps  and  John  Walling.  The  grand 
jurors  were  sworn  in  and  retired,  but 
soon  returned  into  court  with  the  fol- 
lowing report:  No  business.  Whereupon 
the  grand  jury  was  discharged.  Doubtless 
the  shortest  session  of  any  grand  jury  in  the 
state. 

NOT    SO    MANY    TRIALS    IN    THOSE    DAYS. 

There  seems  to  have  been  no  trials  at  this 
term  of  court  and  it  therefore  adjourned. 
The  second  term  opened  October  30.  1823, 
and  was  presided  over  by  Thomas  Reynolds, 
Chief  Justice  of  the  supreme  court.  Mark 
Tully  served  as  Sheriff.  The  grand  jury  at 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


this  term  returned  six  indictments  for  as- 
sault and  battery.  Fighting  seems  to  have 
been  a  favorite  pastime  \vith  the  settlers,  and 
in  the  early  days  no  weapons  were  used  save 
those  furnished  by  nature,  but  all  that  na- 
ture furnished  were  used,  fist  and  feet,  bit- 
ing, gouging,  kicking,  hair-pulling  and  any 
other  method  of  getting  the  best  of  an  ad- 
versary were  permissible,  and  not  often  did 
the  vanquished  resort  to  the  law,  although 
forty-nine  indictments  for  assault  and  bat- 
tery were  returned  in  the  first  seven  terms 
of  court,  but  this  is  but  a  small  proportion  of 
the  fights  that  took  place  in  the  same  time. 
The  first  divorce  was  granted  to  Henry 
Whatley  from  Elizabeth  Whatley,  Septem- 
ber 27,  1827.  The  charge  was  the  Scriptural 
one,  and  the  decree  prohibited  the  defendant 
from  re-marrying  for  two  years.  The  trial 
was  by  jury.  On  the  27th  of  September, 
1831,  John  G.  Edmonson  and  William  Fos- 
ter were  tried  on  an  indictment  for  forgery, 
and  the  following  jury  found  both  guilty: 
Benjamin  Vermillion,  Joseph  Hallowell, 
William  Tully,  James  Davis,  Andrew  Tay- 
lor, Marcum  Lovell,  Wilkins  Tatum,  Jona- 
than Williams,  Jr.,  Illis  Branson.  Isaac 
Anderick,  Thomas  Taylor  and  W.  S. 
Booth.  They  were  sentenced  to  receive 
twenty  lashes,  i.  e.,  to  be  whipped,  and  to 
be  confined  in  jail  twenty- four  hours,  and 
to  pay  a  fine  of  one  dollar  each.  They 
were  whipped  in  public  on  the  28th  day  of 
September.  A  special  term  of  circuit 
court  was  called  for  December,  1835, 
and  during  this  term  the  first  mur- 
der trial  was  held,  William  Burton  be- 


ing tried  for  the  murder  of  James  Gray. 
The  jury  evidently  thought  the  killing  jus- 
tifiable and  acquitted  Burton.  Justice  of  the 
Peace  W.  D.  Haney  was  tried  for  palpable 
omission  of  duty  and  was  fined  five 
dollars  at  the  March  term  of  the  court.  John 
Dillingham  was  indicted  for  larceny  and 
was  tried  in  March,  1837.  He  was  con- 
victed, was  sentenced  to  three  years  in  the 
penitentiary,  one  month  in  solitary  confine- 
ment and  two  years  and  eleven  months  at 
hard  labor.  This  was  the  first  penitentiary 
sentence  from  the  county.  In  1839  the 
following  citizens  were  fined  for  gambling: 
James  Bowman,  Martin  Crouch,  John  Purs- 
ley  and  Henry  C.  Nichols.  They  were  fined 
ten  dollars  each  in  September  of  1839.  G. 
W.  Pace  was  also  indicted  for  selling  liquor 
on  Sunday,  and  was  fined  fifteen  dollars. 
Joseph  Brasell  was  murdered  in  September, 
1841.  William  Fatharll  was  indicted  for 
the  crime,  but  escaped  and  fled  from  the 
state,  whereupon  the  Governor  published 
the  following  proclamation  in  the  State 
Journal,  March  4,  1842: 

"PROCLAMATION  BY  THE  GOVERNOR. 
"TVo  Hundred  Dollars  Reward. 

"State  of  Illinois,  ss. 
"WHEREAS,  It  has  been  represented  to  me 
that  William  Fatharll  is  charged  with  the 
murder  of  Joseph  Brasell,  of  Marion  county, 
in  this  state.  Now,  therefore,  I,  Thomas 
Carlin,  Governor  of  said  state,  by  virtue  of 
the  powers  vested  in  me  by  law,  do  offer  a 


HRINKKRMOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION*    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


59 


reward  of  two  hundred  dollars  to  any  per- 
son or  persons  who  will  apprehend  the  said 
William  Fatharll  and  deliver  him  to  the 
sheriff  of  said  Marion  county,  provided  the 
said  Fatharll  shall  be  apprehended  after  the 
date  of  this  proclamation. 

"In  testimony  whereof  I  have  set  my 
hand  and  caused  the  seal  of  the  state  to  be 
annexed,  at  .Springfield,  this  2d  day  of 
March,  1842.  By  the  Governor. 

"(SEAL)  THOMAS  CARLIN. 

"LYMAN  TRUMBULL,  Secretary  of  State." 

"Said  William  Fatharll  is  represented  to 
be  about  five  feet  seven  inches  high,  thirty- 
five  years  of  age,  and  to  have  dark  hair,  in- 
clined to  be  rather  thin  on  the  crown 
of  his  head,  dark  yellow  eyes  (just 
what  this  means  is  beyond  us. — Ed.), 
sandy  beard  and  whiskers,  a  scar  some- 
where about  his  nose,  also  one  on  his 
throat  not  easily  seen  unless  his  head 
is  raised,  to  be  rather  dark  complex- 
ioned,  with  heavy  downcast  countenance, 
and  not  much  inclined  to  talk  when  sober. 
He  had  on  when  last  seen  a  white  fur  hat,  a 
blue  frock  coat  with  brownish  hunting  shirt 
over  it,  and  had  a  rifle  gun  with  percussion 
lock,  and  tame  catskin  shot  bag,  spotted 
black  and  white.  The  Illinois  Sentinel, 
Vandalia;  The  Reporter,  St.  Lows;  The 
Democrat,  Chicago,  will  please  publish  two 
weeks  and  send  their  bills  to  office  of  Sec- 
retary of  State. 

"March  4,  1842." 

He  was  never  caught,  and  the  case  was 
removed  from  the  court  docket  in  March, 
1844,  with  leave  to  reinstate. 


James  White  was  tried  for  the  murder  of 
Andrew  J.  Applegate  at  a  saloon  about  half 
a  mile  south  of  Salem,  on  the  i6th  of  April, 
1 86 1.  An  inquest  was  held  by  the  coroner, 
W.  H.  Fraser.  Only  two  witnesses,  \V.  H. 
Smith  and  Henry  C.  Thompson,  were  heard, 
and  a  verdict  to  the  effect  that  the  deceased 
came  to  his  death  by  a  stab  from  a  knife  in 
the  hands  of  James  White  on  the  morning 
of  April  16,  1861,  in  the  grocery  owned  by 
Benjamin  Crane,  one  mile  south  of  Salem, 
111.  White  was  arrested  the  same  day  by  a 
citizen  and  turned  over  to  the  sheriff. 
White  had  a  preliminary  hearing  before  B. 
F.  Marshall,  and  John  W.  Merritt,  two  jus- 
tices of  the  peace,  and  was  by  them  re- 
manded to  jail  without  bond,  to  await  the 
action  of  the  grand  jury.  White  made  a 
very  short  statement,  in  which  he  said :  "My 
name  is  James  White,  I  am  nineteen  years 
old,  I  have  no  family,  and  have  lived  in  this 
county  six  months." 

The  testimony  of  Smith  was  most  full,  he 
said :  "I  am  twenty-seven  years  old,  I  live  in 
Clinton,  DeWitt  county,  Illinois,  and  came 
here  last  Monday.  I  never  saw  the  prisoner 
until  yesterday,  the  i6th  of  April,  when  I 
met  him  at  the  grocery  south  of  town.  (In 
an  early  day  saloons  were  always  called  gro- 
ceries by  the  people. — Ed.)  Myself,  the  de- 
ceased, the  prisoner,  Mr.  Thompson  and  one 
Willis  Albert,  were  in  the  grocery,  about 
sunup.  Albert  Thompson  and  myself  were 
sitting  on  one  bench,  the  prisoner  was  sit- 
ting on  another  by  himself,  the  deceased 
was  lying  on  a  third  bench,  all  in  the  same 
room.  Albert  tried,  to  wake  the  deceased 


6o 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


up.  Deceased  did  not  like  it  much.  Albert 
left  him  and  sat  down  on  the  bench.  The 
prisoner  then  told  the  deceased  to  get  up, 
but  he  did  not  get  up,  then  the  prisoner  took 
an  iron  poker  and  punched  the  deceased 
gently  and  told  him  to  get  up.  Deceased 
now  arose  and  had  some  conversation  with 
us  of  no  importance.  Deceased  was  angry 
because  he  had  been  waked  up.  Deceased 
and  the  prisoner  had  some  words,  half 
angry,  half  in  good  humor.  I  thought  it 
was  their  way  of  talking  together.  They 
talked  some  time  when  Thompson  told  them 
to  shut  up  and  sit  down.  They  sat  down  on 
the  same  bench.  Deceased  said  the  prisoner 
had  been  trying  to  impose  on  him.  The 
prisoner  denied  this,  but  said  from  this  on 
he  would.  They  both  rose  up,  and  deceased 
said  he  would  as  leave  die  as  not,  and  began 
pulling  off  his  coat,  but  whether  it  was  all 
off  or  not  I  don't  know.  Deceased  stepped 
up  towards  the  stove  and  stood  there ;  the 
prisoner  stood  near,  facing  him,  and  told  the 
deceased  not  to  hit  him.  The  next  thing  I 
saw  was  the  prisoner  drawing  a  knife  from 
the  left  breast  of  deceased.  There  was 
blood  on  the  knife  and  on  the  deceased's 
clothes.  The  prisoner  then  jumped  over 
the  counter  and  took  a  double-barreled  shot 
gun,  pointing  it  towards  the  deceased.  After 
the  deceased  was  struck  he  stood  up  a  few 
seconds  and  then  fell  forward  on  the  floor; 
he  was  dead  from  the  wound.  The  prisoner 
took  a  cloth  and  wiped  the  blood  from  his 
knife  and  put  it  in  its  sheath,  and  told 
Thompson  to  take  the  key  of  the  grocery. 
The  prisoner  then  said :  'Let  us  all  go  out,' 


and  we  all  went  out,  and  he  locked  the  door 
after  us,  leaving  the  deceased  on  the  floor. 
The  prisoner  left  the  key  on  a  pan  in  the 
blacksmith  shop,  then  went  away.  The 
knife  with  which  the  killing  was  done  was 
a  bowie-knife,  silver  mounted;  the  blade 
was  six  and  one-half  to  eight  inches  long. 
All  this  took  place  in  Marion  county." 

Thompson's  testimony  was  about  the 
same,  the  only  difference  is  that  he  says  that 
he  saw  the  prisoner  stab  the  deceased  twice, 
and  closed  his  testimony  by  saying:  "I  know 
this  man  killed  the  deceased." 

White  broke  out  of  jail  but  was  soon  re- 
captured and  a  special  grand  jury  was  called 
at  a  special  July  term  of  the  circuit  court 
and  found  a  true  bill  against  White  for 
murder,  signed  Amos  Watts,  State's  Attor- 
ney. 

Amos  Watts  was  afterward  elected  cir- 
cuit judge.  Watts  lived  at  Nashville,  but 
was  State's  Attorney  for  the  whole  judicial 
circuit,  as  the  law  then  did  not  provide  a 
prosecuting  attorney  for  each  county.  Hon. 
Silas  L.  Bryan  was  Circuit  Judge,  J.  O. 
Chance  was  Circuit  Clerk,  T.  J.  Black  was 
Sheriff.  Judge  Bryan  was  the  father  of 
W.  J.  Bryan,  late  candidate  for  the  presi- 
dency. J.  O.  Chance  was  for  many  years 
clerk  of  the  Appellate  Court  at  Mt.  Vernon, 
Illinois.  The  petit  jury  that  tried  White 
was  composed  of  some  of  the  best  citizens 
of  the  county,  and  some  of  them  are  still 
living,  honored  citizens  of  the  county. 

It  is  not  strange  that  murder  was  the  out- 
come of  the  conditions.  It  is  evident  that 
the  night  before  the  murder  had  been  spent 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


6l 


by  the  party  in  the  bar  room.  As  they  were 
some  of  them,  asleep  at  sunrise,  doubt- 
less a  night  of  debauchery  was  followed  by 
a  morning'  of  half  sober  bravado.  White, 
though  so  young,  must  have  been  a  har- 
dened criminal,  or  else  have  been  rendered 
reckless  by  drink.  The  proprietor,  it  will 
be  observed,  was  not  present,  which  points 
to  a  crowd  of  debauchees  too  drunk  to  go 
home,  the  night  before.  The  whole  tragedy 
points  to  a  moral  for  young  men,  which  it 
would  be  wise  to  heed.  White  was  the  first 
man  tried  in  the  new  court  house  for  a  se- 
rious crime,  and  was  defended  by  Hon.  T. 
E.  Merritt,  of  Salem,  still  active  in  his  pro- 
fession, and  Governor  Henry  Warmoth,  of 
Louisiana,  then  a  young  attorney  of  Salem. 
There  have  been  many  killings  in  the  eighty 
years  of  Marion  county's  history,  most 
of  them  in  self-defense  or  justifiable 
homicide,  and  about  some  of  them  hangs 
much  mystery.  In  1863  Willis  Black, 
who  was  a  Deputy  Sheriff  and  keeper 
of  the  jail,  in  company  with  two  Deputy 
United  States  marshals,  was  killed  near 
the  south  line  of  Salem  township.  It 
is  said  that  he,  in  company  of  the  marshals, 
went  to  arrest  a  deserter  from  the  army, 
when  near  the  farm  of  John  Cunningham 
they  met  the  deserter,  who  fired,  striking 
Black  in  the  forehead,  killing  him  instantly. 
The  deserter  fled  but  the  marshals  were  so 
badly  frightened  they  whipped  their  horses, 
and  with  the  dead  body  of  Black  lying  in 
the  carriage  drove  as  fast  as  they  could  to 
Centralia,  and  thence  to  Salem.  If  any 
steps  were  ever  taken  to  capture  the  un- 


known deserter  they  came  to  naught,  and 
even  the  name  of  the  murderer  is  unknown. 
Crime  is  always  on  the  frontier,  for  to  the 
obscurity  of  the  frontier  the  criminals  of 
older  communities  go  to  elude  capture.  Yet 
in  all  Marion  county  not  more  than  a  half- 
dozen  criminals  could  be  found  in  the  first 
thirty  years  of  her  history,  and  today  the 
proud  record  is  that  in  proportion  to  popu- 
lation she  ranks  with  the  best  as  a  law  abid- 
ing, peace-loving  community,  whose  people 
believe  in  the  supremacy  of  the  law  and  the 
protection  of  the  state. 

MARION  COUNTY  IN  THE  BLACK  HAWK  WAR. 

The  Black  Hawk  war  was  the  first  war 
that  called  forth  the  militia  of  Marion 
county.  Although  there  was  no  time  from 
its  first  settlement  until  the  close  of  the 
Black  Hawk  war  that  the  settlers  were  safe 
from  Indian  attack,  although  from  the  small 
number  of  Indians  in  the  vicinity  the  danger 
was  not  so  great  as  in  other  parts  of  the 
West,  but  being  on  the  Kaskaskia  and  Vin- 
cennes  trail,  was  likely  to  be  visited  by  rov- 
ing bands,  who  were  only  kept  from  murder- 
ing the  inhabitants  by  a  wholesome  fear  of 
a  swift  and  sure  revenge  by  the  whites. 

Black  Hawk  was  born  in  1767  in  the 
Sauk  village  and  ranked  equal  to  such  In- 
dian leaders  as  King  Philip,  Brandt,  Logan 
and  Tecumseh  in  his  desire  to  obliterate  the 
whites,  but  while  beyond  doubt  he  was  a 
great  man,  his  military  talents  fell  below  the 
high  powers  of  those  great  chieftains,  and 
ranked  with  those  of  the  lesser  leaders  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  red  men.  He  was  eloquent  in  the  coun- 
•cils  of  the  warriors.  Like  all  Indians  he  was 
grave  and  solemn  in  manner.  He  was  ambi- 
tious to  be  known  as  a  great  war  chief.  The 
•only  road  to  fame  in  the  Indian  mind  is  the 
path  of  war,  and  not  until  he  has  proven 
his  prowess  by  killing  an  enemy  may  he  sit 
among  the  warriors  of  his  nation  in  the 
.council  room.  This  rank  may  be  shown  by 
painting  a  bloody  hand  on  his  blanket, 
which  entitles  him  to  the  esteem  of  the 
whole  tribe.  In  1810  and  1811  there  was  a 
general  uneasiness  among  the  Indians  of 
the  Northwest  Territory,  fostered  by  the 
British  agents  acting  under  orders  from 
Quebec.  The  Sacs  were  invited  to  visit  the 
Prophet  (Tecumseh's  brother)  at  Prophets- 
town,  and  were  there  filled  with  the  resent- 
ment against  the  Americans.  A  body  of 
Winnebagoes  had  murdered  a  few  whites, 
and  a  knowledge  of  this  act  excited  the 
Sacs  under  the  leadership  of  Black  Hawk, 
to  do  likewise.  A  part  of  his  band  joined 
a  band  of  Winnebagoes  and  attacked  Fort 
Madison  in  1811.  The  Indians  failed  in  the 
attack,  and  Black  Hawk,  who  had  led  the 
Sacs,  thirsted  for  white  blood  to  efface  the 
shame  of  failure.  In  1813  British  emmissa- 
ries  arrived  at  Rock  Island  with  a  large 
quantity  of  goods  and  persuaded  Black 
Hawk  and  five  hundred  warriors  to  go  with 
Colonel  Dixon  to  Canada.  At  Green  Bay 
they  joined  the  assembled  bands  of  Ottawas, 
Pottawatomies.  Winnebagoes  and  Kicka- 
poos,  under  the  leadership  of  Colonel 
Dickson,  as  it  can  hardly  be  said 
that  he  commanded  them.  Black  Hawk 


and  this  band  took  part  in  the  bat- 
tles of  the  Raisin  River,  Lower  San- 
dusky  and  other  places,  but  he  was  not 
content  with  the  small  amount  of  plunder 
received,  thinking  the  fighting  out  of  pro- 
portion with  it.  He,  with  a  small  band  of 
warriors,  withdrew  and  returned  to  Sauk 
Village  at  Rock  Island,  where  he  remained 
in  apparent  peace  until  1831,  with  the  ex- 
ception of  a  fight  on  Quiver  river  settlement, 
Missouri,  in  which  one  white  man  and  one 
Indian  were  killed.  It  is  not  certain  that 
Black  Hawk  was  present  at  this  skirmish. 
Early  in  the  twenties  the  government  had  se- 
cured, by  various  treaties,  title  to  the 
village  and  whole  country  of  the  Sacs  and 
Fox  tribes.  Black  Hawk  and  his  band  re- 
fused to  remove,  but  determined  to  remain 
in  possession  of  their  ancient  village  at  or 
near  the  junction  of  the  Rock  river  with  the 
Father  of  Waters.  In  1828  some  of  the  land 
had  been  surveyed  and  sold,  a  part  of  which 
was  in  the  village  itself.  The  Indians  re- 
sisted the  settlers'  taking  possession,  which 
led  to  some  disturbances. 

The  Governor,  understanding  the  Indian 
character  and  knowing  that  they  would  soon 
be  on  the  warpath,  made  no  delay,  but  is- 
sued a  call  for  seven  hundred  men  from 
the  militia  of  the  state.  The  call  was  issued 
on  May  26,  1831,  and  Beardstown  on  the 
Illinois  river,  was  the  appointed  place  of  ren- 
dezvous. The  call  was  promptly  answered 
and  men  who  were  familiar  with  Indian 
warfare,  and  whose  proficiency  with  the  rifle 
had  been  acquired  by  long  practice,  promptly 
volunteered  to  protect  the  northern  settlers. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


These  were  men  who  knew  but  little  of 
military  tactics,  but  were  accustomed  to  care 
for  themselves  in  all  circumstances.  They 
were  mounted  on  their  own  horses  and 
equipped  with  their  own  arms.  After  eight 
days'  marching  they  arrived  within  a  few- 
miles  of  the  Sacs  Village,  where  they  united 
with  the  United  States  troops  under  General 
Gaines  and  encamped  for  the  night.  The 
next  morning  he  marched  against  the  In- 
dian village,  but  found  it  deserted.  Black 
Hawk  having  crossed  the  Mississippi  during 
the  night.  General  Gaines  sent  orders  to 
Black  Hawk  to  come  to  Rock  Island  at  once 
and  make  a  treaty  of  peace,  or  as  an  alter- 
nate he  would  cross  the  river  and  attack  him 
at  once.  In  a  few  days  Black  Hawk,  with 
twenty-eight  of  his  chief  men,  appeared,  and 
on  the  thirtieth  of  June,  1831,  signed  a 
treaty  of  peace,  after  a  full  council  with  Gov- 
ernor John  Reynolds  and  General  Gaines. 
This  closed  the  Black  Hawk  war  of  1831. 
But  in  a  few.  months  new  troubles  with 
Black  Hawk  began.  During  the  winter  of 
1831  and  1832  it  became  evident  that  the 
treaty  signed  in  June  was  not  regarded  by 
the  Indians.  Black  Hawk  and  his  band 
were  restless  and  were  evidently  preparing 
for  a  raid.  A  chief  of  the  Winnebagoes, 
whose  village  was  about  thirty  miles  up 
Rock  river,  crossed  the  Mississippi,  and 
joined  Black  Hawk  and  his  band.  He  made 
them  believe  that  all  the  Indians  on  the  Rock 
river  would  join  them,  and  that  they,  thus 
united,  could  defy  the  whites.  Black 
Hawk  was  deceived  and  decided  to  recross 
the  Mississippi,  and  early  in  1832  appeared 


on  the  east  side  with  his  warriors.  Many  of 
the  Sacs  and  Foxes  joined  him  and 
formed  a  determined  and  somewhat  formid- 
able band.  He  first  assembled  them  at  Fort 
Madison  on  the  Mississippi,  and  afterwards 
marched  up  the  river  to  the  Banks  and  en- 
camped April  6,  1832.  The  settlers  were 
greatly  alarmed,  a  general  panic  ensued,  the 
whole  frontier  from  the  river  to  Lake  Michi- 
gan was  in  a  ferment  of  excitement  and  fear. 
Many  settlers  abandoned  their  homes  and 
fled.  The  Governor  called  out  a  large  num- 
ber of  volunteers  on  the  i6th  of  April,  who 
were  to  operate  in  conjunction  with  the 
United  States  troops  under  General  Atkin- 
son, who  was  in  command  of  the  forces  at 
Rock  Island.  The  volunteers  were  com- 
manded to  rendezvous  at  Beardstown,  on 
April  22d. 

This  sketch  of  the  Black  Hawk  trouble 
has  been  given  because  of  Marion  county's 
part  in  the  settlement  of  the  difficulty.  A 
company  was  organized  in  this  county  and 
was  ready  to  march  June  i,  1832.  The  of- 
ficers were:  William  M.  Dobbins,  captain; 
Dr.  Frazier,  first  lieutenant;  Stephen  Yo- 
kum,  second  lieutenant ;  Jesse  M.  Wade,  or- 
derly sergeant;  Judge  Samuel  Hull,  ser- 
geant. Each  man  furnished  his  own  horse 
and  arms,  which  consisted  of  a  rifle,  some  of 
which  were  flint-lock,  hatchet  or  ax.  where 
one  was  owned,  and  the  hunting-knife.  There 
was  not  a  sword  or  pistol  in  the  company. 
Officers  were  expected  to  fight  the  same  as 
the  men.  Eacli  man  carried  a  sack  of  pro- 
visions of  his  own  or  neighbor's  providing. 

On  the  day  of  their  departure  they  assem- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


bled  in  the  court-house  square  in  Salem  and 
were  addressed  by  Rev.  Simeon  Walker 
upon  the  awful  solemnity  of  the  oc- 
casion and  admonished  them  to  acquit 
themselves  like  American  soldiers.  Upon 
their  arrival  near  Beardstown  they  were 
placed  in  a  battalion  under  Major  John 
Dement  and  placed  in  a  brigade  un- 
der General  Posey  and  were  known  as 
Posey's  brigade.  They  were  ordered  to 
Rock  Island  and  on  the  third  night  reached 
Rock  river  and  camped.  The  next  morning 
while  making  an  early  march  they  were  met 
by  a  courier  who  informed  them  that  the 
Indians  were  near.  Thirty  men  were  sent 
before  breakfast  to  reconnoiter  and  ascertain 
the  enemy's  strength.  They  soon  observed 
three  Indians  running  away  from  them  and 
apparently  dropping  something  from  time  to 
time  on  the  ground.  Two  or  three  of  the 
soldiers  followed  the  running  Indians,  when 
a  large  body  of  savages  rose  up  and  disclosed 
an  ambush,  cutting  off  the  detachment.  A 
fight  took  place  in  which  five  men  from  the 
Jefferson  county  company  were  killed.  The 
Indians  then  attacked  the  camp,  but  were  re- 
pulsed with  considerable  loss.  The  Indians 
destroyed  many  of  the  horses  belonging  to 
the  troops.  That  evening  the  whites  were 
reinforced  and  took  the  offensive,  pursuing 
the  Indians.  A  part  of  Posey's  brigade 
fought  the  battle  of  Bad  Ax  where  the  In- 
dians were  badly  defeated.  Cholera  now 
broke  out  among  the  troops  and  General 
Scott,  who  had  arrived,  scattered  the  troops 
to  save  them  from  the  scourge.  All  the  sol- 
diers from  Marion  county  lived  to  return, 


but  have  long  since  passed  away,  the  last 
survivor,  Judge  Samuel  Hull,  having  died 
October  27,  1890.  He  lived  honored  and 
respected  by  every  citizen  of  the  county, 
who  for  many  years  kept  him  in  office  as 
one  who  was  thoroughly  trusted  and  who 
never  betrayed  that  trust.  He  was  the  father 
of  E.  Hull,  late  of  Salem,  deceased,  of  John 
Hull,  formerly  president  of  the  Illinois 
Southern  Normal  School,  and  Dr.  Darwin 
Hull,  of  Bloomingotn,  and  grandfather  of 
Senator  C.  E.  Hull,  of  Salem. 

The  following  is  the  roster  of  the  men 
from  Marion  county  in  this  war :  Dudley 
Mayberry,  William  McGee,  Joseph  Fyke, 
Samuel  Hays,  Isaac  Copple,  David  R. 
Chance,  John  McGuire,  Edward  Young, 
William  Gaston,  Bird  M.  Simpson,  Stephen 
Yokum,  Benjamin  Allen,  Daniel  Myers, 
William  Hadden,  John  F.  Jones,  Thomas 
Chapman,  Samuel  H.  Craig,  Willis  Smith, 
James  Richardson,  King  brothers,  John 
B.  Ules,  John  Eagan,  John  Phelps,  Cal- 
vin Piles,  Tod  Phelps,  Hamilton  Fathing, 
John  F.  Drapar,  William  M.  Dobbins, 
Jesse  M.  Wade,  Dr.  Frazier,  William 
Hill,  Samuel  Hull,  N.  B.  Nelms,  Leven 
Wright,  Asa  Warren,  James  Davenport, 
Green  Duncan,  Young  P.  Barbee,  William 
Craig  and  David  W.  Allman,  almost  all  of 
whom  have  descendants  now  living  in  the 
county. 

The  Winnebagoes  made  a  treaty  in 
September,  1832,  by  which  they  sold  to 
the  government  all  their  lands  south  of  the 
Wisconsin  river  and  west  of  Green  Bay. 
The  price  paid  by  the  United  States  was 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


$70,000,  in  seven  equal  installments,  schools 
for  the  children  for  twenty  years,  besides  a 
liberal  gift  of  oxen,  tools,  etc.  A  few  days 
later  (  September  2ist)  the  S.acs  and  Fox 
tribes  sold  to  the  government  what  is  now 
the  state  of  Iowa,  for  which  they  received 
twenty  thousand  dollars  a  year  for  twenty 
years,  forty  kegs  of  tobacco,  forty  barrels 
of  salt,  gunsmith  and  blacksmith  shops ; 
also  six  thousand  bushels  of  corn,  mostly 
for  the  Black  Hawk  band.  These  treaties 
settled  the  Indian  troubles  forever  in  Illinois 
and  only  now  and  then  was  life  in  danger 
from  the  Indians  and  then  only  as  by  any 
other  criminal. 

The  last  Indian  murder  in  this  county  was 
of  an  Indian  by  an  Indian  near  where  the 
Shanafelt  school  house  now  stands  and  no 
proof  being  had  as  to  who  did  the  killing, 
the  guilty  party  escaped  punishment,  yet  the 
thought  lingers  that  if  the  victim  had  been 
a  white  man  they  could  have  found  the  mur- 
derer. 

MARION    COUNTY    IN    THE    MEXICAN    WAR. 

Marion  county  furnished  men  for  Com- 
pany C,  Sixth  Regiment,  Illinois,  for  the 
Mexican  war.  The  requisition  for  raising  a 
company  of  infantry  was  received  at  Salem 
on  May  2,  1847,  which  in  four  days'  time 
was  organized  and  reported  for  duty.  On 
May  1 7th,  the  company  marched  from 
Salem,  and  on  the  igth  arrived  at  Alton, 
and  were  mustered  into  the  service  of  the 
United  States  May  2ist.  On  June  I7th, 
they  left  Alton  and  arrived  at  Fort  Leaven- 
5 


worth  June  29th,  were  equipped  with  arms 
the  next  day,  and  were  inspected  by  Col. 
E.  W.  Newby.  On  Independence  Day  the 
troops  had  a  general  parade,  listened  to  the 
reading  of  the  Declaration  of  Independence 
and  were  addressed  by  the  chaplain  of  the 
fort.  The  first  division  of  the  Illinois 
Sixth  Regiment  was  composed  of  com- 
panies B,  C  and  E,  under  command  of 
Lieutenant  Colonel  Boyakin.  The  regi- 
mental officers,  as  far  as  Marion  county  is 
interested,  were  Henderson  P.  Boyakin,  who 
enlisted  as  a  private  in  Company  C,  but  was 
elected  from  the  ranks  to  be  lieutenant 
colonel  at  Alton,  in  June,  1847;  Daniel 
Turney,  surgeon  by  appointment  of  the 
President;  Assistant  Surgeon  Thomas  B. 
Lester,  of  Salem ;  Drummer  Thomas  W. 
Pace,  of  Salem.  The  company  officers  were 
Vantramp  Turner,  captain;  Isham  N. 
Haynie,  Salem,  first  lieutenant;  Leven 
Wright  and  Benjamin  F.  Marshall,  Salem, 
second  lieutenants  and  first  sergeants  was 
Jesse  M.  Wade  and  the  sergenats  were: 
Lougin  J.  Wnorouski,  James  S.  Martin  and 
Joseph  \Vham ;  the  corporals  were :  James 
N.  Barr,  James  Nelson,  Dwyer  Tracey  and 
James  M.  B.  Gaston,  while  Cornelius  N. 
Breese  and  William  N.  Haynie  were  musi- 
cians. The  privates  mustered  out  were: 
James  G.  Anglin,  Nathan  Adams,  James  S. 
Anderson,  Richard  S.  Allman,  George  W. 
Ashton,  Peter  Burkhout,  Augustus  W. 
Beasley,  William  Beasley,  Joseph  A.  Bar- 
bee,  Alexander  Bundy,  W.  Bundy,  Isaac 
Bundy,  Barney  L.  Blackburn,  H.  P.  Cox, 
Milton  Cucthin,  James  M.  Chasteen,  James 


66 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


W.  Denton,  Andrew  Elliott,  William  Els- 
ton,  Marshall  French,  James  McD.  Hills, 
Dennis  G.  Jones,  Jasper  N.  Jones,  William 
Jackson,  Edward  King,  Thomas  B.  Lester, 
John  J.  Lester,  William  J.  Lester,  Lewis 
Lature,  James  A.  Marshall,  Hamilton  Mc- 
Colgan,  Jacob  C.  Mefford,  William  C.  Mor- 
gan, Joseph  F.  McGuire,  George  W.  Mid- 
dleton,  Ira  A.  Millison,  Pleasant  Middle- 
ton,  John  McGregor,  Thomas  Neel,  Wil- 
liam C.  Neel,  John  R.  Nelson,  James  Par- 
ker, James  L.  Ferryman,  Thomas  G.  Pet- 
tus,  William  C.  Roach,  Samuel  Rainey, 
William  E.  Rolan,  George  D.  Richie,  Wil- 
liam F.  Songer,  Solomon  Smith,  William 
Smith,  John  Tully.  John  S.  Torrence, 
Charles  Thomas,  Joseph  R.  Tyler,  John  P. 
Vaughn,  John  McM.  Wham,  Robert  McM. 
Wham,  Benjamin  M.  Wham,  Daniel  A. 
Winn,  Joshua  B.  Walsh,  Elijah  Wallis, 
John  W.  White  and  John  Winn. 

Companies  B,  C  and  E  left  Fort  Leaven- 
worth  July  9th,  with  a  wagon  train  of 
thirty-three  wagons,  thirty  others  having 
been  sent  on  before.  The  destination  was 
Santa  Fe.  The  route  led  across  what  was 
then  known  as  The  Great  American  Desert. 
Following  generally  the  Santa  Fe  trail, 
their  way  led  to  Shawnee  Camp,  thence  to 
Lone  Elm,  Bull  Creek,  Rock  Creek,  Coun- 
cil Grove,  Diamond  Springs,  Cottonwood 
Creek,  Turkey  Creek,  Plumb  Point,  Big 
Bend  on  the  Arkansas,  Pawnee  Rock,  Man's 
Ford,  Seminole  Springs,  San  Miguel,  to 
Santa  Fe,  where  they  arrived  on  Sunday, 
the  1 2th  day  of  September.  There  they 
went  into  camp  and  remained  until  Febru- 


ary 9,  1848,  when,  by  order  of  General 
Price,  they  started  on  the  march  to  Albu- 
querque, then  a  town  of  Mexico,  eighty 
miles  from  Santa  Fe,  where  they  arrived  on 
the  1 4th  of  February.  On  this  march  they 
passed  San  Philipi  on  the  Rio  Grande.  Al- 
buquerque was  a  town  of  about  one  thou- 
sand inhabitants  and  was  the  headquarters  of 
the  Mexican  general.  Armego,  whose  rep- 
utation as  a  bandit,  desperado  and  guerrilla 
was  well  established.  They  remained  here 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

On  the  loth  of  July  they  received  orders 
from  Washington  that  peace  had  been  de- 
clared between  the  United  States  and  Mex- 
ico, and  on  July  2Oth,  they  received  march- 
ing orders  to  return  home,  and  started  on 
the  homeward  march,  July  25th,  and  ar- 
rived at  Fort  Leavenworth  on  the  loth  of 
September,  1848.  They  had  marched  more 
than  two  thousand  miles  through  a  barren 
country,  infested  by  a  savage,  treacherous 
foe,  had  been  often  without  water,  and  had 
to  depend  largely  for  subsistance  upon  the 
skill  of  their  hunters.  The  only  fire  possible 
was  that  made  from  dried  "buffalo  chips." 
and  were  two  months  and  three  days  mak- 
ing the  march  from  Santa  Fe  to  Fort  Leav- 
enworth. Now,  only  sixty  years  later,  the 
journey  may  be  made  in  two  days  with  all 
the  comforts  of  a  modern  parlor.  The  death 
list,  during  the  term  of  service,  was  as  fol- 
lows: James  Baxter  died  at  Fort  Leaven- 
worth.  July  14,  1847;  J.  W.  Collins  died 
on  march  to  Santa  Fe,  July  14,  1847;  J. 
Wadkins  died  at  Fort  Leavenworth,  July 
15,  1847;  Robert  Easley  died  on  march, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


67 


August  5,  1847;  William  Brasel  died  at 
Fort  Leavenworth,  August  19,  1847;  Wil- 
liam W.  Jones  died  at  Santa  Fe,  Septem- 
ber 29,  1847;  F-  L.  Cheeley  died  at  Santa 
Fe,  November  22,  1847;.  James  Cooper 
died  at  Santa  Fe,  February  4,  1848; 
William  H.  Bass  died  at  Santa  Fe, 
January  n,  1848;  J.  H.  White,  died 
at  Santa  Fe,  January  22,  1848;  U.  Vaughn 
died  at  Albuquerque,  April  25,  1848. 

The  following  were  discharged  before 
the  final  muster  out  of  the  company,  on 
October  13,  1848:  Jesse  Ray,  at  Las  Vegas, 
January  9,  1848;  Zachariah  Young,  at  San- 
ta Fe,  January  n,  1848;  James  M.  Cox,  at 
Albuquerque,  April  n,  1848;  Lorenzo  Mi- 
nard,  Albuquerque,  April  n,  1848;  An- 
drew Ray,  Las  Vegas,  June  8,  1848;  John 
Bethard,  Las  Vegas,  June  8,  1848;  John  M. 
Whitlock,  Santa  Fe,  August  14,  1848; 
Hart  well  G.  Wilson,  Las  Vegas,  August  18, 
1848.  Thomas  W.  Pace  was  appointed 
drum  major  on  March  6,  1847.  John  T. 
Damon,  second  lieutenant  of  Company  E, 
died  at  Santa  Fe,  December  28,  1847. 
James  Reed  was  transferred  to  Company 
B,  June  27,  1847.  The  following  were  mus- 
tered out  October  14,  1848,  at  Alton,  they 
being  Marion  county  men  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany E:  Corporals  Randolph  C.  Goddard 
and  Augustus  K.  Askey,  and  Privates  John 
"W.  Bullock,  Elijah  Bums.  Walter  M.  C. 
Damon,  Richard  Epperson,  William  E. 
Goddard,  Samuel  Springs  and  Joseph 
Springs.  The  folowing  died  :  A.  J.  Camp- 
bell, at  Fish  Creek,  July  20,  1847.  and 
Franklin  J.  Brown,  at  Santa  Fe,  Septem- 
ber 27,  1847.  Those  discharged  were: 


Jackson  Lyman,  at  Fort  Leavenworth, 
July  27,  1847;  W.  O.  Buckner,  at 
Las  Vegas,  April  26,  1848;  W.  Stephen- 
son,  at  Las  Vegas,  April  26,  1848. 
Of  those  who  enlisted  from  Marion  county, 
all  but  a  very  few  have  responded  to  the 
roll  call  from  the  other  side.  The  only  one 
known  to  be  living  in  1908  in  Marion  coun- 
ty is  William  Bundy,  an  honored  citizen, 
enjoying  the  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens 
and  the  well  earned  fruits  of  a  good  life. 

Of  the  soldiers  of  the  Mexican  war,  many 
rose  to  distinction  in  after  life.  Isham  N. 
Haynie  was  adjutant  general  during  the 
Civil  war;  B.  F.  Marshall  was  elected  to 
county  office  and  was  for  many  years  cash- 
ier of  the  Salem  National  Bank;  James  S. 
Martin  was  colonel  of  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  in 
the  Civil  war;  D.  Tracy  was  Circuit  Clerk 
of  the  county  for  several  years,  and  others 
filled  important  places  in  life,  as  will  more 
fully  appear  in  other  chapters.  Lieut- 
Col.  Henderson  F.  Boyakin  was  a  law- 
yer in  Salem,  and  died  January  n,  1849, 
and  sleeps  in  the  cemetery  at  Salem.  In 
life  he  was  very  popular  with  his  fellow  cit- 
izens and  has  several  namesakes  among  the 
sons  of  those  who  inarched  to  Mexico, 
across  the  plains,  and  the  given  name  of 
Boyakin  is  a  monument  to  his  worth  and  a 
token  of  the  esteem  in  which  he  was  held  by 
the  soldiers  of  the  Mexican  war. 

MARION    COUNTY   IN   THE   CIVIL   WAR. 

Marion  county  furnished  her  full  quota 
during  the  Civil  war,  no  less  than  fifteen 
hundred  and  sixteen  having  enlisted  in  the 


68 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


several  regiments  called  out  in  defense  of 
the  Union  of  states.  One  out  of  every  eight 
of  the  entire  population  being  in  the  field. 
The  first  enlistments  from  the  county  were 
in  the  Eleventh  Regiment  of  Illinois  Volun- 
teers. This  regiment  was  called  into  service 
under  the  proclamation  of  President  Lin- 
coln, April  1 6,  1861,  and  was  mustered  in 
at  Springfield,  April  30,  1861,  for  three 
months,  by  Captain  Pope.  The  regiment 
re-enlisted  July  30,  1861,  for  three  years  and 
was  mustered  out  at  Baton  Rouge,  Louisi- 
ana. July  14,  1865,  having  served  four 
years,  two  months  and  fourteen  days. 
This  regiment  served  in  Missouri  and 
Kentucky  until  early  in  1862.  On 
the  jth  and  8th  of  January  it  had 
its  first  "brush"  w'ith  the  enemy  under 
the  celebrated  Jeff  Thompson.  It  was  in 
the  campaign  against  Forts  Henry  and  Don- 
elson  and  at  the  latter  fort  during  the 
siege  and  final  capture  lost  three  hundred 
and  twenty-nine  men,  in  killed,  wounded 
and  missing,  out  of  five  hundred  men  en- 
gaged, seventy-two  being  kilkd  and  one 
hundred  and  eighty-two  being  wounded. 
On  April  6th  and  7th,  at  the  battle  of  Shiloh 
the  regiment  lost  twenty-seven  men  in  killed 
and  wounded,  out  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  engaged.  It  was  in  the  skirmishes  at 
Jackson,  Tennessee.  The  regiment  was  re- 
turned to  Cairo  to  recruit  in  August,  1862, 
and  returned  to  the  field  in  Northern  Mis- 
sissippi, April  23,  1863.  The  One  Hundred 
and  Ninth  regiment  was  transferred  to  the 
Eleventh,  increasing  the  number  of  men  by 
five  hundred  and  eighty-nine  and  was  sent 


to  Vicksburg,  arriving  May  i8th  and  partic- 
ipated in  that  campaign  until  the  surrender, 
July  4,  1863.  On  February  ist,  it  started 
on  an  expedition  on  the  Yazoo  river  and 
engaged  in  two  skirmishes,  losing  four  killed 
and  nine  wounded  at  Liverpool  Heights, 
February  5th,  and  on  March  5th,  lost  one 
officer  and  eight  men  killed  and  twenty-four 
wounded,  twelve  missing,  in  the  skirmish 
at  Yazoo  City.  The  roster  is  as  follows: 
George  C.  McKee,  major,  term  expired  July 
30,  1864;  Benjamin  H.  Pearson,  chaplain, 
resigned  January  18,  1863;  First  Lieuten- 
and  Robert  Jehue,  killed  March  5,  1864; 
Second  Lieutenant  John  Parkinson,  com- 
missioned, returned ;  Sergeants :  Charles 
A.  Roper,  died  November  18,  1861 ; 
William  Parkinson,  promoted  to  first 
sergeant,  discharged  June  7,  1863 ;  John 
Parkinson,  promoted  to  first  sergeant,  dis- 
charged September  16,  1864,  term  expired; 
Corporals :  John  S.  McWilliams,  mustered 
out  July  29,  1864;  Martin  A.  Smith,  mus- 
tered out  July  29,  1864;  Byron  Parkhurst, 
wounded  six  times,  died  May  10,  1862; 
George  Crabtree,  wounded,  discharged  No- 
vember 26,  1862 ;  George  Copple,  promoted 
to  sergeant,  term  expired  September  16, 
1864;  Privates:  Charles  Beal.  discharged 
August  16,  1864,  term  expired;  John  Baggs, 
wounded,  discharged  August  18,  1862;  Si- 
las Baltzell,  discharged  June  7,  1863  ;  David 
L.  Browder,  veteran,  died  March  5, 
1864;  W.  H.  Carpenter,  wounded,  dis- 
charged August  i,  1862;  William  Copple, 
wounded,  discharged  July  20,  1862;  David 
Copple,  term  expired  August  16,  1864: 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Simpson  Copple.  promoted  to  sergeant,  term 
expired  August  16,  1864;  John  R.  Copple, 
killed  at  Clinton,  Mississippi,  July  7,  1864; 
A.  J.  Crabtree,  promoted  to  corporal,  term 
expired  August  17,  1864;  James  Cain, 
killed  at  Vicksburg,  July  2,  1863:  George 
W.  Elfretz,  veteranized,  transferred;  Elijah 
Hayes,  killed  at  Shiloh,  April  6,  1862; 
James  Huston,  died  October  22.  1861 ; 
William  A.  Hartley,  wounded,  discharged 
November  26,  1862;  Green  Hodges,  mus- 
tered out  October  i,  1864;  James  A.  Frea- 
zier,  mustered  out  September  16,  1864: 
Elijah  Jolliff,  veteranized,  promoted  to 
corporal,  transferred;  John  R.  Kell,  wound- 
ed, discharged  November  26,  1862;  James 
H.  Kerry,  killed  at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862; 
John  O.  Kittsapper,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 16,  1864;  William  C.  Myers,  disability, 
discharged,  January  5,  1862;  John  E.  Mc- 
Neil, discharged  August  16,  1864;  Charles 
Xeeham,  killed  at  Fort  Donelson,  February 
15,  1862;  Henry  Nichols,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted to  corporal,  transferred :  John  M. 
Posted,  died  November  i,  1861 ;  Joel  Pitts, 
transferred  October  27,  1863 ;  Allen  Roper, 
veteranized,  transferred;  Jesse  W.  Roper, 
discharged  August  16,  1864;  Enoch  Rush, 
killed  at  Fort  Donelson  February  15,  1862; 
Isaac  Rush,  died  October  17,  1861 ;  Henry 
Smith,  veteranized,  transferred;  Jacob 
Smith,  discharged  August  16,  1864;  Benja- 
min J.  Sweeknerd.  promoted  to  sergeant  and 
first  sergeant,  veteranized,  transferred; 
John  Shaw,  veteranized,  promoted  to 
sergeant,  transferred;  Henry  Taylor,  mus- 
tered out  September  16,  1864;  David  Tay- 


lor, mustered  out  September  16,  1864;  Fred- 
erick Thurston,  killed  at  Shiloh,  April  6, 
1862;  Joseph  Wooley,  no  record;  Zadock  C. 
Williams,  discharged  February  14,  1862 ; 
Christopher  Whitlow,  died  September  6, 
1861 ;  Henry  H.  Waymen,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted to  corporal,  transferred.  The  follow- 
ing were  recruited  into  the  regiment ;  James 
Camron,  mustered  out  July  14,  1865; 
George  W.  Garber,  promoted  to  corporal 
and  transferred  to  the  Third  Colored  Cav- 
alry, regular  army;  William  R.  Watkins, 
promoted  to  corporal,  mustered  out  July 
14.  1865.  In  Company  M  was  George 
Rowell,  who  deserted  May  10,  1862. 
In  Company  I  was  William  Butler, 
term  expired  with  regiment.  In  Com- 
pany K  was  recruit  James  Smith,  who 
deserted  May  18,  1862.  Out  of  the  few 
men  from  Marion  county  in  this  regiment, 
eight  were  killed  in  battle;  six  were  wound- 
ed and  six  died,  making  a  heavy  total  for 
the  small  number  of  men  enlisted.  One 
man,  Jackson  Budd,  was  in  the  Twelfth 
Regiment  and  died  of  wounds,  March  12. 
1862. 

In  the  Eighteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry there  were  a  few  men.  The  regi- 
ment was  organized  at  Anna,  Illinois,  first 
for  thirty  days  in  state  service,  by  then 
Capt.  U.  S.  Grant,  and  was  mustered  into 
the  United  States  service  by  Capt.  T.  G. 
Pitcher,  of  the  regular  army,  May  28,  1861, 
was  in  Missouri  and  Cairo,  Illinois,  was  at 
the  taking  of  Fort  Henry,  February  6,  1862, 
and,  as  a  part  of  the  First  brigade,  com- 
manded by  Col.  Richard  J.  Oglesby, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


marched  to  Fort  Donelson,  February  1 1 , 
1862;  was  in  the  three  days'  fight 
at  the  taking  of  that  fort,  losing 
many  men  in  killed  and  wounded;  was 
in  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  April  6th 
and  jth;  was  in  the  advance  on  Corinth. 
The  regiment  was  recruited  and  re-organ- 
ized at  this  time  and  ordered  into  the  depart- 
ment of  Arkansas,  where  they  served  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  was  mustered  out 
at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  December  16, 
1865.  The  Marion  county  men  were :  Capt. 
Joseph  T.  McCormick,  resigned  November 
1 6,  1861;  First  Lieutenant  Bedford  Wi- 
mer,  resigned  November  17,  1861 ;  Privates 
Jonathan  Davis,  no  record;  George  Davis, 
wounded,  discharged,  August  25,  1862; 
Jacob  J.  Gaissman,  veteranized,  corporal, 
mustered  out  December  16,  1865 ;  Michael 
McDermont,  killed  at  Fort  Donelson  Febru- 
ary 1 6,  1862;  Milo  Wager  was  a  recruit 
in  this  regiment,  no  record.  After  the 
regiment  was  re-organized,  the  follow- 
ing privates  were  in  Company  B:  Peter 
Bell,  mustered  out  December  16,  1865; 
Samuel  L.  Wisher,  mustered  out  December 
16,  1865;  and  in  Company  D:  E.  L.  Stan- 
berry,  deserted  July  4,  1865  ;  John  P.  Whit- 
low, mustered  out  December  16,  1865,  as 
corporal. 

The  Twenty-second  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry was  organized  at  Belleville,  Illinois, 
May  n,  1 86 1,  and  mustered  into  the  service 
of  the  United  States  for  three  years  at 
Caseyville,  by  Capt.  T.  G.  Pitcher,  United 
States  Army,  June  25,  1861.  Company 
G,  of  this  regiment,  was  raised  in 


Marion  county  and  a  few  men  also 
were  in  other  companies.  The  regi- 
ment was  at  Bird's  Point,  Missouri,  and 
a  part  of  it  took  part  in  the  disastrous  bat- 
tle of  Belmont;  were  under  General  Grant 
in  Missouri,  in  the  early  part  of  1862;  were 
at  Tiptonville,  under  General  Payne,  where 
they  intercepted  and  captured  four  thou- 
sand prisoners  after  the  fall  of  Island  No. 
10,  among  whom  were  two  general  officers; 
were  in  the  skirmishes  at  Farmington,  May 
3d,  5th  and  Qth;  were  at  the  siege  of  Cor- 
inth, and  afterward  guarded  the  Memphis  & 
Charleston  Railroad  until  August  26th, 
when  they  fell  back  to  Nashville  by  forced 
marches,  where  they  arrived  September  n, 
1862;  was  in  the  severe,  two  days'  battle  of 
Stone  River,  losing  many  men.  Out  of  three 
hundred  and  forty-two  men  going  into  bat- 
tle, only  one  hundred  and  forty-three  were 
able  to  answer  roll  call,  the  rest,  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-nine,  being  killed  or  wound- 
ed. It  was  in  the  battle  of  Chickamauga, 
September  iQth  and  2Oth,  under  General 
Sheridan,  losing  one  hundred  and  thirty- 
five  officers  and  men,  out  of  less  than  three 
hundred  engaged.  The  regiment  took  part 
in  the  storming  of  Missionary  Ridge,  with 
a  heavy  loss.  On  March  6,  1864,  full  ra- 
tions were  issued  the  regiment  for  the  first 
.  time  in  six  months.  They  had  been  on  the 
march  or  in  isolated  places  and  kept  out  of 
touch  with  the  commissary,  so  that  it  was 
impossible  to  keep  them  supplied,  the 
mountains  of  East  Tennessee  being  the 
scene  of  their  operations  during  that  period 
(winter  of  1863  and  1864);  was  with  Sher- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


7> 


man  in  the  Atlanta  campaign  and  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Resaca,  where  it  had  twenty  men 
killed  and  wounded.  On  June  10,  1864  the 
regiment  was  ordered  to  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, to  be  mustered  out.  The  recruits  and 
veterans  left  were  consolidated  with  the 
Forty-second  Illinois  Volunteers.  The  men 
from  Marion  county  in  this  regiment  were: 
Major  Probst  Enadies,  resigned  January  16, 
1862;  private,  Company  A,  Thomas  J.  Bor- 
ing, discharged  to  enter  the  regular  army; 
captain,  Company  C,  William  A.  Greary, 
discharged  July  7,  1864,  term  expired; 
first  lieutenant,  Andrew  J.  Walsh,  dis- 
charged July  7,  1864,  term  expired;  sec- 
ond lieutenant,  James  Stansifer,  honorably 
discharged  February  27,  1864;  sergeants: 
Stewart  R.  Smith,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Charles  W.  Davis,  died  of 
wounds  November  8,  1861 ;  Corporals 
Thomas  D.  Stevenson,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Jacob  R.  Cozart,  discharged, 
disability,  January  8,  1863;  Reuben  J. 
Hoffman,  wounded  at  Chickamauga,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  John  W.  Young, 
promoted  to  sergeant,  died  from  wounds 
received  at  Chickamauga,  January  10, 
1864;  Wagoner  James  Ryan,  deserted  De- 
cember 2,  1 86 1 ;  Privates  John  Albert,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  Marshall  Butcher, 
died  at  Annapolis,  March  17,  1863;  Philip 
Benedict,  wounded  at  Belmont,  transferred 
to  Vetem  Relief  Corps;  Frank  C.  Burdick, 
promoted  to  first  sergeant,  discharged  for 
promotion;  A.  H.  Denny,  deserted  Decem- 
ber 7,  1862;  Frank  Dosh,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Thomas  Foley,  mustered  out 


July  7,  1864;  Benjamin  Galloup,  deserted 
April  24,  1862;  Elder  X.  Hoffman,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  Robert  H.  Johnson, 
died  at  Corinth,  October  20,  1862;  James 
Jackson,  disability,  discharged  February  20, 
1862;  Moses  Lampay,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Fred  Meinher,  transferred  to 
Veteran  Relief  Corps,  September  20, 
1863;  Edward  McKinney,  mustered  out 
July  7,  1864;  Paul  Nerderkam,  deserted 
October  13,  1862;  James  Morrow,  de- 
serted December  2,  1861 ;  John  Rapp, 
disability,  discharged  March  7,  1862; 
Abraham  Sinerly,  disability,  discharged 
April  4,  1863;  John  Taylor,  died  at  St. 
Louis,  October  9,  1862;  Frederick  Voght, 
transferred,  veteranized;  Edward  Ward, 
mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Michael 
Wholon,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864—. 
was  wounded  at  Stone  River;  Bern- 
hard  Winkler,  disability,  discharged  De- 
cember 17,  1861 ;  William  Wilkins,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  James  C.  Young, 
mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Recruits  George 
W.  Davis,  left  sick  on  field;  William  H. 
Killen,  disability,  discharged  June  15,  1862; 
Michael  O'Shaughnessy,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Gotleib  Voght,  killed  at  Stone 
River  December  31,  1862;  Henry  White, 
disability,  discharged  May  14,  1862;  Com- 
pany G,  Captain  James  S.  Jackson, 
honorably  discharged  May  12,  1863;  First 
Lieutenant  Solomon  Smith,  resigned  April 
17,  1863;  Second  Lieutenant  Edward  J. 
Jackson,  resigned  November  27,  1861 ; 
Joseph  C.  Murphy,  resigned  July  15, 
1862;  John  G.  Beasley,  term  expired 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


July  7,  1864;  First  Sergeant  Arch  A. 
Hamilton,  reduced,  dismissed  June  13, 
1862,  for  disability;  John  C.  Morgan,  killed 
at  Belmont  November  7,  1861 ;  Corporals 
George  W.  Russell,  died  of  wounds  July  9, 
1864;  Robert  H.  Mallory,  died  of  wounds 
January  i,  1863;  Clinton  B.  Hall,  died  of 
wounds,  April  8,  1863;  Isaiah  Lear,  wound- 
ed, discharged  September  26,  1862;  Charles 
McElwane,  deserted  December  2,  1861 ; 
Musician  Barton  W.  Barnes,  reduced,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  Privates  Jonas 
Brim,  discharged  October  28,  1862,  for  dis- 
ability; James  R.  Britt,  corporal,  killed  at 
Chickamaugua  September  19,  1863;  John 
Beley,  veteranized,  disability,  discharged 
June  22,  1865;  Charles  Blessing,  trans- 
ferred to  gunboat;  James  Burge,  killed 
at  Chickamauga  September  19,  1863; 
George  W.  Blankenship,  taken  prisoner, 
mustered  out  January  6,  1863;  Benja- 
min F.  Crossnan,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  December  16,  1865;  Samuel  W. 
Cunningham,  died  of  wounds  February 
15,  1863;  Mathew  R.  Cunningham,  muster- 
ed out  July  7,  1864;  Michael  Dawson,  de- 
serted April  25.  1862;  John  W.  Day, 
veteranized,  transferred  to  First  U.  S. 
Engineers;  William  \V.  Elliott,  discharged 
to  be  made  assistant  surgeon  of  Fifty- 
first  Illinois;  Oscar  B.  Fuller,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  Leonard  A.  Fuller, 
mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Charles 
Fincham,  deserted  April  25,  1862;  William 
Gray,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Michael 
Hogan,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  John 
Hensley,  died  of  wounds  March  16,  1864; 


James  A.  Honeycutt,  veteranized,  de- 
serted December  15,  1864;  Francis  M. 
Hensley,  mustered  out  July  7,  1 864 ; 
William  Houchen,  mustered  out  July  7, 
1864,  was  a  wagoner;  Lafayette  L. 
Jones,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Thomas 
N.  Jones,  wounded,  discharged  Decem- 
ber 31,  1861 ;  John  R.  Kell,  sergeant, 
wounded,  discharged  July  12,  1862;  John  J. 
Kennison,  discharged  to  enlist  in  the  Fourth 
regular  cavalry;  John  Cline,  disability,  dis- 
charged February  18,  1862;  Charles  Kook, 
wounded,  discharged  August  29,  1861 ; 
Commodore  P.  Lackey,  transferred  to 
Veteran  Relief  Corps,  September  6,  1863; 
Joseph  Myers,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864; 
Jonas  Myers,  mustered  out  July  7, 
1864;  John  Morrissey,  killed  at  Bel- 
mont, November  7.  1861 ;  Hugh  Mc- 
Elwee,  disability,  discharged,  April  19, 
1862:  Francis  M.  McCarthy,  died  at 
Bird's  Point,  November  7,  1861 ;  Rob- 
ert P.  H.  Pitcher,  dishonorably  discharged; 
Uriah  Phelps,  mustered  out  July  7, 
1864;  Milton  Phillips,  disability,  discharged 
November  i,  1861 ;  Daniel  Quinn,  mustered 
out  July  7,  1864;  James  M.  D.  Russell,  mus- 
tered out  July  7,  1864;  Dennis  Ryan,  trans- 
ferred to  Veteran  Relief  Corps  May  3, 
1864;  Frank  Strickland,  disability,  dis- 
charged February  16,  1863 ;  Charles  Tat- 
ham,  disability,  discharged  April  28, 
1863 ;  Samuel  G.  Tate,  discharged,  en- 
listed in  Fourth  U.  S.  Cavalry;  Ja- 
cob M.  Thumb,  deserted  September  i, 
1862 ;  Jacob  Van  Patten,  died  of  wounds 
February  28,  1863;  John  E.  White,  mus- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tered  out  July  7,  1864;  John  M.  Wilson, 
mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Adam  Wim- 
berly,  disability,  discharged  November  i, 
1 86 1 ;  Joseph  Wilkinson,  mustered  out  July 
7,  1864;  Samuel  Young,  disability,  dis- 
charged January  31,  1862.  The  following 
recruits  were  added  to  the  muster  roll :  John 
Adams,  killed  at  Belmont,  November  7, 
1861 ;  George  Anderson,  deserted  May  24, 
1862;  Denis  Bloomer,  deserted  May  24, 
1862;  George  Cunningham,  wounded,  dis- 
charged August  13,  1863;  Isham  E. 
Hodges,  mustered  out  July  7,  1864;  Thomas 
Huggins,  wounded,  discharged  May  29, 
1863;  Abram  Kessle,  deserted  April  25. 
1862 ;  Hezekiah  Lassaler,  under  age,  dis- 
charged September  30,  1861 ;  Hiram  Lype, 
discharged,  enlisted  in  Fourth  regular 
cavalry;  Alvin  S.  Raney,  disability,  dis- 
charged October  2,  1863 ;  John  M.  Raney, 
detached;  Mathew  Raney,  killed  at  Bel- 
mont November  7,  1861 ;  William  D. 
Russell,  discharged  June  5,  1862;  Wil- 
liam Spouts,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
June  27,  1865 ;  Patrick  Whalen,  no  record. 
Two  privates  were  in  Company  H,  viz. : 
Mathew  M.  Gaston,  and  David  A.  Goree, 
both  mustered  out  July  7,  1864. 

The  Twenty-first  Regiment  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers, Grant's  old  regiment  as  it  is  known 
among  the  "boys  of  "61,"  was  organized  at 
Mattoon,  Illinois,  May  9,  1861.  Warren  E. 
McMackin  was  the  lieutenant-colonel :  he 
was  taken  prisoner  at  the  battle  of 
Chickamauga,  was  exchanged  and  served 
until  mustered  out,  December  8,  1864; 
Alonzo  L.  Mills  was  a  commissary  ser- 


geant in  this  regiment;  Joseph  Wham, 
afterward  paymaster  in  the  regular  army, 
was  first  lieutenant  in  Company  G,  and  was 
mustered  out  of  the  regiment  December  16, 
1865.  Major  Wham  is  now  on  the  retired 
list  with  rank  of  major;  Fritz  W.  Brown 
was  second  lieutenant  in  the  same  company, 
mustered  out  December  16,  1865;  George 
A.  Trinor  was  sergeant,  mustered  out  July 
5,  1864;  Corporal  John  Myers,  veteranized; 
Charles  S.  Burrough,  mustered  out  July  5, 
1864;  Samuel  Lonnon,  died  at  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  March  20,  1865;  John  Barmes, 
musician,  mustered  out  July  5,  1864:  Henry 
H.  Davenport,  disability,  discharged  Sep- 
tember 16, 1861 ;  Lucius  C.  Gardner,  missing 
since  the  battle  of  Chickamauga ;  George  W. 
Hamilton,  disability,  discharged  May  30, 
1863 ;  James  R.  Richardson,  mustered  out 
July  5,  1864;  T.  A.  M.  Richardson,  disa- 
bility, discharged  September  16,  1861  ; 
George  W.  Richardson,  mustered  out  July 
5,  1864;  Robert  and  John  Shugart,  both 
mustered  out  July  5,  1864;  Samuel  W. 
Shultz,  veteranized ;  David  L.  Shultz, 
wounded,  mustered  out  July  5,  1865; 
John  F.  Watson,  missing  since  bat- 
tle of  Chickamauga;  Joseph  W.  Wham, 
veteranized;  Garrett  J.  Gilman,  mustered 
out  December  16,  1865 ;  John  W.  Myers, 
mustered  out  June  14.  1865;  Daniel  \Y. 
Harley,  discharged  September  27,  1864; 
John  F.  Newson,  died  September  20,  1863; 
Francis  L.  Wham,  died  in  Andersonville 
prison,  July  24,  1864,  grave  No.  3910. 

There    were    a    number    of    men     from 
Marion  county  in  Company  K,  of  the  Thir- 


74 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ty-first  Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infan- 
try. The  regiment  was  organized  at  Cairo, 
Illinois,  September  8,  1861,  by  Col.  John 
A.  Logan.  Captain  Pitcher,  U.  S.  A.,  mus- 
tered it  into  service.  It  was  brigaded  with 
the  brigade  of  Gen.  John  A.  McClernand, 
and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Belmont,  No- 
vember 7,  1 86 1,  served  in  Kentucky,  and 
February  6th  occupied  Fort  Henry  in  Ten- 
nessee; was  in  the  three  days'  fight  at  Fort 
Donelson,  February  I3th,  i/ith  and  I5th; 
was  at  Pittsburg  Landing  and  the  siege  of 
Corinth,  after  which  it  was  at  Jackson  a 
short  time,  reinforced  General  Rosecrans  at 
Corinth  in  October,  but  arrived  too  late  for 
the  battle;  went  after  the  enemy  to  Ripley; 
spent  the  rest  of  the  year  1862  in  camp  in 
Mississippi.  On  January  i,  1863,  the  regi- 
ment was  in  the  First  Brigade,  Third  Di- 
vision, Seventeenth  Army  Corps.  Gen.  J. 
E.  Smith  commanded  the  brigade,  Brig.- 
Gen.  John  A.  Logan,  commanding  with 
Maj.-Gen.  J.  B.  McPherson  command- 
ing the  corps.  On  the  I5th  it  started  on  a 
tour  through  Tennessee  and  Mississippi, 
and  May  ist  went  to  the  assistance  of  Gen- 
eral McClernand  at  Thompson's  Hill.  The 
soldiers  had  nothing  to  eat  the  night  before 
and  were  without  rations.  Notwithstand- 
ing this  lack  of  food,  they  marched  twelve 
miles  in  three  hours  and  saved  the  day  by 
repulsing  the  enemy's  right  flank.  On  the 
next  day  they  crossed  Bayou  Pierre  and  on 
the  third  day  caught  up  with  the  enemy  and 
again  defeated  them ;  continued  the  pursuit 
of  the  enemy,  skirmishing  every  day,  until 
the  1 2th,  when  they  made  a  stand  at  Ray- 


mond, but  were  driven  to  Jackson,  where 
they  were  defeated  on  the  I2th,  after  a  se- 
vere fight.  Again  at  Champion  Hills  they 
defeated  the  enemy  and  arrived  before 
Vicksburg  on  the  igth.  They  were  in  the 
charge  on  Fort  Hill  and  lost  two  officers 
and  eight  men  killed  and  forty  wounded. 
The  flag  of  the  regiment  was  shot  to  pieces, 
not  less  than  one  hundred  and  fifty-three 
shots  striking  it.  On  the  5th  of  January, 
1864,  the  regiment  veteranized,  and  on  Feb- 
ruary 3d  started  on  the  Meridian  campaign ; 
were  sent  home  March  19,  1864,  on  veteran 
furlough,  but  returned  to  the  front  in  May 
and  joined  Sherman  at  Actworth;  was  in 
the  Hood  campaign  and  took  part  in  the 
March  to  the  Sea.  The  regiment  took  part 
in  thirty-one  battles  and  skirmishes,  several 
of  which  lasted  two  or  three  days.  The 
Marion  county  men  in  the  Thirty-first  were 
as  follows,  all  in  Company  K:  Captain  A. 
S.  Somerville,  dismissed  May  28,  1862; 
First  Lieutenant  Henry  T.  Snider,  resigned 
April  24,  1862 ;  Henry  C.  Lewis,  mustered 
out  July  19,  1865;  Second  Lieutenant  Pink- 
ney  K.  Watts,  resigned  August  8,  1863; 
Sergeants  John  A.  Vanhiming,  killed  at  Bel- 
mont, November  7,  1861 ;  Robert  L.  Car- 
penter, veteranized,  mustered  out  July 
19,  1865;  Benjamin  F.  Brookes,  trans- 
ferred to  Veteran  Relief  Corps,  Oc- 
tober 27,  1863;  Musician  John  M.  Bemiss, 
deserted  January  n,  1863;  Privates  Wil- 
liam P.  Barnet  and  Charles  R.  Barnet,  no 
record;  John  W.  Boswell,  transferred;  Ja- 
cob R.  Bell,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
J-uly  19,  1865;  \Vesley  Blalock,  no  record; 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Samuel  D.  Billings,  promoted  to  chief  mu- 
sician ;  James  Brofield,  mustered  out  May 
31,  1865;  Patrick  Cooney,  veteranized, 
wounded  and  was  not  at  muster  out  on  that 
account;  George  \Y.  Campbell,  died  March 
n,  1862;  Larkin  Donoho,  discharged  Janu- 
ary 8,  1864;  William  Denney,  term  expired, 
mustered  out  January  28,  1864;  Jacob 
Gurick,  killed  at  Fort  Donelson  February 
15,  1862;  John  Hutchcraft,  killed  at  Kene- 
saw  Mountain  June  27,  1864;  David  Kisner, 
veteranized,  promoted  to  sergeant,  mustered 
out  July  19,  1865;  William  H.  Lewis,  no 
record;  Henry  C.  Lewis,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant ;  Aaron  Mosby, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  July  19,  1865; 
Andrew  M.  Peddicord,  veteranized,  mus- 
tere  out  July  19,  1865;  Benjamin  F.  Patter- 
son, veteranized,  mustered  out  July  19, 
1865;  Elijah  Rector,  discharged  June  30, 
1862;  Samuel  E.  Sanders,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  July  19,  1865  ;  Walter  Simon;  Ed- 
ward Teets;  Thomas  Waterhouse,  missing 
in  action  July  22,  1864.  The  recruits  of 
Company  K  were :  James  H.  Branch,  mus- 
tered out  July  19,  1865;  James  Kelley,  de- 
serted June  13,  1862;  John  Laflin,  disability, 
discharged  April  17,  1862;  James  N.  Mills, 
mustered  out  July  19,  1865  ;  Martin  V.  Mil- 
ham,  mustered  out  July  19,  1865;  John 
Phelps,  died  June  30,  1865 ;  Leander  Skeen, 
transferred;  William  Weaver;  Pinkney  K. 
Watts,  promoted  to  second  lieutenant.  Six 
men  from  Marion  county  were  in  the  Thir- 
ty-third Regiment,  viz. :  Quartermaster 
Simeon  Wright,  resigned  August  22,  1864; 
First  Assistant  Surgeon  Nathan  W.  Abbott, 


was  mustered  out  for  promotion ;  Quarter- 
master Sergeant  Elmer  Washburn ;  Commis- 
sary Sergeants  Samuel  Tilden,  mustered  out 
November  24,  1864;  Luther  H.  Prosser, 
mustered  out  November  24,  1864;  Musician 
J.  B.  Sanders,  mustered  out  August  12, 
1862.  There  were  also  fifteen  men  from 
Marion  county  in  the  Thirty-fourth  Regi- 
ment, Company  I :  Musician  Henry  Lego, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  July  12,  1865; 
Privates  Chris  Backman,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  as  corporal  July  12,  1865; 
George  Fleming;  William  H.  French,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  July  12,  1865:  Ja- 
cob Heglem,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July 
12,  1865 ;  John  F.  Heglin,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  July  12,  1864;  Henry  Houghtail- 
ing,  mustered  out  September  12,  1864; 
Adam  Kuhler,  veteranized,  transferred  to 
Veteran  Reserve  Corps  December  21,  1864; 
Levi  Lower,  mustered  out  September  12, 
1864;  George  Robbins;  Peter  Saur,  veteran- 
ized, mustered  out  as  corporal  July  12, 
1865;  Nels  Yonson,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  as  corporal  July  12,  1865;  Recruits 
Nelson  W.  Manning,  mustered  out  July 
12,  1865;  Samuel  Scott,  mustered  out 
July  12,  1865;  George  W.  Wells,  mus- 
tered out  July  12,  1865.  A  few  men 
from  Marion,  county  were  in  the  Thir- 
ty-ninth Infantry,  known  as  the  Yates 
Phalanx.  They  were:  Quartermaster 
Sergeant  Stewart  W.  Hoffman,  pro- 
moted to  quartermaster;  Captain  Adol- 
phus  B.  Hoffman,  term  expired  December 
30,  1864;  First  Lieutenant  William  Lamb, 
killed  in  battle  April  2,  1865;  Sergeants 


76 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


William  Abbott,  disability,  discharged  Au- 
gust 27,  1862;  Barney  Mulvaney,  disability, 
discharged  July  27,  1862;  Corporals  George 
Babbit,  term  expired,  discharged  October 
ii,  1864;  George  Brown,  disability,  dis- 
charged (no  date)  ;  John  Bras,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  as  sergeant  December  6, 
1865;  Christopher  Comson,  veteranized, 
promoted  to  quartermaster  sergeant ;  P. 
Dwight,  veteranized,  disability,  discharged 
as  first  sergeant  June  7,  1865 ;  John 
Harrison,  died  of  wounds  at  Point  Look- 
out (no  date)  ;  Dennis  Kane,  died  at  Pitts- 
burg,  Pennsylvania,  November  i,  1861 ; 
William  H.  Lamb,  veteranized,  promoted  to 
first  sergeant ;  Owen  Loughram,  veteran- 
ized, promoted  to  sergeant,  killed  October 
13,  1864;  Ebenezer  Morse,  sergeant,  mus- 
tered out  December  6,  1865;  James  Nelson, 
term  expired,  discharged  October  n,  1864; 
James  Stout,  veteranized;  wounded,  dis- 
charged October  18,  1864,  Albert  Stanton, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  December  6, 
1865. 

The  Fortieth  Illinois  Infantry  was  com- 
manded by  Stephen  G.  Hicks,  a  Salem  law- 
yer, who  responded  to  the  call  of  the  Union 
early  in  1861.  The  regiment  was  accepted 
July  25th  and  went  into  camp  at  Sandoval, 
Illinois,  August  5th;  was  mustered  in  Au- 
gust 10,  1 86 1,  seven  hundred  strong;  was 
ordered  to  Illinois  Town  (now  East  St. 
Louis)  by  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Railroad  and  crossed  to  Jefferson  Barracks. 
Here  they  were  armed  with  the  old  rifled 
muskets  from  the  arsenal  at  Harper's  Ferry 
and  sent  to  Paducah,  Kentucky.  It  was  bri- 


gaded with  the  Ninth  Illinois,  Eighth  Mis- 
souri and  Twenty-third  Indiana  and  was 
under  the  command  of  Colonel,  after  Gen- 
eral, W.  H.  L.  (Lew)  Wallace.  The 
Fortieth  was  at  Paducah,  Ky.,  almost  all 
the  time  until  after  the  taking  of 
Fortieth  was  at  Paducah  almost  all 
gaded  with  the  Forty-eighth  Indiana 
and  Forty-sixth  Ohio,  and  the  brigade 
placed  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Hicks, 
Lieut.-Col.  Boothe  commanding  the  regi- 
ment; was  ordered  to  Savanah,  Tennessee, 
March  6,  1862,  and  soon  established  a  per- 
manent camp  at  Pittsburg  Landing;  took 
part  in  the  terrible  battle  at  that  place  on 
April  6th.  Nearly  half  of  the  regiment  was 
killed  or  disabled;  Colonel  Hicks  was 
wounded  through  the  left  lung  and  shoul- 
der; Captain  Hooper  was  killed.  On  the 
2d  of  June  the  regiment  went  to  Corinth; 
on  the  7th  moved  to  Chaville,  then  to  La- 
grange;  during  the  month  of  July  scouted 
and  took  Holly  Springs;  reached  Memphis 
on  the  2  ist  of  July  and  went  into  camp  at 
Fort  Pickering.  Here  Colonel  Hicks  was 
discharged  on  account  of  his  wounds  with 
honorable  mention.  He  was  afterward  rein- 
stated at  his  own  request.  At  the  end  of 
four  months  he  was  ordered  to  Holly 
Springs,  thence  to  Salem  and  Springhill, 
Lagrange  and  Grand  Junction ;  Janu- 
ary 9th  relieved  the  garrison  at  Davis 
Mills  and  spent  the  rest  of  the  win- 
ter there.  Lieut.-Col.  Boothe  resigned 
January  I3th  and  Adjutant  Ray  on 
January  26th.  Major  Barnhill  succeeded 
to  the  lieutenant  colonelcv  and  returned  to 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    .MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


77 


the  regiment  from  detached  service  January 
15,  1864:  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  went  into  winter  quar- 
ters at  Scottsville,  Alabama. 

The  regiment  re-enlisted  January  i,  1864, 
345  men  strong.  During  the  two  years  and 
five  months  the  regiment  had  been  out  there 
were  261  deaths,  seventeen  discharged,  six 
transferred,  missing  in  action  and  desertions, 
seventeen.  The  regiment  was  with  Sherman 
on  his  March  to  the  Sea.  Took  part  in  the 
Grand  Review  at  Washington  and  was  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865.  Colonel  Hicks,  at 
the  close  of  the  war,  returned  to  Salem, 
where  he  died  on  December  14,  1869,  never 
having  regained  his  health  after  being- 
wounded,  but  suffered  continually  until  his 
release  by  death.  He  sleeps  in  East  Lawn 
cemetery  at  Salem,  and  the  "Boys"  he  com- 
manded are  fast  being  called  to  sleep  at  his 
side,  and  soon  the  last  will  be  gone  and  only 
the  unfeeling  type  will  tell  their  story.  The 
roll  of  Marion  county  men  is:  Stephen  G. 
Hicks,  colonel,  detached  when  regiment  was 
mustered  out;  James  W.  Boothe,  lieutenant 
colonel,  resigned  January  13,  1863;  Surgeon 
Samuel  W.  Thompson,  resigned  June  3, 
1862;  William  M.  Elliott,  resigned  Febru- 
ary 22,  1864;  Sergeants,  Major  Samuel  J. 
Winans,  killed  at  Missionary  Ridge,  No- 
vember 25,  1863;  Samuel  B.  Stokely;  Mu- 
sicians John  Chapman,  discharged  August 
26  (term  expired),  1864;  Isaac  Young, 
killed  at  Griswoldville,  Georgia,  November 
22,  1864.  Company  B:  Captain  William 
T.  Sprouse,  resigned  August  4,  1863;  John 
Perkins,  mustered  out  July  24,  1865;  First 


Lieutenants,  Joshua  Goodwin,  resigned  May 
31,  1863;  Benjamin  E.  Baldwin,  mustered 
out  July  24,  1865;  Second  Lieutenant  Wil- 
liam R.  Lynch,  mustered  out  as  sergeant 
July  24,  1865;  First  Sergeant  Benjamin  F. 
Davidson;  Sergeants  Robert  Perkins, 
George  W.  Mitchell,  Ellis  Neal,  disability, 
discharged  at  Memphis;  Corporals  John  T. 
Lyons,  given  sick  furlough  November  i, 
1863,  never  returned;  Henry  H.  Wolf,  term 
expired,  discharged  August  9,  1864;  Wil- 
liam Lynch,  veteranized,  promoted ;  James 
M.  Keaton,  veteranized,  promoted  sergeant, 
sergeant-major;  Thomas  F.  Rogers;  James 
J.  Brown;  Charles  M.  See,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  July  24,  1864;  Privates  John 
Arnold,  veteranized,  discharged  June  23, 
1865 ;  George  Arnold,  veteranized,  died  at 
Marietta,  Georgia,  of  wounds;  Thomas  S. 
Anderson ;  Lorenzo  D.  Almon,  discharged, 
term  expired  August  9,  1864;  William  Bar- 
nett,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865;  John  A.  Clayton;  McCager  Clayton; 
William  Craig,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
July  24,  1865 ;  John  W.  Climer,  veteran- 
ized, mustered  out  as  corporal  July  24, 
1865;  Fred  Dietz,  discharged  December  n, 
1861  ;  Samuel  Ellison;  William  F.  Eagan, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ; 
Wesley  French,  transferred;  Wilson  Gard- 
ner, veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865;  Naum  W.  Gibbs,  disability,  dis- 
charged; John  C.  Gill,  term  expired,  dis- 
charged Aug.  9,  1864;  Calvin  Garner,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ;  Ellis 
S.  Gibson,  transferred;  William  T.  Hamil- 
ton, transferred ;  Henry  D.  King,  disability, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


discharged  March  23,  1863;  John  R.  Hicka- 
son,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Bruce  H.  Hatton,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865;  Francis  M.  Haley; 
John  F.  Jarrott;  John  L.  Jones,  veteran- 
ized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ;  Albert  C. 
Johnson;  David  Jones,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865;  George  W.  Love- 
less; Silas" Lock,  died  September  16,  1861 ; 
William  C.  Lock,  disability,  discharged  No- 
vember 2,  1863;  Henry  W.  Lape;  Robert 
P.  Manion,  term  expired,  discharged  Au- 
gust 9,  1864;  Richard  Markle,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ;  James  Mc- 
Daniel,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July 
24,  1865;  Henry  D.  Mahon,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ;  Calvin  A.  Mor- 
ris, veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865;  James  A.  Nebins,  discharged  Decem- 
ber 3,  1 86 1 ;  Robert  G.  Nance,  promoted; 
Solomon  Osborne,  term  expired,  discharged 
August  9,  1864;  John  Perkins,  veteranized, 
promoted  first  lieutenant;  Amos  Parks,  vet- 
eranized, died  in  hospital  of  wounds;  David 
K.  Prewett,  veteranized,  absent  on  sick  list 
from  May  28,  1865 ;  Joseph  W.  Powell,  vet- 
eranized ;  Charles  Pearson,  mustered  out 
July  24,  1865;  Jacob  Parks;  Riley  Pies- 
grove;  George  W.  Rogers;  Samuel  Reed; 
Amos  Rees;  Joseph  H.  Schafer,  veteran- 
ized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865; 
Samuel  B.  Stokeley,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted ;  Conrad  S.  Whitman,  died  Sep- 
tember 1 8.  1863;  Rilew  Walsh,  term 
expired,  discharged  August  9,  1864; 
Clinton  Wolf,  term  expired,  discharged 
August  9,  1864;  Isaac  Young,  pro- 


moted. Recruits:  James  J.  Ball,  term  ex- 
pired, discharged  December  25,  1864;  Miles 
Chapman,  died  of  wounds  August  12,  1864; 
John  W.  Doolin,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Thomas  Evans,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Joseph  J.  Gardiner,  mustered  out  July 
24,  1865;  Charles  Gardiner,  mustered  out 
July  24,  1865;  Bodkin  D.  Henly,  mustered 
out  July  24,  1865;  Calvin  Marvon,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865 ;  Asahel  O.  Trum- 
ble,  mustered  out  July  24,  1865;  Silas  Wil- 
liamson, mustered  out  July  24,  1865;  Cul- 
breth  Webb,  mustered  out  July  24,  1865. 
In  Company  H  were :  Captains  Samuel  D. 
Stewart,  honorably  discharged  November  i, 
1862;  Thomas  G.  Kelly,  mustered  out  as 
first  lieutenant  April  5,  1865;  First  Lieuten- 
ant Henry  Blessing,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Second  Lieutenant  Luther  Scott,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865;  Corporals  John  A. 
Parkson,  term  expired,  discharged  August 
9,  1864;  William  R.  Green,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  July  24,  1865;  George  H. 
Straight,  disability,  discharged  August  9, 
1864;  Thomas  G.  Martin,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865;  Musician  Obediah 
F.  Evans,  wounded;  Privates  John  L. 
Birge,  veteranized,  killed  by  accident  while 
on  furlough ;  Chancy  Boughton ;  Henry  C. 
Caseloth,  term  expired,  discharged  August 
9,  1864;  Amos  Conklin;  J.  B.  Caseloth, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  July  -24,  1865; 
William  T.  Evans;  Edmond  Fouche,  vet- 
eranized, killed  at  Griswoldville,  Georgia, 
November  22,  1864;  John  M.  Green;  Hugh 
M.  Parkinson,  term  expired,  discharged  Au- 
gust 9,  1864;  Harden  C.  Rines,  veteranized, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


79 


transferred  to  Veteran  Relief  Corps;  Milton 
G.  Rudd;  Theodore  Sexton,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ;  James  J.  Wat- 
son, veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865;  Recruits:  John  G.  Burrow;  John 
Ekleman,  veteranized,  deserted  May  12, 
1864;  John  Evert,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  July  24,  1865;  William  M.  French,  vet- 
eranized; Silas  S.  Gibson,  veteranized, 
transferred;  John  Hamilton,  veteranized; 
Thomas  G.  Johnson;  William  C.  Jarrott; 
John  McCabe  deserted ;  M.  B.  Phillips,  vet- 
eranized, died  at  Lookout  Mountain  Octo- 
ber n,  1864;  A.  M.  Smith;  transferred 
from  One  Hundred  and  Third  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry  and  all  mustered 
out  July  24,  1865;  Thomas  J.  Cor- 
der,  Ora  Chapin,  Charles  C.  Mendenhall, 
William  A.  Ralston,  James  C.  Ralston, 
John  C.  Whitaker.  In  Company  I :  Second 
Lieutenant  J.  W.  Blackburn,  mustered  out 
July  24,  1865;  Privates:  William  Beard, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ; 
Alfred  Beard,  disability,  discharged  Febru- 
ary 1 6,  1863;  W.  T.  Perry,  veteranized, 
deserted  March  15,  1865;  F.  H.  Perry,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865;  B. 
C.  Tate,  term  expired,  discharged  August 
9,  1864;  S.  Shadden,  term  expired,  dis- 
charged August  9,  1864;  Recruits:  Elijah 
Beard,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865;  John  W.  Blackburn,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted; James  F.  Pickett,  disability,  dis- 
charged February  17,  1863;  George  Shock- 
man,  veteranized,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Adolphus  H.  Tate,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered aut  July  24,  1865.  In  Company  K: 


Second  Lieutenant  George  A.  Miller,  mus- 
tered out  July  24,  1865 ;  Sergeant  Felix  G. 
Ross ;  Musician  Benjamin  Martin ;  Privates : 
P.  Mannon,  veteranized,  killed  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain  June  27,  1864;  Miles  Allen,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865 ; 
Thomas  Chapman,  discharged  January  13, 
1862;  John  Chapman,  promoted;  Daniel  W. 
Chapman,  term  expired,  discharged  August 
27,  1864;  John  W.  Cain;  W.  L.  Dillon,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  July  24,  1865; 
Henry  Fisher,  disability,  discharged  Janu- 
ary 27,  1864;  Josiah  Gibson,  veteranized, 
died  of  wounds  August  14,  1864;  William 
R.  Meeks,  veteranized,  disability,  discharged 
July  2,  1864;  George  A.  Miller,  promoted. 

The  following  recruits  were  unassigned: 
William  H.  Ashley,  James  Davis,  Thomas 
L.  Knight,  J.  K.  P.  Stanford,  Charles  Scott, 
Joseph  H.  Slook,  James  B.  Wood. 

One  company  of  the  Forty-eighth  Infan- 
try was  made  up  almost  entirely  of  Marion 
county  men.  The  regiment  was  organized 
at  Camp  Butler,  September,  1861,  by  Isham 
N.  Haynie,  a  Marion  county  man,  and  num- 
bered nine  hundred  men;  arrived  at  Cairo 
November  nth,  and  was  soon  at  the  front; 
was  in  the  following  battles,  twenty-four  in 
number,  and  several  of  them  lasting  two  or 
three  days;  Fort  Henry,  Fort  Donelson, 
three  days ;  Shiloh,  two  days :  before  Corinth 
eight  or  ten  days ;  Black  River ;  Jackson,  six 
days;  Missionary  Ridge,  two  days:  at  the 
siege  of  Knoxville  several  days;  Resaca. 
three  days ;  at  Dallas  four  days ;  New  Hope 
Church,  six  days;  before  Kenesaw  Moun- 
tain twenty-three  days ;  Sandtown,  seven 


8o 


I5RINKKRI10FF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


days ;  Decatur,  one  day ;  Atlanta,  three  days, 
and  at  the  siege  of  that  place  twenty-nine 
days;  Jonesboro,  one  day;  Lovejoy,  two 
days;  Fort  McAllister,  one  day;  at  the  siege 
of  Savanah  and  Duck  River  about  twenty 
days;  South  Edisto,  one  day;  Columbia, 
two  days,  and  Bentonville,  one  day,  and 
every  day  of  this  number  were  more  or  less 
exposed  to  the  enemy's  fire.  The  regiment 
soon  became  seasoned,  and  proved  their 
fighting  grit  in  every  emergency.  These 
Marion  county  men  were  in  Company  F: 
Surgeon  William  Hill,  resigned  April  27, 
1862;  Isaac  Bundy,  chaplain,  resigned  Au- 
gust 24,  1864;  Commissary  Sergeant  Wil- 
liam A.  Bookins,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865;  Hospital  Steward  Thomas  Williams, 
promoted  to  surgeon  Sixth  Tennessee 
Cavalry,  October  4,  1862;  Captain  Mil- 
ton H.  Lydick,  resigned  October  12, 
1864;  First  Lieutenants:  Alexander  L. 
Wellman,  term  expired ;  John  A.  Barr,  mus- 
tered out  August  15,  1865;  Second  Lieu- 
tenants: John  R.  Daily,  dismissed  by  court 
martial  October  16,  1862;  Benjamin  F. 
Keeler,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  Ser- 
geants: William  Precise,  died  at  Centralia, 
Illinois,  November  24,  1863;  Robert  F.  Mc- 
Neill,  died  at  Centralia,  Illinois,  April  13, 
1862;  Richard  Breeze,  disability,  discharged 
May  8,  1862;  Corporals:  George  Terry, 
mustered  out  November  9,  1864;  Archibald 
B.  Scott,  disabilty,  discharged  May  6,  1862; 
William  Richardson,  disability,  discharged 
June  23,  1864;  Frederick  F.  Benson,  vet- 
teranized,  wounded,  discharged;  William  G. 
\Vhite,  died  at  Chattanooga  July  28,  1864; 


Nathaniel  A.  Winks,  mustered  out  Novem- 
ber 9,  1864;  William  A.  Hervey,  mustered 
out  November  9,  1864;  Musicians:  Allin  G. 
Ball,  died  at  Centralia,  Illinois,  December 
15,  1864;  August  Walters,  mustered  out 
November  9,  1864;  Privates:  William 
Adams,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  Na- 
than Adams,  disability,  discharged  January 
31,  1862;  Thomas  J.  Adams,  died  at  Sa- 
vannah, Tennessee,  April  n,  1862;  T. 
Burke,  veteranized,  .died  at  Indianapolis,  In- 
diana, January  24,  1864;  Gideon  Bolton, 
disability,  discharged  February  21,  1862; 
William  A.  Brookins,  veteranized,  pro- 
moted sergeant;  William  Breeze,  disa- 
bility, discharged  January  n,  1862;  John 
F.  Butler,  veteranized,  killed  at  Atlanta 
July  28,  1864;  George  H.  Chorgel,  vet- 
eranized, disability,  discharged  June  25, 
1865;  Peter  Dougherty,  mustered  out  No- 
vember 9,  1864;  Phillip  Davidson,  died  at 
Cairo,  Illinois,  December  14,  1861 ;  William 
Evans,  discharged  September  2,  1862; 
James  M.  Fyke,  died  at  Centralia,  Illinois, 
October  19,  1861 ;  Richard  C.  Farthing, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  August  15,  1864; 
Thomas  R.  Falkner,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  August  15,  1864;  Conadus  Gray,  died  at 
Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  November  25,  1861 ; 
Jacob  E.  R.  Garish,  died  at  Camp  Butler, 
Illinois,  December  16,  1861 ;  John  Henshil- 
wood,  veteranized,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865;  Henry  L.  Heart,  veteranized,  mus- 
tered out  August  15,  1865;  Allen  H.  Hays, 
disability,  discharged  February  21,  1862; 
Henry  Hothen,  mustered  out  November  9, 
1864;  Benjamin  F.  Keeler,  veteranized, 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


81 


mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  John 
\Y.  Lonnon,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
August  15,  1865;  John  McBride,  mustered 
out  November  9,  1864;  Samuel  B.  McNeill, 
discharged  May  8,  1862;  John  C. 
Meredith,  veteranized,  mustered  out  Au- 
gust 15,  1865;  Pembroke  Mercer,  pro- 
moted; William  E.  Purcell,  promoted; 
Robert  W.  Prosise,  deserted  Decem- 
ber 7,  1863;  Thomas  Phillips,  disability,  dis- 
charged July  22,  1862;  Mathew  Pender- 
grass,  mustered  out  November  9,  1864; 
Charles  Ruff,  mustered  out  October  5,  1864; 
Dougald  Rose,  mustered  out  November  9, 
1864;  James  Sloss,  disability,  discharged 
September  26,  1862;  James  Shaw,  mustered 
out  November  9,  1864;  William  Tate,  dis- 
charged May  8,  1862;  Thomas  Tucker,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  August  15,  1865; 
Henry  Vischman,  deserted  April  4,  1862; 
George  Williamson,  veteranized,  died  at 
Rome,  Georgia,  October  4,  1864;  Wil- 
liam H.  Winks,  died  at  Savannah, 
Tennessee,  March  31,  1862;  Preston 
Willey,  disability,  discharged  October 
14,  1862;  Recruits:  Nathan  A.  Adams, 
mustered  out  August  15,  1865 ;  Willis  Alex- 
ander, mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  Wil- 
liam H.  Burge,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865 ;  Christ  M.  Chrise,  killed  at  Jonesboro, 
Georgia,  September  i,  1864;  William  D. 
Farthing,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865; 
Adolphus  Grote,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865 :  Frederick  Grote,  mustered  out  Au- 
gust 15,  1865;  James  Huckleberry,  died  at 
Rome,  Georgia,  October  11,  1864;  Charles 
Kirkpatrick,  discharged  May  18,  1862; 
6 


Nicholas  Lewer,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865;  James  W.  L.  Monds,  veteranized; 
John  Rimmer,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865;  John  Reno,  died  at  Camp  Butler, 
April  12,  1864;  Samuel  Shook,  wounded, 
discharged  May  17,  1865;  John  C.  Sands, 
mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  William  H. 
Sabin,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865; 
George  Seibel,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865;  William  Schroeder,  died  at  Scotts- 
boro,  Alabama,  April  2,  1864;  Thomas  Tay- 
lor, mustered  out  August  15,  1865;  Preston 
Willey,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865; 
Peter  E.  Warren,  mustered  out  August  15, 
1865 ;  James  K.  Warren,  died  before  At- 
lanta, Georgia,  August  12,  1864;  John  B. 
Welch,  deserted  June  22,  1865;  Daniel 
J.  Wilson,  mustered  out  August  15,  1865; 
John  Crutchfield  was  in  Company  K  and 
mustered  out  June  27,  1865. 

The  Forty-ninth  had  men  in  seven  of  its 
companies  from  Marion  county.  The  regi- 
ment was  organized  at  Camp  Butler  by 
Colonel  William  R.  Morrison  December  31, 
1 86 1 ;  was  ordered  to  Cairo  in  February, 
1 862;  was  in  McClernand's  Division  at  the 
capture  of  Fort  Henry;  lost  fourteen  men 
killed  and  thirty-seven  wounded  at  Fort 
Donelson  on  February  I3th.  Colonel  Mor- 
rison, who  was  in  command  of  the  brigade, 
was  severely  wounded;  was  present  at  Shi- 
loh,  losing  seventeen  killed  and  ninety-nine 
wounded.  Lieutenant-Colonel  Pease,  after- 
ward colonel,  was  wounded  at  this  battle; 
was  at  the  siege  of  Corinth;  was  moved  to 
Bethel,  June  i4th,  and  placed  in  John  A. 
Logan's  First  Division;  was  afterward 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


placed  in  the  Fourth  Brigade,  First  Division, 
Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  under  Maj.-Gen. 
S.  A.  Hurlbut;  was  in  General  Steele's 
expedition  to  Little  Rock,  joining  the  army 
at  Brownsville,  Arkansas ;  was  at  the  capture 
of  Little  Rock,  November  10,  1863.  Three- 
fourths  of  the  regiment  veteranized  January 
15,  1864,  and  on  January  2/th  moved  to 
Vicksburg;  was  with  General  Sherman  in 
the  Meridian  campaign;  was  sent  on  the 
Red  River  expedition  and  took  part  in  the 
capture  of  Fort  DeRussey,  March  I4th,  and 
the  battle  of  Pleasant  Hill,  April  9th.  Re- 
turned to  Illinois  June  24th,  for  veteran  fur- 
lough. Those  not  veteranized  remained  in 
the  field  commanded  by  Cap.  J.  A.  Lo- 
gan, and  took  part  in  the  battle  of  Tupelo, 
July  14  and  15,  1864.  The  veterans  re- 
joined the  regiment  at  Holly  Springs;  were 
in  the  pursuit  of  Price  through  Missouri ; 
Arrived  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in  time  to 
take  part  in  the  battle  at  that  place  on  De- 
cember 1 5th  and  i6th;  was  ordered  to  Pa- 
ducah  to  muster  out  non-veterans,  and  did 
garrison  duty  until  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865.  The  muster  roll  contains  the 
names  of  the  following  Marion  county  men : 
Phineas  Pease,  colonel,  term  expired  Janu- 
ary 9,  1865;  Frank  J.  Burrows,  adjutant, 
was  on  detached  service  when  regiment  was 
mustered  out;  Surgeon  Stephen  F.  Mercer, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865;  First  As- 
sistant Surgeon  James  A.  Black,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865;  Commissary  Ser- 
geant William  Branson,  reduced  to  ranks; 
William  E.  Farrow,  veteranized,  second  as- 
sistant surgeon,  mustered  out  January  9, 


1865;  Corporals:  Fred  Sternberg,  mustered 
out  January  9,  1865;  Zeh.  John,  mustered 
out  January  9.  1865;  Recruits:  Alexander 
Ross,  deserted  December  6,  1864;  William 
Stork,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865; 
John  W.  Brokaw,  killed  at  Fort  Donelson 
February  13,  1862;  Emery  B.  Harlin,  pro- 
moted to  assistant  adjutant  general  on  staff 
of  General  Palmer;  Sergeants:  Thomas  O. 
Hess,  discharged  August  26,  1863 ;  Albert 
Marsh,  transferred  to  gunboat  February  21, 
1862;  Oscar  W.  Brokaw,  veteranized;  Cor- 
porals :  John  Wilson,  died  at  Cincinnati  of 
wounds  March  14,  1862;  Charles  O'Neill, 
disability,  discharged  June  i,  1862;  Wil- 
liam S.  McKinney,  died  of  wounds  August 
n,  1862;  Mathew  R.  Kell,  died  a  prisoner 
in  Andersonville  March  7,  1865;  grave  No. 
18;  Musicians:  Ephraim  Williams,  died  a 
prisoner  at  Andersonville  July  13,  1865, 
grave  No.  3254 ;  Marion  Richardson, 
veteranized,  mustered  out  September  9, 
1865;  Wagoner  Timothy  Baldwin,  killed 
at  Shiloh  April  6,  1862;  Privates: 
James  Bradshaw,  transferred  to  gun- 
boat, February  21,  1862;  Isaac  Y. 
Barten,  veteranized,  mustered  out  September 
9,  1865 ;  John  G.  Burggraf,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865;  Edward 
Cuming,  transferred  to  gunboat  February 
26,  1865;  William  Clemens,  veteran- 
ized, mustered  out  September  9,  1865; 
Fred  B.  Eavin,  mustered  out  Janu- 
ary 9,  1865;  William  E.  Farrow,  pro- 
moted; Reuben  A.  Grunendike,  trans- 
ferred to  Veteran  Relief  Corps  November 
29,  1864;  William  Holmes,  disability,  dis- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


charged  November  28,  1862;  Henry  A. 
Higgins,  disability,  discharged  February  10, 
1863 ;  Carlin  L.  Mitchell,  died  at  Camp  But- 
ler January  16,  1862;  William  Peters,  mus- 
tered out  January  27,  1865 ;  Thomas  M. 
Smith,  disability,  discharged  July  22,  1862; 
Wesley  Simmonds,  disability,  discharged 
September  27,  1863;  Eben  Taylor,  dis- 
ability, discharged  September  28,  1862; 
Jonathan  J.  Thomas,  died  at  St.  Louis  May 
16,  1862;  Ira  C.  Wiggins,  deserted  April  14, 
1863;  Recruits:  Samuel  D.  Alexander, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865;  James  W. 
Alexander,  died  at  Memphis,  July  10,  1864; 
James  M.  Butler,  died  at  St.  Louis  Novem- 
ber 29,  1864;  Henry  Elefritz,  mustered  out 
September  9,  1865;  James  Ellis,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865;  James  Finley,  died 
at  Salem  September  3,  1864;  John  M. 
Hewet,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865; 
Andrew  Langdall,  mustered  out  September 
9,  1865;  James  H.  McBride,  mustered  out 
September  9,  1865;  Charles  P.  Oyler,  dis- 
charged to  be  captain  in  One  Hundred  and 
Twenty-fourth  Colored  Regiment.  United 
States  Regulars ;  James  Pullen,  mustered  out 
September  9,  1865  ;  Edward  Washburn,  died 
at  home  October  8,  1865;  Charles  J.  Wei- 
don,  disability,  discharged  September  13, 
1863;  James  Winks,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865;  Vincent  P.  Williamson,  mus- 
tered out  September  9,  1865;  Clement  M. 
Williams,  wounded,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865.  Company  F,  recruits :  George 
W.  Crabtree,  mustered  out  September  9, 
1865;  Thomas  C.  Drake,  died  at  Memphis 
March  29,  1865  ;  John  C.  Holt,  mustered  out 


September  9,  1865 ;  Arthur  C.  Leonard,  died 
January  9,  1863 ;  Samuel  Meyers,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865 ;  John  W.  Shelton, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865;  William 
V.  Shelton,  mustered  out  September  9, 
1865;  Jesse  West,  mustered  out  September 
9,  1865  ;  Andrew  Wadkins,  died  at  Memphis 
July  2,  1864.  In  Company  G,  Jonathan 
Mills,  mustered  out  September  9,  1 865 ;  Re- 
cruits :  George  W.  Smith,  died  at  Paducah, 
Kentucky,  April  24,  1865.  In  Company  H, 
recruits:  Jacob  Branch,  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 9,  1865;  Julius  Jahr,  mustered  out 
September  9,  1865 ;  George  Krebs,  died  at 
Paducah,  Kentucky,  June  27,  1865;  John 
Margolf,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865; 
Daniel  Morganstarr,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865.  In  Company  I,  recruits:  Ja- 
ques  Chancy,  died  at  Memphis  May  6,  1864; 
James  O'Donnell,  mustered  out  July  18, 
1865 ;  Hiram  M.  Miller,  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 9,  1865.  In  Company  K,  privates: 
Jesse  Hughes,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
September  9,  1865  ;  Garrick  McCart,  died  at 
Camp  Butler  February  13,  1862;  recruits: 
Clark  Anderson,  mustered  out  July  i ,  1 865  ; 
Burrell  J.  Blanton,  mustered  out  September 
9,  1865;  Jerome  Brookmann.  died  at  Pa- 
ducah, Kentucky,  April  8,  1865;  Henry  H. 
Coil,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ;  Ed- 
mund N.  Creekmur,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865  ;  Elzy  D.  Davenport,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865;  James  P.  Estes, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865  ;  William  E. 
Ellis,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ;  Eli 
L.  Foster,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865; 
James  Garrison,  mustered  out  September  9, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


1865;  Stephen  Gossett,  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 9,  1865;  Albert  Green,  died  at  Pa- 
ducah,  Kentucky,  March  20,  1865;  Gillam 
Harris,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ; 
William  T.  Keen,  died  at  Memphis  June  17, 
1864;  Elvis  Keen,  deserted  September  4, 
1863;  Marshall  McLain,  deserted  Septem- 
ber 4,  1863;  Alfred  H.  Meador,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865;  Daniel  W.  Morris, 
mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ;  Larry  L. 
Nichols,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ; 
Benjamin  B.  Nichols,  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 9,  1865;  Rufus  Place,  mus- 
tered out  September  9,  1865;  William 
J.  Phillips,  mustered  out  September 

9,  1865;     Charles     E.     Short,     mustered 
out     September    9,     1865;     Benjamin     F. 
Scott,   mustered   out   September   9,    1865; 
Bartholomew  Wood,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,  1865;  William  J.  Wiggins,  mustered 
out  September  9,  1865 ;  Lafayette  Wiggin- 
ton,  mustered  out  September  9,  1865 ;  Isaac 
W.   Waters,   mustered    out    September    9, 
1865;  James  Widger,  mustered  out  Septem- 
ber 9,    1 865 ;  unassigned  recruits  with  the 
regiment:     German  O.  Ball,  rejected;  John 
Conners;  Frederick  Just,  deserted  February 
28,  1864;  James  Pearse. 

Company  A  of  the  Fifty-first  Regiment 
enlisted  in  Marion  county.  The  regiment 
was  organized  at  Chicago,  Illinois,  the  day 
before  Christmas,  1861,  and  on  the  I4th  of 
February  was  ordered  to  Cairo,  and  from 
there  went  to  Missouri;  was  at  Island  No. 

10,  April  7th,  and  pursued  the  enemy  the 
next  day,  thus  forcing  the  surrender  of  four 
thousand  prisoners  with  their  commander, 


General  Mackall ;  was  in  the  battle  of  Stone 
River  on  the  3ist  day  of  December,  1862, 
and  suffered  severely,  losing  in  killed, 
wounded  and  missing,  fifty-seven  men  ; 
lost  ninety  men  out  of  two  hundred  and 
nine  at  the  battle  of  Chickamauga,  Septem- 
ber 19,  1863;  was  at  Missionary  Ridge, 
November  24th,  and  lost  one-fifth  of  the 
men  engaged,  or  thirty  out  of  one  hundred 
and  fifty ;  was  mustered  in  as  veterans  Feb- 
ruary 10,  1864;  was  in  a  skirmish  at  Rocky- 
face  Ridge  May  gth,  and  at  the  battle  of 
Resaca  on  the  i4th,  losing  twenty-three  men 
in  the  two  fights.  One  officer  and  twenty- 
three  men  were  lost  in  almost  continual 
skirmishing  up  to  July  1st;  lost  two  offi- 
cers and  fifty-four  men  killed  and  wounded 
at  Kenesaw  Mountain  between  July  ist  and 
November  30,  1864.  The  regiment  was 
active  in  skirmishing  with  the  enemy,  losing 
in  killed  and  wounded  ten  men.  At  Chatta- 
nooga the  regiment  received  one  hundred 
and  ninety-two  drafted  men.  On  Novem- 
ber 30,  1864,  in  the  fight  at  Franklin,  it  lost 
fifty-three  killed  and  wounded,  and  ninety- 
eight  missing;  lost  one  killed  and  five 
wounded  at  Nashville,  December  I5th  and 
1 6th.  The  regiment  was  in  no  more  battles 
but  was  marching  and  doing  garrison  duty 
until  mustered  out,  September  25,  1865, 
and  was  paid  off  and  discharged  at  Camp 
Butler,  Illinois,  October  15,  1865.  Com- 
pany A:  Corporal  H.  York,  veteran- 
ized, absent,  sick,  mustered  out  Sep- 
tember 25,  1865;  Privates:  John  H.  Long, 
Richard  Bates,  Richard  Baursfield,  William 
Cornwall,  veteranized,  mustered  out  Sep- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tember  25,  1865;  William  Douglas,  vet- 
eranized, mustered  out  September  25,  1865; 
Daniel  Gulley,  veteranized,  mustered  out 
September  25,  1865;  Charles  Miller, 
killed  at  Franklin,  Tennessee,  November  30, 
1864;  George  Reappel ;  Frank  Reitter; 
Samuel  Wickersham,  disability,  discharged 
April -6,  1862;  Thomas  Wickersham;  T. 
York,  veteranized,  killed  at  Franklin,  Ten- 
nessee, November  30,  1864;  recruits:  John 
Briley,  discharged  November  27,  1861 ;  T. 
Green,  transferred  to  Thirteenth  Illinois 
Cavalry,  November  24,  1861 ;  Moses  Oak- 
ley, transferred  to  Thirteenth  Illinois  Cav- 
alry November  24,  1861 ;  Peter  Walven, 
mustered  out  September  25,  1865.  Two 
men,  either  drafted  or  substitutes,  were 
unassigned  in  the  Fifty-third  Regiment, 
Company  K,  Daniel  Brown  and  George 
Rush,  both  mustered  out  May  8,  1865; 
and  Michael  Craw,  a  veteran,  was  a 
private  in  the  Fifty-fourth  Regiment, 
Company  E.  A  few  men  were  in  the 
Sixtieth  Regiment.  They  were:  Shad- 
rack  Kelley,  Company  D,  disability,  dis- 
charged February  23,  1865;  James  L.  Kel- 
ley died  July  28,  1864,  member  of  the  same 
company.  Three  were  in  Company  E: 
Lawrence  Burke,  killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
August  6,  1864;  Richard  Hangle,  missing  in 
action  March  19,  1865;  Levi  Reese,  died  at 
Chattanooga  May  27,  1864.  Two  were  in 
Company  F,  both  veterans  and  both  mus- 
tered out  July  31,  1865.  They  were:  James 
George  and  James  Willard.  Five  were  in 
Company  G,  all  recruits ;  John  H.  Gains  was 
discharged  for  disability  November  3,  1862. 


The  other  four  were  all  mustered  out  July 
31,  1865,  and  were:  Davis  Fitzgerald,  Mah- 
lon  C.  Parker,  Elijah  Rector,  and  Jesse  Ran- 
kin.  In  Company  I  was  George  W.  Smith, 
veteran,  who  died  at  Wilmington,  North 
Carolina,  March  25,  1865;  and  two  recruits, 
William  Bolen  and  William  H.  Graham, 
both  of  whom  were  mustered  out  July  31, 
1865.  Six  men  were  in  Company  F:  Henry 
Ginnett,  who  was  discharged  (because  he 
was  under  size)  September  26,  1862;  Daniel 
Hitour,  William  Phipps,  George  White, 
mustered  out  July  31,  1865;  Henry  Walton, 
transferred  to  engineer  battalion,  veteran- 
ized July  29,  1864;  Martin  R.  Wood,  pro- 
moted to  captain  in  Fifth  Tennessee 
Mounted  Infantry,  January  31,  1865;  John 
Ungles,  recruit,  mustered  out  July  31,  1865. 
Six  men  from  Marion  county  were  in  the 
Sixty-first  regiment.  In  Company  H  were: 
Robert  M.  Followell,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  September  8,  1864,  and  Edward  Galla- 
gher, who  deserted  August  18,  1862.  In 
Company  K  were  James  Craig,  mustered  out 
September  8,  1864;  Charles  Avery  (no  rec- 
ord), and  Alfred  M.  Summers — one  recruit, 
David  L.  Canfield,  unassigned,  mustered  out 
May  n,  1865.  The  Sixty-second  Regi- 
ment had  men  in  Companies  E,  F  and  G. 
The  regiment  was  organized  at  Anna,  April 
10,  1862,  and  reported  at  Cairo  on  the  22d, 
at  Paducah  May  7th,  and  at  Columbus 
June  7th;  moved  into  Tennessee  with  Ditz- 
ler's  Brigade,  guarding  the  Mobile  and 
Ohio  Railroad,  with  headquarters  at 
Kenton;  were  sent  to  Jackson,  thence  to 
Grand  Junction  and  Holly  Springs ;  skir- 


86 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


mished  more  or  less  daily  to  the  2Oth;  fol- 
lowed Forest  twenty  miles  that  day  and  re- 
turned to  Jackson  next  day,  December  2Oth. 
Van  Dorn  captured  one  hundred  and  seventy 
men  of  this  regiment  and  paroled  them  at 
Holly  Springs.  The  regiment  was  placed 
in  Lawler's  Brigade  and  pursued  Forest 
from  December  3ith  to  February  3d,  when 
they  overtook  him  too  well  posted  at  Clif- 
ton to  attack;  returned  to  Jackson;  were 
transferred  to  Arkansas,  and  by  a  successful 
skirmish  September  10,  1863,  forced  the 
enemy  to  retire,  evacuating  Little  Rock ; 
were  sent  to  Illinois  on  veteran  furlough, 
and  returned  to  the  field  November  25, 
1864.  Those  who  did  not  veteranize  were 
discharged  at  end  of  term.  The  regiment 
was  then  consolidated  into  seven  companies 
and  were  stationed  at  Pine  Bluff  until  July 
28,  1865,  then  sent  to  Fort  Gibson,  in  Indian 
Territory,  where  it  remained  serving  on  the 
frontier  until  mustered  out  at  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  March  6,  1866.  This  regiment, 
although  active  all  the  term  of  its  service, 
took  part  in  no  great  battle  of  the  war.  The 
Marion  county  men  were :  First  Lieutenant 
L.  L.  Humphries,  promoted  to  captain,  mus- 
tered out  March  6,  1864;  Sergeants:  Jones 

5.  Hoover,    discharged    April    29,     1863; 
Adolphus    Mertins,    promoted ;    Corporals : 
William    Moore,    mustered  out    March  6, 
1866;  Gersham  Perkins,  died  July  4,  1862; 
James  M.   Randall,    veteranized,    mustered 
out  March  6,  1866;  Privates:  Thomas  All- 
mon,  discharged  March   7,   1864;  William 
H.  Dobbs,  veteranized,  mustered  out  March 

6,  1866;    Dudley    Halsey,    mustered    out 


March  6,  1866;  James  Kinder,  mustered 
out  March  6,  1866;  J.  Kitts,  veteranized, 
died  at  Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas,  Aug.  18, 
1864;  Charles  Miller,  discharged  December 
3,  1863;  Alexander  Massy,  veteranized, 
mustered  out  March  6,  1866;  A.  J.  Thomas, 
veteranized,  promoted;  J.  H.  Tucker,  died 
at  Pine  Bluff,  Arkansas,  August  30,  1864; 
Silas  M.  Wallace,  mustered  out  March  6, 
1866;  R.  G.  Wilburn,  mustered  out  March 
6,  1866;  J.  M.  Smith,  veteranized,  mustered 
out  March  6,  1866;  Recruits  Errol  Allmon, 
died  at  Little  Rock,  April  19,  1864;  John 
Garren,  mustered  out  March  6,  1866;  Eli 
Garren,  mustered  out  March  6,  1866;  Wil- 
liam Garren,  mustered  out  March  6,  1866; 
Charles  Griffith,  mustered  out  March  6, 
1866;  William  Kinder,  mustered  out  March 
6,  1866;  Oliver  Leclair,  mustered  out  March 
6,  1866;  William  Marsland,  mustered  out 
March  6,  1866;  James  McKinney,  mustered 
out  March  6,  1866;  John  L.  Sanders,  dis- 
ability, discharged  January  31,  1866;  John 
W.  Sanders,  mustered  out  March  6,  1866; 
Francis  M.  Turbiville,  mustered  out  March 
6,  1866;  Philip  Wolf,  died  at  Pine  Bluff,  Ar- 
kansas, March  5,  1865.  The  above  were  all 
in  Company  E,  and  the  following  in  Com- 
pany F :  Robert  S.Bundy,  Columbus  J.  Cray- 
croft;  David  Hobbson,  who  died  at  Pine 
Bluff,  Arkansas,  July  18,  1864;  Company 
G,  Capt.  Jas.  L.  Garetson,  resigned  April  20, 
1864;  Sergeant  James  H.  Lerry,  reduced, 
sent  to  St.  Louis  Military  Prison;  Privates 
Edward  W.  Booth,  disability,  discharged 
September  8,  1862 ;  John  Rice  died  at  Pine 
Bluff,  Arkansas,  September  15,  1864. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


The  Eightieth  Regiment  Illinois  Volun- 
teers was  organized  at  Centralia,  Illinois, 
and  mustered  in  August  25,  1862,  and  im- 
mediately went  to  the  front.  It  partici- 
pated in  the  battle  of  Perryville,  Octo- 
ber 8.  1862,  losing  fourteen  killed  and 
fifty-eight  wounded;  March  20,  1863, 
in  a  brigade  fifteen  hundred  strong, 
with  two  guns,  while  on  a  scouting  expedi- 
tion, was  attacked  by  the  celebrated  John 
Morgan,  five  thousand  strong,  but  repulsed 
them.  They  were  attacked  at  Dug's  Gap, 
and  at  Sand  Mountain,  but  in  both  engage- 
ments repulsed  the  enemy,  at  the  latter 
place  capturing  two  guns,  with  a  loss  of 
only  two  killed  and  sixteen  wounded  from 
the  Eightieth ;  at  Blunt's  Farm  again  re- 
pulsed the  enemy,  .but  on  May  3,  1863,  the 
regiment  surrendered  to  General  Forest, 
who  with  a  vastly  superior  force  cut  them 
off.  The  personal  effects  of  officers  and  men 
were  taken  from  them,  including  blankets, 
money,  watches,  etc.  The  officers  were  sent 
to  Libby  Prison,  the  men  to  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, where  they  were  exchanged  June  23, 
1863,  and  sent  to  St.  Louis;  from  St. 
Louis  they  were  sent  to  Nashville,  Ten- 
nessee, and  on  November  24th  and  25th, 
took  part  in  the  battle  of  Mission- 
ary Ridge.  The  regiment  went  through  the . 
Atlanta  campaign  and  participated  in  most 
of  the  fighting.  They  lost  twenty-five  men 
killed,  and  sixty  wounded,  and  captured 
one  hundred  and  fifty  prisoners  during  the 
campaign;  were  engaged  in  the  battle  of 
Nashville,  December  15  and  16,  and  took 
three  guns  and  one  hundred  prisoners.  Only 


four  of  the  officers  captured  by  Forest  ever 
returned  to  the  regiment.  The  regiment 
was  mustered  out  June  10,  1865.  The  mus- 
ter roll  had  on  it  the  names  of  the  follow- 
ing Marion  county  men :  Colonel  Erastus 
N.  Bates,  mustered  out  June  10, 1865  ;  Major 
James  Cunningham,  mustered  out  June 
10,  1865;  Quarter-master  Sergeant  H. 
C.  Gray,  mustered  out  June  10,  1865; 
Musician  Milo  Wager,  mustered  out 
June  10,  1865;  Privates,  Company  A. 
Samuel  B.  Keeler,  died  at  Chattanoo- 
ga of  wounds,  July  8,  1864;  Casey 
Redburn,  died  at  Mumfordsville,  Ken- 
tucky, November  22,  1862;.  Company 
C,  Captain  Henry  Zeis,  promoted ;  Wagoner 
Andreas  Burgclorf,  captured  by  enemy  Jan- 
uary 21,  1864,  and  mustered  out  June  10, 
1865 ;  Privates,  James  Bailey  transferred  to 
Veteran  Relief  Corps,  September  i,  trans- 
ferred back;  Henry  Booth,  mustered 
out  June  10,  1865;  Mathias  Bostwick,  de- 
serted June  9,  1863;  Jan.  B.  Pulcher, 
wounded,  mustered  out  June  10,  1865; 
David  Eggberry,  mustered  out  June  10, 
1865;  William  Evans,  mustered  out  June 
10,  1865;  James  Franks,  mustered  out  June 
10,  1865 ;  Louis  Hirschberger,  transferred 
to  Veteran  Relief  Corps,  May  i,  1864;  Jonn 
Horn,  killed  at  Dug's  Gap,  April  30,  1863; 
John  Isherwood,  deserted  June  9,  1863; 
Joseph  Jones,  deserted  June  9,  1863 ; 
Joseph  Gollatching,  deserted  September  4, 
1862;  Fred  Muehlheims,  disability,  dis- 
charged October  14,  1863;  Frantz  Osburg, 
disability,  discharged  August  21,  1863; 
William  Rothemeier,  disability,  discharged 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


March  29,  1865;  Thomas  Schaefer,  Cor- 
poral, deserted  June  9,  1863;  Carsten 
Schmidt,  died  at  Mumfordsville,  Kentucky, 
November  26,  1862;  Ferdinand  Volk,  de- 
serted October  3,  1862;  Company  F,  Ser- 
geant, Robert  Christy,  disability,  discharged 
May  17,  1864;  Corporal  John  W.  Michaels, 
mustered  out  June  10,  1865 ;  Privates  Israel 
Ballinger,  died  November  15,  1862;  Mat- 
thew Cox,  disability,  discharged  November 
14,  1863;  Daniel  H.  Moyer,  mustered  out 
June  10,  1865;  Charles  McVey,  disability, 
discharged  February  16,  1865;  Robert 
Pugh,  deserted  October  8,  1862;  William 
R.  Shelton,  mustered  out  June  10,  1865; 
Company  H,  First  Lieutenant  James  A.  Mc- 
Farland,  mustered  out  June  10,  1865;  Ser- 
geant Thomas  A.  Patton,  transferred  to 
Veteran  Relief  Corps,  May  2,  1864;  Corpor- 
als James  L.  Patton,  mustered  out  June  10, 
1865  ;  James  C.  Boggs,  died  April  18,  1863 ; 
Musician  William  McFarland ;  Privates  Asa 
J.  Buffington,  disability,  discharged  March 
27,  1863;  Thomas  P.  Davis,  mustered  out 
June  10,  1865;  El  wood  Sanders,  died  Janu- 
ary 31,  1863;  Lemon  Fouts,  died  May  10, 
1865;  Josiah  Harris,  disability,  discharged 
February  27,  1863;  John  T.  Kell,  disability, 
discharged  April  17,  1864;  John  W. 
McPherson,  disability,  discharged  July 
22,  1863;  Joseph  Patton,  mustered 
out  June  10,  1865;  Albert  Richard- 
son, died  November  18,  1862;  Hen- 
ry Sanders,  disability,  discharged  No- 
vember 7,  1862;  W.  H.  H.  Smith,  died 
April  19,  1863 ;  Isaac  Smith,  disability,  dis- 
charged February  5,  1863;  Edmon  H. 


Short,  mustered  out  June  10,  1865 ;  Com- 
pany I,  Corporal  David  Forbes,  disability, 
discharged  February  8,  1863;  Privates  John 
W.  Adkins,  deserted  October  i,  1862;  Lem- 
uel A.  Adkins,  deserted  October  i,  1862; 
George  W.  Bridenbecker,  disability,  dis- 
charged March  i,  1864;  Richard  Briden- 
becker, disability,  discharged  January  12, 
1863;  Henry  C.  Gray,  promoted  Quarter 
Master  Sergeant ;  Charles  Hubbard,  de- 
serted November  13,  1862;  John  Lee,  dis- 
ability, discharged  January  12,  1863;  John 
Logan,  died  at  Chattanooga  April  20,  1865 ; 
Joseph  Shook,  transferred  Veteran  Relief 
Corps,  March  i,  1863;  Peter  Shell,  mus- 
tered out  June  10,  1865. 

A  few  men  also  in  the  Eighty-eighth 
Regiment  were  from  Marion  county.  Com- 
panies B,  C  and  H,  each  had  a  few  men 
from  Marion  county.  The  regiment  was 
organized  in  Chicago  and  mustered  in  Sep- 
tember 4,  1862.  Its  first  battle  was  Perry- 
ville,  October  8,  1862,  was  at  Stone  River 
to  25th  of  November,  at  Missionary  Ridge, 
in  the  Atlanta  Campaign  of  1864,  during 
which  time  he  took  part  in  two  bat- 
tles, Rocky  Fall  Ridge  and  Resaca 
December  31  to  January  3,  1863  ;  September 
19  and  20,  1863,  at  Chickamauga;  23d 
Adairsville,  New  Hope  Church,  Pine  Moun- 
tain, Mud  Creek,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Smyr- 
na Camp  Ground,  Atlanta,  Jonesboro, 
Lovejoy  Station,  also  Franklin  and  Nash- 
ville; mustered  out  June  9,  1865.  Company 
B,  Corporal  Owen  Brown,  died  at  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee,  February  2,  1863  ;  Privates 
Justin  Colbum,  mustered  out  June  9,  1865; 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


John  B.  King,  mustered  out  June  9,  1865; 
Horace  B.  Kunne,  disability,  discharged 
April  29,  1863;  Frank  P.  Roe,  mustered  out 
June  9,  1865  ;  Company  C,  Privates  Thomas 
Carigan,  disability,  discharged  January  29, 
1863;  Andrew  Lander,  disability,  dis- 
charged September  4,  1863;  Charles  Reib- 
ner,  deserted  July  i,  1863;  Company  H, 
Sergeant  Charles  W.  Graham,  reduced,  de- 
serted February  3,  1863;  Corporal  Webster 
Braman,  mustered  out  June  9,  1865;  Pri- 
vates Albert  Arrowsmith,  wounded,  dis- 
charged March  10,  1865;  Newell  Burr, 
transferred  to  engineer  corps  July  27,  1864; 
Lewellyn  Cunningham,  wounded  and  taken 
prisoner  at  Stone  River,  died  at  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  February  i,  1863;  James  M. 
Elrod,  mustered  out  June  9,  1865;  Samuel 
McCoy,  captured  at  Chickamauga;  David 
Partlow,  mustered  out  June  9,  1865 ;  Sam- 
uel Robertson,  wounded  at  Danville,  Vir- 
ginia, died  January  5,  1864,  while  a  prisoner 
of  war;  Jackson  Prout,  mustered  out  June 
9,  1863. 

In  the  Ninety-eighth  Infantry,  six  Marion 
county  men  were  enrolled,  as  follows :  Com- 
pany C,  Recruit  James  Kent,  transferred; 
Company  F,  Recruit  Thomas  W.  Lanbert, 
transferred;  Company  H,  Private  J.  A.  C. 
Reid,  killed  at  Chickamauga,  September  20, 
1863;  Company  K,  Recruits  Levi  L.  Ren- 
frew, discharged  May  29,  1865;  George  W. 
Renfrew,  transferred;  George  \\T.  Melrose, 
unasisgned. 

Corporal  Chris  C.  Estes  was  in  the  One 
Hundred  and  Tenth  Infantry,  mustered  out 
June  8,  1865. 


The  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regi- 
ment was  composed  mostly  of  Marion 
county  men,  and  was  mustered  into  the 
service  of  the  United  States  at  Salem,  Illi- 
nois, September  18,  1862.  At  the  time 
of  muster  the  regiment  was  eight  hun- 
dred and  eighty-six  strong,  officers  and 
men.  The  regiment  went  into  camp  in  the 
fair  grounds,  called  Camp  Marshall,  and 
remained  there  until  October  31,  1862, 
when  it  numbered  nine  hundred  and 
thirty,  officers  and  men;  marched  to 
Tonti,  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and 
took  train  to  Cairo,  Illinois; reported  to  Gen- 
eral Tuttle,  and  was  ordered  to  Columbus, 
Kentucky,  next  day;  reported  to  the  Post 
Commandant,  General  Davis,  and  went  into 
camp.  The  winter  of  1862  and  '63  was 
passed  here,  and  learned  the  art  of  forag- 
ing at  the  suggestion  of  their  colonel,  James 
S.  Martin.  On  January  12,  1863,  Colonel 
Martin  was  made  post  commander,  and 
Lieu.  Col.  Black  commanded  the  regiment. 
While  at  this  post  the  measles  broke  out  in 
the  regiment,  and  thirty-eight  men  died 
from  that  disease.  It  was  moved  to  Fort 
Herman,  Tennessee,  arriving  there  March 
13.  May  28,  Major  Mabry  commanding 
the  regiment  (Colonel  Black  being  on  duty 
at  Columbus),  was  ordered  to  report  with 
the  regiment  to  Colonel  Martin,  who  was 
then  in  command  of  the  post  at  Paducah, 
arriving  at  Paducah  May  29th,  they  went 
into  camp  and  remained  until  October  31, 
1863,  when  Colonel  Martin  was  relieved  of 
the  command  of  the  post  by  General  Sher- 
man, and  ordered  to  report  with  the 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


regiment  to  him  at  Florence,  Alabama. 
While  in  camp  at  Paducah,  sixteen 
men  died  from  disease.  The  regiment  got 
to  Gravel  Springs,  where  they  were  ordered 
to  go  into  camp  instead  of  proceeding  to 
Florence.  During  this  march  two  men 
were  wounded  and  four  missing  in  skir- 
mishes with  the  enemy.  On  November  7, 

1 863,  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  was  as- 
signed to  the  Second  Brigade,  Second  Divi- 
sion, Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  and  immedi- 
ately   set  out    for  Chattanooga ;  went    into 
camp    at    Pulaski,    Tennessee,     November 
1 2th,  and  remained  there  until  February  25, 

1864,  when  it  was  ordered  to  Decatur  Junc- 
tion,  Alabama;  arrived  opposite  the  town 
and  found  a  strong  force  of  the  enemy  in 
possession;    on    May    7th,    moved    up    the 
river  to  the  mouth  of  Limestone  creek,  six 
miles.     The  enemy  evacuated  Decatur,  and 
the     regiment     took     possession.       Captain 
Clark,   who  had  been    absent  on    detached 
duty,  rejoined  his  command  March  Qth,  and 
was  killed  the  same  day  by  the  accidental 
discharge  of  a  pistol.     The  regiment   was 
ordered  on  March  i6th  to  report  to  General 
Logan    at   Huntsville,    Alabama,     and    on 
March    i8th  arrived  and   went  into  camp; 
moved    to    Larkinsville,    Alabama,    March 
1 9th,  and  was  placed  in  the  First  Brigade, 
under  Gen.  Giles  A.  Smith.  Second  Division 
Gen.    M.    L.    Smith,   and    Fifteenth  Army 
Corps,  Gen.  John  A.  Logan  commanding. 
The  regiment  remained  at  Larkinsville  until 
May  I,  1864,  when  it  started    on    the    At- 
lanta campaign,    and    lost   seven  men  killed 
and     eight     wounded     in    skirmishes     on 


May  loth,  I2th  and  13th.  On  the  I4th 
the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  charged 
the  enemy  at  Camp  Creek;  the  charge  was 
a  hazardous  one  and  the  situation  of 
the  regiment  seemed  so  desperate 
that  General  Logan  expressed  great  concern 
for  its  safety,  but  the  enemy  was  driven 
from  their  position  and  the  works  were 
held  until  reinforcements  arrived.  The 
commanding  general  highly  commended 
the  regiment  for  its  action  during  the 
engagement.  Until  May  25th,  were  maneu- 
vering against  the  .enemy  under  General 
Johnston,  who  had  begun  falling  back;  on 
the  25th,  26th  and  27th  were  in  stubborn 
skirmishes,  losing  five  killed  and  fifteen 
wounded.  Among  the  latter  was  Lieut. 
Col.  Black.  On  June  ist  they  withdrew  to 
Dallas;  skirmished  June  loth  at  Big  Shanty, 
and  24th  near  Kenesaw  Mountain  June 
27th.  In  this  charge  Captain  Andrews  was 
killed,  Captain  Walker  was  severely 
wounded.  The  other  losses  were  six- 
teen wounded  and  one  missing.  They  moved 
by  easy  marches  toward  Atlanta,  when  on^ 
July  nth,  they  were  within  nine  miles  of 
that  place  engaged  in  cutting  the  railroad 
and  destroying  the  enemy's  source  of  sup- 
plies. On  July  2Oth  the  One  Hundred  and 
Elevetnh  led  in  the  advance  against  Atlanta, 
being  under  fire  all  day.  Colonel  Martin 
was  placed  in  command  of  the  brigade,  and 
Major  Mabry  in  command  of  the  regi- 
ment. In  the  battle  on  the  22d,  against 
Atlanta,  the  loss  of  the  regiment  was 
eighteen  killed  and  forty  wounded, 
eighty-five  men  were  also  missing.  Among 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  killed  were  Captain  McGuire,  Lieutenant 
Larimer,  and  Lieutenant  Shull.  Major 
Mabry  was  wounded,  and  Captains  Foster 
and  Gray  and  Lieutenants  Davis  and 
Young  were  among  the  captured.  The 
regiment  was  now  under  the  command  of 
Captain  Jolliff,  and  on  the  28th  of  July, 
1864,  engaged  the  enemy  with  a  loss  of  ten 
wounded,  one  missing.  From  the  8th  of 
September  to  the  4th  of  October  the  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  remanied  in  camp  at 
East  Point.  From  the  4th  of  October  to 
the  29th  were  in  pursuit  of  General  Hood, 
and  camped  November  5th  on  line  of  Chat- 
tanooga &  Atlanta  Railroad,  and  remained 
there  until  November  I3th,  and  on  the  I5th 
started  with  Sherman  to  the  sea;  was  in 
the  assault  on  Fort  McAllister,  and  the 
colors  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
were  the  first  planted  on  the  works.  Two 
were  killed,  one  of  whom  was  Lieut.  G.  W. 
Smith,  and  fourteen  wounded,  among 
whom  were  Lieutenant  Lewis  (mortally) 
and  Captain  Foster  (severely).  Went 
Jhrough  the  campaign  in  the  Carolinas  with 
the  loss  of  one  man,  thence  to  Washington, 
where  they  participated  in  the  Grand  Re- 
view. The  regiment  was  in  seven  battles 
and  nine  skirmishes,  losing  forty-two  men 
killed,  one  hundred  and  forty-eight 
wounded,  eighty-seven  missing  and  one  hun- 
dred and  ninety-one  died  of  disease.  James 
S.  Martin,  colonel,  brevet  brigadier  general, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Joseph  F.  Black, 
lieutenant-colonel,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865 !  William  C.  Stiles,  adjutant,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  quartermasters :  Benja- 


min F.  Marshall,  resigned  April  27,  1864; 
Henry  Simpson,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ; 
First  Assistant  Surgeon  J.  K.  Rainey,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  Second  Assistant 
Surgeon  Thomas  S.  Hawley,  resigned  June 
24,  1863;  Chaplain  James  B.  Woolard,  re- 
signed April  14,  1865;  Sergeant  Major 
Richard  Atkin,  promoted  first  lieutenant, 
Second  Alabama;  quartermaster  sergeants: 
Peter  A.  Simmons,  promoted  to  first  lieuten- 
ant, United  States  Colored  Troops;  H.  M. 
Cantine,  reduced  to  ranks;  Charles  A.  Neff, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  hospital  stew- 
ards: \Villiam  E.  Middleton,  disability, 
discharged  August  27,  1863;  Thomas  M. 
Kelly,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  musi- 
cians :  Harris  P.  \Veir,  sick,  absent  at  mus- 
ter out;  Abraham  Earnhart,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865.  Company  A,  captains: 
Amos  A.  Clark,  killed  March  9,  1864;  Jacob 
V.  Andrews,  killed  in  action  June  27,  1864; 
Robert  Martin,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
first  lieutenants :  John  K.  Morton,  died  Oc- 
tober 3,  1862;  Ezekiel  Williams,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  Second  Lieutenant  Wil- 
liam Woods,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
sergeants :  Thomas  Ray,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  John  T.  Oden,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  A.  C.  Smith,  mustered  out 
June  22,  1865;  W.  H.  H.  Adams,  promoted 
to  first  lieutenant,  United  States  Colored 
Heavy  Artillery  to  date  from  June  8,  1863 ; 
corporals:  Isaac  Washburn,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Allen  Straight,  mustered  out 
July  i,  1865,  was  captured;  William  Rush, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864; 
C.  R.  Newman,  died  in  prison,  a  prisoner  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


war;  John  W.  Ray,  mustered  out  May  24, 
1865;  William  Walker,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Edwin  F.  Loomis,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  H.  H.  Davenport,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865  ;  musicians:  Hugh  Moore, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  John  W.  Coll, 
died  at  Mound  City,  Illinois,  January  25, 
1863;  privates:  E.  R.  Allen,  disability,  dis- 
charged March  23,  1865;  M.  G.  Boils,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  J.  Bundy,  died  at 
Fort  Heirman,  Kentucky,  April  22,  1863 ; 
William  Burgess,  mustered  out  June  15, 
1865;  Patrick  Ball,  died  of  wounds  at  Pa- 
ducah,  Kentucky,  July  5,  1865 ;  Abraham 
Concklin,  mustered  out  January  13,  1865; 
J.  E.  Cooper,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ; 
M.  H.  Carr,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Henry  Clay,  transferred;  J.  W.  Doughty, 
mustered  out  July  i,  1865;  A.  Dodson,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  Josiah  Duncan,  dis- 
charged March  18,  1863;  William  Devlin, 
sick,  absent  at  muster  out ;  William  A.  Daw- 
son,  was  prisoner,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  John  R.  Duncan,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  George  Evans,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Jesse  J.  Fouts,  mustered  out  June 
6, 1865  ;  Andrew  C.  Finn,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Henry  Fraka,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865  ;  G.  W.  Forbes,  deserted  October  31, 
1862;  A.  W.  French,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  James  Gibson,  died  at  Paducah,  Ken- 
tucky, June  26,  1863;  Levi  Gibson,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  John  H.  Goodrich, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  John  A.  Gil- 
more,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Amasa 
Hamlin,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 :  J.  H. 
Hamilton,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John 


Hicklin,  transferred  to  Veteran  Relief  Corps 
March  24,  1865;  Jacob  Heaver,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865 ;  Erastus  Hull,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  Urustus  Hill,  died  at 
Fort  Heimen,  Kentucky,  April  29,  1863 ; 
Thomas  J.  Holt,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865  : 
William  L.  Holmes,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  W.  S.  Johnson,  killed  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  Georgia,  June  23,  1864;  John 
Kline,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John 
King,  disability,  discharged  January  9, 
1864;  Thomas  M.  Kell,  promoted  to  hos- 
pital steward;  S.  W.  Kell,  killed  in  battle 
February  12,  1865;  Hugh  Morton,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865  ;  A.  M.  Morton,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  Thomas  B.  Morton, 
died  at  Rome,  Georgia,  July  10,  1864;  B. 
M.  Morton,  died  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
November  23,  1862;  W.  M.  Morton,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865  ;  J.  W.  Morton,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865 ;  J.  B.  Myers,  died  at 
Paducah,  Kentucky,  July  22,  1863;  John 
Morrison,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  J.  A. 
McConnaga,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  J. 
Manchester,  disability,  discharged  June  16, 
1863;  S.  A.  Newman,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  O.  J.  Nave,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 :  J.  B.  Parvis,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  T.  B.  Parkinson,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  B.  M.  Parkinson,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  J.  R.  Parkinson,  disability, 
discharged  March  28,  1865 ;  W.  E.  Porter, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Edward  Riley, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  J.  W.  Smith, 
transferred  to  Veteran  Reserve  Corps  De- 
cember 28,  1864;  H.  Sims,  died  at  home 
February  5,  1863;  W.  C.  Smith,  mustered 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


93 


out  June  6,  1865;  \V.  B.  Smith,  died  at 
Camp  Butler,  Illinois,  April  n,  1865;  W. 
K.  Stirment.  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
G.  W.  Snodgrass,  killed  at  Resaca,  Georgia, 
May  14,  1864;  H.  T.  Walker,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  ,W.  H.  Ward,  died  at  Rome, 
Georgia,  July  31,  1864;  J.  P.  Wooters,  dis- 
charged March  18,  1863;  John  Whitman, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  J.  H.  Wyatt, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  James  Wilson, 
discharged  for  promotion,  killed  at  Fort 
Pillow;  W.  Wood,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865,  commissioned  second  lieutenant ;  D. 
L.  Ward,  died  at  home  March  31,  1864; 
George  Watson,  discharged  March  5,  1863 ; 
recruits:  Robert  Church,  transferred; 
Thomas  J.  Green,  transferred,  was  prisoner ; 
Richard  Lewis,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ; 
Scott  G.  Muzzy,  discharged  for  promotion. 
(  ompany  D,  captains :  John  Foster,  honor- 
ably discharged  May  4,  1865;  Robert  W. 
Elder,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  First 
Lieutenant  W.  H.  Ballance,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Second  Lieutenant  G.  C. 
Sheppard,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  ser- 
geants: Anderson  Anglin,  deserted  Janu- 
ary 25,  1863;  A.  W.  O'Bryant,  was  pris- 
oner, mustered  out  July  i,  1865;  Henry  B. 
Jones,  was  prisoner,  mustered  out  June  12, 
1865;  corporals:  J.  A.  Arnold,  absent 
(wounded)  at  muster  out  of  regiment;  Da- 
vid Headley,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Francis  M.  Jones,  died  at  Moscow,  Tennes- 
see, November  6,  1862 ;  Eli  W.  Jones,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  Jeptha  Headley, 
died  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  October  18,  1864; 
James  A.  Arnold,  discharged  August  20, 


1863;  Robert  M.  Lambert,  died  in  Confed- 
erate prison  November  4,  1864;  James  T. 
Jones,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Wagoner 
Christopher  Jones,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  privates:  Henry  L.  Allmon,  dis- 
charged August  20,  1863;  John  M.  Arnold, 
absent  (sick)  at  muster  out;  Joseph  D.  Bor- 
ing, mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John  L. 
Cole,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  William 
L.  Chance,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Hil- 
lery  D.  Chance,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Joseph  A.  Cole,  died  at  Fort  Heiman,  Ken- 
tucky, April  20,  1863 ;  Noah  Cruse,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  James  N.  Christie, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Benjamin 
Doolen,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Peter 
M.  Dents,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John 
Elliott,  absent  (wounded)  at  muster  out; 
Stephen  French,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  Thomas  J.  Foster,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Newton  Finch,  died  at  Columbia, 
Kentucky,  April  25,  1863 ;  Isaac  Graves, 
died  at  Chattanooga  June  15,  1864;  William 
C.  Goldsborough,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  James  M.  Green,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Eli  Headley,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  William  Holt,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  Hardy  F.  Holt,  died  at  Fort  Heiman, 
Kentucky,  May  n,  1863;  Isaac  Himes, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  James  M.  Hen- 
sley,  was  prisoner  of  war,  mustered  out  June 
12,  1865;  Alexander  M.  Hensley,  trans- 
ferred to  Veteran  Relief  Corps  March  18, 
1865;  William  M.  Hensley,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Thomas  J.  Hensley,  died  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  October  16,  1864;  Wil- 
liam E.  Houston,  mustered  out  June  6, 


94 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


1865;  Hiram  Hamilton,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865 ;  Andrew  J.  Howington,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865 ;  Joseph  G.  Knight,  sick  at 
muster  out  of  regiment;  James  Knight, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Wesley  C.  Law- 
rence, mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  David 
Lee,  sick,  absent  at  muster  out  of  regiment ; 
Simon  V.  Meador,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  Richard  R.  Morse,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  Lewis  Myers,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865  ;  James  W.  Morse,  died  at  Fort 
Heinman,  Kentucky,  May  10,  1863; 
Stephen  Neavill,  died  of  wounds  at  Mos- 
cow, Tennessee,  November  24,  1862; 
George  Orgon,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Vernal  F.  Prewett,  mustered  out  (was  pris- 
oner) June  6,  1865;  John  O.  Parsons,  was 
prisoner,  died  November  23,  1864;  Abra- 
ham Pool,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Wil- 
liam H.  Pool,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
William  Purdue,  missing  in  action  July  22, 
1864;  Abram  C.  Parker,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Dennis  N.  Ray,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  John  V.  Settle,  discharged  March 
n,  1865;  Ebenezer  Sackett,  died  at  Fort 
Heiman,  Kentucky,  April  24,  1863;  John 
A.  Smith,  died  at  Marietta,  Georgia,  Octo- 
ber 7,  1864;  Abraham  Stine,  transferred; 
David  M.  Shipley,  transferred;  James  M. 
Thomas,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Joel 
L.  Walton,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  re- 
cruits: Edward  H.  Lee,  died  at  Annapolis, 
Maryland,  December  24,  1864;  Salem  Neff, 
•died  of  wounds  at  Dallas,  Georgia,  May  28, 
1864;  George  W.  Ray,  transferred  to  Vet- 
eran Relief  Corps,  March  18,  1865.  Com- 
pany E,  captains:  Joseph  McGuire,  killed 


in  action  July  22,  1864;  Lewellen  W.  Cas- 
tellow,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  First 
Lieutenant  John  R.  Smith,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  second  lieutenants:  William 
J.  Young,  honorably  discharged  May  15, 
1865 ;  James  J.  Craig,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  First  Sergeant  Jesse  Delton,  re- 
duced to  ranks,  transferred  to  Company  G; 
sergeants :  John  R.  Smith,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  Elijah  D.  Rawlings,  died  at 
Jeffersonville,  Indiana,  July  25,  1864; 
James  B.  Eddings,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  corporals:  Francis  M.  Smith,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  James  F.  Breeze, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864; 
Elvin  C.  Clock,  died  at  Paducah,  Kentucky, 
May  10,  1863;  Jacob  W.  Fyke,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  B.  N.  Bosswell,  died  of 
wounds  at  Resaca,  Georgia,  May  22,  1864; 
John  R.  Smith,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Francis  M.  Burns,  mustered  out  May  26, 
1865 ;  Edward  J.  Young,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  musicians:  Isaac  A.  Beaver,  died 
at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  January  16,  1863: 
Fanning  L.  Beasley,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  privates:  James  M.  Alderson,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865 ;  John  A.  Alderson, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Bluford  M.  Al- 
derson, died  of  wounds  August  4,  1864: 
John  Barry,  died  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  Oc- 
tober 20,  1864;  William  F.  Buford,  absent 
(sick)  at  muster  out  of  regiment;  George 
Beard,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Empson 
Brownfield,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
William  H.  Beard,  paroled  prisoner,  mus- 
tered out  July  i,  1865;  George  H.  Beard, 
mustered  out  June  22,  1865 ;  James  M. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Beard,  mustered  out  June  22,  1865;  Hiram 
Blair,  mustered  out  June  22,  1865;  Joseph 
Bostwick,  mustered  out  June  22,  1865; 
Arthur  Babbs,  killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia, 
July  22,  1864;  Jacob  Beard,  disability,  dis- 
charged January  29,  1863 ;  Wesley  Cock- 
rell,  disability,  discharged  November  7, 
1863;  James  Cockrell,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  William  T.  Coleman,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  Larkin  T.  Craid,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865 ;  James  H.  Clock,  died  at 
Paducah,  Kentucky,  May  13,  1863;  James 
Craig,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  -James 
P.  Chapman,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Oran  H.  Daggett,  killed  at  Atlanta, 
Georgia,  July  22,  1864;  William  Donoho, 
died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  January  26, 
1863;  William  P.  Furguson,  died  at  Colum- 
bus, Kentucky,  January  10,  1863;  Powell 
H.  Furguson,  died  at  home  February  i, 
1863 ;  Charles  Foster,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  James  Granger,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  John  B.  Holliday,  killed  at.  At- 
lanta, Georgia,  July  22,  1864;  Henry  J. 
Hardin,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John 
B.  Harris,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
George  W.  Haynie,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  Henry  C.  Harris,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  William  C.  Henson,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  William  B.  Henson,  died  of 
wounds  at  Resaca,  Georgia,  May  16,  1864-, 
Jesse  C.  Henson,  transferred;  William  D. 
Isbell,  disability,  discharged  January  26, 
1863 ;  John  H.  Jones,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  James  G.  Johnson,  mustered  out  June 
<5,  1865;  Horatio  S.  Jeeter,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865  5  Leonard  B.  Jones,  mustered 


out  June  6,  1865;  John  W.  Knight,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865 ;  Thomas  Keel,  mus- 
treed  out  June  6,  1865;  Urich  Knight, 
killed  at  Dallas,  Georgia,  May  29,  1864; 
John  W.  Kilts,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
James  W.  Luse,  died  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, January  26,  1863;  William  Loch, 
died  at  Mound  City,  Illinois,  January  19, 
1863;  Andrew  H.  Metts,  died  at  Columbus, 
Kentucky,  January  21,  1863;  Josiah  Martin, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  John  J.  Martin, 
died  of  wounds  July  23,  1864;  Elihu  Myers, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  David  L.  May- 
berry,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John  B. 
Middleton,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  A. 
J.  Morgan,  died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
January  28,  1863;  Charles  A.  Neff,  pro- 
moted to  quartermaster;  James  A.  Prewett, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Francis  M. 
Room,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865  ;  Tillmand 
Rogers,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865  ;  Thomas 
H.  B.  Ray,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  N. 
V.  D.  Rawlings,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  Robert  M.  Smith,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Isham  Simmons,  discharged  Janu- 
ary 29,  1863  ;  John  H.  Smith,  deserted  Feb- 
ruary 21,  1863;  William  Torrence,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  Marion  D.  Vickroy,  ab- 
sent (sick)  at  muster  out  of  regiment;  Wil- 
liam Vaughn,  discharged  February  25. 
1863;  Cyrus  VanDusen,  died  at  Mound 
City,  Illinois,  February  3,  1863;  John  W. 
Wheeler,  killed  at  Jonesboro,  Georgia,  Au- 
gust 31,  1864;  George  W.  Weaver,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  recruits:  James 
H.  Isbell,  July  24,  1865,  to  date  from 
May  30,  1865;  Daniel  W.  Myers, 


96 


I'.RIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Aaron  Mc- 
Endree,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  John 
W.  Middleton,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
James  T.  Smith,  died  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, November.  30,  1862.  Company  F, 
captains  :Abner  S.  Gray,  discharged  January 
13,  1865;  William  H.  Carpenter,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865 ;  First  Lieutenant  William 
C.  Darvis,  honorably  discharged  May  15, 
1865;  Second  Lieutenant  George  C.  Ed- 
wards, mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  ser- 
geants :  James  D.  Gray,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865 ;  Andrew  C.  Mitchell,  died  at  Anna- 
polis, Maryland,  December  22,  1864;  Benja- 
min Fanner,  killed  at  Atlanta,  July  22, 
1864;  Jefferson  Belcher,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  corporals:  Benjamin  Harrison, 
died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  January  16, 
1863;  George  W.  Griffin,  mustered  out  June 
22,  1865;  Henry  Betcher,  mustered  out 
June  22,  1865;  John  N.  Hawkins,  mus- 
tered out  June  22,  1865  ;  Harvey  B.  Nichols, 
mustered  out  June  22,  1865 ;  David  Moore, 
died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  January  26, 
1863;  William  C.  Williamson,  sick,  absent 
at  muster  out  of  regiment;  Wiley  Carter, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ;  musicians:  Har- 
lin  P.  Beach,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
John  M.  Johnson,  died  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, June  17,  1863;  Wagoner  John  Car- 
ter, Jr. ;  privates :  Fenwick  S.  Alexander, 
transferred;  Jesse  Altom,  was  prisoner, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Richard  Atkins, 
promoted  to  sergeant-major;  William  L. 
Becher,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Levi 
Belcher,  was  prisoner,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Daniel  Britt,  died  at  East  Point, 


Georgia,  September  30,  1864;  George  W. 
Bratcher,  died  at  Paducah,  Kentucky,  June 
8,  1863;  John  Bush,  died  at  Kenesaw 
Mountain,  July  i,  1865;  Benjamin  E.  Car- 
ver, disability,  discharged  October  29,  1864; 
William  Carter,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ; 
John  S.  Chandler,  died  of  wounds  at  Resaca, 
Georgia,  May  16,  1864;  Chakes  C.  Chan- 
dler, mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  William 
Dexter,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  George 
P.  Edwards,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
John  Gaultney,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ; 
Alfred  G.  Gaultney,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  William  A.  Green,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  Thomas  B.  Gray,  died  at  home 
March  I,  1865;  Cyrenus  M.  Howell,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  Charles  G.  Hurt, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864; 
William  Jackson,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  Edward  Kinney,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  William  Kissner,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  Irven  Laswell,  killed  at  Re- 
saca, Georgia,  May  14,  1864;  George  W. 
Lewis,  died  at  Chattaooga,  November  22, 
1 864 ;  Noah  Linton,  died  at  Mound  City,  II- 
linois,February  13,  1864;  Augustus  McCon- 
nic,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ;  John  T.  Mc- 
Donald, transferred;  Absalom  Moore,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865 ;  John  Mulcahi,  dis- 
charged on  account  of  wounds  February  15, 
1864;  Lorenzo  L.  Newman,  was  prisoner, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Robert  Neil, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Henry  H. 

Nichols,  discharged  July,  ;    John 

R.  Nelson,  died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
January  i,  1863;  Abel  E.  Peddicord,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  Isaac  F.  Ptomy, 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


97 


killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864; 
James  J.  Sinclair,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  James  R.  .Slaton,  died  at  Paducah, 
Kentucky,  January  9,  1864;  Robert  Strong, 
absent  (sick)  at  muster  out  of  regiment; 
Thomas  J.  Tabor,  mustered  out  July  6, 
1865 ;  Charles  W.  Tabor,  mustered  out  July 
6,  1865  ;  Edward  Tune,  mustered  out  July  6, 
1865;  Samuel  Tune,  mustered  out  July  6, 
1865 ;  Traverse  M.  Waldron,  died  May  29, 
1863;  Peter  White,  died  at  Pulaski,  Tennes- 
see, January  10,  1864;  Abraham  J.  Wil- 
liams, mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  William 
R.  Wickersham,  died  at  Paducah,  Kentucky, 
April  20,  1864;  Benjamin  M.  Wilson,  died 
at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  April  12,  1863; 
James  Williamson,  died  at  Morehead  City, 
North  Carolina,  February  i,  1865;  Recruit, 
John  H.  Adams,  absent  (sick)  at  muster  out 
of  regiment.  Company  G,  Captain  Ruben 
W.  Joliff,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Sec- 
ond Lieutenant  John  W.  Stover,  killed  in 
yction,  May  14,  1864;  First  Sergeant  Jo- 
seph M.  Post,  died  of  wounds  received  at 
Resaca,  Georgia,  May  31,  1864;  Sergeant 
Henry  M.  Gaylord,  died  at  Paducah,  Ken- 
tucky, May  16,  1863;  corporals:  William 
Collinsworth,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Andrew  T.  Stover,  wounded,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  John  A.  Snider,  died  at  Fort 
Heiman,  Kentucky,  May  10,  1863;  William 
Williams,  absent  (sick)  at  muster  out  of 
regiment;  William  R.  Snider,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  privates:  Abner  J.  Alexan- 
der, mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Samuel  C. 
Alexander,  died  at  Columbus,  February  7, 
1863;  Louis  Ahlborn,  discharged;  Paulinus 
7 


F.  Agnew,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Gib- 
son Burton,  died  at  Big  Shanty,  Georgia,  of 
wounds,  June  24,  1864;  George  W.  Burnett, 
died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  January  28, 
1863;  Samuel  W.  Billingsley,  deserted  Oc- 
tober 19,  1862;  Joseph  Brown,  killed  at 
Kenesaw  Mountain,  June  24,  1864;  Jasper 
N.  Castleberry,  disability,  discharged  Janu- 
ary 4,  1865 ;  James  H.  Courtney,  died  while 
prisoner  of  war  at  Lawton,  Georgia,  Octo- 
ber 25,  1864;  John  R.  Finn,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865  ;  Washington  I.  Haskins,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  William  Hawkins, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  James  H.  Isbell, 
transferred;  Daniel  W.  Myers,  transferred; 
Aaron  McEndree,  transferred;  David  Me- 
Endree,  transferred ;  John  W.  Middleton, 
transferred;  John  R.  Nelson,  transferred; 
John  Schade,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ; 
John  C.  Shook,  died  at  Columbus,  Ken- 
tucky, January  24,  1863;  Joseph  Tapping, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  James  G.  Tap- 
ping, mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  James  H. 
Taylor,  died  at  Mound  City,  Illinois,  Ja'nu- 
ary  18,  1863;  John  J.  Wallace,  died  of 
wounds  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  November  u, 
1864;  Granville  Wilburn,  died  at  Resaca, 
of  wounds,  May  24,  1864;  John  A.  Yandel, 
mustered  out  June  19,  1865  ;  recruits  :  Jesse 
Dayton,  discharged  December  n,  1864;  M. 
P.  Glassford,  transferred.  Company  H, 
Captain  George  E.  Castle,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  first  lieutenants:  Andrew  J. 
Lariner,  killed  in  battle,  July  22,  1864;  Rob- 
ert M.  Lovell,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ; 
Second  Lieutenant  James  L.  Gibson,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865  ;  sergeants  :  George 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  .OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


A.  Jennings,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
William  H.  Harrison,  discharged  February 
7,  1864,  for  promotion  in  One  Hundred  and 
Tenth  United  States  Colored  Troops;  John 
H.  Craig,  discharged  April  4,  for  promotion 
in  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  United  States 
Colored  Troops;  corporals:  James  L. 
Rogers,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Henry 
C.  Farson,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
David  F.  Kell,  discharged  on  account  of 
wounds,  January  28,  1865  ;  James  E.  Castle, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Wilson  S.  Lari- 
mer, mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  William 
Southward,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
John  Lewes,  disability,  discharged  January 
10,  1863;  musicians:  John  J.  Piles,  mus- 
tered out  July  13,  1865;  Richard  Thatcher, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Wagoner, 
Samuel  S.  Clater,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  privates:  J.  H.  Adams,  died  at 
Huntsville,  Alabama,  June  12,  1864;  H.  F. 
Bosworth,  killed  at  Resaca,  Georgia,  May 
14,  1864;  D.  C.  Bryant,  died  at  Fort  Hei- 
man;  Kentucky,  April  19,  1863;  John  J. 
Bloys,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  George 
W.  Blackburn,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Benjamin  Brown,  deserted  December  30, 
1862 ;  Alfred  R.  Bryan,  prisoner,  mustered 
out  July  i,  1865;  John  T.  Bibb,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  Charles  E.  Baker,  dis- 
charged May  25,  1864,  commissioned  sec- 
ond lieutenant  United  States  Heavy  Ar- 
tillery, Colored  Troops ;  James  J.  Brown, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  James  S. 
Chandler,  mustered  out  June  6.  1865: 
Henry  K.  Cantine,  discharged  April  19, 
1865;  James  B.  Clater,  mustered  out  June 


6,  1865;  Lewis  Daggett,  died  at  Paducah, 
Kentucky,  October  13,  1863;  William  T. 
Day,  died  in  Andersonville  prison  of 
wounds,  August  27,  1864;  grave  No.  7013; 
Lyman  Daggett,  died  in  Confederate  prison, 
October  7,  1864;  James  Evans,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865 ;  Jonas  Erwin,  killed 
at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864;  James 
Foster,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  Robert 
Foster,  transferred;  Albert  Getty,  died  at 
Columbus,  Kentucky,  February  i,  1863; 
William  J.  Hays,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  Quintilton  H.  Hays,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Mansel  W.  Hays,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  George  W.  Hoskins,  died 
at  Paducah,  Kentucky,  June  5,  1863; 
Thomas  M.  Ingram,  mustered  out  June  5. 
1865;  J.  Jordan,  wounded,  absent  at  mus- 
ter out  of  regiment;  Isaac  Johnson,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  Joseph  W.  Jimeson, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  J.  G.  Knight, 
died  at  Fort  Heiman,  Kentucky,  April  13, 
1863;  Hugh  M.  Kell,  died  at  Chattanooga, 
November  15,  1864;  James  Knight,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865  ;  Washington  J.  Lut- 
trell,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 ;  Thomas 
G.  Luttrell,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865 : 
Daniel  R.  Lovell,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  Samuel  W.  Lovell,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Thomas  E.  Lewis,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Willis  S.  Leewright,  mus- 
tered out  June  6,  1865;  Henry  Moore,  pro- 
moted to  second  lieutenant,  Second  Alabama 
Volunteers,  June  23.  1864;  John  McMur- 
ray,  was  prisoner,  mustered  out  July  i, 
1865;  John  Myers,  was  prisoner,  mustered 
out  July  i,  1865;  Samuel  Puleston,  mus- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


99 


tered  out  (was  prisoner)  July  i,  1865;  Jo- 
siah  Piles,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  W. 
W.  Porter,  died  at  Resaca,  Georgia,  of 
wounds,  May  20,  1864;  John  B.  Patterson, 
disability,  discharged ;  Absalom  Parrell, 
mustered  out  June  6,  1865;  McDonald 
Phillips,  mustered  out  June  6,  1865; 
Samuel  Rush,  died  at  home,  November  6, 
1864;  John  Rush,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865 ;  Isaac  Southward,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  Thomas  Southward,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865;  Peter  A.  Simonson,  pro- 
moted to  quartermaster-sergeant ;  John  R. 
Taylor,  disability,  discharged  February  17, 
1863;  William  B.  K.  Toland,  died  at  Rome, 
Georgia,  September  15,  1864;  Ira  VanDu- 
sen,  died  in  Andersonville  prison,  Novem- 
ber 27,  1864;  John  Wise,  died  at  Fort 
Heiman,  Kentucky,  May,  1863;  J.  H.  Wat- 
son, wounded,  absent  at  muster  out  of  regi- 
ment; F.  F.  Watson,  disabilty,  discharged 
February  17,  1863;  W.  Watson,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865 ;  H.  M.  Wilson,  mustered 
out  June  6,  1865;  John  Webb,  mustered  out 
June  6,  1865 ;  L.  Wilson,  mustered  out  June 
6,  1865;  S.  E.  White,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  C.  S.  Wilson,  mustered  out  June  6, 
1865;  recruits:  A.  E.  Blackburn,  trans- 
ferred ;  John  A.  Clayton,  transferred ;  Isaiah 
T.  Dillon,  transferred;  David  L.  Tucker, 
transferred.  Company  I :  Second  Lieuten- 
ant David  Nichols,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  corporals:  Jacob  R.  Phillips,  mus- 
tered out  June  7,  1865;  Joseph  C.  Wilton, 
mustered  out  July  27,  1865;  privates:  H. 
A.  Allen,  died  at  Fort  Heiman,  Kentucky, 
May  1 8,  1863;  Harvey  F.  Bassett,  mustered 


out  June  7,  1865;  I.  T.  Boatwright,  died  at 
Columbus,  Kentucky,  February  12,  1863; 
T.  M.  Corzine,  died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
January  20,  1863;  J.  Clemens,  died  at  Mari- 
etta, Georgia,  of  wounds,  August  18,  1864; 
Squire  Ga*ultney,  absent  (sick)  at  muster 
out  of  regiment;  Newton  Hensley,  died  at 
Columbus,  Kentucky,  March  29,  1863; 
James  W.  Moon,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865 ;  John  G.  Quick,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  George  Sloat,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  Nathan  Smith,  mustered  out  May 
30,  1865 ;  J.  Wickenhouser,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  recruits:  Fenwick  J.  Alex- 
ander, mustered  out  June  7,  1865  ;  John  Mc- 
donald.  Company  K:  Joseph  Schultz, 
captain,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  First 
Lieutenant  I.  H.  Berry,  mustered  out  June 
7,  1865;  Second  Lieutenant  Frederick  Siple, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  First  Sergeant 
M.  C.  Rogers,  died  at  Fort  Heiman,  Ken- 
tucky, May  5,  1863;  sergeants:  John  B. 
Brasel,  deserted  December  6,  1865  ;  John  M. 
Chitwood,  mustered  out  May  5,  1865 ;  E.  O. 
Warner,  died  of  wounds  August  13,  1864; 
corporals:  H.  H.  Spitler,  died  at  Colum- 
bus, Kentucky,  February  17,  1863;  W.  S. 
Wilkins,  died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky,  Janu- 
ary 21,  1863;  Richard  S.  Hultz,  disability, 
discharged  January  26,  1863;  Charles  S. 
Wilkins,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  John 
W.  Alexander,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 : 
John  Guilkey,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865; 
John  F.  Michaels,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865 ;  Musician  J.  W.  Spain,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  privates:  W.  S.  Alexander, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  W.  H.  Allen, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Henry  Albert, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Reuben  Albert, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  Marion  Almon, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  John  H.  Bur- 
rows, discharged  for  promotion  July  8, 
1864;  Z.  Beasley,  mustered  out'  June  7, 
1865;  Josiah  Bryant,  absent  (sick)  at  mus- 
ter out;  H.  M.  Chitwood,  deserted  January 
27,  1863;  Joseph  Craig,  died  at  Paducah, 
Kentucky,  July  9,  1863;  J.  R.  Davenport, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  George  E. 
Daniels,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  A. 
Earnheart,  promoted  to  principal  musician; 
J.  T.  Eraser,  deserted  February  6,  1863 ; 
Temple  Gilman,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ; 
A.  Hults,  died  at  Larkinsville,  Alabama, 
April  n,  1865;  Abner  C.  Harney,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865 ;  C.  Harratt,  killed  at  At- 
lanta, Georgia,  July  22,  1864;  Andrew  Hite, 
deserted  January  27,  1863;  Charles  Hadden. 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Joseph  M.  Jus- 
tice, died  a  prisoner  at  Annapolis,  Mary- 
land, December  18,  1864;  Michael  Kalcher, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  W.  S.  Kagy, 
mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  H.  J.  Luttrell, 
killed  at  Atlanta,  Georgia,  July  22,  1864; 
W.  McCartan,  killed  at  Fort  McAllister, 
Georgia,  December  13,  1864;  Isaac  P.  Mar- 
tin, mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  John  Mar- 
tin, mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  A.  G.  Mc- 
Cartney, died  while  prisoner  of  war,  about 
February  17,  1865;  J.  D.  Meek,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865;  D.  O.  Malcolm,  died  at 
Cleveland,  Tennessee,  February  2,  1865; 
J.  A.  Morgan,  died  at  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
January  28,  1863  ;  J.  McCollom,  died  at  Co- 
lumbus, Kentucky,  March  22,  1863 ;  A.  G. 


Morris,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ;  Jere- 
miah Parks,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  A. 
L.  Riley,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865;  E. 
Stonecipher,  deserted  December  5,  1862; 
W.  D.  Singleton,  mustered  out  June  7, 
1865;  W.  H.  Schanafelt,  prisoner  of  war, 
died  at  Lawton,  Georgia,  October  24,  1864; 

B.  S.  Stribling,  mustered  out  June  7,  1865 ; 
Wilburn  Stonecipher,  deserted  December  5, 
1862;  John   R.   Schultz,   died  of    wounds, 
June  3,  1864;  David  Schultz,  mustered  out 
June  7,  1865;  H.  C.  B.  Wilkins,  mustered 
out  June  7,  1865 ;  J.  H.  Wilkins,  died  at  Co- 
lumbus,  Kentucky,  June    12,    1863;  J.   N. 
White,  discharged  for  promotion,  April  18, 
1864;  recruits:     J.   H.   Coffman,    died    of 
wounds  August  28,  1864;  Christopher  Mul- 
vaney,     transferred;     Byron     E.     Webster, 
transferred;     Alexander     Wilkins,      trans- 
ferred. 

The  One  Hundred  and  Sixth  Regiment 
was  for  one  hundred  days,  and  enrolled  the 
following,  who  were  mustered  out  October 
22,  1864.  The  regiment  saw  no  service  in 
the  field  and  the  names  are  here  given  as  a 
tribute  to  their  willingness  to  serve:  Frank- 
lin Darling,  James  M.  Lewis,  John  Avant. 
William  R.  Avant,  William  H.  Beal,  David 

C.  Bruce,  George  W.  Eller,  Benjamin  Jus- 
tice, John  F.  Maxey,  Alexander  Vanfausten, 
Z.  C.  Williams,  Robert  Barron,  Henry  But- 
ler, James  W.   Sullivan,  John    W.    Deets. 
Eclmond  Davis,  Gustavus  DeLand,  Joseph 
B.   Martin,  Captain  John  C.    Scott,    First 
Lieutenant  W.  H.  Wyatt,  Second  Lieuten- 
ant John  S.  Hawkins,  First  Sergeant  S.  G. 
Telford,  J.  Fowler  Telford,  W.  F.  Dodson, 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Richard  C.  Wyatt,  Frank  Darling,  P.  J. 
Knight,  J.  M.  Kell,  Albert  Johnson,  Thomas 
N.  Kell,  J.  T.  Cunningham,  Theodore  F. 
Harley,  Isaac  N.  Charleton,  S.  J.  Shaw, 
Thomas  H.  Anderson,  J.  H.  Adkins,  James 
W.  Blair,  George  A.  Bell,  Russell  B.  Balt- 
zell,  David  Blair,  Fred  Brisco,  John  R. 
Cisne,  M.  McCastle,  John  R.  Claybourne,  C. 
S.  Cornwell,  R.  J.  Cain,  George  W.  Denny, 
Alexander  Dodson,  D.  W.  Denham,  John 
Eastman,  Henry  Ellis,  Irwin  Foster,  J.  O. 
Farrell,  James  B.  Gaston,  T.  Glen,  George 
Guyetta,  James  Gaff,  D.  R.  Hamilton,  A. 
S.  Howard,  W.  J.  Haines,  W.  S.  Harley, 
N.  H.  Heaton,  A.  Harley,  B.  E.  Hobart, 
Samuel  Hays,  G.  W.  Holmes,  J.  J.  John- 
son, A.  J.  Jones,  C.  C.  McCard,  A.  Lance. 
C.  Lynch,  S.  D.  Lester,  J.  Muckelroy,  J.  W. 
Miller,  S.  I.  Mattimore,  W.  A.  Noleman, 
J.  S.  Patterson,  George  L.  Postern,  L.  J. 
Patten,  H.  Rush,  O.  T.  Richard,  R.  L. 
Rosebrough,  Albert  Tong,  R.  M.  Scott, 
George  M.  Smith,  Robert  Tate,  J.  H. 
Thomas,  H.  Warren,  H.  W.  Wells,  E. 
Whitehead,  T.  A.  Wilton,  M.  M.  Walker, 
A.  N.  Williams,  Alexander  Wilson,  J.  B. 
Williamson,  A.  J.  Williamson,  James  F. 
Creighton,  J.  Hugg.  Jeremiah  Woods  was 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-second  Regi- 
ment of  the  same  service.  In  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Forty-ninth  Regiment,  one  year's 
service,  were:  Adjutant  Winfield  S.  Nor- 
rcoss,  Surgeon  Samuel  D.  Mercer ;  privates : 
Jacob  Gross,  mustered  out  January  27, 
1866;  Joseph  Keifter,  mustered  out  January 
27,  1866;  Lawrence  Schibel. 

Four  men  from  Marion  countv  were  in 


the  One  Hundred  and  Fiftieth  Regiment, 
one  year  service.  All  were  mustered  out 
June  16,  1866.  They  were:  Jacob  Miller, 
first  lieutenant;  William  N.  Smith,  cor- 
poral; and  S.  B.  Gibson  and  W.  Nichols, 
privates.  The  regiment  did  guard  duty  and 
garrison  duty.  They  fought  in  no  battles, 
and  lost  no  men  from  Marion  county.  J. 
R.  Hartley  was  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Fifty-fourth  Regiment,  and  was  mustered 
out  September  18,  1866. 

The  Sixth  Cavalry  had  a  number  of 
Marion  county  men  on  its  rolls.  It  was  a 
service  regiment,  and  was  engaged  in  many 
battles  and  skirmishes.  It  was  a  part  of 
the  famous  Grierson  raid.  The  Marion 
county  men  were  scattered  through  the  regi- 
ment. In  Company  B,  Noah  Knight  de- 
serted. The  muster  out  was  November  5, 
1865,  and  where  no  dates  appear  after  the 
name  it  will  be  understood  the  soldier  was 
mustered  out  at  that  time :  James  K.  Clark, 
Christen  C.  Dike,  Jacob  Newberry,  W.  W. 
Ragan  were  in  Company  A;  J.  B.  Cain,  B. 
W.  Hicks,  John  Hough,  David  Shelby  and 
Jasper  Shelby  were  in  Company  B;  J.  C. 
McWhirter,  H.  Mulvaney,  Thomas  Renfro 
and  Samuel  Russell  were  in  Company  C. : 
William  H.  Grain,  Henry  W.  Brodeck,  Wil- 
liam T.  Steen  and  Frantz  Swartz  were 
in  Company  D ;  Lewis  Cole,  James  K.  Can- 
nen,  John  Moore,  in  Company  E ;  Maryland 
Malladay,  in  Company  F;  William  Agnie, 
William  Estes,  George  W.  Lesley  (died  at 
Nashville),  Benjamin  F.  Ragsdall,  John  A. 
Reason,  in  Company -G;  recruits:  Francis 
M.  Allen.  Sr.,  A.  J.  Burgaman,  Reuben  H. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Burgaman,  James  -Evans  (killed  at  Shelby- 
ville,  Tennessee,  November  20,  1864),  Wil- 
liam H.  Govee,  William  P.  Gaston,  Arthur 
J.  Hays,  Dodson  C.  Hays,  S.  M.  Hudson, 
William  H.  Telford  and  James  B.  Watson 
were  in  Company  H ;  John  R.  Knight,  Wil- 
son H.  Patterson,  Mathew  W.  Weldon 
(drowned  at  Eastport,  Mississippi,  April  12, 
1865),  were  in  Company  I;  J.  Allison,  J. 
Dyer,  J.  Henry,  W.  H.  Herrington,  W. 
Jackson,  W.  R.  Martin,  Asa  Mann  (mus- 
tered out  May  23,  1865),  Jesse  Morrison, 
Charles  Neville,  William  H.  Parker,  James 
Ragan,  Eli  Rainey,  P.  Slang,  J.  J.  Short, 
of  Company  M.  The  following  were  desert- 
ers from  the  regiment :  Noah  Knight,  L.  S. 
Fisher,  F.  M.  Burge,  T.  J.  Crane.  W.  A. 
Glenn,  W.  F.  Glenn  and  A.  C.  Harris. 

The  Seventh  Cavalry  had  a  few  men  from 
Marion  county  in  its  ranks  as  follows: 
James  Anglin,  Doc  Carson,  John  Buck, 
Jacob  Pearl,  Wiliam  N.  Smith,  Robert 
Wilkinson,  A.  J.  Foster,  H.  C.  Foster,  Con- 
rad Habbwacks,  John  Jacoby,  Elda  Jones, 
John  Knight,  William  Knight,  B.  B.  Milton, 
Jesse  Tilly,  Thomas  Upton,  Allen  Clow, 
John  W.  Wall,  M.  L.  Jones,  W.  B.  Morahl, 
J.  M.  McConnell,  G.  Meador,  Job  Cruse, 
Nimrod  Christian,  James  Hulett  (deserted), 
Henry  Myers  (deserted),  Simon  Neff,  L.  P. 
Nichols,  D.  E.  Peddicord,  Fred  Trible,  S. 
R.  Cathem,  T.  A.  Wilton,  James  Crawford, 
William  R.  Arant,  Martin  Binnion,  Mathias 
Gurton,  James  Hathaway,  Nathan  Moon, 
Josiah  H.  Skilling  were  in  the  Tenth 
Cavalry,  mustered  out  August  25,  1865. 

Charles  S.  Awl    was    dishonorably    dis- 


charged from  the  Eleventh  Cavalry,  and  the 
following  mustered  out  September  3Oth 
from  the  same  regiment :  John  E.  Bevins,  Ira 
A.  Bishop,  George  Bevins,  Elijah  Cruse,  C. 
C.  Carroll,  A.  H.  Jones,  Samuel  McKeighan, 
Mathew  Orton,  Erwin  Reamy.  In  the  Thir- 
teenth Cavalry  list  appears  the  names  of  the 
following  Marion  county  men:  H.  Christian 
(discharged  under  age),  Thomas  Green, 
Moses  Oakley,  John  I.  Caudle,  John  Don- 
houser  (mustered  out  August  31,  1865). 
John  B.  Adams  died  at  Camp  Butler  Janu- 
ary 26,  1864,  and  William  Brown  deserted 
April  22,  1864.  In  the  Sixteenth  Cavalry 
were:  James  Shaw,  a  prisoner,  mustered 
out  July  1 8,  1865;  James  Williams,  mus- 
tered out  May  18,  1865;  John  Fisher,  de- 
serted July  n,  1863;  George  L.  Hart,  died 
in  Andersonville  prison,  June  28,  1864, 
grave  No.  2267;  John  P.  Kreobs,  died  in 
Andersonville  prison,  April  19,  1864,  grave 
No.  625 ;  Aaron  Wright,  deserted  February 
19,  1863.  In  the  First  Artillery:  First 
Lieutenant  Emmett  F.  Hill,  honorably  dis- 
charged September  19,  1863.  Battery  M: 
Alfred  S.  Wilson,  mustered  out  July  24, 
1865 ;  Alexander  D.  Chancey  and  Mulford 
VanDyke  were  unassigned.  In  the  Second 
Artillery,  David  H.  Harmon,  disability, 
discharged.  The  following  were  mustered 
out  July  27,  1865  :  Samuel  H.  Craig,  John 
F.  Craig,  Albert  S.  Edwards.  The  follow- 
ing enlisted  in  the  regular  army:  William 
Shaw,  L.  Vanausdale,  Peter  Wigle,  Henry 
Willet,  Henry  Clay,  John  B.  Foster,  John 
Stater,  and  in  the  United  States  Twenty- 
ninth. Colored  Troops:  Marmaduke  Stew- 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


103 


art,  James  George,  Oliver  Mahue,  Samuel 
Pendegrass,  Hardy  School,  A.  Brandy- 
more;  and  in  Second  Regular  United  States 
Veteran  Volunteers:  Charles  Behler,  Wil- 
liam Grouse,  J.  B.  Godel,  John  Ockerman, 
Julius  Schultz.  In  the  Fourth  United 
States  Veteran  Volunteers,  Thomas  War- 
man.  George  Cassidy  and  David  Terpin 
enlisted  in  the  regular  army  in  June,  1865. 
Truly,  Marion  county  sent  of  her  best  to 
do  battle  for  the  Union.  Her  best  blood  was 
freely  offered,  and  the  sacrifice  was  made 
complete  by  the  life-giving  patriotism  on 
many  a  southern  field.  They  played  their 
part  in  the  great  tragedy  of  the  nation,  and 
when  the  curtain  of  peace  fell  on  war's  grim 
stage  they  laid  down  the  sword  to  take  up 
the  pruning  hook,  exchanged  the  rifle  for 
the  plow,  and  from  the  thunder  and  shock 
of  battle  to  the  nobler  avocation  of  home- 
building,  setting  again  the  example  to  all 


nations  of  armies  of  war  turning  into  armies 
of  peace.  More  than  forty  years  have 
passed  away  since  the  last  charge  was  made 
— since  the  last  cannon's  lips  grew  cold — 
and  only  a  remnant  is  left  of  the  men  of 
'61-65. 

The  majority,  having  answered  "tapps" 
in  the  camp  of  eternity,  face  the  setting  sun, 
and  with  whitened  brow  and  step  feeble  and 
slow,  but  with  courage  as  high  as  that  which 
inspired  the  charge  up  Lookout's  rugged 
mount,  they  march  toward  the  silent  river 
to  cross  in  God's  own  time,  to  be  mustered 
into  the  white-robed  army  of  the  Prince  of 
Peace.  Nor  will  their  life's  lesson  be  lost, 
but  a  patriotism  by  their  sacrifices  has  been 
engendered  that  assures  the  departing  hero 
that  these  sires'  sons  will  too,  in  time  of 
need,  be  found  not  wanting  but  ready  when 
duty  calls  to  obey  her  behest. 


THE  EARLY  SETTLERS. 


The  early  settlers  of  a  hundred  years  ago 
were  of  a  class  that  has  now  passed  away 
forever.  The  only  means  of  travel  was  by 
wagon,  on  horseback,  or  on  foot,  and  many 
of  the  best  families  of  today,  who  are  liv- 
ing in  comfort,  if  not  in  luxury,  are  sprung 
from  men  and  women  who  emigrated  to  this 
new  country  carrying  in  a  "prairie 
schooner,"  as  the  old-fashioned  wagons 
were  called,  all  their  earthly  possessions, 
and  many,  indeed,  arrived  without  any  but 


the  barest  necessaries,  of  a  day  when  even 
necessaries  were  very  few,  and  when  the 
total  value  of  an  average  household  furnish- 
ings could  be  told  in  cents  instead  of  dol- 
lars, and  the  settler  was  considered  well  pro- 
vided if  he  could  call  his  own,  besides  the 
ever-present  and  ever-necessary  rifle,  an  ax, 
a  skillet,  a  pot,  and  usually  an  iron  oven,  or 
a  flat-bottomed  iron  vessel,  about  five  inches 
deep,  with  an  iron  lid  fitting  over  the  top 
with  a  half  ring  or  loop,  by  which  the  lid 


104 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


might  be  lifted.  This  vessel  set  on  three 
legs,  about  two  inches  long,  the  vessel  it- 
self having  a  bail  or  handle  by  which  it 
might  be  lifted.  A  spinning  wheel,  both  for 
wool  and  flax,  and  sometimes  for  cotton, 
were  among  the  "plunder,"  as  they  univer- 
sally called  their  household  goods,  if  the 
settler  was  more  than  average  prosperous. 
And  these  few  and  simple  implements  and 
utensils  met  their  few  and  simple  wants. 
They  had  known  nothing  of  other  conveni- 
ences, and  did  not  feel  the  need  of  them. 

The  forest  furnished  meat,  and  Indian 
corn  was  the  staff  of  pioneer  life.  "White" 
bread,  as  bread  made  from  wheat  was 
called,  was  almost  unknown.  Sugar  made 
from  the  sap  of  sugar  trees,  or  wild  honey, 
of  which  there  was  an  abundance,  furnished 
sweetening.  As  there  were  no  rich  there 
could  be  no  poor,  but  all  were  upon  one  com- 
mon level  socially,  so  far  as  this  world's 
goods  were  concerned,  and  the  only  mark 
of  respectability  was  truthfulness,  helpful- 
ness and  bravery  in  times  of  trouble.  To 
have  the  reputation  that  one  might  be  de- 
pended on,  was  to  stand  high  in  the  esti- 
mation of  all.  As  few  communities  were 
within  less  than  a  mile  of  each  other,  a 
neighborhood  meant  a  township  and  friends 
often  miles  apart,  and  but  very  few  families 
were  reckoned  by  counties.  Mills  were  at 
first  unknown  and  corn  was  pounded  to 
meal  in  a  mortar  made  of  a  huge  block  off  a 
log,  about  three  feet  long,  set  on  end,  and 
the  top  hollowed  out  cup-shaped.  A  sapling, 
rounded  at  the  large  end  and  hanging  above, 
suspended  to  another  sapling,  so  as  to  form 


a  spring,  was  the  pestle.  Near  the  lower 
end  of  this  pestle  a  hole  was  bored,  through 
which  a  pin  was  driven,  forming  a  hand 
hold  on  either  side,  so  that  two  could  work 
and  add  force  to  the  downward  blow,  soon 
reducing  the  kernel  to  a  course  meal,  which 
was  then  poured  from  an  elevation  in  the 
open  air  to  blow  out  the  husks  of  the  grain. 
The  meal  was  then  sifted  in  a  sieve  by  hand, 
if  the  pioneer  was  so  fortunate  as  to  own  a 
sieve,  if  not  one  was  soon  made  by  tightly 
stretching  a  piece  of  wet  buckskin  over  a 
hoop,  which  when  dry  was  burned  full  of 
tiny  holes  with  a  small  piece  of  wire,  thus 
forming  a  sieve,  which  however  crude,  per- 
formed its  part  in  providing  the  daily  bread 
to  the  full  satisfaction  of  the  family.  A 
new  family  was  welcomed  with  open- 
hearted  hospitality,  and  when  a  location  was 
selected  the  men  for  miles  around  lent  a 
helping  hand  in  raising  the  house,  which 
was  to  be  the  future  home,  and  men  thought 
nothing  of  riding  many  miles  to  assist  in  a 
house-raising. 

Almost  all  the  genuine  settlers  were 
deeply  religious,  although  knowing  nothing 
of  religious  forms,  as  is  generally  true  of 
those  who  live  isolated  lives  amid  the  vast- 
ness  of  nature's  unbroken  domain.  All  had 
heard  in  the  old  home  the  Word  preached, 
and  many  in  their  simple  faith  had  "jined" 
church  and  brought  with  them  to  the  wil- 
derness of  Illinois  the  faith  of  their  fathers. 
But  here  distinctions  were  lost,  and  in  an 
age  when  religious  intolerance  ran  high  in 
older  communities,  all  differences,  save  in 
name,  were  lost.  The  fervent  Methodist, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  sedate  Presbyterian,  the  argumentative 
Baptist,  met,  when  opportunity  offered,  to 
listen  to  the  preacher  of  whatever  sect,  and 
forgot  their  differences  of  dogma  in  the  joy 
of  worship.  Nor  did  this  spirit  die  until 
communities  grew  strong  enough  to  support 
churches  of  the  denominations,  and  then  not 
entirely,  as  the  Union  church  in  many  com- 
munities testify.  Live  stock  increased 
rapidly  and  had  a  very  low  money  value. 
As  the  pasturage  cost  nothing,  stock  was 
permitted  to  run  at  large  from  spring  to  late 
fall,  when  it  was  hunted  far  and  near  and 
brought  home.  Each  family  had  a  mark 
which  was  recorded  and  which  no  other 
might  use.  It  was  usually  a  cut,  or  cuts. 
in  the  ear  or  both  ears.  An  under  bit  in 
the  right  ear  and  a  split  in  the  left,  or  a 
crop  off  one  ear  and  a  slit  in  the  other,  or  a 
hole  in  one  and  a  swallow  tail  in  the  other, 
and  so  on,  and  stock  which  had  not  been 
seen  for  months  was  readily  identified,  and 
as  every  one  knew  every  other  one's  mark, 
neighbors  told  neighbors  where  they  had 
seen  their  stock  and  thus  aided  the  other  in 
the  finding.  My  father's  mark  was  an  un- 
der bit  in  the  right  ear  and  a  crop  off  the 
left,  and  the  stock  could  be  identified  at 
some  distance  without  dismounting.  A  few 
also  branded,  where  they  owned  branding 
irons,  and  as  an  extra  precaution  used  a 
large  mark  or  letter  on  the  hip  and  a  smaller 
one  on  the  horn. 

The  writer  well  remembers  an  incident  of 
his  childhood  that  is  as  fresh  today  as 
though  it  happened  but  yesterday.  An 
Englishman  and  wife  had  settled  in  the 


neighborhood,  and  being  thrifty  and  having 
brought  some  money  with  them,  soon  had  a 
number  of  steers,  which  they  branded  with 
a  small  H  on  the  horn  and  a  large  L  on  the 
hip.  One  morning  in  the  late  fall  Mrs.  — 
rode  up  to  my  father's  house,  and  when  he 
appeared  in  answer  to  her  "hello,"  she  said, 
"Good  morning,  I'm  looking  up  our  steers. 
Have  you  seen  a  big,  red  steer  with  a  hoe 
on  his  orn  and  a  hell  on  his  ipp?"  Father 
had  not  seen  that  steer.  The  favorite  pas- 
time among  the  boys  and  young  men  were 
running,  jumping,  wrestling  and  shooting, 
which  last  sport  was  often  curtailed  by 
a  scarcity  of  ammunition,  a  supply  of  which 
must  at  all  times  be  kept  on  hand  as  a  pro- 
tection for  the  family  from  Indian  strag- 
glers, and  for  the  stock  from  the  wild  ani- 
mals, and  of  the  poultry  from  the  "varmints," 
all  of  which  abounded  and  against  which 
both  the  good  man  and  good  wife  had  sworn 
eternal  enmity;  and  the  cabin  sides  were  at 
all  times  ornamented  with  the  out-stretched 
skins  of  the  fox,  the  "coon,"  the  "possum," 
the  wildcat,  or  "bobcat,"  as  they  choose  to 
call  it,  the  mink,  weasel  and  other  of  the 
smaller  "varmints,"  with  an  occasional 
wolf  or  "painter"  hide  to  keep  company, 
tacked  to  the  walls  to  dry.  These  pelts  had 
a  value  as  furs  and  were  often  used  instead 
of  money  as  a  standard  of  value  and  a 
medium  of  exchange. 

\\restling  was  of  three  kinds  and  no  rules 
governed  either  except  a  general  fairness. 
The  favorite  was  "side  holts,"  in  which, 
after  it  had  been  agreed  as  to  who  should 
have  the  "under  holt,"  the  champions  stood 


io6 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


side  by  side  with  one's  right  arm  and  the 
other's  left  around  the  waist  of  the  oppo- 
nent. The  other  hands  were  clasped  in  front 
and  the  struggle  began,  often  lasting  several 
minutes  before  one  or  the  other  measured 
his  length  on  the  ground.  A  contest  of 
skill  of  this  character  was  sometimes,  when 
the  contestants  were  well  matched,  an  event 
talked  about  for  many  a  day.  The  second 
kind  was  ''back  holt,"  in  which  the 
wrestlers  stood  face  to  face,  each  with  his 
left  arm  under  his  opponent's  right,  and 
right  over  his  opponent's  left,  with  hands 
clasped  behind  his  back.  Both  strength  and 
skill  were  needed  in  this  kind  of  a  contest, 
and  often  the  struggle  was  long  and  violent, 
and  -not  infrequently  ended  in  one  or  both 
receiving  reminders  in  strained  limbs  or 
back.  The  third  was  catch-as-catch-can, 
and  the  result  often  depended  on  the  quick- 
ness and  judgment,  not  to  say  luck,  of  the 
wrestler.  In  this  match  the  wrestlers  stood 
several  feet  apart  and  at  the  word  ran  to 
each  other,  catching  such  hold  of  each  other 
as  they  could,  and  the  struggle  began,  to  be 
ended  only  when  one  or  the  other  went 
down.  Fighting  was  frequent  among  the 
more  reckless  element,  and  bouts  were  ar- 
ranged between  the  bully  of  one  settlement 
and  the  bully  of  another  settlement  to  de- 
cide which  was  the  best  man.  There  was 
no  animosity  between  the  contestants,  and 
often  they  had  never  seen  each  other  until 
the  day  of  battle.  To  have  the  name  of 
being  the  "best  man"  in  one  settlement  was 
sure  to  bring  a  challenge  from  the  "best 
man"  in  some  other  to  decide  the  question 


of  brute  supremacy.  The  terms  being 
agreed  upon,  at  it  they  went  with  fist  and 
nail,  foot  and  hand,  hitting,  scratching,  bit- 
ing, kicking  and  gouging.  Nothing  was 
barred  that  could  be  done  with  nature's 
weapons  of  offense  or  defense.  No  arms 
or  clubs  were  ever  used,  and  an  offer  to  use 
anything  but  hands,  feet  or  teeth  would  re- 
sult in  such  a  system  of  ostracism  as  would 
compel  the  offender  to  leave  the  community 
in  disgrace.  No  blow  was  ever  struck  after 
one  or  the  other  cried  "nuff,"  which  was 
an  acknowledgment  of  the  other's  suprem- 
acy, and  the  victor  and  vanquished,  with 
the  friends  of  both,  would  celebrate  the 
event  with  liberal  potations  of  "black  strop," 
and  not  infrequently  the  principals  de- 
veloped, out  of  so  strange  and  strenuous  an 
acquaintance,  a  devoted  friendship  that 
death  alone  could  dissolve. 

In  the  fall  of  the  year  shooting  matches 
were  often  indulged  in  open  to  all,  in  which 
the  best  shot  took  one  hind  quarter  of  a 
beef,  the  second  best  shot  took  the  other, 
while  the  third  and  fourth  best  took  the 
forequarters,  respectively,  while  the  fifth 
best  shot  received  the  "fifth  quarter,"  as  the 
hide  and  tallow  were  called.  Cattle  being  so 
cheap,  the  prize  was  not  of  so  much  value 
as  the  reputation  of  being"  the  best  shot. 
The  writer  has  known  hunters  who  would 
deem  themselves  disgraced  if  they  shot  a 
squirrel  anywhere  but  in  the  eye. 

The'"hoss"  race  was  another  form  of 
amusement  among  the  younger  men.  Each, 
of  course,  would  "brag"  about  the  good 
qualities  of  his  horse  until  a  race  was  ar- 


HKI.XKEKIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ranged.  There  were  no  rules  but  a  place 
and  time  to  start  and  a  point  at  which  the 
course  was  to  end.  Rarely  was  there  any 
stake  other  than  the  glory  of  beating  the 
other  horse.  Quarter  horses  were  in  the 
highest  repute,  that  is  a  horse  that  ran  his 
best  race  in  a  quarter  of  a  mile  and  did  not 
last  much  beyond  that  distance.  The  horses 
of  that  day  were  untrained  and  of  no  par- 
ticular stock,  yet  some  of  them  developed 
considerable  speed  and  good  staying  quali- 
ties, but  on  a  modern  race  course  the  best 
of  them  would  be  sadly  out  of  place.  The 
swine  of  that  day  were  of  the  hazel-splitting, 
razor-backed  kind,  usually,  and  were  per- 
mitted to  run  wild  in  the  woods  almost  from 
birth,  with  only  an  occasional  feeding  of 
corn,  and  were  frequently  "mast"  fattened, 
as  a  hog  fattened  on  nuts  and  acorns  was 
called,  and  a  good  mast  year  produced  an 
abundance  of  rich,  juicy,  well-flavored  pork, 
somewhat  too  oily,  to  be  sure,  but  tooth- 
some nevertheless.  The  hams,  shoulders 
and  sides  were  salted  and  smoked  with  the 
smoke  from  hickory  wood,  and  had  a  flavor 
that  modern  methods  cannot  give. 

The  dress  of  both  men  and  women  was 
home  made,  both  as  to  material  and  tailor- 
ing, and  was  of  the  plainest  linen  for  sum- 
mer and  linsey  woolsey  for  the  women  in 
winter,  and  jeans  for  the  men.  All  were 
made  by  hand,  from  the  stalk  of  flax  or  the 
back  of  the  sheep,  and  the  housewife  was 
kept  busy  from  early  morn  to  late  at  night 
with  card,  or  spinning  wheel  or  loom,  and 
when  resting  the  knitting  needle  was  ever 
flying  in  skillful  fingers,  fashioning  the  mit- 


tens or  socks  or  comforters  for  the  men- 
folks,  who,  in  her  mind,  always  must  first  be 
provided  for.  The  covering  for  the  head  was 
often  a  cap  made  from  the  skin  of  a  "coon" 
or  other  animal,  with  the  fur  still  on  and  the 
tail  hanging  down  behind  as  an  ornament, 
while  the  women  wore  a  quilted  hood  or  a 
small  shawl,  or  the  eternal  sunbonnet.  The 
footwear  was  homemade  also.  either 
moccasins  of  deer  hide,  or  shoes  or  boots 
of  leather,  tanned  at  home  or  by  some 
neighbor,  and  made  up  by  the  head  of  the 
family  or  by  one  more  skilled,  if  such  there 
were  in  the  neighborhood.  But  in  summer 
both  men  and  women  frequently,  and  chil- 
dren always,  went  barefooted,  and  many  a 
blushing  damsel  would  walk  miles  on  Sun- 
day morning  to  meeting  barefooted,  carrying 
her  shoes  and  stockings  in  her  hand,  and 
just  before  coming  in  sight  of  the  meeting 
sit  down  on  a  log  or  stump  and  put  them 
on,  doing  this  to  save  shoe  leather,  and 
there  be  today  a  few  grand  old  dames  in 
Marion  county  who  had  such  experience  as 
this.  Courtships  were  generally  brief,  and 
usually  ended  in  happy  marriages.  Divorce, 
that  curse  of  modern  times,  that  hellish 
threat  against  the  home,  was  almost  un- 
known, and  the  divorcee  was  looked  upon 
with  suspicion  and  contempt  by  all.  The 
pioneer  was  content  with  his  lot,  but  con- 
tent only  because  he  saw  in  the  future  his 
lands  increase  in  value,  his  stock  grow  more 
and  more  of  worth,  and  his  comforts  in- 
crease with  the  years,  an  honest  reward  for 
honest  toil.  He  saw  the  little  clearing  grow 
into  fertile  fields,  the  cabin  of  his  early 


io8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


years  replaced  by  a  larger  and  better  home, 
and  the  evening  of  life,  surrounded  by  chil- 
dren in  homes  of  their  own,  cast  a  glow  of 
satisfaction  over  his  toil  that  is  unknown 
to  this  more  mercenary  generation. 

The  home  of  the  settler  was  at  first 
usually  a  one-room,  log  cabin,  to  which 
were  added  a  room  or  two  as  necessity  and 
opportunity  required  or  permitted.  Logs 
were  cut  in  the  immediate  vicinity  of  the 
cabin  site  to  the  required  length,  and  if 
time  was  not  too  pressing  they  were  hewn 
to  a  flat  surface  on  two  opposite  sides. 
making  a  timber  about  six  or  eight  inches 
thick.  These  were  "snaked"  to  the  cabin 
site,  and  on  the  set  day  the  entire  neighbor- 
hood of  men  and  boys  gathered  to  the 
"raising."  The  party  was  divided  into  two 
squads,  each  under  a  captain,  and  four  ex- 
pert axmen,  chosen  as  "cornermen."  Pil- 
lars had  been  placed  in  the  ground  to  sup- 
port the  building.  The  first  logs  were 
placed  on  opposite  sides  and  parallel  to  each 
other,  the  parts  resting  on  the  pillars  being 
flattened  by  the  axmen  so  as  to  lie  steadily 
on  the  supports.  On  these  were  then 
placed  logs,  hewn  flat  on  one  side, 
at  right  angles  to  the  two  foundation  logs, 
and  at  spaces  of  about  two  feet  apart,  form- 
ing the  sleepers  to  support  the  floor.  The 
axmen  now  each  took  position  at  his  cor- 
ner, and  logs  were  brought  and  rolled  up 
"skids"  at  the  sides  and  ends  alternately. 
The  axmen  notched  the  ends  so  that  the 
bottom  of  one  log  fitted  over  the  end  of  the 
log  beneath,  thus  binding  the  building  to- 
gether. Thus  the  process  was  repeated  until 


the  required  height  was  reached,  when  the 
gables  were  made  by  making  each  end  log 
shorter  than  the  preceding  one  by  the  length 
of  the  clapboard,  with  which  the  roof  was 
to  be  made,  the  side  logs  being  drawn  in, 
forming  a  slant  for  the  roof.  Clapboards, 
which  had  been  riven  from  a  straight- 
grained  oak,  were  then  laid  from  one  log- 
to  the  next  above  until  the  roof  was  com- 
plete. Weight  poles,  i.  e.,  poles  laid  on  the 
clapboards  to  hold  them  down,  were  placed 
and  pinned  fast  by  wooden  pins,  holding 
them  securely.  An  opening  was  then  cut  in 
one  end,  usually  about  six  feet  square,  in 
which  was  built  a  fireplace  of  logs,  the  in- 
side of  which  was  thickly  coated  with  clay, 
and  a  "chimbly"  was  built  of  small  split 
sticks,  laid  in  clay  and  also  coated  on  the 
inside  with  clay.  This  clay  when  submitted 
to  the  action  of  the  fire,  burned  almost  to  the 
hardness  of  brick,  and  protected  the  wooden 
framework  of  the  fireplace  and  chimney. 
Xext  a  place  for  a  door  was  cut,  and  a 
rough  door  made  of  slats  split  from  a  log 
and  pinned  to  a  crosspiece  at  top  and  bot- 
tom with  wooden  pins.  The  crosspieces  ex- 
tended a  few  inches  past  the  door  on  one 
side  and  a  hole  was  bored  in  the  end  to  serve 
as  a  hinge.  The  ends  of  the  logs  cut  to 
form  the  threshold  were  held  in  place  by  up- 
rights. Pinned  to  the  logs  on  these  up- 
rights, were  fastened  pieces  of  wood,  so 
shaped  as  to  form  the  bottom  part  of  the 
hinge,  and  the  door  placed  in  position  and 
swinging  on  the  pivots  thus  formed,  a 
wooden  latch  with  a  leather  thong  thrust 
through  a  hole  so  as  to  hang  outside,  so 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


109 


that  by  pulling  it  the  latch  was  raised  and 
the  door  free  to  be  opened.  The  door  was 
locked  by  pulling  the  string  inside,  so  that 
no  one  from  the  outside  could  raise  the  latch. 
This  method  of  fastening  is  handed  down 
to  us  in  the  hospitable  phrase  "that  the  latch 
string  is  always  out  to  you."  A  floor  of 
puncheons,  or  slabs  split  from  logs,  was 
then  laid  and  roughly  hewn,  and  the  house 
was  done. 

A  day  of  toil  and  a  day  of  jollity  was 
often  ended  with  a  dance  or  a  party  for  the 
young  people,  either  in  the  new  house  or 
the  home  of  some  neighbor,  where  true 
frontier  hospitality  was  dispensed  with  a 
lavish,  if  uncouth,  hand.  Often  when  the 
men  set  a  day  for  the  "raising,"  the  women 
set  the  same  day  for  a  quilting  at  some  near 
home,  and  spent  the  day  quilting  and  cook- 
ing, the  later  often  out  of  doors,  if  the 
weather  was  warm,  and  improvised  tables 
and  often  wooden  platters  for  dishes  were 
filled  with  such  viands  as  only  the  frontier 
can  provide.  Corn  bread,  bear  meat,  veni- 
son, pork,  beef,  one  or  all,  the  succulent 
succotash,  i.  e.,  green  corn  and  string 
beans  cooked  together,  Irish  and  sweet  po- 
tatoes, pumpkin  and  squash  as  a  "sass,"  or 
in  pies,  with  milk  or  tea  from  the  root  of 
the  sassafras,  wild  honey  or  maple  molasses 
furnished  a  meal  that  fitted  the  needs  of  the 
hardy  backwoodsman,  and  one  to  which  he 
did  ample  justice.  Such  a  meal  for  twenty 
hungry  men  could  be  furnished  without 
the  outlay  of  a  single  penny,  as  everything 
was  the  product  of  the  farm  or  forest  and 
represented  labor  but  not  money,  as  no  mar- 


ket for  these  was  within  reach.  Corn  bread 
was  made  in  various  ways.  The  most  gen- 
eral was  the  hoe  cake  and  Johnny  cake,  and 
these  only  differed  in  the  method  of  baking. 
Corn  bread  was  baked  before  the  fire  in  a 
"Dutch"  oven  with  live  coals  under  it  and  a 
shovelful  of  live  coals  placed  on  the  lid. 
The  hoe  cake  was  originally  baked  by  be- 
ing placed  on  the  blade  of  a  hoe  or  shovel 
and  placed  on  the  live  coals,  the  bread  being 
uncovered.  The  Johnny  cake,  like  the  hoe 
cake,  was  molded  by  the  hands  into  a 
small  oblong  loaf  and  then  baked  before  the 
fire  on  a  board,  much  as  the  planked  fish  of 
today  is  cooked.  The  ingredients  were 
water,  salt,  meal  and  perhaps  a  little  grease, 
and  to  the  veteran  of  pioneer  days  no  sponge 
or  other  cake  can  equal  the  hoe  cake  or  the 
Johnny  cake  of  his  childhood  days. 

Whiskey  made  from  corn  was  found  in 
every  house,  and  everyone  drank  more  or 
less,  although  it  was  usually  confined  to  the 
morning  dram.  Drunkenness  was  almost 
unknown,  and  it  was  the  custom  to  show 
the  hospitality  of  the  home  by  producing 
the  bottle.  No  thought  of  discourtesy 
entered  the  mind  of  either  when  the  minister 
was  offered  the  contents  of  "Black  Bettie" 
after  his  journey  through  the  wilderness  or 
the  exertion  of  a  two  hours'  discourse. 
Whiskey  was  only  worth  about  twenty  cents 
a  gallon,  and  as  it  was  made  from  corn  that 
was  still  cheaper,  it  was  pure  and  not  so 
harmful  as  the  vile  chemical  compound  now 
sold  as  whiskey.  But  with  the  springing  up 
of  villages  with  their  "doggeries,"  a  change 
of  sentiment  took  place,  and  ere  long  the 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


habit  of  whiskey  drinking  began  to  be 
looked  upon  with  disfavor,  and  so  far  as 
home  drinking  is  concerned  has  passed 
away,  we  trust,  forever. 

An  early  marriage  in  the  early  day 
was  encouraged  among  folks,  and  it  was 
not  uncommon  for  a  youth  of  seventeen  or 
•eighteen  to  marry  a  girl  of  fourteen  or 
fifteen.  The  responsibilities  of  life  thus  as- 
sumed early  developed  a  spirit  of  independ- 
ence and  self-help  on  the  part  of  the  young 
couple,  and  a  wedding  of  that  day  was  an 
event  in  which  the  whole  settlement  took 
interest,  and  as  everybody  who  heard  of  the 
wedding  was  considered  invited,  it  often  as- 
sumed large  if  not  elaborate  proportions. 
The  following  description  of  one  told  by  a 
participant  is  vividly  remembered  and  may 
be  taken  as  a  standard  by  which  to  guage  the 
wedding  festivities  of  an  early  day  in  the 
then  great  West,  of  which  Marion  county 
was  a  part.  The  groom's  family  lived  in 
what  is  now  Salem  township,  and  the  bride's 
home  was  six  or  seven  miles  distant  to  the 
west,  in  what  is  now  the  McClelland  or 
Deadman  settlement.  On  the  morning  of 
the  wedding  day  the  groom,  in  company 
with  all  the  young  people  of  both  sex  who 
resided  in  the  settlement,  twenty  or  twenty- 
five,  on  horseback,  started  to  the  home  of 
the  bride's  parents.  Arriving  in  sight  of 
the  house,  the  cavalcade  was  halted  by  the 
master  of  ceremonies  and  two  of  the  young 
men  told  off  to  race  for  "Black  Bettie."  Off 
they  went,  as  fast  as  their  horses  could  go 
and  yelling  like  wild  Indians.  They  were 
met  at  the  door,  up  to  which  they  rode,  by 


the  man  of  the  house  who  handed  a  squat, 
black  bottle  to  the  one  who  first  arrived. 
He  then  rode  back  to  the  waiting  party  in 
triumph,  followed  by  his  unsuccessful, 
though  by  no  means  cast-down  rival.  The 
bottle  was  presented  to  the  groom  and  then 
passed  from  hand  to  hand  until  all  had 
tasted,  when  the  line  of  march  was  resumed. 
When  the  house  was  reached  the  girls  were 
helped  off  their  horses  and  went  into  the 
house,  where  soon  everyone  was  busy  help- 
ing to  get  dinner,  while  the  young  men  at- 
tended to  the  horses.  After  they  had 
finished  this  task  they  passed  the  time  in 
wrestling,  boxing,  running,  jumping  and 
other  athletic  sports.  At  about  two  o'clock 
dinner  was  "called,"  when  the  men,  with 
faces  shining  from  a  vigorous  scrubbing  in 
cold  water  with  soft  soap  and  hair  plastered 
down  with  bear  oil,  seated  themselves  on 
puncheon  benches  on  either  side  of  a  long 
table,  to  be  waited  on  by  the  girls,  who 
waited  until  the  men  had  eaten,  when,  at  a 
signal  from  the  master  of  ceremonies,  a 
"grace"  was  said,  and  all  turned  their  at- 
tention to  the  repast  that,  though  common 
enough  then,  could  not  be  duplicated  now 
for  love  or  money. 

The  afternoon  was  spent  in  games  of 
various  sorts,  the  bride-to-be  keeping  out  of 
the  way  to  avoid  the  rough,  though  kindly, 
jokes  that  would  be  "cracked"  at  her  expense. 
At  about  six  o'clock  in  the  evening  the 
preacher  arrived,  and  with  a  whoop  and 
hurrah,  the  guests  assembled  in  the  largest 
room  in  the  house  and  a  profound  silence 
fell  upon  the  crowd.  The  groom  stood  be- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


in 


fore  the  preacher  and  the  bridesmaids  led 
the  blushing  bride  to  his  side,  and  amid  a 
solemn  stillness,  the  minister's  voice  only  be- 
ing heard,  they  were  made  one  of  twain. 
Hardly  were  the  words  spoken,  when  with 
eager  steps  the  friends  pressed  forward  to 
offer  congratulations,  fervent  and  sincere. 
Supper  was  then  eaten,  after  which  the 
room  was  cleared,  and  to  the  old  backwood's 
tunes  of  "Arkansas  Traveler,"  "Hell  up  the 
Wabash"  and  the  "Devil's  Dream,"  accom- 
panied by  the  constant  pat-pat  of  the 
fiddler's  foot,  the  frolic  began.  At  about 
eleven  o'clock  a  halt  was  called,  when  a  bevy 
of  girls,  who  had  slipped  the  bride  away  and 
put  her  to  bed  in  the  loft,  as  the  upper  room 
was  called,  entered.  This  was  the  signal  to 
the  "boys,"  and  they  seized  the  groom  and 
hustled  him  upstairs  and  acted  as  grooms 
until  he  too  was  disrobed  and  was  tucked  in, 
when  they  returned  below.  The  dance  be- 
gan again  and  was  kept  up  until  daylight, 
or  if  the  fiddler  grew  weary,  they  sat  out  the 
night.  Next  morning,  after  a  hearty  break- 
fast, the  cavalcade  formed  with  gaily  decked 
horses  with  such  finery  as  the  times  afforded 
and  took  up  the  line  of  march  to  the  home  of 
the  groom's  parents  to  partake  of  the  "in- 
fare"  dinner,  where  much  the  same  proceed- 
ings were  had.  On  the  third  day  the  guests 
went  home,  after  appointing  a  time  to  come 
and  help  the  young  people  build  a  house, 
if  one  had  not  already  been  built,  and  do 
such  other  things  as  might  help  start  the 
newly  married  couple  well  on  the  road 
toward  home-building. 


Births  in  that  early  day  were  in  the  hands 
of  the  older  women  of  the  settlements  and 
were  rarely  attended  with  unpleasant  or  dan- 
gerous consequences.  Large  families  was 
the  rule,  and  it  was  a  matter  of  pride  to  be 
the  parents  of  a  dozen  or  more  hearty  girls 
and  boys.  Sickness  was  rare,  except  chills 
and  fever  in  the  fall,  or,  as  it  was  generally 
called,  the  ague,  in  which,  in  the  first  stage, 
a  coldness  that  no  fire  could  warm  took  hold 
of  the  victim,  and  he  shook  and  shivered  so 
severely  that  the  bed  would  shake  and  even 
the  dishes  in  the  cupboard  rattle.  After  an 
hour  or  two  of  this  paroxysm  the  patient 
began  to  get  warm  and  was  soon  in  the 
agony  of  a  raging  fever.  In  an  hour  or  two 
more  this  would  pass  and  the  patient,  ap- 
parently none  the  worse  for  his  shake,  went 
about  his  business  until  the  second  day, 
when  the  attack  invariably  returned.  Qui- 
nine was  the  remedy  invariably  used  in  this 
disease,  which  was  considered  the  only  help- 
ful remedy,  and  is  so  regarded  by  many  to- 
day. Calomel  was  generally  taken  to  get 
rid  of  the  malaria.  Billions  fever  some- 
times developed,  but  generally  yielded  to  the 
calomel  and  quinine  treatment,  which,  if 
somewhat  heroic,  was  generally  successful 
after  the  disease  had  run  its  course.  Some 
years  the  ague  was  much  worse  than  others, 
and  at  times  there  were  not  enough  well  to 
wait  on  the  sick.  Often  the  entire  family 
would  be  down  at  once  and  no  one  to  give 
them  even  a  drop  of  water.  In  winter  the 
most  common  disease  was  winter  fever,  now 
known  under  its  proper  name  of  pneumonia. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


It  was  the  most  fatal  frontier  disease,  prob- 
ably because  of  a  lack  of  proper  treatment. 

Doctors  at  first  were  unknown  in  the  set- 
tlements, but  soon  one  would  locate  some- 
where within  a  day's  ride  of  every  settle- 
ment, and  it  was  a  common  thing  for  the 
doctor's  practice  to  extend  over  a  radius  of 
twenty  or  even  thirty  miles.  With  more 
cultivation  of  land  the  ague  has  almost  dis- 
appeared, and  this  generation  cannot  be- 
lieve the  tales  told  of  the  ague  in  the  past 
as  they  know  of  nothing  like  it  in  the  pres- 
ent, yet  they  are  true  as  the  testimony  of 
many  witnesses  will  prove.  Deaths  oc- 
curred then  as  now,  and  sickness  was  the 
one  thing  that  brought  forth  kindly  sym- 
pathy and  help  of  the  whole  settlement. 
Neighbors  took  time  about  sitting  up  with 
the  sick,  acting  as  nurses  and  doing  the  work 
of  the  stricken  one.  No  thought  of  recom- 
pense, save  in  kind,  ever  entered  the  mind  of 
any.  One  case  is  known  where  the  men  of 
a  neighborhood  divided  the  time,  three  tak- 
ing every  night  until  the  nine  men  had  each 
served,  then  the  first  three  again,  and  so  on 
every  third  night  and  kept  this  up  for  more 
than  a  year  until  the  sufferer  died,  having 
been  bedridden  the  entire  time. 

Funerals  were  conducted  by  the  settlers 
themselves,  no  undertakers  being  in  the  lo- 
cality. The  coffin  was  generally  a  plain, 
wooden  box  that  some  settler,  handy  with 
tools,  made,  and  the  men  of  the  neighbor- 
hood, acted  as  sextons  and  dug  the  grave. 
The  coffin  was  hauled  to  the  bury- 
ing place  on  a  sled  or  in  a  farm  wagon,  if 
any  distance,  and  after  a  prayer  by  some 


older  man  of  the  community  was  deposited 
in  the  grave,  which  was  then  filled  up  by 
relays  of  the  neighbors,  all  staying  until  the 
little  mound  was  shaped  and  smoothly 
patted  down  by  the  spades  of  the  workers. 
If,  as  was  often  the  case,  the  burial  was  or. 
the  land  of  the  family,  the  body  was  carried 
to  the  grave.  In  any  case  the  announcement 
was  made  that  the  funeral  would  be 
preached  by  Brother  So-and-so,  at  his  next 
visit  to  the  settlement,  often  six  or  more 
months  in  the  future.  The  writer  remem- 
bers, that  when  a  child  he  heard  a  funeral 
preached  of  a  woman  who  had  been  dead 
more  than  a  year.  Times  have  changed; 
the  pioneer  is  no  more  in  Illinois,  but  his 
handiwork  remains.  They  had  their  joys, 
different  from  the  joys  of  their  grand- 
children, but  no  less  joys,  and  no  less  ap- 
preciated. His  sorrows,  like  our  sorrows, 
were  no  less  poignant ;  his  hopes  as  high  and 
his  desires  as  strong;  his  love  as  true;  his 
hates  as  bitter;  his  heart  as  brave  and  true 
and  patriotic  as  any  that  beats  today.  With 
the  ax  he  hewed  out  the  pathway  of  empire, 
and  with  the  rifle  he  defended  what  he 
gained.  Honest  himself,  he  trusted  others; 
hospitable,  he  shared  his  little  all  with  who- 
ever came,  and  no  more  thought  of  receiv- 
ing pay  than  he  would  have  thought  of  of- 
fering pay.  But  they  are  gone.  They  sleep 
on  the  hilltop  or  in  the  valley  where  loving 
hands  laid  them,  and  the  world  moves  on, 
and  they  who  labored  and  loved  and  suffered 
and  departed  in  the  early  days  of  Marion, 
are  only  a  fast  disappearing  vision  of  the 
past. 


BRIXKKRHOR-  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


LOCATION    OF    MARION    COUNTY. 


Marion  county  is  in  the  center  of  what 
is  called  "Egypt,"  the  west  line  sixty-one 
miles  east  from  St.  Louis,  and  the  east  line 
about  the  same  distance  west  from  Vin- 
cennes.  It  is  as  has  been  already  stated,  a 
square  county.  Through  the  county  from 
east  to  west,  passes  the  B.  &  O.  S.-W.  Rail- 
way, formerly  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Rail- 
way, about  two  miles  south  of  the  center 
and  nearly  parallel  with  an  east  and  west 
line  drawn  through  the  center.  The  Illinois 
Central  Railway  passes  near  the  west  line  of 
the  county  and  nearly  parallel  with  it  from 
north  to  south,  while  the  Chicago  branch  of 
the  Central  leaves  the  main  line  at  the  north- 
ern line  of  Centralia  township  and  runs 
diagonally  northeast  to  the  north  line  of  the 
county,  about  six  miles  west  of  the  north- 
east corner  of  the  county.  The  Chicago 
&  Eastern  Illinois,  or  the  Chicago,  Padu- 
cah  &  Memphis,  as  it  was  originally  called, 
enters  the  county  on  the  north  about  two 
miles  west  of  the  Chicago  branch  of  the 
Central,  passes  south,  crossing  the  branch 
at  Kinmundy,  passing  exactly  over  the  cern 
ter  of  the  county  to  Salem,  where  it  crosses 
the  B.  &  O.  S.-W.,  thence  southeast,  leaving 
the  county  on  the  south  about  ten  miles  west 
of  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county.  The 
Illinois  Southern  Railway  begins  at  Salem, 
near  the  center  of  the  county,  and  runs  south- 
west, intersecting  the  branch  and  Central  at 


the  "Junction,"  i.  e.,  at  the  point  where  the 
branch  leaves  the  main  line  of  the  Central 
and  passes  over  the  Central  tracks  through 
the  city  of  Centralia,  then  on  tracks  of  its 
own  leaves  the  county  on  the  west  near  the 
southwest  comer  of  the  county,  making  in 
all  exclusive  of  side  tracks,  about  one  hun- 
dred and  ten  miles  of  railroad  in  the  county 
limits.  The  Illinois  Central  branch  is  double 
tracked,  and  it,  as  also  the  C.  &  E.  I.,  are 
constantly  being  pounded  by  the  wheels  of 
monster  engines.  At  no  time  is  one  out  of 
sight  until  the  smoke  of  another  may  be  seen 
coming  or  going  to  or  from  that  which  was 
less  than  eighty  years  ago,  placed  on  the 
maps  as  a  village  of  Pike  county,  the  mar- 
velous city  of  Chicago. 

There  are  no  navigable  streams  in  or  bor- 
dering Marion  county,  but  it  is  well  watered 
by  "creeks,"  some  of  which  are  of  consider- 
able size.  The  largest  are  East  Fork  in  the 
northwest,  Skillet  Fork  in  the  southeast, 
and  Raccoon  and  Crooked  Creeks  the  south 
and  southwest.  These  with  their  dozens  of 
branches  permeating  every  part  of  the 
county,  give  an  abundant  water  supply  and 
afford  a  splendid  system  of  drainage.  The 
county  occupies  the  water  shed  between  the 
Wabash  on  the  east  and  the  Okaw,  or  Kas- 
kaskia  on  the  west,  East  Fork  and  Crooked 
Creek  flowing  into  the  Kaskaskia,  and  Skil- 
let Fork  and  its  branches  into  the  Wabash. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


MINERAL  RESOURCES. 


The  mineral  resources  of  the  county,  so 
far  as  lias  been  ascertained,  consist  of  an 
abundance  of  bituminous  coal,  underlying 
all  parts  of  the  country.  Mines  have 
been  developed  in  Centralia,  Sandoval, 
Odin,  Kinmundy  and  Salem  town- 
ships, of  which  more  will  be  said 
in  the  description  of  the  several  townships. 
It  may  be  said  here,  however,  that  the  mines 
are  in  some  parts  among  the  deepest  in  the 
state  and  produce  coal  of  a  very  superior 
quality.  Sandstone  is  found  in  several  parts 
of  the  county,  but  no  quarries  have  been 
opened  for  commercial  purposes.  It  is  of  a 
very  soft  character  when  first  quarried,  but 
hardens  on  exposure  to  the  air,  and  will 
some  day  be  of  value  for  building  purposes. 
Mineral  oil,  so-called  petroleum,  of  com- 
merce, has  been  found  in  various  parts  of  the 
county,  notably  at  Alma,  where  a  well  was 
bored  about  1805,  and  about  three  miles 
north  of  Centralia,  where  oil  was  struck  in 
October,  1908.  The  Alma  well  was  a  pros- 
pect hole,  and  was  never  "shot,"  but  as 
soon  as  it  was  ascertained  oil  was  present 
the  prospectors  plugged  the  well  and  re- 
moved the  machinery,  so  it  is  unknown  to 
the  public  whether  it  is  in  sufficient  quanti- 
ties to  pay  or  not.  The  well  north  of  Cen- 
tralia was  "shot"  and  oil  of  a  superior  qual- 
ity was  found  in  good  quantity.  The  com- 
pany, which  is  composed  of  citizens  of  Sa- 
lem, as  soon  as  they  discovered  they  had 
struck  it  rich,  closed  the  well  temporarily, 
and  immediately  began  preparations  to  bore 


another  well  in  the  near  neighborhood  of 
the  first,  which  second  well  is  nearing  com- 
pletion. Several  other  wells  are  under  con- 
tract, one,  a  mile  south  of  Salem,  is  awaiting 
the  completion  of  a  well  elsewhere,  so  that 
the  drilling  outfit  may  be  moved  to  the  pro- 
posed location.  What  the  "find"  will  be,  or 
what  results  may  be  obtained  from  the  Mar- 
ion county  oil  field  cannot  be  now  safely 
predicted,  and  must  be  left  to  the  historian 
of  the  future  to  describe.  We  can  only  say 
that  the  oil  experts  say  that  the  oil  .sand 
extends  across  the  county  in  a  northeast  to 
southwest  direction,  and  is  about  twelve 
miles  wide,  with  Salem  in  the  exact  center 
of  the  strip.  But  as  the  locating  of  oil  in  the 
earth  is  not  an  exact  science,  it  can  only  be 
known  what  is  below  the  surface  by  boring 
through  the  stratas  until  oil  is  reached  or  the 
work  abandoned.  The  surface  of  the  county 
is  level,  slightly  undulating  in  parts,  only 
breaking  into  hills  of  no  great  altitude  near 
the  larger  streams. 

Originally  about  two-thirds  of  the  county 
was  covered  with  a  magnificent  growth  of 
timber,  about  one-third  being  prairie.  The 
timber  has  been  cut  and  sold  or  burned  in  the 
logheaps  of  the  pioneer  until  now,  in  1908, 
there  is  no  timber  worth  mentioning  in  Mar- 
ion county.  The  timber  consisted  of  rock, 
and  black  sugar  maple  and  soft  maple,  four 
varieties  of  hickory,  four  of  ash,  white  and 
black  walnut,  sycamore,  aspen,  cottonwood, 
burr,  post,  white,  swamp,  laurel,  black, 
yellowbark,  red,  scarlet  and  pin  oaks,  sev- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


eral  species  of  the  willows,  red,  white, 
cork  and  hickory  elms,  with  a  few  buck- 
eye, hackberry,  beach,  the  alders,  service 
berry,  indigo  and  lead  bushes,  birch  and 
beach  in  localities,  red  bud,  bitter-sweet, 
button  bush,  dogwood,  wild  cherry  of 
three  varieties,  Kinnickinnick  willow,  the 
osiers,  hazelnut,  haws,  red  and  black 
leatherwood,  wahoo,  honey  locust,  witch 
hazel,  coffeenut,  a  few  cedars,  mulberries, 
woodbine,  moonseed,  ironwood,  wild  plum, 
crab  apple,  sumach,  poison  ivy,  wild  goose- 
berry, black  currant,  wild  roses,  elderberry, 
sassafras,  buffalo-berry,  coralberry,  trumpet 
creeper,  bass-wood,  summer  and  win- 
ter grape,  prickly  ash,  spicebush,  the 
black  and  red  raspberries  and  black 
locust.  The  above  list  comprises  all 
the  woody  plants  found  native  to 
the  county,  many  of  which  were  plentifully 
distributed  in  the  timbered  part  of  the 
county.  Of  these  many  are  of  great 
value  in  building  and  in  manufacturing; 
others  are  of  great  value  in  medicine,  and 
others  have  yet  no  value  known  to  man,  but 
doubtless  in  the  future  a  value  now  unknown 
will  be  discovered. 

Among  the  native  grasses  is  the  red 
top,  nimble  will,  bluejoint  (now  almost 
obliterated),  orchard  grass,  the  blue 
grasses,  reeds,  cane,  raggrass,  vernal 
grass,  canary  grass,  crabgrass,  witch- 
grass,  barnyard  grass,  foxtail,  bottle  grass, 
wild  millet,  wild  oats,  broonbeard  grass, 
of  these  the  most  common  was  the  redtop 
and  blue  grass  of  the  timber  land,  and  the 
two  varieties  of  prairie  grass,  one  of  which 


grows  on  the  higher  land,  the  other  in  the 
low  wet  lands  or  sloughs.  The  first  grows 
from  eighteen  inches  to  two  feet  high,  and 
has  almost  no  stem,  and  is  excellent  for 
stock  food,  both  as  pasture  or  when  cut  and 
dried  into  "prairie  hay."  The  other  called 
"bluejoint,"  has  a  jointed  stem  nearly  as 
large  as  a  lead  pencil  with  joints  eight  or 
ten  inches  long,  and  often  grew  to  the  height 
of  eight  or  ten  feet,  and  so  thick  that  a  man 
on  horseback  could  not  be  seen  any  distance. 
This  grass  was  ornamented  with  a  feathery, 
tasseled  top,  and  waving  in  the  sunlight  was 
not  unlike  the  gentle  billows  of  an  inland 
lake  in  its  wave-like  motion.  It  was  this 
grass  burning  that  rendered  the  prairie  fire 
of  an  early  day  so  feared  by  the  settlers,  and 
no  way  was  ever  devised  to  protect  the  set- 
tler or  camper  against  destruction  but  to 
fight  fire  with  fire,  that  is  to  fire  the  grass 
on  the  side  from  which  the  fire  threatened, 
and  letting  it  burn  toward  the  advancing 
wall  of  flame,  and  stamping  out  while  under 
control  the  grass  on  the  side  which  was  to 
be  protected. 


-SUCKER    STAT 


IGIN    OF    NAMES. 


All  southern  Illinois  has  been  called  by  the 
nickname  of  "Egypt."  The  origin  is  not 
far  to  look  for.  In  the  settlement  of  the 
prairie  portion  of  the  state,  when  emigration 
was  pouring  into  its  borders  so  fast  that 
famine  often  threatened  not  only  the  stock 
of  the  emigrant  but  of  the  emigrant  himself, 
they  journeyed  with  great  wagon  trains  into 


u6 


BRINKERIJOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  older  settled  portions  of  the  state,  i.  e., 
southern  Illionis,  often  a  dozen  neighbors 
with  their  wagons  going  together  to  get 
com  enough  to  tide  them  over  until  the 
first  crop  could  be  grown,  and  they  likened 
their  journey  to  that  of  old,  when  the  breth- 
ren of  Joseph  went  down  into  Egypt  to  buy 
corn.  Hence  "going  down  into  Egypt" 
became  a  common  expression,  and  like  many 
other  expressions,  it  took  root  in  the  lan- 
guage of  the  people  and  the  name  remains 
long  after  the  necessity  which  gave  rise  to 
it  has  passed  away.  Illinois  is  also  called 
the  "Sucker  State,"  and  this  name,  like  all 
others  that  emanate  from  the  people,  ex- 
presses an  idea  and  conveyed  a  meaning, 
which  is  almost  lost  with  the  passing 
of  the  necessity  for  its  original  use. 
It  is  well  known  that  in  the  late 
summer  and  early  fall,  southern  and 
middle  Illinois  is  subject  to  extreme 
drought,  often  so  long  continued  that  water 
is  not  to  be  found  for  long  distances  across 
the  prairies,  except  as  obtained  by  the  arts 
of  man.  Yet  while  the  surface  water  is  dried 
up  along  the  sloughs,  the  crayfish,  with  un- 
erring instinct,  bore  their  tiny  wells,  which 
they  indicate  by  the  "chimneys"  which  they 
rear  above  the  surface,  often  many  inches. 
These  crayfish  wells  vary  from  three  feet 
to  fourteen  feet  in  depth,  and  invariably 
reach  an  abundance  of  clear,  sparkling 
water.  The  early  travelers,  especially  the 
surveyors  of  the  government  land,  knowing 
this  fact,  provided  themselves  with  long, 
jointed  sections  of  cane,  such  as  is  used  for 
fishing  poles,  and  by  thrusting  them  down 


crayfish  wells  could  suck  up  an  ample  drink 
of  pure,  cool  water,  and  thus  be  able  to  con- 
tinue the  work  at  a  time  when  otherwise 
they  would  be  forced  to  wait  for  rain.  This 
habit  or  practice  soon  gave  the  name 
"Sucker"  to  the  surveying  parties  which 
gradually  became  general  in  its  application 
to  the  whole  people  of  the  state,  and  thus 
to  the  inventive  genius  of  some  unknown 
chain-carrier  is  the  great  state  of  Illinois  in- 
debted for  her  familiar  cognomen  of 
"Sucker  State."  In  regard  to  Marion 
county  being  in  Egypt,  all  citizens  are  proud 
of  the  appellation.  The  following  letter  will 
throw  some  light  on  the  subject  and  give 
the  above  as  the  correct  version  of  the  origin 
of  -the  name  Egypt.  The  writer  is  a  grand- 
son of  Gov.  Zadock  Casey,  who  was  not 
only  a  pioneer,  but  a  man  of  great  ability 
and  of  good  education  and  who  loved  all 
southern  Illinois,  and  especially  Marion 
county,  which  he  always  regarded  as  his 
political  child,  and  of  which  he  was  very 
proud,  and  in  return  the  name  of  Gov.  Za- 
dock Casey  is  held  in  loving  memory  by 
those  remaining  of  the  citizens  of  the  early 
days  of  the  county.  The  writer  is  one  of 
the  Circuit  Judges  from  this  circuit,  now  on 
the  bench  filling  his  second  term,  and  a  law- 
yer of  fine  ability  and  great  learning,  and 
one  who  has  had  exceptional  advantages  in 
acquiring  knowledge  of  the  matters  whereof 
he  speaks.  The  letter  is  as  follows : 

"Centralia,  111.,  Aug.  22nd,   1908. 
"Dear  Professor : 

"I  have  often  heard  Gov.  Zadock  Casey, 
my    grandfather,  who    came    to    Jefferson 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


117 


county  in  1817,  say  that  southern  Illinois 
was  called  Egypt  from  the  fact  that  in  an 
early  day,  the  exact  year  I  can't  now  recall, 
but  in  the  twenties  I  think,  there  was 
throughout  the  central  and  northern  part  of 
the  state  an  almost  total  failure  of  the  corn 
crop,  while  in  southern  Illinois  there  was 
an  abundant  and  overflowing  crop,  that 
people,  by  every  then  known  conveyance, 
came  down  from  the  central  and  northern 
parts  of  the  state  into  southern  Illinois  after 
corn,  hence  the  name  Egypt. 

"Twenty-five   or   more  years   ago   Web- 


ster's Unabridged  Dictionary  said,  under  the 
head  of  Names  of  Fiction :  Southern  Illinois 
sometimes  called  'Egypt'  on  account  of  the 
supposed  ignorance  of  the  inhabitants 
thereof.  I  wrote  the  publishers  that  they 
did  great  injustice  to  southern  Illinois,  and 
gave  them  the  origin  of  the  name  'Egypt' 
as  it  had  come  to  me.  Subsequent  editions 
of  the  dictionary  eliminated  the  objection- 
able features. 

"Very  truly  yours, 

"S.  L.   DWIGHT." 


FIRST  SETTLEMENT. 


The  first  white  man  who  selected  Marion 
county  as  a  spot  on  which  to  build  a  home 
was  Samuel  Young.  The  story  of  his  life  at 
this  time  reads  like  a  romance.  He  was  born 
and  reared  in  Virginia,  but  migrated  with 
his  family  to  Tennessee,  where  he  was 
blessed  with  a  large  family  consisting  of  four 
girls  and  two  boys.  The  eldest,  Jane  Young, 
married  Robert  Snodgrass,  who  was  one  of 
the  company  whea  the  Young  family  moved 
to  Marion  county.  Samuel  Young  with  his 
wife  and  youngest  child,  Mathew,  came  to 
Illinois  and  stopped  at  Shawneetown  about 
the  year  1803,  and  remained  there  about  six 
years.  The  rest  of  the  family,  some  of  whom 
were  married,  remained  in  Tennessee  until 
the  father  should  find  a  suitable  location, 
when  they  were  to  come.  About  1810  Mrs. 
Young  died  near  Shawneetown  and  Mr. 


Young,  who  had  not  been  satisfied  to  bring 
his  family  there,  took  his  son  Mathew,  then 
a  boy  of  eleven  years,  and  with  no  other 
companion  traversed  across  southern  Illi- 
nois to  New  Madrid,  Missouri,  occupying 
some  months  in  the  journey,  stopping  as 
fancy  dictated,  and  arriving  at  New  Madrid 
in  the  fall,  where  they  proceeded  to  build 
themselves  a  cabin,  and  were  living  there 
when  the  New  Madrid  earthquake  occurred 
on  the  night  of  November  16,  1811.  The 
following  description  of  the  earthquake  is 
taken  from  the  scientific  writings  of  Russell 
Hinman,  an  authority  on  earthquake  phe- 
nomena : 

"In  1811  an  earthquake  shook  the  entire 
territory  between  western  Texas  and  Wash- 
ington City,  and  the  Gulf  of  Mexico  and  the 
Great  Lakes,  an  area  of  more  than  a  million 


n8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


square  miles.  It  was  caused  by  subterra- 
nean movements  which  occasioned  the  set- 
tling to  a  depth  of  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  of 
a  large  district  about  New  Madrid,  Mis- 
souri, below  the  juncture  of  the  Ohio  and 
Mississippi  rivers.  Portions  of  the  sunken 
district  twenty  miles  or  more  in  length  were 
afterward  flooded  by  the  river,  and  became 
Reelfoot  Lake  in  northwestern  Tennessee, 
and  Big  Lake  between  Missouri  and  Arkan- 
sas." 

The  inhabitants  thought  the  end  of  the 
earth  had  come,  and  fled  in  all  directions. 
I  have  often  listened  to  the  son,  Mathew, 
tell  of  the  event,  as  I  knew  him  quite  well, 
and  had  the  honor  of  preaching  his  funeral- 
as  well  as  that  of  his  wife,  who  lived  some 
years  longer.  His  recollections  of  that 
startling  event  were  as  follows: 

"My  father  and  I  heard  the  rumbling  and 
felt  the  earth  shake  the  cabin.  We  were 
frightened  and  gathered  together  what 
clothes  we  could  and  ran  out  just  in  time  to 
escape  the  logs  falling  on  us,  as  our  cabin 
fell  down.  People  were  running  in  all  di- 
rections, frightened  out  of  their  senses;  we 
did  not  know  what  to  do  nor  where  to  go, 
but  when  we  realized  that  it  was  an  earth- 
quake we  became  less  frightened  and  de- 
termined to  await  the  outcome,  and  for 
about  two  weeks  we  stayed  at  the  place.  On 
the  morning  of  November  I7th,  when  day- 
light came,  a  strange  sight  met  our  eyes. 
The  ground  was  opened  in  wide  cracks  into 
which  one  might  have  fallen;  trees  were 
twisted  like  ropes  and  broken  and  splin- 
tered ;  great  trees  were  split  from  top  to  bot- 


tom, so  that  one  half  would  be  one  one  side 
and  the  other  half  on  the  other  side  of  the 
crack  in  the  earth ;  every  chimney  was  down 
and  nearly  every  house,  none  escaped ;  some 
were  turned  around  and  what  few  stood  at 
all  were  so  badly  wrecked  as  to  be  worth- 
less and  dangerous.  The  quaking  continued 
at  intervals  all  winter,  even  as  far  as  here, 
but  only  light  shakes.  While  the  quake  was 
severest  the  ground  rose  and  fell  like  waves 
and  for  a  time  the  water  of  the  river  ran  up 
stream." 

Samuel  Young  and  the  boy,  Mathew, 
then  eleven  years  old,  determined  to  return 
to  Shawneetown,  as  they  had  had  quite 
enough  of  New  Madrid,  but  concluded  to 
explore  more  of  the  Illinois  country  on  the 
way  back.  They  came  up  the  river  to  Kas- 
kaskia,  and  started  with  the  few  belongings 
they  had  saved  at  the  time  of  the  destruc- 
tion of  their  New  Madrid  home.  With  a 
rifle  each,  a  little  meal,  a  skillet  or  two  and 
a  few  such  necessary  articles  as  they  might 
carry,  started  on  foot  and  alone  on  the  old 
Vincennes  trace  across  the  wilderness.  They 
arrived  in  Marion  county  late  in  December, 
1811,  and  as  there  was  heavy  snow  falling 
they  resolved  to  camp  for  the  winter  near  a 
band  of  friendly  Indians.  The  spot  selected 
was  on  the  bank  of  the  creek  southwest  from 
the  city  of  Salem  about  six  miles,  not  far 
from  where  the  iron  bridge  spans  the  creek 
at  the  present  time.  Here  they  constructed 
a  rude  camp,  first  selecting  a  huge  log  for 
the  north  wall ;  with  poles  and  brush  and 
bark  they  formed  the  sides  and  top,  leaving 
most  of  the  south  side  open,  before  which 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


119 


they  kept  a  fire  burning,  and  thus  in  what  to 
them  was  comfort  they  passed  the  winter  of 
1811  and  1812.  With  the  spring  they  re- 
sumed their  journey,  and  as  the  old  man  had 
found  a  land  to  suit  him  he  resolved  to  re- 
turn to  Tennessee  and  bring  the  whole  fam- 
ily to  Illinois.  This  he  accomplished  in 
1813,  accompanied  by  his  son,  James  Young, 
his  son-in-law,  Robert  Snodgrass,  as  well  as 
the  other  children,  and  bringing  with  them 
such  conveniences  and  necessaries  as  the 
times  afforded  or  demanded.  They  brought 
some  stock  also  with  them,  having  driven 
them  all  the  way  on  foot.  They  brought 
also  horses,  wagons  and  a  few  farm  imple- 
ments, the  inevitable  spinning  wheel,  as  well 
as  seeds  and  provisions  of  meal,  and  that 
article  so  necessary  in  all  communities,  salt. 
They  arrived  in  Marion  county  in  the  month 
of  August,  1813. 

When  Captain  Young  came  to  the  county 
in  1813  there  were  no  white  settlers  on  the 
west  nearer  than  Carlyle,  then  little  more 
than  a  fort  or  blockhouse,  about  sixteen 
feet  square  and  palisaded,  and  was  built  in 
1811  as  a  post  for  the  Illinois  Rangers,  for 
the  protection  of  outlying  settlements.  This 
fort  stood  on  the  west  bank  of  the  Kaskas- 
kia,  directly  east  from  what  is  now  the  court 
house  square.  It  was  on  the  trail  to  St. 
Louis,  then  but  a  small  village,  and  this  fort 
soon  became  the  center  of  a  small  settle- 
ment known  as  Old  Carlyle,  so  that  in  1813 
the  nearest  neighbors  on  the  west  were  at 
least  a  good  twenty-five  miles  away,  while 
no  fort  or  settlement  was  on  Illinois  soil  be- 
tween what  is  now  Salem  and  the  Wabash 


river  on  the  east.  The  only  paths  of  travel 
or  trails  as  then  called,  crossing  the  county 
were  the  Vincennes  trail,  the  Vincennes  and 
St.  Louis  trail,  which  branched  off  from  the 
Vincennes  and  Kaskaskia  trail  and  passed 
west  through  the  present  site  of  Salem  to 
the  fort  at  Carlyle,  thence  west  to  the  settle- 
ment on  Silver  Creek,  now  known  as  Leb- 
anon, thence  to  St.  Louis,  and  the  trail 
known  as  the  "Goshen  Road"  which  passed 
by  the  fort  at  Carlyle  and  bore  a  southeast 
direction,  through  Walnut  Hill  to  the  Ohio 
Saltworks. 

Marion  county  was  literally  overrun  by 
wild  beasts,  they  having  withdrawn  from  a 
nearer  proximity  to  the  settlements.  Wild 
cats,  bears  and  an  occasional  panther  or 
"painter"  as  the  pioneers  called  them, 
wolves,  with  the  smaller  and  less  dangerous 
animals  rendered  stock  raising  a  task  that 
required  all  the  care  and  watchfulness  of  the 
settler  and  his  family.  Elk,  deer,  buffalo, 
with  many  other  less  prominent  species  of 
wild  food  animals  provided  meats,  and  often 
attracted  large  bands  of  Indians  to  the 
bounteous  hunting  grounds  of  Marion 
county,  as  many  as  five  hundred  at  times 
camping  on  some  stream  overran  the  adja- 
cent county  and  while  generally  peaceable, 
kept  so  by  fear  of  the  whites  and  of  the 
dreaded  Rangers  of  St.  Clair  county,  yet 
they  were  a  thieving  crew  and  would  com- 
mit murder  if  vigilance  relaxed. 

The  last  and  indeed  what  is  believed  to 
be  the  only  battle  fought  between  the  whites 
and  Indians  here,  was  fought  in  1813,  in 
Salem  township,  near  the  Stevenson  town- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ship  line,  between  a  party  of  Rangers  from 
St.  Clair  county,  under  Captain  Whiteside. 
A  band  of  Indians  had  massacred  a  family 
of  whites  near  Kaskaskia.  Captain  White- 
side  in  command  of  twenty  Rangers,  pur- 
sued them,  overtaking .  them  in  the  heavy 
timber  bordering  the  small  creek  about  one 
mile  south  of  the  present  home  of  John  M. 
Green,  Esq.  In  the  fight  among  the  trees 
one  white  man  and  five  Indians  were  slain 
when  night  put  an  end  to  the  battle.  During 
the  night  the  few  remaining  Indians  fled, 
and  the  Rangers  gave  up  the  pursuit.  It 
has  been  sometimes  erroneously  stated  that 
it  was  in  this  battle  that  Captain  Harvey  lost 
his  life,  but  Captain  Harvey  was  killed  some 
years  before,  at  what  is  now  known  as  Har- 
vey's Point,  and  his  grave  may  be  faintly 
traced  a  few  yards  west  and  north  of  the 
spot  where  the  old  Harvey's  Point  church 
stood.  The  circumstances  of  Captain  Har- 
vey's death  are  as  follows:  About  the  year 
1810  horsestealing  became  so  common  in 
the  settlements  along  the  Wabash  from  Vin- 
cennes  to  Shawneetown  and  also  in  the 
settlements  along  the  Mississippi  and  Kas- 
kaskia, that  the  pioneers  decided  to  break 
up  the  business  at  all  hazards,  and  with  this 
end  in  view  mercilessly  pursued  the  thieves 
whenever  a  horse  was  stolen.  The  thieves 
stealing  in  the  Wabash  county  would  lose 
themselves  in  the  Illinois  wilderness  and 
eventually  make  their  way  to  the  settlements 
on  the  west  side  of  the  state,  and  the  horses 
stolen  in  the  west  settlement  were  disposed 
of  in  the  Wabash  settlements,  thus  lessening 
the  chance  of  detection.  Captain  Harvey 
with  one  companion  was  in  chase  of  one  of 


these  thieves  and  succeeded  in  capturing 
him  somewhere  west  of  Marion  county,  and 
with  his  companion  was  taking  him  to  Vin- 
cennes.  They  were  on  horseback  and  when 
they  reached  the  hill  known  since  as  Har- 
vey's Point  it  was  near  sundown  and  they 
concluded  to  camp  for  the  night.  They  dis- 
mounted and  laid  the  thief,  whose  hands  and 
feet  were  tied,  on  the  ground ;  they  then 
built  a  fire  and  having  placed  their  rifles 
against  a  tree  near  at  hand,  while  making 
camp,  they  carelessly  went  to  the  little 
"branch"  a  few  yards  away  to  wash  and  get 
water.  The  thief  had  in  the  meantime  man- 
aged to  get  his  hands  out  of  the  rope  bonds, 
quickly  untied  his  feet,  siezed  the  guns  with- 
out attracting  the  attention  of  his  captors. 
As  Harvey  and  his  companion  returned 
they  were  confronted  by  the  outlaw  who 
commanded  them  to  halt,  but  Harvey  did 
not  heed  the  command  and  the  outlaw  fired 
and  killed  him  instantly.  Thus  paying  with 
his  life  the  violation  of  the  pioneer's  first 
law,  never  to  leave  your  gun  out  of  reach  at 
any  time.  Harvey's  companion  was  forced 
to  permit  the  thief  to  mount  one  of  the 
horses  and  ride  away.  Harvey's  companion 
managed  to  get  the  body  of  his  chief  up  into 
the  branches  of  a  tree  and  tied  it  there  out 
of  the  reach  of  wild  animals  and  rode  to 
Vincennes,  collected  a  small  force  and  re- 
turned to  the  place  of  the  murder,  buried 
the  body  and  endeavored  to  trail  the  thief, 
but  were  unsuccessful ;  as  he  was  never  ap- 
prehended it  is  supposed  he  hid  himself  in 
the  French  or  Spanish  settlements  west  of 
the  Mississippi. 

Another  version  of  the  death  of  Captain 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Harvey,  differing  only  in  details,  is  that  the 
thief  was  caught  at  Vincennes  and  they  were 
returning  to  Kaskaskia,  when  the  tragedy 
occurred,  and  that  the  companion  of  Harvey 
buried  him  as  best  he  could  and  returned  to 
Kaskaskia  for  a  burying  party,  who  on  ar- 
riving at  the  scene  of  the  murder  found  that 
the  wolves  had  dug  up  the  body  and  partly 
devoured  it,  they  gathered  up  the  scattered 
remains  and  buried  them  in  a  grave  which 
may  be  seen  at  the  present  time. 

Shortly  after  Captain  Young,  his  son 
James  and  his  son-in-law,  Robert  Snod- 
grass,  settled  on  Vermillion  creek,  just  west 
of  Salem,  or  the  next  year,  1814,  James 
Pyles,  another  son-in-law  of  Samuel  Young, 
came  to  Marion  county.  He  was  a  native  of 
Kentucky  and  resided  near  and  in  Salem 
until  1840.  when  he  removed  to  Missouri. 
About  the  same  time  two  brothers,  Jacob 
and  William  Albert,  followed  the  Youngs 
from  the  same  neighborhood  in  Tennessee. 
Jacob  was  married  to  Patsey  Young  in  1816 
by  Abia  Lee,  acting  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
and  who  had  come  to  the  county  about  two 
years  before.  Rufus  Ricker  came  from 
Indiana  and  settled  at  Walnut  Hill  in  1819, 
and  in  1823  moved  to  what  is  now  Salem, 
where  he  and  Mark  Tully  settled.  The  lat- 
ter came  from  Indiana  in  1821,  having  mi- 
grated from  Tennessee  when  quite  a  young 
man.  He  settled  with  his  family  about  three 
miles  west  of  Salem,  bought  out  James  Rob- 
erts who  had  donated  thirty  acres  of  land  in 
section  1 1  to  the  county.  Roberts  returned 
to  Indiana  and  Ricker  and  Tully  carried  out 
the  contract  with  the  county  that  Roberts 


had  made,  giving  a  deed  dated  June  6,  1826. 
Both  Ricker  and  Tully  were  very  prominent 
men  in  the  early  history  of  the  county. 
About  this  time  what  is  known  as  the  Roach 
farm  about  three  miles  from  Salem,  was 
settled  by  William  Boyle  and  his  sister  An- 
nis,  who  ran  away  from  their  home  in  Ken- 
tucky and  came  to  Marion  county  on  foot. 
Boyle  often  told  of  having  plowed  the 
ground  and  cultivated  corn  where  the  city 
of  Salem  now  stands.  Annis  died  in  1877, 
and  William  passed  away  some  years  later. 
Joseph  Hensley  was  born  in  Virginia  in 
1784  and  removed  to  Kentucky,  and  from 
there  to  Illinois,  and  settled  at  Walnut  Hill 
in  1818.  He  had  six  children,  and  there  are 
many  of  his  descendants  still  living  in  this 
county,  and  are  among  our  best  people.  It 
is  claimed  that  Marion  Hensley  was  the  first 
child  of  white  parentage  born  in  the  county 
after  its  organization,  and  for  that  reason 
was  named  Marion.  Israel  Jennings,  Sr., 
came  from  Kentucky  in  1819,  and  settled 
two  miles  west  of  Walnut  Hill.  He  was  the 
great-grandfather  of  William  Jennings 
Bryan.  He  was  well-to-do  for  that  day,  and 
improved  a  large  tract  of  land.  His  family 
consisted  of  four  sons  and  four  daughters. 
He  was  a  man  of  strong  mind  and  noble 
character.  He  represented  the  county  in  the 
legislature  one  term  and  lived  to  be  nearly- 
one  hundred  years  old,  dying  in  1870,  leav- 
ing a  large  landed  estate  to  his  children,  a 
part  at  least  of  which  is  still  held  by  the 
family.  He  kept  his  coffin  in  his  house 
more  than  forty  years.  This  was  not  the 
result  of  crankiness  as  it  might  seem,  but  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


thoughtfulness,  and  the  event  that  brought 
about  the  purchase  of  the  coffin  occurred  in 
a  very  early  day,  1819  or  1820.  When  he 
moved  to  the  Hill  in  1819  the  traveling  was 
so  bad  that  a  part  of  his  goods  had  to  be  left 
at  Shawneetown,  and  as  soon  as  the  family 
were  located  and  the  necessary  work  done, 
Mr.  Jennings  went  to  Shawneetown  after 
the  things,  a  journey  of  many  days  through 
an  unsettled  wilderness.  Upon  his  return  he 
found  that  one  of  his  daughters  had  died, 
and  that  no  coffin  could  be  obtained  to  bury 
her  in,  as  there  were  as  yet  no  saw  mills  and 
no  lumber  from  which  to  make  a  coffin,  and 
so  some  of  the  neighbors  had  felled  a  tree 
and  split  it  in  two  and  by  hollowing  out  the 
halves,  trough-like,  had  placed  the  body 
therein,  and  thus  buried  it.  This  made  such 
an  impression  on  his  mind  that  at  the  first 
opportunity  he  bought  in  St.  Louis  a  metal- 
lic coffin,  so  that  in  case  of  his  death  the 
family  might  be  spared  the  worry  of  procur- 
ing a  coffin  for  him,  well  knowing  that  in 
the  event  of  the  death  of  any  other  member 
of  the  family  he  would  be  able  to  provide. 

Malachi  Ware  came  to  Marion  county 
from  Kentucky  in  1818.  He  had  seven  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  married  Mathew  Young, 
the  boy  who,  in  1811,  camped  with  the  In- 
dians on  Crooked  creek.  They  were  married 
when  Mathew  was  not  quite  nineteen  and 
Miss  Ware  fourteen.  This  was  doubtless 
the  first  wedding  in  the  county,  but  long  be- 
fore the  county  was  formed.  Their  son, 
John  Young,  who  died  in  1905,  was  beyond 
doubt  the  first  white  child  born  on  what  is 
now  Marion  county  soil.  The  writer  was 


well  acquainted  with  all  the  parties,  and  as 
minister  officiated  at  the  funeral  of  all  three. 
James  Roberts  came  to  the  county  in  1818 
and  settled  on  section  n,  where  Salem  now 
stands,  and  gave  the  county  thirty  acres  of 
land  as  a  county  seat,  bvit  as  told  already, 
sold  to  Rufus  Ricker  and  Mark  Tully,  who 
made  the  deed  of  gift  to  the  county.  James 
Roberts  went  back  to  Indiana  but  his  son 
Jesse  remained  and  became  Marion  county's 
first  Sheriff.  "Black  Bear,"  or  Benjamin 
Vermillion  first  settled  at  Walnut  Hill  about 
1818,  afterward  moved  to  Salem  township 
and  improved  a  farm.  He  was  an  eccentric 
character.  Very  dark  complexioned  and 
famous  as  a  bear  hunter,  hence  the  nickname 
of  "Black  Bear."  He  left  Marion  county 
and  went  to  Missouri  in  the  thirties,  where 
he  died.  His  life  was  a  busy  one,  and  not- 
withstanding his  eccentricities  was  a  useful 
one.  He  was  regarded  as  a  just  man  and 
fearless  in  the  discharge  of  duty.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Illinois  Rangers  who  did  so 
much  to  prevent  lawlessness  and  to  protect 
the  settlements  from  the  Indians  in  the  set- 
tlement period  of  the  state.  One  of  the 
characters  of  this  period  was  William 
Taylor.  He  was  a  bully  of  the  neighbor- 
hood and  delighted  in  the  rough  and  tumble 
fights  of  the  period,  and  carried  many  scars 
as  a  result  of  his  frequent  battles,  but  like 
almost  all  the  bullies  of  his  day  was  a  peace- 
able neighbor  and  not  at  all  quarrelsome, 
and  only  showed  his  fighting  proclivities 
when  meeting  fighting  men  or  overwrought 
by  some  injustice  to  himself  or  some  weaker 
party.  The  advent  of  Samuel  Shook 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


123 


marked  an  era  in  the  annals  of  the  county. 
He  came  in  1820  and  located  in  the  Walnut 
Hill  settlement.  He  was  a  Baptist  preacher, 
and  so  far  as  can  be  ascertained  was  the 
first  regular  minister  to  locate  in  Marion 
county.  He  died  shortly  afterward,  leaving 
no  family.  He  was  said  to  be  a  good  man 
with  ideas  of  a  more  liberal  character  than 
many  preachers  of  that  day  entertained. 

The  founder  of  the  Foster  family  in 
Marion  county  was  "Uncle  Hardy"  Foster, 
as  everyone  called  him.  He  was  a  unique 
character,  "good  as  gold."  He  originally 
came  from  Georgia  in  1821,  stopped  a  few 
years  in  St.  Clair  county,  and  when  Marion 
county  began  to  be  settled  came  to  the  then 
wilderness  to  hunt  bears  and  bees,  which 
was  his  favorite  occupation.  With  one 
companion,  James  Jones,  he  struck  up  a 
camp  on  the  Mt.  Vernon  and  Vandalia 
road  which  was  but  a  track  through  the 
county,  and  hunted  bears  and  bees  most 
vigorously.  He  afterward  settled  on  a  farm 
which  he  "hewed  from  the  forest,"  and  be- 
came one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  the 
county,  filling  many  offices  and  left  a  monu- 
ment to  his  memory  in  the  name  of  Foster 
township.  His  companion,  Jones,  also  set- 
tled in  the  county,  and  both  have  a  large 
number  of  descendants  in  the  northern  part 
of  the  county  who  are  "good  citizens  and 
true."  Another  of  the  original  characters 
among  the  early  settlers  was  "Nickname" 
John  Boucher,  so  called  because  he  never 
called  anybody  by  the  right  name,  but  nick- 
named all  his  acquaintances.  He  had  a 
small  mill  run  by  water  and  ground  both 


wheat  and  corn  for  his  neighbors,  some  of 
whom  lived  fifteen  or  twenty  miles  away. 
This  was  not  the  first  mill  in  the  county 
but  was  perhaps  the  best  equipped  at  that 
time.  It  is  told  of  him  that,  wishing  to 
catch  his  horse  one  day,  he  wore  himself  out 
chasing  the  animal  but  without  avail,  so  he 
concluded  to  "crease"  the  horse  and  so  be 
able  to  catch  him.  To  crease  an  animal  is  to 
fire  a  rifle  ball  so  as  to  just  touch  the  top  of 
the  head  and  "stun"  them,  so  that  they  may 
be  caught  before  they  recover.  When 
Boucher  fired  the  horse  fell  as  was  expected, 
but  when  Boucher  got  to  him  the  horse  was 
dead.  He  had  "creased"  the  animal  too 
well.  Boucher  left  no  representatives  in  this 
county,  or  at  least  none  are  known  now.  It 
is  thought  he  moved  away  at  an  early  day. 
During  the  years  1819  and  1820  several 
families  settled  in  different  parts  of  the 
county.  In  the  first  mentioned  year  one 
Welch  settled  in  Walnut  Hill  and  lived  there 
on  a  farm  several  years.  His  family  con- 
sisted of  eight  children.  He  went  to  Fulton 
county  in  the  early  thirties  and  died  there 
some  time  after.  John  Wilson  was  one  of 
the  first  settlers  in  what  is  now  Raccoon 
township,  and  Abraham  Romine  in  what 
is  now  Romine  township.  A  more  extended 
notice  will  be  given  these  families  under  the 
head  of  their  respective  townships.  Isaac 
McClelland,  the  founder  of  the  large  and 
influential  McClelland  family,  was  born  in 
Pennsylvania  but  came  to  Illinois  by  way 
of  Ohio  and  stopped  a  short  time  at  Kaskas- 
kia.  But  in  1820  he  came  to  Marion  county 
and  stopped  at  the  home  of  Israel  Jennings. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


He  came  on  foot  and  brought  all  his  posses- 
sions with  him.  He  remained  at  Walnut 
Hill  until  he  married  Sallie  \Yelch  New 
Year's  day,  1824,  when  he  went  to  town- 
ship 2  north,  i  east,  where  he  and  his 
wife  settled  on  section  32.  The  place 
is  now  known  as  the  Martin  farm.  He  af- 
terward returned  to  Walnut  Hill  and  then 
to  Central  City,  where  he  died  March  19, 
1881. 

Frederick  Phelps  settled  in  Carrigan 
township  -in  1820.  He  died  in  1845. 
Major  Samuel  Davidson  settled  in  the  same 
township  in  1821.  Mary  Tully,  of  whom 
mention  has  been  made  before,  was  born  in 
Tennessee  in  1791.  He  emigrated  to  Indi- 
ana, then  to  Illinois,  and  settled  near  Salem 
in  1821.  He  had  a  family  consisting  of  a 
wife  and  four  children  of  his  own  and  two 
stepchildren,  having  married  a  widow  with 
two  children.  Nine  more  children  were 
born  to  them  after  coming  to  this  county, 
one  of  whom.  Uncle  Ander  Tully,  still  lives 
in  Salem.  All  the  others  have  passed  be- 
yond. Thomas  Fulton  also  came  to  the 
county  very  early,  about  1822.  In  1821 
Samuel  Gaston,  a  native  of  South  Carolina, 
settled  in  Marion,  twelve  miles  southwest 
from  Salem.  He  had  eight  children.  In 
the  year  of  1826  he  went  to  help  raise  a 
cabin  for  a  neighbor,  ten  miles  away,  and 
took  cold  and  fell  ill  with  winter  fever 
(pneumonia)  and  died.  His  children  were 
prominent  in  Marion  county  and  left 
numerous  descendants  who  are  among  the 
best  citizens  of  the  county.  A  Mr.  Jamison 
came  from  Tennessee  in  1821  and  settled  in 


luka  township,  on  what  is  called  from  him 
Jamison  creek.  He  commenced  making  im- 
provements but  was  killed  by  the  Indians 
in  1823.  In  1822  Samuel  Huff  came  from 
Logan  county,  Tennessee,  and  settled  in  the 
Walnut  Hill  neighborhood.  He  had  eight 
children,  several  living  to  a  very  old  age 
and  leaving  a  numerous  progeny  behind,  all 
of  whom  are  highly  respected  by  their  fel- 
low citizens. 

James  Chance  came  from  Tennessee  at  an 
early  day  and  settled  in  Salem.  He  was  the 
first  blacksmith  in  the  town.  William  Purs- 
ley  settled  in  what  is  now  Tonti  township 
in  1822  and  died  shortly  after,  leaving  a 
widow  whose  life  was  full  of  incidents,  some 
of  which  will  be  given  under  the  head  of 
Tonti.  Cornelius  Dunham,  of  New  York, 
William  Tully,  of  Virginia ;  David  Fulton, 
of  Tennessee;  and  Letitia  Duncan  all  came 
to  the  county  before  1824,  as  did  also  John 
W.  Nichols  and  Robert  Nichols.  William 
Marshall  taught  school  in  1825  in  this 
county.  He  lived  northeast  of  Salem  for  a 
time,  then  bought  the  William  Nichols  im- 
provements. He  -was  a  man  of  some  edu- 
cation and  a  splendid  fiddler,  or  violinist  as 
we  now  call  them,  and  he  was  in  demand 
at  all  gatherings  for  miles  around.  He  was 
a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  County  Surveyor  and 
served  one  term  in  the  Legislature.  He  died 
in  Carrigan  township,  leaving  a  large 
family.  John  Eddington  and  James  Chance 
settled  on  a  farm  in  Carrigan  township  in 
1823.  Chance  served  two  terms  as  Sheriff 
and  bore  a  stainless  reputation.  He  left 
a  large  family  at  his  death,  January  5,  1866. 


tNKERHOFF's    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


125 


Jeremiah  Gilmore  came  in  1824  and  died  a 
citizen  of  the  county.  He  seems  to  have 
left  no  representatives  in  the  county. 

Mathew  Cunningham  came  from  Ken- 
tucky in  1824  and  settled  on  a  farm  near 
Walnut  Hill.  The  county  line  divided  the 
farm,  most  of  which  was  in  Marion  county, 
but  the  house  was  just  over  the  line  in  Jef- 
ferson county.  There  were  nine  children, 
one  of  whom  was  prominent  in  the  develop- 
ment of  the  county.  We  refer  to  Hon. 
John  Cunningham,  who  was  a  merchant  in 
Salem  and  a  dealer  in  stock  for  many  years. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature  and 
lived  to  an  old  age.  Mathew  moved  from 
Walnut  Hill  to  Romine  township,  but  died 
in  Salem  at  the  residence  of  his  daughter 
in  May,  1878. 

His  wife,  the  mother  of  John  Cun- 
ningham, died  of  cholera  in  1834.  John 
Bundy,  founder  of  the  Bundy  family  in 
Marion  county,  was  a  North  Carolinian, 
having  first  settled  in  Jefferson  county, 
but  moved  to  Marion  county  shortly  after. 
Three  of  his  sons  were  in  the  Mexican  war, 
one,  Isaac  Bundy,  afterward  was  a  Metho- 
dist minister  for  many  years.  One  son, 
William  Bundy,  is  still  a  resident  of  this 
county  and  is  honored  by  all  as  an  upright 


citizen  and  a  Christian  gentleman.  John 
Bundy  left  several  descendants,  among 
whom  are  his  grandsons,  W.  F.  Bundy 
and  John  Bundy,  both  distinguished  mem- 
bers of  the  bar  of  the  county. 

Reuben  Chance,  who  at  the  age  of  twenty 
years  came  to  this  county  in  1825,  was  an 
influential  citizen  and  his  life  was  worthy 
of  emulation.  He  died  in  1880  at  his  home 
near  Old  Bethel  camp  ground.  His  wife, 
Catherine,  died  in  1877.  There  were  ten 
children  in  this  family;  one  son,  J.  Oj 
Chance,  was  twice  elected  Clerk  of  the  Su- 
preme Court;  another,  S.  S.  Chance,  after 
serving  the  county  in  the  Clerk's  office  for 
nearly  fifty  years,  is  now  living  in  Salem, 
retired  from  active  cares  of  life,  a  citizen 
known  to  all  and  by  all  beloved.  After  the 
year  1825  immigration  increased  rapidly 
and  many  families  settled  in  the  county  and 
as  far  as  possible  they  will  be  traced  in  the 
sketch  of  their  respective  townships  in 
which  they  settled. 

Marion  county,  while  to  a  considerable 
extent  is  a  mining  county  so  far  as  the 
southwest  portion  of  the  county  is  concerned 
yet  on  the  whole  it  is  to  the  farm  that  we 
must  look  for  the  real  value  of  the  country's 
products. 


JUDICIARY  AND  ATTORNEYS. 


As  has  been  stated  the  first  court  was 
held  in  the  house  of  James  Young  May  29, 
1823,  Judge  John  Reynolds  presiding.  He 
was  of  Irish  parentage,  born  in  Pennsyl- 


vania,  February  26,  1788.  His  father  moved 
to  Tennessee  when  John  was  six  years  old, 
and  in  1800  emigrated  to  the  Illinois  coun- 
try.  At  the  age  of  twenty  John  Reynolds 


126 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


went  back  to  Tennessee  to  attend  college, 
and  stayed  in  college  two  years.  He 
studied  law  two  years  with  John 
Campbell,  at  Knoxville,  Tennessee,  and 
was  admitted  to  practice  in  1812  at 
Kaskaskia.  The  examination  was  con- 
ducted by  Judges  Thomas  and  Sprigg,  of 
the  United  States  Territorial  Court.  In 
1814  he  opened  an  office  in  the  county  seat 
of  St.  Clair  county  at  that  time  Cahokia. 

The  first  General  Assembly  of  Illinois  as 
a  state  met  at  Kaskaskia  and  John  Reynold? 
was  chosen  by  them  as  one  of  the  Associate 
Justices  of  the  Supreme  Court  of  the 
state.  Judge  Reynolds  was  elected 
Governor  in  1830,  and  went  to  Con- 
gress in  1834;  he  served  in  that  body 
seven  years.  In  1846  he  was  elected  to  the 
General  Assembly  and  chosen  speaker  in  the 
house.  The  writer  remembers  the  vener- 
able Governor  as  he  appeared  in  the  last 
year  of  his  life.  A  picture  from  the  past 
thrown  by  the  camera  of  the  years  on  the 
then  present.  He  was  always  a  Democrat  of 
the  Jackson  stripe  and  died  in  that  faith 
at  Belleville,  Illinois,  in  May,  1865,  in  his 
seventy-eighth  year.  The  next  Judge  to  hold 
court  was  Thomas  Reynolds,  Chief  Justice 
of  the  Supreme  Court,  who  was  also 
presiding  justice  of  the  circuit  courts  under 
the  then  constitution.  James  Hall,  a 
scholarly  man  and  a  graceful  writer, 
presided  at  the  April  term,  1825. 
Judge  Walters  presided  at  the  October 
term,  and  Hall  again  at  the  April  term, 
1826.  The  judges  who  have  presided  since 
1 826  were  as  follows,  given  in  order  as  they 


served:  Thomas  C.  Brown.  Judge  Brown 
held  all  the  courts  in  Marion  county  until 
1834,  except  the  September  and  October 
terms,  which  were  held  by  Theophilus  W. 
Smith,  on  account  of  the  sickness  of  Judge 
Brown.  In  1835  Judge  Alexander  F.  Grant 
presided.  He  was  succeeded  by  Jeptha  Har- 
din.  From  1837  to  1847  Walter  B.  Scales 
presided  over  the  Marion  county  circuit 
court.  He  was  succeeded  by  William  A. 
Denning  and  he  in  1850  by  Samuel  S. 
Marshall,  one  of  the  great  judicial  lu- 
minaries of  Illinois.  He  resigned  in  1854 
and  was  succeeded  by  Downing  Baugh,  who 
in  1856  was  succeeded  by  Edwin  Beech er. 
Beecher  served  only  a  short  term  and  in 
1857  Sidney  Breese,  the  Webster  of  Illinois, 
occupied  the  bench.  Judge  H.  R.  S.  O'Mel- 
veney  was  Circuit  Judge  from  1858  to 
1861.  In  1861  Silas  L.  Bryan  was  elected 
Circuit  Judge.  He  served  twelve  years.  For 
a  sketch  of  Judge  Bryan,  see  special 
biography.  The  circuit  court  was  presided 
over  from  1873  by  Judge  Amos  Watts  or 
William  W.  Snyder,  or  George  W.  Wall, 
who  composed  the  three  judges  of  the  third 
judicial  circuit  under  the  law  creating  the 
appellate  court.  Since  which  time  Judge 
Benjamin  Burroughs,  William  H.  Farmer. 
now  on  the  supreme  bench;  Judge  S.  L. 
Dwight,  Judge  Rose  and  Judge  Ames 
have  served.  The  state's  attorneys  for 
this  county  number  many  able  men 
among  them.  The  first  was  Henry 
Eddy,  who  served  from  1825  to 
1827;  again  in  1832  and  1834;  William 
Gatewood,  1827  to  1832;  Walter  B.  Scates 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


127 


and  Eddy  1833;  John  Dougherty  1835  and 
1836;  Samuel  S.  Marshall  1836-1838;  Wil- 
liam H.  Stickney  1838-1842;  Willis  Allen 
1842;  Richard  Nelson  1843;  Willis  Allen 
1844;  Henry  W.  Moore  (pro  tern)  1845; 
Benjamin  Bond,  ,1846  (pro  tern);  Samuel 
B.  Marshall  (pro  tern),  1847-1848;  Henry 
Rawlings,  1849;  Robert  Wingate  one  term, 
1850;  W.  R.  Parish  (pro  tem)  one  term; 
1850;  Lee  Turney,  1851  ;  James  C.  Robin- 
son, 1852-1857;  P.  P.  Hamilton  (pro  tem), 
1857 ;  Amos  Watts.  1858-1864 ;  P.  P.  John- 
son, 1865-1868;  John  Michan  1869-1872; 
James  S.  Jackson  1873-1877;  W.  W.  Far- 
thing, 1877-1880.  W.  D.  Farthing  was 
succeeded  by  Eugene  Stoker,  he  by  C. 
E.  Jennings  for  several  terms  and  he  by 
June  C.  Smith,  whose  term  is  just  expired 
and  W.  D.  Farthing  is  again  taking  the 
office  for  a  term  of  four  years. 

During  the  first  half  century  of  the  coun- 
ty's existence  the  Prosecuting  Attorney  was 
elected  or  appointed  for.  the  entire  circuit 
and  traveled  over  the  circuit  with  the  Judge 
and  during  that  time  may  men  who  after- 
ward became  famous  in  state  and  national 
affairs  filled  the  office  and  no  county  in  the 
state  has  had  abler  men  as  public  prosecu-1 
tors  than  Marion.  Among  the  lawyers  who 
were  of  the  Marion  county  bar,  none  were 
more  profound  than  Sidney  Breese,  after- 
ward a  Supreme  Judge  and  perhaps  the 
greatest  the  state  ever  had.  He  attended 
the  first  court  held  in  the  county  and  for 
several  years  after  was  a  regular  attendant. 
Lyman  Trumbull  afterward  a  United  States 
Senator  from  Illinois,  was  also  a  practition- 


er at  the  bar  of  this  county.  Finney  D.  Pres- 
ton also  belonged  to  the  Marion  county 
bar.  W.  H.  Underwood  afterward,  Judge, 
a  writer  on  law,  and  ranking  with  Breese 
and  Marshall,  practiced  here.  W.  B.  Henry 
Edward  S.  Wilson  and  John  A.  McCler- 
nand  and  afterward  eminent  as  Judge  and 
as  a  general  officer  in  the  Civil  war.  Judge 
Joseph  Gillespie,  an  intimate  associate  of 
Lincoln;  Robert  Wingate,  of  Missouri; 
Richard  S.  Bond,  Daniel  Wrhite,  W.  H. 
Gray,  W.  AJ.  Sparks,  Gustave  Van  Hoor- 
beke,  Fred  A.  Lietze,  Darius  Kingsbury, 
Alexander  White  and  Harvey  P.  Buxton, 
W.  N.  Parrish  and  Aaron  Shaw,  lawyers  of 
note,  but  foreign  to  the  county,  all  practised 
here,  riding  the  circuit  in  the  early  day. 

Of  the  Marion  county  lawyers.  Gen.  I. 
N.  Haynie  was  one  of  the  most  noted.  He 
was  born  in  Tennessee  November  18,  1824, 
He  came  with  his  parents  to  this  county  in 
1830,  began  the  study  of  law  in  1844  and 
was  admitted  in  1846.  He  was  a  lieutenant 
of  Company  C,  Sixth  Regiment  of  Illinois, 
in  the  Mexican  war.  In  1850  he  was  elect- 
ed to  the  Legislature.  He  took  a  law  course 
in  the  Louisville  L'niversity  and  took  the 
highest  rank  in  his  class  in  1853.  In  1856 
Mr.  Haynie  was  appointed  Judge  of  the 
court  of  Cairo,  Illinois,  and  removed  to  that 
city.  When  the  War  of  the  Rebellion  broke 
out.  he  organized  the  Forty-eighth  Infantry 
and  was  given  a  colonel's  commission  by 
Governor  Yates.  He  was  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh.  In  1862  he  was  made  a 
brigadier  general  by  President  Lincoln,  and 
afterward  adjutant  general  of  Illinois  which 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


office  he  held  at  the  time  of  his  death  which 
occurred  at  Springfield,  March  20,  1865. 

Stephen  G.  Hicks,  a  Georgian  by  birth, 
was  a  lawyer  of  ability.  He  served  as  a 
private  in  the  Black  Hawk  war;  was  a 
captain  in  the  Third  Regiment  Illinois  Vol- 
unteers, during  the  war  with  Mexico,  and 
was  practicing  law  in  Salem  when  the  war 
between  the  states  broke  out.  He  organized 
the  Fortieth  Regiment  and  was  made  its 
colonel.  He  was  severely  wounded  at  the 
battle  of  Shiloh  and  was  brought  home  to 
Salem,  where  he  remained  until  July,  1862, 
when  being  partially  recovered,  he  returned 
to  his  regiment  and  remained  in  the  field 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  born  in 
1807.  and  died  in  Salem  from  the  effect  of 
his  wounds,  December  14,  1869.  He  was 
buried  in  East  Lawn  cemetery,  wrapped  in 
Hie  old  flag  of  the  Fortieth  Regiment  as  he 
requested. 

Basil  B.  Smith  was  born  in  Ohio,  June 
27,  1829;  studied  law  with  General  Haynie 
and  was  admitted  in  1856.  He  was  a  fine 
lawyer  and  ranked  high  in  his  profession, 
the  last  years  of  his  life  being  clouded  by  a 
mental  break-down.  Dewit  C.  Jones  prac- 
ticed a  short  time  here,  but  removed  to 
Chicago  in  1875. 

Thomas  F.  Houts  came  to  this  county  ir 
1840  with  his  parents  and  studied  law  with 
Col.  H.  P.  Boyakin  in  1842.  His  education 
was  mostly  obtained  in  the  schools  of  Il- 
linois and  as  a  student  of  Rev.  W.  F.  Boya- 
kin in  Salem.  He  formed  a  partnership 
with  General  Haynie,  who  was  then  enter- 
ing the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Salem 


In  1856  Mr.  Houts  was  licensed  as  a  Meth- 
odist preacher  and  for  some  time  served  in 
that  connection,  but  later  united  with  the 
Church  of  God,  and  preached  for  that  people 
until  his  death  about  1907.  His  body  was 
brought  to  Salem  for  interment.  He  was 
said  to  be  at  his  prime  the  most  eloquent 
speaker  in  the  Southern  Illinois  circuit. 

W.  B.  Adams  located  at  Centralia  in 
1858.  He  was  a  good  lawyer,  but  his  ac- 
cidental death  in  1863  cut  short  his  career. 

Richard  S.  Nelson,  born  in  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  was  a  lawyer  at  Centralia  from  1859 
to  his  death  in  1865.  His  forte  was  chan- 
cery law,  in  which  branch  he  was  thorough- 
ly equipped.  E.  S.  Bates  and  George  A. 
Sanders  were  law  partners  at  Centralia  for 
some  years  when  the  firm  was  dissolved. 
Bates  going  to  Chicago  and  Sanders  to 
Springfield.  Bates  was  State  Treasurer 
two  terms.  W.  R.  Hubbarcl,  J.  O.  Chance, 
J.  A.  Norman,  T.  E.  Huddle,  M.  T.  Peters, 
W.  W.  Willard,  P.  P.  Hamilton,  W.  H. 
Brazier,  J.  G.  Lemon,  A.  B.  Goddon  and 
H.  P.  Boyakin  were  all  lawyers  and  were  for 
a  short  time  resident  attorneys  of  Salem. 

Gen.  James  S.  Martin  and  Benjamin  F. 
Marshall  both  practiced  a  short  time  in  Sa- 
lem, but  retired  to  enter  the  business  field 
in  which  they  were  eminently  successful. 
Both  are  dead,  but  their  memory  is  green 
in  the  minds  of  their  many  friends.  Til- 
man  Raser  practiced  law  in  this  county  also 
from  1857  to  his  death  in  1881. 

William  Stoker  opened  a  law  office  in 
Salem  in  1845,  but  was  compelled  by  an  af- 
fection of  the  eyes  to  cease  practice  for  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


129 


time,  but  in  1854  he  opened  an  office  in  Cen- 
tralia  and  until  his  death  a  few  years  ago 
was  ranked  as  the  dean  of  the  Marion 
county  bar.  He  was  a  Mexican  war  veteran 
and  for  a  few  years  practiced  at  Louisville 
(from  1848  to  1854),  Illinois.  His  son,  Eu- 
gene L.  Stoker,  was  Prosecuting  Attorney 
of  the  county,  and  afterward  removed  to 
Chicago,  where  he  died.  Michael  Schaffer, 
born  in  Pennsylvania  in  1821,  graduated  at 
Pennsylvania  College  at  Gettysburg  in  1846. 
He  studied  law,  taught  school  and  followed 
a  commercial  pursuit  until  1853,  when  he 
was  admitted  to  the  bar.  In  1857  he  was 
associated  with  Silas  L.  Bryan  and  contin- 
ued to  practice -until  1876,  when  he  was  ap- 
pointed Chief  Justice  of  the  Supreme  Court 
of  Utah  Territory,  which  office  he  filled 
with  distinguished  ability.  In  1879  he  re- 
turned to  Salem  and  resided  here  until  his 
death. 

Henry  C.  Goodnow  practiced  law  in  Sa- 
lem from  1859  until  his  death.  Mr.  Good- 
now was  a  fine  lawyer  and  took  great  pains 
to  prepare  his  cases. 

John  B.  Kagy  came  to  Salem  in  1860, 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1861.  He 
was  contemporary  with  H.  C.  Goodnow, 
and  often  on  opposite  sides,  these  two,  at 
one  time,  leaders  of  the  bar,  fought  battles 
at  law  that  crowded  the  court-houses  with 
citizens  to  witness  the  giants  in  combat. 
Mr.  Kagy  died  a  few  years  ago  full  of 
honors. 

H.  C.  Feltman  came  when  a  child  with 
his  parents  from  St.  Louis  and  studied  law 
with  John  B.  Kagy,  but  did  not  long  prac- 
9 


tice,  but  turned  his  attention  to  business 
pursuits.  He  was  for  years  grand  scribe 
of  the  Grand  Encampment,  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  of  Illinois.  He  died 
in  1908,  at  Salem,  Illinois. 

James  S.  Jackson,  of  luka,  was  born  in 
Kentucky  in  1831,  and  learned  the  black- 
smith's trade,  and  from  his  coming  to  the 
county  in  1850,  to  the  breaking  out  of  the 
Civil  war,  worked  at  the  forge.  In  1861  he 
was  chosen  captain  of  Company  G,  Twenty- 
second  Illinois  Volunteers,  and  served  until 
March  12,  1865,  when  he  was  mustered  out. 
The  following  November  he  was  elected 
County  Clerk,  and  while  Clerk  studied  law 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  June,  1866. 
He  was  State's  Attorney  one  term  and 
served  one  term  in  the  state  Legislature.  For 
many  years  prior  to  his  death  he  was  par- 
alyzed, and  passed  his  time  in  a  wheel 
chair,  always  cheerful  and  always  ready  to 
converse  with  friends.  He  was  of  a  poetic 
temperament  and  loved  to  quote  Shakes- 
peare, his  favorite  author. 

Col.  L.  F.  Casey  was  a  native  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  and  was  educated  in  Illinois 
schools.  He  studied  law  with  Judge  Scates 
in  1842,  and  was  admitted  in  1848.  He 
practiced  his  profession  in  Mt.  Vernon  un- 
til 1852,  when  he  went  to  Texas  and  opened 
an  office  in  Shelbyville.  From  1854  to 
1860  he  was  Prosecuting  Attorney  for  seven 
Texas  counties.  In  1866  he  removed  to 
Centralia,  Illinois,  and  formed  a  partnership 
with  S.  L.  Dwight.  Colonel  Casey  was  a 
member  of  the  Illinois  Legislature  in  1846- 
1847.  He  was  a  brilliant  man  and  a  first 


1 3o 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


rate  attorney.  While  in  Texas  he  was 
elected  to  the  State  Senate  and  served  as 
senator  four  years.  He  died  about  fifteen 
years  ago,  after  some  years  of  poor  health. 

Capt.  S.  L.  Dwight,  now  Circuit  Judge, 
was  a  private  and  rose  from  the  ranks  to  the 
captaincy  of  Company  I,  Sixtieth  Illinois 
Volunteers.  His  biography  appears  else- 
where. Suffice  it  to  say  here  that  he  is  now 
serving  his  second  term  as  Circuit  Judge, 
which  speaks  more  for  his  ability  than  pen 
of  mine  can  utter. 

S.  A.  Frazier,  of  Centralia,  was  born  in 
Indiana  in  1845,  but  came  to  this  county  in 
1850.  He  attended  the  public  schools  of 
this  county,  and  in  1864  entered  Northwest- 
ern Christian  University  at  Indianapolis, 
Indiana,  and  took  a  three  years'  course.  In 
1868  he  entered  the  office  of  W.  L.  Stoker 
as  a  student,  and  was  admitted  to  practice  in 
1869,  and  for  two  years  he  practiced  with 
his  teacher,  and  in  1871  opened  an  office  for 
himself.  He  has  confined  himself  mostly 
to  chancery  and  probate  law,  in  which  he  has 
attained  an  enviable  reputation.  He  still 
keeps  an  office  in  Centralia. 

J.  J.  Schoolfield,  now  of  luka,  is  a  native 
of  Maryland,  but  studied  law  in  Kentucky 
with  John  Tierbur.  He  was  admitted  in 
1866,  and  practiced  at  Brookville,Illinois.  In 
1872  he  moved  to  luka  where  he  still  re- 
sides in  the  full  possession  of  his  faculties, 
and  still  in  active  practice.  Captain  School- 
field  served  throughout  the  war  between  the 
states  on  the  losing  side.  He  was  a  good 
soldier,  and  like  all  good  soldiers,  surren- 
dered in  good  faith,  which  faith  he  has  kept, 


and  none  in  Marion  county  will  more 
quickly  resent  an  insult  to  his  country's 
honor  than  J.  J.  Schoolfield. 

John  F.  Donovan,  who  was  brought  from 
New  York  City  in  childhood  to  Sparta,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  grew  to  manhood.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  1874,  and  at  once 
opened  an  office  in  Kinmundy,  where  he  still 
continues  to  practice  his  profession.  He  has 
served  as  Mayor  of  Kinmundy,  and  several 
times  been  appointed  postmaster. 

W.  E.  C.  Lyons  was  a  student  of  law  in 
the  office  of  Gen.  I.  B.  Jones,  of  Sparta,  and 
was  admitted  in  1874.  He  served  as  City 
Attorney  of  Centralia  for  a  short  time,  but 
gave  up  the  practice  of  law  to  enter  the 
commercial  world,  in  which  he  has  been 
successful. 

C.  E.  Jennings  was  born  at  Walnut  Hill, 
January  7,  1855,  graduated  at  the  old  State 
College  at  Irvington,  Illinois,  and  graduated 
in  1878  from  the  Union  Law  School  of  Chi- 
cago. The  same  year  he  formed  a  partner- 
ship with  his  uncle,  Silas  L.  Bryan,  which 
continued  until  the  death  of  Judge  Bryan  in 
1880.  Mr.  Jennings  has  been  several  times 
elected  State's  Attorney  of  the  county,  and  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  deepest  students  of 
law  at  the  bar.  He  is  still  in  active  practice. 

John  E.  Bryan  was  born  in  Salem,  July 
4,  1851.  He  received  his  education  at  the 
Salem  high  school  and  studied  law  under 
the  Hon.  T.  E.  Merritt  and  S.  L.  Bryan.  He 
was  admitted  by  the  Supreme  Court  at  Mt. 
Vernon  after  passing  the  required  examina- 
tion. He  served  several  terms  as  Master  in 
Chancery,  and  at  present  conducts  an  ab- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


stract  office  in  connection  with  his  law  busi- 
ness. 

John  J.  Raser,  Meigs  R.  Myer,  William 
R.  Burton  and  G.  Pierce  Duncan  each  prac- 
ticed law  in  this  county  for  a  short  time,  but 
removal  or  death  made  their  connection  with 
the  Marion  county  bar  too  brief  to  require 
more  than  passing  notice.  They  were  all 
gentlemen  of  good  attainments,  and  had 
their  connection  with  the  bar  at  Salem  been 
of  any  length,  would  doubtless  have  attained 
a  high  place  among  the  lawyers  of  Marion 
Bounty. 

Henry  C.  Moore  began  the  practice  of 
law  at  Central  City  in  1863,  but  in  1864  was 
elected  Circuit  Clerk,  and  re-elected  in  1868; 
was  appointed  Master  in  Chancery  in  1879, 
and  has  not  since  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession.  He  still  resides  in  Salem. 

Dwyer  Tracy,  W.  H.  Mason,  Ural  Mills 
and  Jackson  C.  Doughty  all  were  licensed 
attorneys  but  never  practiced  at  the  bar  as 
such  as  a  profession,  but  were  in  business  in 
other  lines. 

The  present  bar  in  active  practice  is  led 
by  the  venerable  lawyer  and  statesman,  Hon. 
Thomas  Emmit  Merritt,  the  oldest,  both  in 
years  and  length  of  practice  at  the  Marion 
county  bar.  Mr.  Merritt  was  born  in  New 
York  City,  but  emigrated  with  his  father's 
family  to  Belleville,  Illinois,  in  1841,  where 
he  received  his  first  schooling.  In  1844  he 
went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  he 
•worked  seven  years  as  a  painter  in  a  carriage 
factory.  In  1851  he  came  to  Salem  and 
studied  law  with  P.  P.  Hamilton,  but  did 
not  pass  his  examination  until  1863,  when 


he  was  admitted.  He  was  elected  to  the 
House  of  Representatives  in  1868,  and  from 
that  time  for  twenty-two  years  he  served 
the  district  as  a  legislator  two  terms  of  four 
years  each  in  the  Senate.  Mr.  Merritt  by 
his  energy,  talents  and  fluency  of  speech, 
has  won  for  himself  a  reputation  that  is  not 
confined  to  his  own  state,  and  still  in  the 
active  practice  of  his  profession  is  an  effect- 
ive force  and  a  foeman  to  be  feared. 

The  lawyers  composing  the  present  bar 
are  a  "high  toned",  scholarly  set  of  Ameri- 
can gentlemen,  and  beside  those  already 
named,  are  W.  F.  Bundy,  F.  F.  Noleman 
and  J.  J.  Bundy,  of  Centralia,  and  all  rank 
with  the  best  in  the  state.  These  gentlemen 
are  all  in  the  prime  of  life,  and  are  citizens 
any  city  would  be  proud  to  claim.  W.  F. 
Bundy  served  one  term  in  the  Legislature, 
but  the  duties  of  his  profession  were  more 
alluring  than  political  preferment,  and  he 
declined  further  office.  The  other  two, 
while  active  in  their  party,  have  never  as- 
pired to  office.  June  C.  Smith  and  C.  F. 
Dew,  both  of  a  younger  set,  and  Mr.  Mur- 
phy and  Mr.  Jonas,  still  younger,  are  rapidly 
making  reputations  for  themselves,  as  is 
also  Mr.  Garrison.  Mr.  Smith  is  just  retir- 
ing from  the  office  of  State's  Attorney,  and 
Mr.  Dew  from  that  of  City  Councillor  of 
Centralia,  in  which  offices  both  so  conducted 
affairs  as  to  reflect  credit  upon  themselves. 
Mr.  Garrison  is  rapidly  working  up  a  fine 
practice,  and  stands  high  in  his  profession. 
Mr.  Rodenberg,  a  scholarly  young  lawyer, 
is  United  States  Commissioner,  with  his  of- 
fice at  Centralia.  Ex-County  Judge  Patter- 


132 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


son,  of  Sandoval,  is  another  good  lawyer, 
who  is  quietly  and  effectively  building  both 
a  good  practice  and  reputation. 

The  members  of  the  bar  residing  at  Salem 
other  than  T.  E.  Merritt,  C.  E.  Jennings  and 
J.  E.  Bryan,  who  have  already  been  men- 
tioned, are  all  of  a  later  admission  to  the 
bar.  Of  these  the  first  in  point  of  admission 
is  D.  D.  Haynie,  a  brother  of  Gen.  I.  N. 
Haynie.  He  is  just  retiring  from  the  office 
of  Circuit  Clerk,  and  has  associated  with 
him  a  young  attorney,  Mr.  Lloyd  Haley, 
and  from  this  union  of  talent  and  energy  a 
strong  legal  reputation  will  doubtless  be 
erected. 

L.  M.  Kagy,  a  farmer  boy  of  Marion 
county,  studied  law  and  graduated  in  the 
same  class  at  the  Chicago  law  school  with 
W.  J.  Bryan,  with  whom  he  was  a  room- 
mate. Mr.  Kagy  is  a  hard-working,  con- 
scientious lawyer,  who  has  attained  the  top 
of  the  ladder  in  his  profession;  he  is  attor- 
ney for  all  the  railroads  passing  through  the 
city  of  Salem,  and  as  a  lawyer  versed  in 
corporation  law  ranks  high.  Two  years  ago, 
finding  his  practice  too  great,  he  formed  a 
partnership  with  Edward  Vandevert,  who 
is,  though  young,  a  good  lawyer. 

George  W.  Smith,  also  a  member  of  the 
bar,  has  superior  qualities  of  mind,  and  as 
a  lawyer  ranks  high.  He  was  for  many 
years  attorney  for  the  city  of  Salem,  and  as 
a  criminal  lawyer  has  succeeded  in  saving 
his  clients  in  several  notable  cases. 

John    S.     Stonecipher,    present    County 


Judge,  has  been  also  very  successful  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession.  He,  like  Mr. 
Frazier,  of  Centralia,  delights  in  chancery 
and  probate  law.  Both  Smith  and  Stone- 
cipher  have  good  practices  and  bid  fair  to 
build  still  better  in  the  future. 

Still  younger '  in  the  profession  is  ex- 
County  Judge  Charles  H.  Holt,  still  a  young 
man.  He  received  his  education  in  the  Sa- 
lem high  school  and  studied  law  at  Chicago. 
When  yet  almost  a  boy  he  was  elected 
County  Judge  and  served  two  terms,  since 
which  time  he  has  advanced  so  rapidly  in  his 
profession  as  to  be  ranked  among  the  best. 

E.  D.  Telford,  another  Salem  boy,  grad- 
uated in  the  Salem  high  school,  then  took  a 
classical  course  in  McKendree  College,  after 
which  he  spent  some  years  in  the  depart- 
ments at  Washington,  and  while  working 
as  a  clerk  studied  law  at  the  law  school  at 
Georgetown  University  and  graduated  with 
the  honors  of  his  class.  He  returned  to  Sa- 
lem in  1905  and  begun  the  practice  of  law. 
He  was  elected  City  Attorney  in  1907,  and 
still  holds  that  office.  He  is  a  hard  worker,  a 
good  student  and  is  fast  growing  into  a  good 
practice. 

Earl  Huggins,  of  Kinmundy,  is  also  a 
young  lawyer  with  a  good  knowledge  of 
law,  and  is  fast  growing  into  a  good  prac- 
tice. 

Such  is  the  personnel  of  the  bar  of  Marion 
county,  and  no  county  in  the  state  can  boast 
of  a  brainier,  cleaner  or  more  gentlemanly 
set  of  lawyers. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 
GEOLOGY  OF  MARION  COUNTY. 


133 


The  rock  formation  of  Marion  county  so 
far  as  are  indicated  by  out  cropping^  are 
of  the  upper  coal  measures,  known  as  the 
upper  sand  stone  formation  and  overlies  the 
Shoal  Creek  limestone.  A  strongly  cement- 
ed calcareous  sandstone  appears  in  some 
places,  very  compact.  At  other  points  the 
form  is  of  mud  stone,  or  calcareous  state, 
generally  full  of  fossils,  and  in  some  points 
appearing  as  areno-calcareous  pudding 
stone  or  as  higher  class  of  limestone.  Only 
at  few  places  does  this  lime  stone  appear  of 
any  considerable  thickness  and  within  a 
short  distance  varies  to  only  an  accumula- 
tion of  calcareous  matter.  There  is  no  strata 
proper,  but  it  seems  to  be  very  irregular,  at 
one  point  it  is  found  as  a  solid  formation, 
but  within  a  few  feet  it  appears  as  floating 
blocks  or  thin  slabs  or  slate  of  calcareous 
formation.  One  coal  bed  at  least  underlies 
the  whole  of  the  county;  in  many  places, 
three  have  been  found  by  boring  or  mine 
sinking  and  there  is  but  little  doubt  that 
other  beds  are  still  lower.  We  quote  from 
the  state  geological  reports,  the  following 
formation  in  the  northwest  part  of  the 
county  as  developed  by  well  sinking  to  the 
depth  of  ninety-two  feet :  Soil  and  clay  fif- 
teen feet;  hardpan,  fifteen  feet;  blue  clay, 
mixed  with  sandstone  pebbles,  pieces  of  coal 
and  wood,  thirty  feet;  pieces  of  limestone, 
containing  fossils,  two  feet;  shales,  thirty 
feet. 

North  of  East  Fork  there  are  no  out- 
cropping rocks  in  this  county,  but  on  East 


Fork  and  on  Crooked  creek,  further  south 
both  on  the  west  side  of  the  county,  we  find 
the  same  general  formation  of  argillaceous 
and  arrenaceous  shales  with  sandstone  inter 
calations  a  slate  formation  of  at  least  one 
foot  in  thickness.  These  slates  are  calcareous 
and  strongly  fossilliferous.  Below  this  for- 
mation there  is  a  third  coal  formation.  Near 
the  mouth  of  Jim  creek  there  is  a  deposit 
of  about  three  feet  of  argillaceous  slaty 
shales,  with  concretions  of  kidney  ore,  then 
about  one  and  one-half  feet  of  coal,  capped 
by  a  layer  of  argillaceous  rock.  It  resembles 
the  concretionary  limestone  found  farther  up 
the  East  Fork.  Along  Jim  creek  in  many 
places  of  its  lower  course,  the  same  slaty 
formation  is  found  just  above  the  coal, 
cropping  out  and  large  pieces  have  tumbled 
from  the  bank.  The  coal  is  only  about 
eighteen  inches  thick.  Wells  dug  in  the 
prairie  lands  are  too  shallow  to  reach  the 
rock,  yet  beyond  doubt  the  same  formation 
exists  under  the  whole  western  part  of  the 
county.  Coal  has  been  dug  up  in  section 
27  in  Foster  township,  the  vein  being  about 
eighteen  inches  thick;  the  same  vein,  doubt- 
less, is  found  in  section  26,  also  in 
section  25,  near  the  old  mill.  Here 
it  has  been  found  in  the  bed  of 
the  creek,  the  vein  being  about  eighteen 
inches  thick.  These  coal  out-croppings  are 
found  in  most  of  the  west  and  north  parts 
of  the  county,  but  are  of  little  commercial 
value,  but  at  a  depth  of  from  five  hundred 
to  one  thousand  two  hundred  feet  there  is 


134 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


beyond  doubt  valuable  deposits  which  time 
and  necessity  will  alone  develop.  We  are 
assured  that  coal  exists  by  mines  being  de- 
veloped on  every  side  in  this  region,  as  well 
as  within  its  limits.  Along  Crooked  creek 
there  is  the  sandstone  formation  and  slate 
on  both  sides  of  the  creek.  The  upper  coal 
vein  has  been  found  and  from  Salem,  where 
the  mine  is  eight  hundred  and  eighty-nine 
feet  deep  to  Junction  City,  where  it  is  some- 
thing over  five  hundred  and  fifty  feet  deep 
on  the  north  of  the  creek  with  about  the 
same  as  the  latter  depth,  south  of  the  creek. 
A  second  or  third  vein  has  been  discovered 
and  is  the  vein  which  is  being  mined. 

Sandstone  crops  out  in  Salem  township, 
along  Crooked  creek,  and  several  quarries 
have  been  opened  but  none  are  of  any  great 
commercial  value  as  yet.  Sandstone  also 
crops  out  along  Raccoon  creek,  in  the  south- 
west part  of  the  county,  and  on  Horse  creek 
and  on  Skillet  Fork,  the  same  general 
formation  as  in  the  west  part  of  the  county 
on  Skillet  Fork.  The  rock  does  not  crop  out 


in  the  north  half  of  Town  2,  or  in  Town  3, 
north,  but  from  the  middle  of  Town  2,  to 
the  county  line  the  out-cropping  grows 
bolder  as  the  surface  becomes  more  and 
more  broken  and  rough ;  the  outcrop  of  sand 
stone  at  places  is  ten  or  more  feet  thick. 
No  where  in  the  eastern  two  tiers  of  town- 
ships has  any  effort  been  made  to  sink  a 
shaft  for  coal  except  in  Kinmundy,  where 
a  commercially  valuable  vein  has  been 
opened.  In  other  places  we  have  mentioned 
the  recently  discovered  oil  sand  strata  and 
the  opening  of  at  least  one  well  producing 
oil,  but  as  the  discovery  has  just  been  made 
nothing  is  known  only  that  a  vein  of  oil 
sand  is  in  at  least  the  southern  part  of  Town 
2,  north,  range  i,  east.  In  one  section  in  the 
north  tier  of  sections  in  Town  4,  range  3, 
natural  gas  has  been  discovered  and  has 
been  used  in  one  farm  house  both  for  fuel 
and  light  for  at  least  ten  years.  This,  as 
well  as  mining,  will  be  spoken  of  under  the 
head  of  the  townships  in  which  the  mines 
are  located. 


CHANGING  THE  GAUGE    OF  A  RAILROAD. 


When  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad, 
now  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio,  Southwestern, 
was  built,  its  gauge  was  established  at  six 
feet,  or  fifteen  inches  wider  than  the  stand- 
ard gauge,  on  which  other  roads  were 
built.  This  proved  to  be  a  serious  handi- 
cap to  the  road,  as  all  transfers  from  and  to 
other  roads  were  impossible,  except  with 


the  Atlantic  &  Great  \Vestern,  which  en- 
tered Cincinnati  over  the  C.  H.  &  D.,  which 
had  four  rails  to  accommodate  the  wide 
trucks  of  the  A.  &  G.  W.  and  the  O.  &  M. 
At  terminals  cars  had  to  be  unloaded  and 
contents  transferred  by  hand  necessitating 
great  delay  and  expense.  It  was  concluded 
by  the  company  that  the  gauge  must  be 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


135 


changed  to  the  standard.  J.  L.  Gris- 
wold  was  general  superintendent  and 
Thomas  D.  Lovett  chief  engineer  and  to 
them  all  the  credit  for  the  successful  ac- 
complishment of  the  change  of  gauge  of  the 
entire  road  from  St.  Louis  to  Cincinnati  in 
one  day  is  due.  The  change  was  made, 
commencing  at  midnight  Saturday  July  21, 
1871.  Although  the  fine  calculations  and 
provisions  of  every  detail  had  been  planned, 
occupying  months,  one  of  the  first  orders 
given  was  that  the  entire  rolling  stock 
should  be  concentrated  at  three  points,  i.  e., 
East  St.  Louis,  Vincennes  and  Cochran,  In- 
diana, on  or  before  midnight  of  the  2ist. 
This  was  absolutely  necessary,  otherwise 
equipment  left  on  the  line  could  not  be 
moved  to  the  various  repair  shops  on  its 
own  wheels.  This  was  not  difficult  with 
passenger  equipment  and  empty  freight  cars 
but  to  get  loaded  freight  cars  to  the  termi- 
nals, unload  them  and  get  them  to  the  near- 
est concentration  point  required  prompt 
handling  and  careful  calculation. 

The  next  important  point  was  to  evenly 
distribute  experienced  track  layers  over  the 
entire  line.  Twenty  men  trained  to  this 
work  were  placed  on  every  five  mile  section. 
Every  workman  was  stationed  at  his  post 
so  that  promptly  on  the  stroke  of  twelve, 
midnight,  the  track  was  cut  in  seventy 
places,  between  St.  Louis  and1  Cincinnati. 
Previous  to  this  the  inside  spikes  for  the 
narrower  gauge  had  been  driven  partly  in 
and  the  inner  spikes  at  the  joints,  centers 
and  quarters  of  the  track  had  been  drawn. 
Certain  of  the  track  gang  finished  loosening 


the  rails,  others  threw  the  rail  into  the  new 
position,  where  a  single  blow  on  the  partly 
driven  spikes  held  it  fast  while  others  fol- 
lowed driving  in  the  outside  spikes.  It  must 
be  remembered  that  both  rails  had  to  be 
moved,  as  the  shifting  of  the  track  fifteen 
inches  to  one  side  would  have  put  out  of 
service  nearly  every  platform,  station,  wa- 
ter tank  and  other  accessory  on  the  entire 
line.  Where  the  track  was  straight,  the  re- 
laying was  comparatively  simple,  but  the  O. 
&  M.  was  an  exceedingly  crooked  road  and 
as  compared  to  the  present  Baltimore  & 
Ohio,  Southwestern,  like  the  letter  "S"  is  to 
"I."  This  complicated  the  relaying  as  it 
necessitated  the  shortening  of  every  rail  in 
every  curve  on  the  line,  which  was  nearly 
half  the  rails  in  use,  either  by  cutting  the 
rails  or  replacing  them  with  new  ones  of  the 
right  length  and  in  addition  to  this  relaying 
of  the  main  track  every  frog,  switch  and 
crossing  had  to  be  changed.  While  upward 
of  one  thousand  five  hundred  men  toiled  in 
the  pale  light  of  a  July  night  changing  the 
gauge.  At  the  three  concentration  points, 
East  St.  Louis,  Vincennes  and  Cochran, 
where  the  equipment  was  being  changed  to 
fit  the  new  gauge,  were  busy  centers.  Three 
master  mechanics,  Harry  Elliott  (since  pro- 
prietor of  the  Elliott  Frog  &  Switch  Works 
of  East  St.  Louis.  Mr.  Elliott  died  in 
1908.)  was  in  charge  at  East  St.  Louis; 
Archibald  Thompson  at  Vincennes  and  J. 
D.  W.  Potts  at  Cochran  had  charge  of  this 
work  at  their  several  stations.  Enough  four 
foot  eight  and  one-half  inch  trucks  were 
in  readiness  for  one-half  the  equipment  and 


i36 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


forty  new  Baldwin  locomotives  stood  in  the  would  tax  the  capacity  of  the  engineers  of 

round  houses  ready  for  their  initial  trip  over  today.    Note  the  O.  &  M.  now  the  B.  &  O. 

the5  relaid  track.     And  the  entire  work  of  S.  W.,  passes  east  and    west    through  the 

relaying  was  finished  at  about  8  o'clock  a,  county  near  its  middle  line.    To  Prof.  J.  E. 

m.,  July  22d.    This  was  considered  one  of  Whitchurch  we  are  indebted  for  facts  relat- 

the  great  engineering  feats  of  that  day  and  ing  to  the  change  of  gauge  of  the  O.  &  M. 


PUBLIC  SCHOOLS  OF  MARION  COUNTY. 


Until  the  year  1854  there  was  no  really 
free  public  school  system  in  Illinois.  That 
year  the  Legislature  inaugurated  a  system 
providing  by  state  and  local  taxation  for 
sufficient  revenue  for  the  support  of  free 
schools.  The  Federal  government  had  pro- 
vided that  one  section  in  each  township  be 
set  apart  to  be  sold  for  the  use  of  common 
schools,  but  as  most  of  this  land  was  sold 
at  an  early  day  at  the  then  low  price,  the 
money  obtained  when  at  interest  brought 
but  little  revenue,  so  until  1855  when  the 
new  law  began  to  operate,  the  custom  was 
to  eke  out  the  term  by  subscription,  each 
patron  paying  so  much,  usually  five  cents 
per  scholar  per  day,  and  as  the  pupils  were 
few  and  money  scarce,  the  inducement  for  a 
qualified  teacher  was  not  strong.  When 
the  new  law  went  into  effect  the  supply  of 
competent  teachers  was  limited  and  at  first 
the  requirements  for  a  certificate  were  very 
low  and  often  made  lower  by  the  commis- 
sioner as  the  chief  school  officer  of  the  coun- 
ty was  then  called  in  order  to  get  teachers 
enough  to  supply  the  districts,  besides  at 
this  time  owing  to  the  completion  of  the 


Illinois  Central  and  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
railroads,  and  the  building  of  other  roads, 
an  unprecedented  influx  of  emigrants  to  the 
state  was  constantly  increasing  the  demand 
for  more  and  better  teachers.  Marion  coun- 
ty took  the  lead  in  this  demand  and  at  a 
meeting  of  the  Southern  Illinois  teachers, 
held  in  Centralia  in  1868,  a  resolution  was 
passed  stating  the  needs  of  the  Southern  Il- 
linois counties  and  praying  the  Legislature 
to  provide  for  them  by  establishing  a 
southern  normal  school.  The  southern  nor- 
mal was  chartered  the  next  year  and  county 
normal  schools  were  also  provided  for,  for 
the  fitting  of  teachers  for  the  common 
schools.  Many  changes  were  made  in  the 
laws  pertaining  to  schools  at  this  session  of 
the  Legislature  and  the  laws  as  amended 
took  effect  July  i.  1879,  in  accord  with  the 
constitution,  as  no  emergency  clause  was  at- 
tached. It  provided  for  the  safe  keeping  of 
all  school  money;  made  the  Commissioner 
County  Superintendent  and  required  him  to 
examine  all  books  and  accounts  of  the  Town- 
ship Treasurer  yearly,  to  visit  schools,  and 
advise  with  teachers  and  school  officers.  It 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


137 


made  the  school  month  a  calendar  month, 
and  required  teachers  to  have  a  certificate 
before  making'  a  contract  to  teach  and  for- 
bade school  directors  making  contracts  with 
the  district  or  to  do  any  business  except  at 
a  regular  or  special  meeting.  Graded 
schools  in  cities  were  placed  under  boards 
of  education  of  not  less  than  six  members 
and  a  president,  all  of  which  was  a  great 
improvement  over  the  law  of  1854. 

The  Marion  county  teachers  and  school 
boards  gladly  accepted  the  chance  thus  af- 
forded to  improve  the  schools,  and  a  rapid 
advance  was  begun,  and  the  people  remem- 
bering the  early  struggle  for  education  they 
themselves  had  had,  resolved  better  things 
for  their  children.  They  had  been  forced 
to  be  content  with  a  few  months  of  school, 
kept  in  an  old  abandoned  log  cabin  by  an 
untrained  and  often  unlearned  teacher,  be- 
ing often  forced  to  walk  three  or  four  miles 
each  way  to  and  from  school,  with  rude 
slab  seats,  few  books  and  no  accessories. 
They  resolved  that  their  children  should 
have  better  teachers,  better  books,  tetter 
houses,  better  equipped  and  at  least  the 
necessary  helps  to  make  school  life  not  only 
successful,  but  comfortable.  The  old  school 
building  of  logs  chinked  and  daubed,  some- 
times with  oiled  paper  for  windows, 
warmed,  if  we  may  call  it  warmed  at  all, 
by  a  fireplace  at  one  end,  floor  of  puncheon, 
i.  e.,  logs  split  and  hewn,  where  the  earth 
was  not  used  as  a  floor,  clapboard  door, 
hung  on  hinges  made  of  wood  and  ill-fitted 
in  place,  benches  of  split  logs  supported  by 
pins  driven  in  augur  holes  at  the  ends  for 


legs  and  desks  of  hewn  logs,  supported  by 
pins  driven  into  augur  holes  of  the  logs 
forming  the  side  of  the  house,  roof  of  clap- 
boards held  in  place  by  logs  placed  thereon, 
through  which  the  sky  might  be  seen  and 
through  which  the  rain  beat  or  the  snow 
sifted  as  there  was  no  ceiling  to  intervene. 
The  teacher  could  by  dint  of  hard  study 
keep  ahead  of  the  pupils  and  if  he  could 
read,  write  and  "cipher"  or  "do  sums"  to 
the  single  rule  of  three  (now  known  as  sim- 
ple proportion)  he  was  fully  competent  if  he 
had  the  further  and  more  important  quali- 
fication of  being  able  to  thrash  the  boys  and 
girls.  The  teacher  at  Christmas  times  was 
expected  to  treat  the  school  by  giving  them 
cheap  candy  and  not  to  do  so  was  to  lower 
himself  in  the  estimation  not  only  of  the  pu- 
pil, but  of  the  patron  as  well.  And  this 
worse  than  silly  custom  is,  we  are  sorry  to 
say,  kept  up  yet  in  some  districts  of  our 
county,  and  is  a  pretty  good  evidence  of  lack 
of  proper  school  progress  in  that  district. 
If  the  teacher  refused  to  "treat"  the  larger 
boys  would  scheme  to  lock  him  out  of  the 
school-house  and  often  a  fight  ensued  to  the 
utter  destruction  of  the  term's  usefulness, 
and  the  elders  always  sided  with  the  pupils. 
In  my  early  life  I  passed  through  such 
scenes  in  Illinois  both  as  pupil  and  after- 
ward as  teacher.  Under  such  conditions  as 
these,  the  fathers  and  mothers  of  Marion 
county  received  their  schooling,  and  being 
clear-headed  the  majority  of  them  hailed 
the  better  day  with  rejoicing  and  resolved 
to  give  far  better  than  they  had  received. 
In  order  that  the  present  generation  may 


1 38 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


appreciate  their  advantages,  let  us  draw  a 
picture.  Let  us  visit  a  school  of  seventy-five 
or  even  sixty  years  ago.  The  house  has  al- 
ready been  described.  Let  us  enter  the  school 
on  a  winter  morning,  the  slab  benches  ar- 
ranged on  either  side  of  the  middle  aisle, 
filled  with  boys  of  all  sizes,  from  little  tots 
of  six  years,  to  stalwart  young  men  of 
twenty  on  one  side  and  girls  of  like  ages 
on  the  other;  a  huge  fire  in  the  open  fire 
place  at  one  end  burns  one  side  of  the  body 
while  the  other  freezes.  The  struggle  to 
keep  warm,  to  learn  the  lesson  and  to  com- 
mit some  sort  of  mischief  occupies  the  pupil. 
The  teacher's  desk  is  in  the  middle  of  the 
room  and  the  teacher  sits  by  it  in  calm  dig- 
nity, "monarch  of  all  he  surveys,"  as  we 
enter,  and  every  pupil  cranes  his  neck  to  see 
who  it  is.  and  satisfied  in  that  respect,  re- 
turns to  his  former  occupation.  No  attempt 
at  quiet  is  made,  but  everyone  studies  in  a 
loud  droning  whisper  and  the  hum  of  thirty 
or  forty  pupils  studying  fills  the  room,  but 
teacher  or  pupil  is  not  disturbed;  they  are 
used  to  it.  Suddenly  up  goes  a  hand  and  a 
voice  cries  aloud,  "May  I  go  out?"  The 
teacher  nods  and  the  pupil  goes  out,  slam- 
ming the  creaking  door.  Soon  another 
comes  to  the  teacher  with  a  dirty  finger  on 
the  page,  pointing  out  a  word  to  be  pro- 
nounced, the  teacher  giving  the  pronuncia- 
tion. "May  Bill  Jones  and  me  git  a  bucket 
of  water?"  Permission  being  given,  out  goes 
the  boys  with  shout  and  clatter.  The  fire 
by  this  time  needs  replenishing  and  the 
teacher  sends  a  couple  of  boys  out  for  wood. 
The  little  tots  one  by  one  are  called  to  the 


teacher's  knee  and  the  alphabet  from  A  to  Z 
is  conned,  and  then  the  class  in  reading 
is  called  and  ranges  in  a  line  on  the  floor. 
The  text-book  is  anything  from  the  old  first 
reader  to  the  Bible,  and  perhaps  only  two 
or  three  books  to  a  dozen  pupils,  but  the 
book  is  passed  from  one  to  the  other  until 
all  have  read  and  then  they  pass  back  to  the 
seats  and  the  lesson  is  done.  "Sums"  are 
clone  on  slates  and  copied  in  blank  books. 
Spelling  is  next  and  the  class  stands  up  in 
a  long  row  and  spells  from  head  to  foot, 
turning  each  other  down  when  a  word  is 
missed  which  is  not  often,  for  whatever  the 
old  system  failed  to  do  it  did  make  spellers 
and  every  school  boasted  of  one  or  more 
that  could  spell  every  word  in  Webster's 
old  blue-back  speller. 

Geography  was  taught  by  singing  the 
facts  to  be  learned  in  a  dreary  singsong 
monotone,  having  the  facts  arranged  in  a 
rude  rhyme,  the  effect  was  ludicrous  in  the 
extreme,  but  neither  pupil  nor  teacher  saw 
anything  out  of  the  way  or  funny  in  it.  But 
reader,  if  you  are  too  young  to  have  visited 
a  "loud"  school,  as  they  were  called,  you 
have  missed  the  best  representation  of  pan- 
demonium that  the  ingenuity  of  man  ever 
devised.  A  "loud"  school  was  nothing  more 
or  less  than  a  school  in  which  every  pupil 
was  permitted  to  study  his  lessons  out  loud. 
Imagine,  if  you  can,  thirty  or  forty  boys 
and  girls  of  all  ages,  each  studying  his  les- 
son and  perhaps  each  a  different  lesson  in  a 
loud  tone  of  voice  with  perhaps  a 
class  trying  to  recite  to  the  teacher, 
all  at  the  same  time.  Yet  incredible 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


139 


as  it  may  appear,  this  kind  of  school 
was  not  infrequent,  but  a  change  is  at  hand 
and  the  boys  of  the  old  log  school-house, 
with  its  rude  and  inadequate  equipment  and 
incompetent  teacher  demands  something 
better  for  their  children  even  though  at 
more  cost  to  themselves.  So  with  the  bet- 
ter laws,  the  old  regime  passes.  Neat 
school  buildings  replace  the  cabins,  trained 
teachers  take  the  place  of  the  incompetents, 
new  furniture,  adequate  equipment,  new 
and  more  scientific  methods,  gentler  and 
better  discipline,  no  more  loud  schools,  no 
more  singing  geography,  no  more  haphaz- 
ard recitations,  but  a  mind-training  process 
has  superseded  and  the  school  of  today, 
while  not  perfect,  is  in  Marion  county  as 
good  as  the  best. 

The  first  school  in  the  county  was  taught 
in  1819  in  Walnut  Hill  prairie,  by  Jeffer- 
son Dow,  who  was  followed  by  Arby  An- 
drews from  1823  to  about  1830.  In  1823 
Isaac  Barr  taught  in  Tennessee  prairie.  The 
first  school  taught  in  Haines  township  was 
in  1827  near  where  W.  D.  Hill  now  lives, 
with  Thomas  Cohorn  as  teacher.  Alexan- 
der Kell  taught  the  first  school  in  Salem 
in  1828.  Stevenson  township  had  no  school 
until  1833,  when  Otho  Davenport  opened 
one  in  a  log  house  on  the  Vincennes  road. 
William  Haddon  taught  the  first  school  in 
Omega  township  in  1838.  Schools  in- 
creased with  increasing  population  until  the 
year  1846,  when  the  first  report  of  school 


statistics  were  made  to  the  Secretary  of 
State.  This  report  was  as  follows: 

Whole  number  of  school-houses  in  coun- 
ty, thirty-seven;  whole  number  of  schools, 
thirty-two;  whole  number  of  children  un- 
der twenty-one,  one  thousand  eight  hundred 
and  thirty;  whole  number  of  scholars  en- 
rolled, nine  hundred  and  sixty-six ;  total 
amount  paid  teachers,  seven  hundred  and 
sixty  dollars;  average  monthly  wages  paid 
teachers,  twelve  dollars. 

The  average  monthly  wages  paid  teach- 
ers today  is  for  males,  fifty-four  dollars  and 
eighty-five  cents,  and  for  females  forty- 
three  dollars  and  seventy-three  cents,  and 
as  will  be  seen  from  the  contribution  of 
Supt.  J.  S.  Kniseley,  an  effort  is  being  made 
to  raise  both  wages  and  the  standard  of  ex- 
cellence of  Marion  county  schools.  Marion 
county  has  sent  more  students  to  the  South- 
ern Illinois  Normal  than  any  county  outside 
of  the  one  in  which  the  school  is  located, 
and  has  more  teachers  of  normal  training 
than  any  county  in  Southern  Illinois.  With 
a  well  equipped  township  high  school  and  a 
city  high  school  in  Centralia;  with  a  four- 
year  course  accredited  high  school  in  Salem, 
a  good  high  school  in  Sandoval,  Odin  and 
Kinmundy,  and  fine  rural  schools,  Marion 
need  not  go  outside  her  own  borders  for 
any  save  technical  education  and  her  sons 
and  daughters  have  only  to  use  the  means 
at  hand  to  be  well  rounded  American 
citizens. 


140  BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 

MARION  COUNTY  SCHOOLS  OF    THE    PRESENT    DAY. 
By  Supt.  J.  S.  Kinseley. 


The  year  1909  has  begun  to  unfold  her 
pages  and  reveal  each  succeeding  day  that 
which  she  has  in  store  for  us,  and  we  find 
that  Marion  county  comprises  one  hundred 
and  twenty-four  schools  districts,  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  one-room  country  schools, 
three  two-room  schools,  two  three-room 
schools  and  six  with  five  or  more  rooms. 
Two  new  districts  have  been  formed  in  the 
last  year,  one  in  Stevenson  and  the  other  in 
luka  township.  The  highest  enrollment  in 
any  one  room  is  eighty-seven,  the  lowest  is 
nine.  The  highest  wage  paid  to  any  male 
teacher  is  one  hundred  and  sixty-six  and 
two-thirds  dollars  per  month,  the  lowest  is 
thirty-three  and  one-third  dollars.  The 
highest  wage  paid  to  any  female  teacher  is 
seventy-seven  dollars  and  fifty  cents  and 
the  lowest  thirty  dollars  per  month.  The 
total  number  of  boys  and  girls  between  the 
ages  of  six  and  twenty-one  years  is  ten 
thousand  three  hundred  and  sixty-nine.  The 
total  number  enrolled  in  school  is  eight 
thousand  one  hundred  and  three.  The  to- 
tal number  between  twelve  and  twenty-one 
years  who  are  unable  to  read  and  write  is 
thirteen.  The  amount  of  tax  levy  for  the 
support  of  schools  for  the  past  year  is  one 
hundred  and  eleven  thousand  one  hundred 
and  twenty  dollars.  The  amount  of  bonded 
school  debt  is  sixty-two  thousand  nine  hun- 
dred. The  amount  of  interest  received  on 
township  fund  by  the  various  township 


treasurers  is  nine  hundred  and  seventy-sev- 
en dollars  and  twenty-three  cents.  Amount 
paid  teachers  the  last  year  is  sixty-nine 
thousand  five  hundred  and  seventy-four 
dollars  and  fifty-five  cents.  Total  expendi- 
ture of  the  year  ending  June  30,  1908,  is 
one  hundred  and  one  thousand  seven  hun- 
dred and  six  dollars  and  ninety-two  cents. 
The  average  monthly  wages  for  males  is 
fifty- four  dollars  and  eighty-five  cents;  for 
females  forty-three  dollars  and  seventy-three 
cents.  Beyond  any  doubt  our  schools  are 
above  the  average  of  those  of  Southern  Il- 
linois and  our  teachers  the  most  loyal  to 
the  profession  of  any  county  in  the  state. 
The  counties  of  Central  and  Northern  Il- 
linois, in  which  land  is  assessed  at  one  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  to  two  hundred  dol- 
lars per  acre,  higher  salaries  with  a  much 
lower  rate  of  levy  are  maintained,  which  of 
course  tends  to  draw  from  us  some  of  our 
best  teachers.  The  salaries  paid  to  our 
teachers  at  present  have  not  kept  pace  with 
our  material  growth  and  the  advance  in  the 
cost  of  living.  In  Centralia  many  of  the 
grade  teachers  are  receiving  forty  dollars 
per  month,  but  are  compelled  to  pay  twenty 
dollars  per  month  for  board.  After  laun- 
dry bills,  clothing,  school  journals,  reading 
circle  books  and  the  expense  of  attending 
the  annual  institute  and  teachers'  meetings 
deducted,  nothing  is  left  for  the  remaining 
months,  when  the  pay  ceases.  How  can 


I5RINKERUOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


141 


the  country  teacher  who  receives  but  forty 
dollars  per  month  and  pays  ten  dollars  of  it 
for  board  for  six  months  of  the  year  lay  up 
any  money  and  support  a  family  on  one  dol- 
lar per  day  ?  Can  he  afford  to  attend  a  nor- 
mal school  in  order  to  advance  and  become 
more  useful  as  a  teacher  to  the  district  un- 
der these  conditions  ?  "Chill  penury  freezes 
the  genial  currents  of  the  soul,"  and  we  are 
compelled  to  bear  with  poorly  prepared 
teachers  because  of  a  condition  established 
by  a  custom.  Why  should  our  country 
schools  be  the  last  part  of  our  educational 
system  to  receive  attention  ?  Now  our  state 
normals  supported  by  public  taxation  are 
supposed  to  furnish  practical  training  for 
our  country  school  teachers  and  high  school 
graduates,  who  expect  to  teach  school  in  the 


country  in  order  that  the  country  home  life 
may  become  more  vigorous  and  more  at- 
tractive for  the  boys  and  girls  who  are  to 
receive  the  impress  of  the  teachers'  life  and 
work  fresh  from  these  institutions.  Better 
schools  cost  more  to  be  sure,  but  farms  have 
increased  in  value,,  and  farmers  have  been 
receiving  good  prices  for  their  products,  im- 
proving their  farms,  improving  their  stock, 
improving  their  bank  account,  not  satisfied 
with  the  seed  corn  or  seed  oats  or  other 
seed  save  only  the  best,  let  us  not  be  satis- 
fied with  anything  less  than  the  best  schools 
for  our  boys  and  girls.  "The  best  product 
of  the  farm"  good  as  our  schools  are,  they 
can  be  made  better,  and  with  a  devoted 
corps  of  teachers  Marion  county  must  come 
to  the  front. 


THE  DEVELOPMEN  T  OF  CENTRALIA. 


Dating  from  March  13,  1852,  when  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  received  its  mu- 
nificent grant  from  the  state  of  Illinois, 
events  and  conditions  were  conspiring  to  the 
location  and  history  of  Centralia  and  yet 
Centralia  and  its  present  location  were  not 
in  this  formulative  period  considered,  and 
the  final  site,  platting  and  formation  of  the 
city  of  Centralia  by  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  was  the  direct  result  of 
inability  of  the  said  company  to  satisfactor- 
ily deal  with  individuals  owning  the  sec- 
tion of  land  north  of  Centralia  and  which 
is  now  partially  occupied  by  the  village  of 
Central  City,  through  which  Crooked  creek 


passes.  The  Illinois  Central  intended  to 
put  their  shops  and  build  their  city  on  this 
location  owing  to  its  favorable  geographi- 
cal situation,  but  when  the  owners  were 
approached  their  ideas  of  value  failed  to  co- 
incide with  those  of  the  railroad  company 
officials,  therefore,  they  laid  out  the  city  of 
Centralia,  placed  its  shops  and  proceeded  to 
build  the  town. 

Centralia  has  since  that  time,  until  quite 
recently,  been  pre-eminently  a  railroad  town 
these  interests  being  first  represented  by  the 
Illinois  Central  for  division  points  of  both 
the  branch  and  main  line,  later  the  J.  S. 
&  E.  purchased  by  the  Chicago,  Burlington 


142 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


and  Quincy  Railroad,  then  the  Southern 
Railway,  then  the  Illinois  Southern. 

The  growth  of  Centralia  since  its  fifty- 
five  years  of  existence  has  been  of  the  con- 
servative order,  the  city  itself  being  largely 
settled  by  German  immigrants,  necessarily 
poor,  partook  of  the  necessarily  slow  Ger- 
man character,  while  the  surrounding  coun- 
try, to  a  very  large  extent,  has  been  settled 
with  the  easy-going  Tennesseeans  and  Ken- 
tucky people,  largely  satisfied  with  existing 
conditions. 

With  the  gradual  development  of  the  lo- 
cal resources,  principally  coal,  and  the  adap- 
tation of  farming  to  the  soils,  possibilities 
have  added  a  more  American  and  aggres- 
sive feature  to  the  population  and  quick- 
ened the  pulse  of  the  business  life  of  Cen- 
tralia, doubling  the  city's  population  in  the 
last  five  years,  with  the  reasonable  pos- 
sibility of  a  like  increase  within  the  next 
period  of  time. 

Naturally  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  city  involves  the  intimate  association 
of  characters  who  have  bv  their  efforts  and 


brains  to  the  extent  of  their  talents,  been 
more  or  less  instrumental  in  this  result. 

The  natural  growth  and  development, 
seemingly  slow  at  times,  has  reflected  the 
character  of  those  depending  upon  the  trade 
for  their  sustenance  and  fortune,  and  with 
the  admixture  of  a  per  cent,  of  personal  and 
civic  pride,  has  evolved  a  city  from  out  the 
prairie  over  which  the  Indians  camped  and 
the  wild  animals  roamed. 

The  result  of  any  municipal  improvement 
can  scarcely  be  attributed  to  any  business 
or  commercial  organizations,  but  rather  to 
the  necessity  as  demanded  and  to  the  nat- 
ural unanimity  of  action  on  the  part  of  the 
citizens  on  all  public  questions.  This  spirit 
is  manifested  in  the  many  beautiful  reli- 
gious and  educational  structures  which  in 
many  instances  have  cost  much  money  and 
would  do  credit  to  a  city  of  much  larger 
size.  The  value  of  these  institutions  can 
scarcely  be  measured  in  dollars  and  cents; 
they  will  forever  remain  as  monuments  to 
the  Christianity  and  education  and  higher 
civilization  of  the  community. 


CHURCHES   OF   MARION   COUNTY. 


Mount  Moriah  church  is  the  oldest  con- 
gregation in  the  county.  It  was  organized 
as  a  Free  Will  Baptist  church  in  1829.  For 
eight  years  it  was  in  name  a  Free  Will  Bap- 
tist, but  in  1837  it  renounced  the  name  and 


leadership  of  such  consecrated  men  as  El- 
ders William  Chaffin,  David  R.  Chance, 
Samuel  Shook  and  Charles  Drennen.  These 
men,  like  many  other  preachers  of  pioneer 
times,  underwent  hardships  and  dangers  un- 


joined in  the  reform  movement,  now  known  complainingly,  for  the  truth's  sake.  Here  the 
as  the  Christian  church,  or  Church  of  Christ,  late  J.  A.  Williams  united  with  the  church  in 
For  many  years  this  church  was  under  the  which  he  was  so  long  to  labor,  and  whose 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


doctrines  he  was  to  so  faithfully  exemplify 
during  a  life  of  ninety  years.  Among  the 
preachers  who  have  labored  with  this  church 
regularly  in  the  earlier  years  of  its  history 
were  Reverends  White,  Brinkerhoff,  Phil- 
lips, Nance,  Simer,  Boles  and  others  have 
been  preachers  in  charge  in  later  years,  with 
others  who  are  not.  recalled.  The  first  house 
was  log;  since  its  decay  three  other  frame 
buildings  have  been  occupied.  The  second 
frame  was  a  very  large  building  and  was 
•partly  wrecked  by  a  wind  storm,  but  was 
repaired  and  used  until  about  five  years  ago, 
when  it  was  torn  down  and  the  present  neat 
chapel  built.  This  congregation  maintains 
a  good  Sunday  school  and  is  in  a  healthy 
condition. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH    OF    SALEM. 

The  Christian  church  at  Salem  was  or- 
ganized by  Elder  John  A.  Williams  in  the 
parlor  of  his  home  December  18.  1866.  The 
organization  was  very  small,  but  immediate- 
ly bought  a  small  frame  building  that  had 
been  used  by  the  Cumberland  Presbyterians 
as  a  house  of  worship.  They  paid  two  hun- 
dred and  fifty  dollars  for  it  and  repaired  it  at 
a  cost  of  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars.  This 
house  was  used  until  the  summer  of  1879, 
when  it  was  sold  for  one  hundred  dollars. 
The  congregation  immediately  began  the 
building  of  a  new  house  of  worship.  It  was 
of  brick,  thirty-four  by  fifty  feet,  with  a 
tower  ten  feet  square  in  front.  This  building 
cost  two  thousand  five  hundred  dollars.  It 
was  completed  and  dedicated  in  February, 


1880,  Elder  H.  R.  Trickett  preaching  the 
dedicatory  sermon.  Elder  John  A.  Williams 
preached  for  this  church  regularly  once  a 
month  for  many  years.  Besides  Elder  Wil- 
liams, John  W.  Manehan,  John  Bradley, 
Elder  Kite,  Elder  Henry,  J.  H.  G.  Brinker- 
hoff and  others  preached  for  this  church 
until  Brother  Mosely  was  employed 
as  resident  pastor.  He  was  followed 
by  J.  F.  Rosborough,  and  he  by  Elder  Black 
ad  Clark  Braden,  and  for  the  last  four  years 
F.  O.  Fannon  has  been  preacher  to  this  peo- 
ple. In  1906  the  congregation  resolved  to 
build  a  new  church  and  sold  the  old  build- 
ing for  four  hundred  dollars  and  accepted 
plans  for  a  new  building,  which,  complete, 
cost  twenty-two  thousand  dollars,  including 
a  fine  pipe  organ ;  one-half  of  the  cost  of  the 
organ  was  donated  by  Andrew  Carnegie. 
The  new  church  is  one  of  the  most  beautiful 
structures  in  Southern  Illinois.  It  is  of  buff 
pressed  brick,  with  basement  under  the  en- 
tire building,  an  auditorium  and  assembly 
and  class  rooms,  minister's  study  and  choir 
room  on  first  floor,  with  kitchen,  dining 
room  and  parlors  above.  The  congregation 
now  numbers  two  hundred  and  thirty  nine 
communicants. 

THE  CENTRALIA  CHURCH. 

The  Christian  church  at  Centralia  was  or- 
ganized at  Central  City  December  31.  1856. 
by  Elder  John  A.  Williams,  with  only  eight 
members.  They  were  Jacob,  Harriet  and 
Simpson  Frazier;  Daniel  Myers;  James  and 
Jane  McCartney;  Margaret  Whitton,  and 


144 


JRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


Louisa  Hawkins.  But  when  it  became  ap- 
parent that  the  center  of  business  would  be 
moved  to  Centralia,  it  was  advisable  to  move 
the  location  of  the  church,  and  a  commo- 
dious frame  house  was  built  in  the  new  city, 
into  which  the  church  moved  its  church  or- 
ganization. During  the  Civil  war  the  church 
sustained  serious  injury  by  the  bitter  polit- 
ical feeling  that  existed  at  that  time,  and  did 
not  fully  recover  for  many  years.  At  this 
time  the  membership  was  seventy-five  males 
and  eighty-five  females,  a  total  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty.  In  1866  their  building  was 
burned  and  for  several  years  they  met  in  a 
rented  hall,  with  the  inevitable  consequence 
of  growing  weaker  and  weaker,  but  in  1872 
a  new  house  of  worship  was  built  on  the 
same  lot  on  which  stood  the  old  church. 
This  building  is  also  of  wood  and  cost  two 
thousand  four  hundred  dollars.  It  is  still 
used,  but  plans  have  been  accepted  for  the 
building  of  a  new  church  at  a  cost  of  thir- 
ty thousand  dollars,  which  will  be  begun  in 
1909.  The  church  was  reorganized  February 
19,  1870,  from  which  time  the  church  has 
steadily  grown,  until  today,  under  the  lead- 
ership of  James  F.  Rosborough,  it  is  one  of 
the  strongest  as  well  as  the  most  united 
churches  in  the  county.  Besides  J.  A.  Wil- 
liams, many  of  the  strong  preachers  of  the 
past  generation  labored  with  this  church. 

Alma  Christian  church  was  organized 
April  28,  1867,  by  Elder  John  Ross,  with 
fifteen  members.  This  church  grew  stead- 
ily for  a  time,  but  in  1872  a  bitterness  de- 
veloped over  opinions  that  for  many  years 
retarded  the  growth  in  numbers  as  well  as 


in  spirituality.  In  1875  Elders  Hawley  and 
Johnson  held  a  meeting,  adding  thirty-five 
members  to  the  congregation  and  doing 
away  with  much  of  the  ill  feeling,  which 
happily  has  now  entirely  passed  away,  and 
the  church,  having  passed  through  trouble, 
is  now  growing  strong. 

Little  Grove  church  stands  just  south  of 
the  county  line  in  Jefferson  county,  but  most 
of  its  membership  is  in  Marion  county.  This 
church  was  organized  about  1841  and  has 
constantly  and  consistently  maintained  the 
cause  of  the  Master  and  has  preaching  once 
every  month,  after  the  mistaken  idea  of  most 
country  churches. 

Level's  Grove  church  was  organized  by 
William  Chaffen  sixty  years  ago.  It  was 
first  known  as  Bee  Branch,  and  built  a  small 
log  house,  which  was  set  on  fire  by  a  forest 
fire  and  destroyed.  The  church  then  held 
meetings  for  a  time  in  the  Omega  school 
house,  and  later  built  the  present  neat  frame 
on  the  Omega  road  about  a  mile  east  of  the 
original  site.  This  church  has  grown  in  num- 
bers and  is  one  of  the  best  country  churches, 
quietly  doing  good.  It  maintains  regular 
preaching. 

Harvey's  Point  church,  on  the  Salem  and 
old  Foxville  road,  was  established  about 
forty-five  years  ago  by  Elders  Mulkey, 
James  Snow  and  William  C.  Hill.  This  con- 
gregation built  a  large  frame  church  on  the 
spot  where  Captain  Harvey  was  killed  many 
years  ago,  hence  the  name,  Harvey's  Point. 
This  congregation  is  now  weak  in  point  of 
numbers  by  reason  of  withdrawals  of  mem- 
bership to  unite  with  other  congregations  of 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


disciples.  The  old  house  was  torn  down  some 
years  ago  and  a  small,  neat  church  built  in 
its  stead.  Preaching  is  had  part  time. 

The  Christian  church  at  Patoka  was  or- 
ganized on  the  fourth  Lord's  day  in  May, 
1875.  by  Elder  Samuel  Hawley,  of  Odin.  Il- 
linois. This  church  for  five  years  after  its 
organization  dragged  along  seemingly  with- 
out making  much  progress.  On  the  fourth 
Lord's  day  in  May,  1880,  it  was  reorganized 
by  Elder  J.  D.  Morgan,  of  Odin.  At  this 
time  the  total  membership  was  twenty-nine 
males  and  eleven  females.  From  this  time 
they  began  to  grow.  A  Sunday  school  was 
organized,  and  in  about  1882  a  church  build- 
ing was  erected,  and  in  1905  an  addition  was 
built,  making  it  one  of  the  neatest  of  the 
smaller  churches  in  the  county.  The  pres- 
ent membership  is  one  hundred  and  ten.  and 
regular  preaching  is  maintained.  A  fine 
Sunday  school  is  kept  up.  equipped  with  all 
necessary  helps.  Several  of  the  members 
are  acceptable  speakers  and  every  Sunday  is 
meeting  day  with  this  church. 

ODIN  CHRISTIAN  CHURCH. 

On  the  first  Sunday  in  March,  1878, 
James  M.  Hawley  organized  the  Odin  Chris- 
tian church,  with  sixteen  members,  in 
Smith's  Hall.  In  the  fall  of  1879  they  built 
a  neat  frame  church,  thirty-two  by  forty- 
four  feet,  at  a  cost  of  two  thousand  dollars, 
and  on  the  first  Lord's  day  in  January  the 
congregation  occupied  their  new  home. 
Many  noted  ministers  have  preached  for  this 
church,  and  during  the  last  fifteen  years 
10 


regular  preaching  has  been  kept  up.  The 
last  year  the  pulpit  has  been  acceptably  filled 
by  Shorland  Fannon,  eldest  son  of  Rev.  F. 
O.  Fannon,  who,  though  young  in  the  work, 
successfully  led  them  to  a  better  work.  The 
church  now  numbers  about  one  hundred  and 
seventy  members  and  is  in  good  working 
condition,  with  an  active  Sunday  school  and 
a  live  Endeavor  Society. 

The  Turkey  Creek  Christian  church  was 
organized  in  1867,  but  has  not  progressed 
much,  either  in  point  of  work  or  of  mem- 
bership. It  is  a  country  church  and  has 
preaching  only  occasionally. 

Sandoval  Christian  church  was  first  or- 
ganized by  Elder  A.  Martin,  with  a  mem- 
bership of  forty,  but  for  several  years  lan- 
guished and  almost  died,  but  a  faithful  few 
held  together,  and  about  twenty  years  ago 
employed  Elder  Boyer  to  hold  a  meeting  in 
which  one  hundred  and  seventeen  additions 
to  the  church  were  received.  The  congre- 
gation immediately  began  to  build  and  have 
/since  been  housed  in  a  beautiful  modern 
frame  church  home.  They  now  number  over 
two  hundred  and  keep  a  resident  minister. 


iN    CIIURCHKS. 


Within  the  last  twenty  years  churches 
have  been  organized  and  houses  built  at  sev- 
eral points  in  the  county.  Twenty-one  years 
ago  a  few  brethren  living  in  what  is  known 
as  the  Young  neighborhood  resolved  to  or- 
ganize and  build.  Preaching  had  been  held 
in  the  schoolhouse  near  for  more  than  forty 
years,  but  no  regularly  organized  body  ex- 


1 46 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


isted.  In  August,  1883,  Elder  Brinkerhoff 
laid  the  cornerstone,  with  appropriate  re- 
marks, and  the  present  neat  chapel,  known 
as  Young's  Chapel,  was  built.  Between 
Christmas  and  New  Year,  1883,  Elder  ].  A. 
Williams  held  a  short  meeting  and  organ- 
ized, with  about  twenty  members.  Elder 
Brinkerhoff  was  engaged  to  preach  for  them 
once  each  month,  and  held  this  relationship 
for  six  years.  Elder  Morgan,  of  Ashley, 
preached  a  while  also  for  them,  and  they 
have  steadily  grown  to  number  about  eighty 
members.  This  church  has  been  a  great 
blessing  to  the  community  and  is  still  active 
in  the  work. 

About  1886  N.  G.  Huff,  an  elder  of  Old 
Mt.  Moriah,  but  who  lived  about  six  or  eight 
miles  from  his  church  home,  prevailed  on 
Elder  Brinkerhoff  to  visit  the  Huff  school- 
house  once  a  month  and  preach  for  the  peo- 
ple. After  a  year  of  this  work  they  resolved 
to  organize  and  build  a  church.  They  were 
organized  in  the  school-house  in  the  spring 
and  numbered  forty-two  members,  mostly 
from  Mt.  Moriah  and  Harvey's  Point 
churches.  They  immediately  selected  a  site 
and  built  the  Gaston  Grove  church.  The  last 
of  August  of  the  same  year  Elder  Brinker- 
hoff held  a  ten  days'  meeting  and  added 
forty-two  more,  all  by  immersion,  thus 
doubling  the  membership.  This  church  has 
always  prospered  and  is  alive  in  all  good 
works,  and  although  it  has  lost  at  least  fifty 
members  by  removals  to  Salem  and  else- 
where, it  is  still  a  strong  country  church, 
with  one  of  the  best  Bible  schools  in  the 
county. 


Within  the  last  few  years  churches  have 
been  built  in  Kell,  in  Donoho  Prairie,  at 
New  Union  and  at  Scutchfield  Prairie,  also 
at  luka.  Each  is  young  and  has  but  a  small 
membership. 

THE    CHRISTIAN    CHURCH    AT    KINMUNDY. 

In  1900  the  congregations  at  Centralia 
and  ,  Salem  loaned  their  pastors.  Rev- 
erend Smart,  and  Reverend  Rowe,  to 
the  little  band  of  disciples  at  Kin- 
mundy,  to  hold  a  meeting  and  or- 
ganize a  church.  The  result  was  so  en- 
couraging that  a  church  was  organized  and 
the  present  beautiful  brick  church  was  built. 
From  that  time  the  church  has  been  har- 
monious and  constantly  growing.  Elder  F. 
O.  Fannon  has  for  the  last  five  years  served 
them  half  time  and  has  made  it  the  leading 
factor  in  church  work  in  Kinmundy,  num- 
bering about  two  hundred  members. 

This  paper  ought  not  close  without  a  brief 
sketch  of  the  one  man  whose  labors  for  more 
than  sixty  years  were  largely  the  factors 
that  made  this  grand  result  possible.  We 
refer  to  that  grand  old  soldier  of  the  Cross, 
John  A.  Williams,  who  was  born  in  Shelby 
county,  Indiana,  July  31,  1818,  and  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of  six- 
teen. They  settled  near  Walnut  Hill  and 
made  a  farm  out  of  the  timber  land  one- 
half  mile  east  of  the  village.  Mr.  Williams 
was  converted  at  Mt.  Moriah  church  and  be- 
gan to  preach  occasionally  as  early  as  1846. 
He  was  ordained  as  a  minister  in  1850  and 
began  immediately  to  preach  the  word  regu- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


147 


larly,  often  going  on  horseback  from  fifty  to 
one  hundred  miles  to  all  parts  of  Illinois, 
from  Shelbyville  to  Cairo  and  from  the 
Mississippi  to  the  Wabash,  planting  the  good 
seed  everywhere.  For  more  than  sixty  years 
he  preached  constantly.  Mr.  Williams  was 
gifted  with  superb  physical  powers,  being 
over  six  feet  tall  and  of  fine  physique.  His 
mental  powers  were  far  above  the  average 
and  his  sermons  were  clear,  logical  and  con- 
vincing. His  manner  was  winning  and  his 
knowledge  of  the  Bible  profound.  He  died 
at  the  home  of  his  daughter  at  Sailors 
Springs,  Illinois,  November  4,  1907,  and 
was  buried  at  Salem  after  the  body  lying  in 
state  in  the  beautiful  new  church  one  day. 
The  funeral  sermon  was  by  Elder  Brinker- 
hoff.  assisted  by  Elder  Roseborough.  After 
the  sermon  an  opportunity  was  given  any  to 
speak,  when  from  the  immense  congrega- 
tion, gathered  from  many  congregations  of 
Southern  Illinois,  about  twenty  pronounced 
eulogies  on  the  life  of  one  they  had  loved 
so  well.  His  funeral  was  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  impressive  ever  held  in  Salem. 
Truly  "his  works  live  after  him." 

THE  METHODIST  EPISCOPAL  CHURCH  SOUTH. 

The  Methodist  Episcopal  church  South  in 
Marion  county  was  the  outgrowth  of  politi- 
cal animosities  engendered  before  and  dur- 
ing the  Civil  war.  Political  intolerance  split 
churches  and  even  families  into  warring 
fragments.  Many  of  the  Methodist  faith 
felt  themselves  aggrieved  at  the  attitude  of 
the  church,  among  whom  was  Rev.  J.  W. 


Wescott,  a  minister  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  He  withdrew  from  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  and  called  a  conven- 
tion to  meet  at  the  court-house  in  Salem 
June  22,  1864.  The  following  ministers 
were  present  at  the  meeting :  J.  W.  Wescott, 
Thomas  L.  Middleton,  William  Findley, 
James  B.  Gray,  Thomas  Deeds  and  William 
Layson,  and  lay  brethren,  Thomas  Borring, 
Arthur  Foster,  Thomas  Smith,  Charles 
Smith,  James  M.  Charleton,  John  J.  Holt, 
J.  C.  McConnell,  Elijah  Wernberly,  Isaac 
Misenhammer,  Mordecai  Smith  and  a  few 
others.  This  convention  organized  under 
the  name  of  the  Evangelical  church.  The 
first  class  was  organized  in  Romine  Prairie 
at  the  house  of  John  J.  Holt.  Rev- 
erend Wescott  was  present  and  led 
the  exercises.  The  second  class  was 
organized  at  Old  Union.  The  third 
at  Mount  Zion  church  on  North  Fork, 
and  the  fourth  at  Harmony.  The  first  coun- 
cil was  held  at  Mt.  Zion  church  in  Septem- 
ber, 1864.  The  council  divided  into  districts. 
The  Salem  district  embraced  all  the  county 
except  the  Romine  church,  which  was  in- 
cluded in  the  Xenia  district.  As  most  of  the 
members  of  Evangelical  church  had  come 
out  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  they, 
in  1867,  changed  the  name  to  Methodist  and 
were  received  into  the  connection  of  the 
Methodist  Eiscopal  church,  South,  with  all 
the  privileges  of  the  conferences,  by  Bishop 
David  S.  Daggett.  Eighteen  societies  were 
organized  in  the  county  and  for  a  time  kept 
pace  with  other  churches,  but  as  the  pas- 
sions of  men  subside  the  necessity  for  sep- 


i48 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


aration  of  forces  seems  to  be  less  apparent 
and  the  church  today  seems  not  to  have  the 
vigor  of  earlier  times. 

No  mention  of  any  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  can  be  found  of  record  before  the 
year  1830,  although  it  is  probable  that 
preachers  of  that  denomination  had  now 
and  then  preached  to  the  people  in  passing 
through,  but  in  that  year  the  Grand  Prairie 
Mission  was  formed,  taking  all  the  territory 
between  the  Wabash  and  the  Kaskaskia 
rivers,  and  all  Illinois  south  of  Vandalia  to 
Maysville,  except  that  part  embraced  in  the 
Mt.  Vernon  circuit,  which  covered  a  small 
portion  of  the  south  part  of  Marion  county. 
In  1830  Simeon  Walker  was  sent  to  this 
mission  field  and  preached  the  first  sermon 
by  a  Methodist  minister  ever  preached  in 
Salem.  In  1831  he  organized  the  first 
Methodist  church  in  the  county  at  the  home 
of  a  Mrs.  Jones.  At  this  time  S.  H.  Thomp- 
son was  the  presiding  elder.  In  1832  Phillip 
T.  Corder  took  the  work  at  this  point  and 
the  next  year  James  Graham  was  sent  and 
the  name  changed  to  Salem  mission.  These 
men  not  only  preached  at  Salem,  but  at 
Sandy  Branch,  Walnut  Hill  and  Fosterburg, 
then  flourishing,  but  now  decayed  and  gone. 
James  Harsha  was  the  next  circuit  rider  and 
as  there  was  no  church-house  he  preached 
like  his  predecessors  in  private  houses.  Phil- 
lip Moore  succeeded  Harsha  in  1835,  and  in 
time  was  succeeded  by  Justice  R.  Ryman, 
with  James  H.  Dickens  as  his  colleague.  Sa- 
lem was  then  a  village  of  about  fifteen  fami- 
lies and  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
this  place  was  at  a  low  ebb,  but  the  old  log 
court-house  was  bought  and  for  many  years 


this  was  the  only  church  on  the  circuit.  This 
year  witnessed  an  increase  of  about  two 
hundred  in  the  entire  circuit,  about  twenty 
of  whom  were  to  the  Salem  body.  The  old 
court-house  was  used  until  1850,  when  Isaac 
Groves  was  sent  to  the  circuit  and  the  first 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  house  was  built. 
It  was  a  frame  and  stood  where  the  new 
Episcopal  church  now  stands  on  West  Main 
street.  It  was  dedicated  by  James  Leaton, 
and  was  used  until  1865,  when  it  was  re- 
moved to  make  room  for  the  new  church, 
which  was  commenced  that  year.  The  first 
Methodist  Episcopal  Sunday  school  was  or- 
ganized in  1850  in  the  new  frame  church. 
In  1851  the  Walnut  Hill  circuit  was  formed, 
embracing  the  south  part  of  the  county.  In 
1856  conference  was  held  in  Salem  and  Sa- 
lem was  made  a  station,  with  Rev.  Thomas 
A.  Eaton  in  charge.  During  this  year  a 
protracted  meeting  was  held,  at  which  one 
hundred  conversions  were  reported.  In  1858 
T.  F.  Houts,  who  had  left  the  law  for  the 
ministry,  was  in  charge.  In  1865  Rev.  Jo- 
seph Harris  was  pastor,  and  to  his  zeal  and 
energy  is  largely  due  the  removal  of  the 
old  frame  church  and  the  building  of  a  large 
new  brick  church,  which  was  used  until  1906, 
when  it  was  torn  down,  the  lot  sold  and 
the  erection  of  the  splendid  new  stone-faced 
church,  on  land  purchased  just  north  of  and 
facing  the  court-house  square.  During  the 
two  years  of  the  building  the  Rev.  J.  G. 
Tucker,  in  charge,  was  the  head  and  fount 
of  the  enterprise.  It  stands  a  monument  of 
beauty  and  will  last  for  generations.  It  cost 
about  thirty  thousand  dollars. 

As  near  as  we  can  ascertain,  Centralia  had 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


I49 


no  Methodist  preaching  until  after  the  for- 
mation of  Walnut  Hill  Circuit,  and  probab- 
ly not  earlier  than  1854,  when  the  church  at 
Centralia  was  organized,  and  was  a  part  of 
the  Walnut  Hill  circuit.  The  first  house  of 
worship  was  in  what  is  now  called  South 
Town  and  was  a  small  frame  building.  It 
was  afterward  moved  to  South  Poplar  street 
and  used  until  1865,  when  it  was  sold  and  a 
good  brick  house  erected  on  the  corner  of 
Broadway  and  Elm  streets.  This  building 
cost  about  six  thousand  dollars,  and  at  that 
time  was  the  best  church  house  in  the  coun- 
ty. In  1901  the  quarterly  conference1  ap- 
pointed a  committee  to  build  a  new  church 
and  were  empowered  to  sell  the  old  one. 
The  old  church  was  sold  in  1903  and  on 
July  28,  1903,  a  contract  was  entered  into 
with  S.  Legried,  a  Centralia  contractor,  for 
the  erection  of  a  new  building  at  a  cost  01 
about  thirty  thousand  dollars.  It  is  a  beau- 
tiful structure  of  mottled  brick  trimmed  with 
Bedford  stone,  and  handsomely  finished  in- 
side, with  Sunday  school  rooms  and  all  con- 
veniences. The  congregation  is  large  and 
composed  of  many  influential  people.  The 
building  was  dedicated  in  1904. 

METHODIST   EPISCOPAL   AT    KIXMUNDY. 

In  the  summer  of  1858  a  local  minister 
of  Salem  preached  a  few  sermons  at  Kin- 
mundy.  James  Woollard  was  the  first  reg- 
ular pastor,  and  he  was  followed  by  G.  W. 
Waggoner,  and  he  by  John  Thatcher,  all 
acceptable  preachers.  The  first  class  was 
formed  during  the  pastorate  of  Woollard 


and  consisted  of  nine  members,  four  males 
and  five  females.  It  may  be  of  interest  to 
know  who  they  were,  so  we  give  their 
names:  Waller  Hensley  and  wife,  Samuel 
Lawrence  and  wife,  George  Marsland  and 
wife,  Malinda  Sprouse  and  William  Blur- 
ton.  The  Kinmundy  circuit  was  formed  in 
1863  and  P.  P.  Hamilton  was  the  preacher, 
and  by  his  efforts  the  frame  meeting-house 
was  built,  which  was  torn  down  about  four 
years  ago  to  make  room  for  the  present 
beautiful  structure.  The  first  church  was 
dedicated  by  T.  F.  Houts.  Elias  Neil  was 
the  first  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school, 
which  was  organized  in  1862.  From  that 
time  until  the  present  the  church  has  had  a 
steady  growth  and  now  numbers  about  two 
hundred  communicants.  The  new  church 
cost  about  ten  thousand  dollars,  and  is  an 
ornament  to  the  city  as  well  as  a  monument 
to  the  zeal  and  liberality  of  the  members. 

Odin  and  Sandoval  were  for  many  years 
one  charge,  and  in  each  place  is  a  neat 
church  building,  and  at  each  place  there  is 
at  present  a  congregation  of  over  one  hun- 
dred members,  but  no  important  informa- 
tion that  is  reliable  is  obtainable. 

Patoka  circuit,  formerly  called  Foster- 
burg  circuit,  was  cut  off  from  the  Salem  cir- 
cuit. Originally  five  neat  chapels  were  on 
this  circuit  and  all  still  exist.  In  some  places, 
however,  preaching  is  had  only  occasionally 
and  the  buildings  are  not  all  properly  kept 
up,  but  in  all  Sunday  schools  are  maintained. 
In  the  village  of  Patoka  there  is  a  good 
church  building  and  regular  services  held. 
The  circuit  is  in  fairly  prosperous  condition. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


There  is  a  good  parsonage  at  Patoka  and  in 
former  years  this  circuit  maintained  one  of 
the  best  camp  meeting  grounds  in  the  coun- 
ty, but  of  late  years  the  camp  meeting  has 
disappeared  as  the  necessity  has  disappeared 
for  their  use.  Fosterburg  is  no  more,  but 
the  Patoka  circuit  is  active  and  doing  a  great 
work  in  its  particular  field. 

The  luka  circuit  is  the  remainder  of  the 
original  Salem  circuit.  It  has  four  appoint- 
ments and  they  are  all  supplied  from  luka. 
They  maintain  four  church  houses  and  four 
Sunday  schools.  The  membership  of  this 
circuit  is  about  three  hundred  and  fifty. 

There  is  at  present  in  the  county  about 
twenty-two  church  buildings,  valued  at 
about  two  hundred  thousand  dollars,  and  a 
membership  of  about  twenty-two  hundred 
(estimated).  The  circuit  rider,  who  in  an 
earlier  day  braved  all  danger  that  he  might 
carry  his  message  of  peace  and  love,  is  only 
now  a  name.  No  more  in  this  county  is  he 
to  be  seen  with  saddlebag  and  Bible  journey- 
ing from  appointment  to  appointment,  heed- 
ing not  the  summer's  heat,  nor  the  winter's 
cold,  but  now  the  preacher  comes  to  his  ap- 
pointment with  horse  and  buggy,  preaches 
and  drives  home  again.  The  old  way  has 
given  place  to  the  new;  may  the  new  prove 
as  effective  as  the  old. 

PRESBYTERIAN   CHURCH. 

The  Presbyerian  church  never  was  strong 
in  this  county,  only  a  few  congregations  ex- 
isting until  the  union  a  few  years  ago.  One 
at  Kinmundy,  one  at  Salem  that  was  dis- 


solved twenty  years  ago,  one  at  Centralia 
and  later  one  near  or  at  Foxville  are  all,  so 
far  as  we  have  been  able  to  find,  and  no 
data  is  at  hand  as  to  their  history. 

EPISCOPAL    CHURCH. 

There  are  a  few  Episcopal  churches  in 
Marion  county.  One  at  Centralia,  St. 
John's  Parish,  was  organized  October  31, 
1858.  Bishop  Seymour,  of  the  Springfield 
diocese,  visited  the  parish  as  early  as  1878 
and  confirmed  a  class  of  nine.  This  church, 
never  large,  has,  however,  continued  to  ex- 
ercise all  its  duties  and  functions  to  the 
present  time. 

Salem  church  was  organized  about  five 
years  ago  and  is  known  as  St.  Thomas  mis- 
sion. It  is  supplied  by  a  rector  from  Car- 
lyle.  This  mission  has  just  completed  a 
beautiful  though  small  stone  church  on 
Main  street  on  the  lot  where  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  stood. 

CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 

There  are  but  five  Catholic  churches  in 
the  county  and  only  two  of  these  have  resi- 
dent priests. 

The  Centralia  church  is  quite  strong  and 
has  a  large,  beautiful  church  building  and 
school  and  parsonage.  A  priest  is  located 
here  and  the  church  is  in  a  flourishing  con- 
dition. 

Sandoval  also  has  a  fairly  strong  congre- 
gation, a  good  church  and  parsonage  and  a 
resident  priest. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


Kinmundy,  Patoka  and  Salem  have  but 
small  buildings  and  only  a  few  adherents. 
They  have  services  by  priests  from  other 
charges  once  a  month. 

CUMBERLAND    PRESBYTERIAN    CHURCH. 

Marion  county  belonged  to  the  Illinois 
Presbytery  and  the  first  preaching  was  done 
by  Jonathan  Brittain.  It  was  preached  in 
the  house  of  Abner  Stewart  about  1830. 
David  Campbell  followed  in  1833  and 
preached  in  the  barroom  of  Ricker's  Ho- 
tel in  Salem.  These  two  men  preached  for 
several  years  in  the  county,  but  the  man 
who  organized  nearly  all  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  churches  was  Rev.  William 
Finley.  The  first  church  organized  was  at 
the  house  of  James  Eagan,  September  7, 
1840,  by  Wlliam  Finley.  It  was  called  Mt. 
Carmel,  afterward  Kinmundy.  In  1842  they 
established  a  camp  meeting  grounds  near 
Kinmundy  known  as  Mt.  Carmel  camp 
ground,  and  out  of  the  meetings  held  there 
grew  most  of  the  congregations  of  the  coun- 
ty- 

Good  Hope  church  at  Omega  was  organ- 
ized by  William  Finley  November  9,  1844, 
and  the  same  year  Bethel  was  organized  and 
the  Metcalf  or  Old  Bethel  camp  ground  was 
long  a  noted  point  in  church  history. 

The  Salem  church  was  also  organized  by 
William  Finley  in  1846.  This  congregation, 
largely  through  the  efforts  of  Mr.  Finley, 
built  the  first  house  of  worship  of  the  church 
in  the  county.  This  church  grew  rapidly  and 
was  the  strongest  congregation  of  Cumber- 


land Presbyterians  in  the  county,  and  in 
1901  built  a  beautiful  brick  church,  the  first 
of  the  beautiful  churches  in  Salem  to  be 
erected.  A  congregation  was  organized  at 
Patoka  and  one  at  Vernon.  Neither  was 
ever  strong. 

In  1905  the  congregation  at  Salem,  and  as 
far  as  we  know,  all  in  the  county,  voted  to 
unite  with  the  Presbyterian  church  and  drop 
the  name  Cumberland.  The  Old  Bethel 
church  built  a  beautiful  new  church  two  or 
three  miles  north  of  the  old  one  and  virtual- 
ly now  has  two  houses,  although  they  are 
two  congregations. 

BAPTIST    CHURCH    IN    MARION    COUNTY. 

To  the  Baptists  belong  the  honor  of  hav- 
ing the  first  preaching  in  the  county  and 
they  were  also  the  first  to  organize  and  build 
a  house  of  worship  (Mt.  Moriah,  now 
Christian,  in  Raccoon  township).  The  va- 
rious kinds  or  classes  of  Baptists  somewhat 
confuse,  as  the  earlier  records  often  do  not 
say  just  what  branch  of  the  church  ;s 
meant.  Of  the  eighteen  Baptist  churches 
that  have  been  organized  in  this  county, 
Bethel,  Union,  Marshall  Creek.  First  Sa- 
lem, Zion  Hill  and  Patoka  are  connected 
with  what  was  known  as  the  Vandalia,  and 
sometimes  Centralia.  Association,  while 
Harmony,  First  Centralia  and  Odin  were  in 
the  Louisville  Association.  Pleasant  Grove, 
Bethel  and  Zion  were  in  the  Salem  As- 
sociation, while  the  Second  Centralia  and 
Second  Salem  were  in  the  Mt.  Olive  Asso- 
ciation. The  last  two  are  colored  churches 
and  the  Salem  church  has  disappeared. 


152 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


Bethel  Baptist  church  is  the  oldest  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  church  in  the  county.  Rev. 
J.  M.  Peck  and  James  and  Moses  Lemen 
organized  this  church  at  the  house  of  Col- 
onel Jolliff  in  May-  1832,  with  fourteen 
members.  Rev.  Samuel  Shook  was  the  first 
preacher  in  charge.  I.  Anderick  was  the 
clerk  and  James  Joliff,  who  had  organized 
the  Sunday  school  two  or  three  years  be- 
fore, was  made  deacon.  After  some  years 
the  congregation  moved  the  house  from 
Central  City  to  the  country,  about  half  way 
from  Odin  to  Centralia,  where  the  organ- 
ization is  still  kept  up,  although  the  mem- 
bership is  not  large.  This  church .  has 
preaching  still  and  has  sent  out  to  other 
fields  many  workers  in  the  harvest. 

The  Union  church  was  organized  about 
1834.  This  church  never  built  a  church 
home,  but  held  services  in  a  school-house 
north  of  Sandoval  in  Carrigan  township. 
No  reliable  information  of  the  formation  of 
this  church  can  be  obtained  and  the  organ- 
ization is  virtually  abandoned. 

Marshall  Creek  Baptist  church,  located 
seven  or  eight  miles  northwest  from  Salem, 
was  organized  about  1835.  John  Wright, 
who  was  visiting  here,  obtained  the  consent 
of  Revs.  Arnot  and  Boyakin  to  hold  a  meet- 
ing here,  and  Morgan  Nichols  and  wife,  al- 
though not  church  members,  opened  their 
little  log  house  to  hold  the  services  in.  A 
meeting  lasting  about  sixteen  days  was  held 
and  an  organization  formed  by  Rev.  Na- 
than Arnot.  This  church  continued  to  grow 
and  is  now  in  good  condition,  both  as  to 
numbers  and  spiritually.  They  have  a  very 


good  house  and  are  active  in  Sunday  school 
work. 

First  Baptist  church  in  Salem  was  or- 
ganized in  the  old  log  court-house  by  Revs. 
Arnot  and  Boyakin.  After  years  in  the 
old  court-house  they  moved  to  a  new  brick 
church,  the  first  brick  building  in  the  coun- 
ty. The  lot  was  owned  by  Mr.  Lester,  who 
had  bought  the  Ricker  property:  He  offered 
a  lot  to  the  first  Baptist  minister  who  would 
settle  in  Salem,  and  Rev.  Boyakin  received 
it.  Mr.  Boyakin  was  one  of  a  committee  to 
locate  a  female  seminary.  Miss  Rand  of- 
fered five  hundred. dollars  for  this  purpose, 
and  it  was  located  at  Salem.  The  church 
property  was  deeded  to  the  seminary  trus- 
tees in  1841.  Elder  Boyakin  held  a  meet- 
ing in  this  building  about  this  time  and  nine 
of  the  seminary  young  ladies  Were  added  to 
the  church.  The  church  continued  to  wor- 
ship in  this  building  until  it  was  destroyed 
by  a  storm  in  1844.  From  this  time  until 
1858  the  Baptists  worshiped  mostly  in  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church,  until 
1858,  when  they  built  a  frame  church  on 
the  old  church  lot.  (This  lot  is  in  the  east 
part  of  town  two  blocks  south  of  Main 
street  and  two  east  of  Broadway.)  This 
frame  was  burned  on  the  night  of  January 
28,  1865,  from  an  over-heated  stove.  The 
Christian  church,  the  hall  of  the  Southern 
Female  College  and  the  Circuit  Court  room 
were  tendered  the  congregation  as  a  place 
of  worship.  On  the  26th  of  March,  1870, 
the  congregation  resolved  to  build  again, 
and  on  October  21,  1871.  services  were  held 
in  the  new  building,  but  the  church  was  not 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


153 


dedicated  until  the  fourth  Sunday  in  Sep- 
tember following-.  G.  J.  Johnson,  D.  D.,  of 
St.  Louis,  delivering  the  sermon.  Judge  Si- 
las L.  Bryan  was  long  a  member  of  this 
church  and  by  his  death  in  1880  the  church 
suffered  a  great  loss,  both  from  a  financial 
and  spiritual'  point  of  view,  as  he  was  a 
most  devout  man  and  truly  a  God-fearing 
Christian.  To  this  church  belongs  the  honor 
of  instituting  the  first  Sunday  school  in 
1832.  Reverend  Peck  organized  the  school 
and  donated  a  number  of  books  from  the 
Baptist  Publication  Society  as  a  nucleus  for 
a  library.  From  1843  to  1858,  while  without 
a  church  of  their  own,  the  Baptists  united 
with  the  Methodists  and  Presbyterians  in  a 
union  school,  but  from  the  time  the  new 
church  was  built  to  the  present  they  have 
maintained  a  school  of  their  own.  This 
church  has  suffered  loss  by  wind  and  fire 
and  the  loss  of  many  members,  who  moved 
farther  west,  yet  it  has  kept  the  faith  and 
bravely  struggled  on,  and  now,  with  greater 
Salem,  have  come  new  members,  bringing 
new  cheer  and  the  promise  of  a  brighter  day. 

Pleasant  Grove  church,  situated  about  a 
mile  east  of  where  Foxville  was,  is  one  of 
the  old  churches  of  the  county,  and  one  of 
the  stronger  ones  among  the  country 
churches.  It  was  established  in  1840  and 
has  built  two  log  and  two  frame  houses, 
each  an  improvement  on  its  predecessor.  It 
is  an  active,  zealous  church  and  is  keeping 
pace  with  the  growth  of  the  community  in 
which  it  is  located. 

The  Centralia  Baptist  church  was  organ- 
ized in  1859  by  J.  P.  Hungate  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  building.  During  the  Civil  war 


it  virtually  was  out  of  existence,  but  was 
reorganized  in  1864  by  I.  S.  Mahan,  who 
was  appointed  by  the  Baptist  Home  Mis- 
sionary Society  for  that  purpose.  A  three 
thousand  dollar  house  was  built  and  the 
church  soon  became  the  strongest  in  Cen- 
tralia, but  in  1873  the  pastor  resigned  and 
for  fifteen  months  the  church  had  no  preach- 
er and  the  church  scattered  until  it  was  the 
weakest.  In  March.  1874.  a  minister  was 
again  employed,  and  from  that  time  to  this 
the  church  has  not  ceased  to  grow.  The  old 
church  building  has  been  replaced  by  a 
handsome  modern  brick  and  is  today  one 
of  the  strongest  and  best  Baptist  churches  in 
Southern  Illinois. 

Zion  Hill  church  was  organized  in  1860 
and  is  today  an  active  country  church,  not 
large,  but  full  of  good  works. 

The  Bethlehem  church,  generally  known 
as  the  "Nation,"  was  organized  in  1867. 
It,  too,  like  Zion  Hill,  is  a  country  church 
that  has  kept  up  its  organization  and  wor- 
ship, and  while  not  large  in  point  of  num- 
bers, the  congregation  is  faithful  and  zeal- 
ous. 

A  Baptist  church  was  organized  in  Pa- 
toka  in  1867  and  struggled  along  until  in 
the  eighties  without  a  house  of  worship, 
which  greatly  retarded  their  growth.  After 
the  building  of  their  church  they  began  to 
grow,  and  now  have  a  good  congregation. 

Bethel  church,  five  miles  east  of  Foxville, 
like  Zion  Hill  and  Bethlehem,  is  a  country 
church  and  keeps  up  its  services.  Its  mem- 
bership is  quite  large  and  they  have  preach- 
ing regularly. 


154 


DRINKER  1 1  Ob' I-'  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


The  Second  church  of  Salem  was  a  col- 
ored church,  but  has  gone  out  of  existence, 
as  there  is  but  one  family  of  negroes  in  the 
city. 

The  Second  church  of  Centralia  is  also  a 
colored  church,  and  since  its  organization  in 
April,  1867,  has  been  varied  in  its  experi- 
ences. It  is  still  in  existence  and  doing  a 
good  work  among  the  colored  people  of  the 
city. 

The  Old  School,  or  Primitive,  Baptists 
have  five  congregations  in  the  county.  Lib- 
erty, five  miles  northwest  from  Kinmundy, 
is  probably  the  oldest.  Summit  Prairie,  five 
miles  north  of  Salem ;  Turkey  Creek,  two 
miles  south  of  Odin;  North  Fork,  three 
miles  west  of  Patoka,  and  Pleasant  Grove, 
five  miles  south  of  Salem.  None  of  these 


churches  are  strong  in  numbers  and  some  of 
them  have  only  occasional  preaching,  while 
others  have  regular  preaching  once  a  month, 
and  all  are  connected  with  the  little  Wabash 
Association. 

NOTE — The  Reverend  Boyakin  mentioned 
in  these  notes  died  in  the  early  fall 
of  1908,  at  the  age  of  one  hundred 
years  and  a  few  months.  During  the 
summer  of  1908  he  journeyed  from  Kan- 
sas, where  he  had  lived  many  years,  to  Illi- 
nois, where  he  delivered  an  address  before 
a  meeting  of  Baptists  in  the  central  part  of 
the  state.  On  July  4th  he  delivered  an  ora- 
tion at  his  home  in  Kansas.  This  remarkable 
man  was  one  of  the  gifted  Boyakins  of  this 
county,  who  are  remembered  by  the  older 
citizens. 


HAINES  TOWNSHIP. 


Haines  township,  the  southern  township 
of  the  third  tier  from  the  west  and  num- 
bered town  i,  range  3  east  of  the  third 
principal  meridian,  was  named  for  Edmond 
Haines,  who  was  one  of  its  earliest  set- 
tlers. Originally  it  was  mostly  timber,  but 
much  of  it  has  been  cleared  up  and  is  cul- 
tivated farm  land.  The  extreme  western 
part  is  the  watershed  between  the  Wabash 
and  Kaskaskia  rivers.  It  is  a  high  prairie 
ridge  extending  in  the  general  directions 
north  and  south.  This  prairie  is  called  Ro- 
mine  Prairie,  after  the  first  settler,  Abram 
Romine.  This  township  was  a  favorite 


game  country.  John  Boucher  settled  in  the 
township  as  early  as  1815,  and  built  a  mill. 
This  is  the  same  Boucher  who  creased  the 
horse  as  told  in  the  county  section.  James 
McDaniel  and  Jeptha  Mount  settled  in  the 
south  part  of  the  township  and  Green  De 
Priest  in  the  north  part  from  1818  to  1820. 
In  1824  David  Fulton  came  from  Tennes- 
see and  settled  on  section  2.  He  was  ninety- 
four  years  old  when  he  died  in  1877.  Wil- 
liam Hill,  with  a  company  of  about  thirty, 
moved  from  South  Carolina  in  1808  and 
settled  in  Randolph  county,  and  in  1825 
came  to  Marion  county  and  settled  in 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


155 


Haines  township.  He  was  a  soldier  in  the 
War  of  1812  and  in  the  Black  Hawk  war. 
He  was  married  to  Jane  Hill,  his  second 
cousin,  in  1819,  and  they  lived  together 
over  sixty  years.  His  children,  James,  Sam- 
uel, William  and  Robert,  all  now  dead,  were 
all  honored  citizens  of  this  township.  His 
son,  James  McD.  Hill,  was  born  on  section 
2  in  1827,  and  lived  and  died  within  a  half 
mile  of  the  same  spot.  He  died  about  ten 
or  twelve  years  ago  and  his  son,  W.  D. 
"Pete"  Hill,  lives  on  the  same  farm. 

Mary  Wilkins  and  her  husband  settled  in 
this  township  in  1829.  She  lived  to  be 
about  one  hundred  and  two  years  old,  and 
died  never  having  seen  a  railroad  or  a  train 
of  cars.  She  left  numerous  descendants, 
many  of  whom  still  live  in  this  township. 
She  died  in  1882  or  1883. 

Ruber  Chance  was  an  early  settler,  but 
the  exact  date  of  his  locating  here  is 
not  known,  but  it  was  in  the  twen- 
ties. Jeremiah  Fields  came  about  1830 
and  Millington  'Easley  and  Thomas  Wil- 
liams settled  in  1827,  and  about  the  same 
year  Durham  Tracy  came  to  the  township. 
He  was  a  very  prominent  man  in  the  af- 
fairs of  the  county,  and  was  County  Judge 
several  terms.  He  was  a  very  intelligent 
man,  fairly  educated  and  well  liked  by  his 
neighbors.  In  1829  Isaac  Charlton  came 
by  wagon  and  settled  in  the  north  side  of 
the  township.  He  died  in  1875.  Joseph 
Stonecipher  and  wife  with  ten  children  came 
from  Tennessee  in  1834.  He  settled  on 
section  22  and  was  the  founder  of  the  nu- 
merous Stonecipher  family  in  this  county. 


The  next  year  Joseph  Wham  came  from 
Tennessee  in  a  wagon  he  himself  had  made, 
and  drawn  by  a  couple  of  yoke  of  oxen,  and 
settled  in  section  5.  He  and  three  of  his 
sons  served  in  the  Mexican  war  and  all  lived 
to  return.  Robert  McM.  Wham  was  the 
last  surviving  son.  He  died  about  four 
years  ago.  Benjamin  died  soon  after  his 
return  from  Mexico  from  disease  contracted 
in  the  service.  John  Blackburn  came  to 
Marion  county  in  1833.  He  had  a  family 
of  eleven  children  and  his  descendants  are 
about  two  hundred  in  this  and  neighboring 
counties.  John  Storment  came  in  1836  and 
Jarett  Purdue  in  1838.  He  was  born  in 
Tennessee  in  1799  and  died  in  1874,  and 
his  family  consisted  of  himself,  wife  and 
eight  children.  They  came  in  two  ox-carts. 
The  family  is  now  numerous  and  stand  high 
in  their  township.  James  Telford  settled  in 
1836  on  section  19  and  William  Beasley  on 
section  23  in  1839. 

The  first  sermon  preached  in  the  township 
was  by  John  Benson.  The  early  preachers 
were  David  R.  Chance  and  William  Chaf- 
fin,  Christian;  Reverend  Pritchet,  Baptist; 
W.  F.  Boyakin,  Missionary  Baptist.  There 
are  now  several  churches  in  the  township. 

Doctor  Middleton  was  the  first  practicing 
physician.  David  Fulton,  the  first  wheel- 
right,  Thomas  Cahorn  the  first  school  teach- 
er. He  was  from  Philadelphia  and  taught 
in  log  school-houses  in  1827.  The  first 
grave  yard  was  in  section  2  and  is  known 
as  the  Fulton  graveyard.  The  Wham  grave- 
yard was  laid  out  in  1841  by  Joseph  Wham 
and  Mrs.  Wham  was  the  first  buried  there. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Old  Foxville  was  for  many  years  the  only 
"town"  in  Haines.  Fox  (S.  M.)  Haines 
laid  it  out  and  hence  called  it  Foxtown.  The 
first  house  was  built  in  1867  and  the  first 
store  was  opened  in  1868  by  John  Palmer. 
It  was  a  post-office  and  it  is  said  the  name 
selected  was  Romine  City.  James  Martin 
was  in  Congress  and  when  the  name  was  to 
be  given  Martin  had  forgotten,  but  he  knew 
"Fox"  Haines  well  and  called  the  office 
after  him,  Foxville.  Since  building  the  C.  & 


E.  I.  Railroad  a  dozen  years  ago,  Cartter, 
near  the  north  side  of  the  township,  and 
Kell,  near  the  south  line,  have  grown  on 
the  line  of  the  road  and  Foxville  is  a  mem- 
ory only.  Cartter  is  but  a  small  village  of 
two  stores  and  a  shop  or  two  and  a  dozen 
houses.  Kell  is  a  thriving  little  town  of  three 
or  four  hundred  people  and  is  a  good  busi- 
ness point.  It  has  several  stores,  a  bank, 
shops  and  three  churches,  and  is  growing 
steadily. 


FOSTER  TOWNSHIP. 


Foster  township  is  the  northernmost  of 
the  second  tier  of  townships,  east  of  the  west 
line  of  the  county.  Its  survey  numbers  are 
town  4,  range  2.  This  township  is  drained 
by  both  the  north  fork  and  the  east  fork  of 
the  Kaskaskia  and  many  tributary  creeks. 
The  first  settler  in  the  township  was  Hardy 
Foster,  after  whom  the  township  was 
named.  He  was  born  in  Georgia,  but  had 
moved  to  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  in  1814. 
and  in  1823  came  to  this  county  and  settled 
on  section  17.  In  1831  he  moved  to  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  township  and  made 
improvements  en  section  8.  He  built  a  stage 
stand  about  halfway  between  Salem  and 
Vandalia  on  the  road  connecting  the  two 
places  and  kept  the  stand  many  years.  In 
1833  a  post-office  was  established  and  he 
was  made  postmaster  and  held  the  office  at 
the  time  of  his  death  in  1863,  or  thirtv 
years.  He  was  prominent  in  the  early  af- 


fairs of  the  county;  was  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace  many  terms  and  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  one  term.  He  put  up  the  first 
horse  mill  in  the  township  in  1833.  This 
mill  was  operated  until  1850. 

The  next  settler  in  the  township  was  a 
widow  Jones,  who  with  her  family  of  four 
children,  all  about  grown,  came  to  the  town- 
ship in  1826.  Her  sons  were  Eli  W.,  Jo- 
seph A.,  and  Samuel  B.  Her  daughter  soon 
after  they  settled  here  married  J.  F.  Holt, 
son  of  Harmon  Holt,  the  first  settler  of  Pa- 
toka  township.  This  was  the  first  marriage 
in  the  two  townships.  The  Jones  family 
was  very  numerous  in  this  township  many 
years,  but  is  now  somewhat  scattered,  al- 
though a  good  representation  still  remain. 

Andrew  Foster  located  on  section  21,  in 
1833,  and  lived  in  this  township  until  his 
death. 

Moses  Garrett.  a  Georgian,  settled  on  sec- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY, 


157 


tion  10  in  1831,  and  Isaac  Nichols  in  1830 
settled  on  what  is  now  known  as  the  Cald- 
well  place. 

The  first  teacher,  Thomas  Moon,  came 
from  New  York  and  settled  on  section  16. 
The  school-house  stood  near  his  cabin  on 
the  same  section.  He  died  about  thirty-five 
years  ago,  in  Missouri. 

In  1836  Mark  Cole,  Jonathan  Green  and 
the  Doolens,  Jesse  and  Daniel,  settled  near 
the  north  fork.  They  each  improved  farms 
and  raised  families  and  their  descendants 
are  still  residents  of  this  and  adjoining 
townships.  Ross  Jones  came  from  Salem 
to  this  township  about  1836.  M.  Smith 
settled  in  this  township  in  1831,  and  died  on 
the  farm  he  settled,  near  the  north  fork, 
some  years  ago.  John  Arnold,  the  founder 
of  the  numerous  Arnold  family,  came  from 
Georgia  in  1844,  and  settled  near  the  town- 
ship line,  between  Foster  and  Kinmundy. 
He  put  up  a  horse  mill  and  run  it  many 
years.  He  lived  to  be  very  old  and  died 
about  twenty  years  ago. 

The  first  death  in  the  township  was  that 
of  Elizabeth  Morris,  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Elizabeth  Morris.  She  was  buried  in  a 
box  made  of  puncheons,  split  out  of  logs 
and  dressed,  and  made  into  a  rude  coffin  by 
the  neighbors.  She  was  buried  on  the  old 
Hardy  Foster  place  in  1827. 

The  first  child  born  in  the  township  was 
Sallie.  daughter  of  Hardy  Foster.  She  mar- 
ried William  Doolen. 

On  March  6,  1854,  Fosterburg  was  laid 
out  by  Hardy  Foster.  William  Doolen  built 
a  house  and  put  in  a  stock  of  general  mer- 


chandise the  same  year.  The  year  before, 
Samuel  B.  Jones,  William  Eagan  and  A.  H. 
Foster  had  put  up  a  saw-mill,  which  they 
run  many  years.  William  Ritter  and  James 
Arnold  afterward  built  another  mill,  near 
the  same  place.  Daniel  McConnel,  S.  B. 
Jones,  Thomas  S.  Jones  and  J.  W.  Arnold 
were  the  store  keepers.  At  one  time  Fos- 
terburg was  one  of  the  most  promising 
towns  in  the  county.  It  had  three  stores,  a 
blacksmith  and  wagon  shop,  a  mill,  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church,  physician,  Dr.  Wil- 
liam While,  and  was  a  post  town.  Now 
nothing  remains  of  this  village.  The  town 
house  since  built  is  all  that  exists  of  Foster- 
burg. 

The  following  letter  from  our  esteemed 
friend.  Edward  J.  Doolen,  gives  an  inter- 
esting sketch  of  Foster  township : 

"Foster  township  was  named  for  Hardy 
Foster,  who  was  a  member  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, County  Judge,  and  a  prominent  man 
in  general.  Old  Fosterburg  was  laid  out 
and  named  for  him.  This  old  village  is  now 
but  a  memory,  but  it  was  once  the  center  of 
a  great  tract  of  country.  Here  was  the 
"manse"  of  the  Methodist  circuit  rider; 
here  dwelt  the  Justice;  here  was  the  sing- 
ing school,  the  spelling  school,  prayer  meet- 
ing, preaching  and  all  things  social.  On 
the  common,  now  covered  by  an  orchard, 
men  as  raw  volunteers  were  marched  and 
counter-marched  by  Captains  Waddell  and 
John  Foster,  and  by  William  Crowder,  once 
a  colonel  of  Tennessee  militia.  The  site  of 
Hardy  Foster's  house  which  was  a  log  one 
of  a  story  and  a  half  and  which  after  being 


158 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


torn  down  and  rebuilt  is  now  doing  duty  as 
a  bam,  is  occupied  by  the  residence  of  his 
son,  Harmon  Foster.  I  have  seen  many 
men  who  when  young  hauled  grain  and 
drove  turkeys  to  St.  Louis  and  Belleville 
from  this  place. 

"On  North  Fork  creek  about  eighty  yards 
from  the  bank  and  a  half  mile  of  Patoka 
and  Foster  town  line  can  be  found  the  faint 
outlines  of  an  old  well,  dug  about  the  year 
1818.  Where  the  house  stood  can  yet  be 
seen.  In  plowing  over  the  spot  last  spring 
I  found  many  pieces  of  dishes  of  the  blue 
flowered  style.  This  was  the  residence  of 
Mrs.  Mary  Jones,  grandmother  of  Foun- 
tain, M.  L.  and  E.  W.  Jones,  and  from 
whom  all  of  the  name  of  Jones  in  our  town- 
ship descended.  She  was  born  March  i, 
1771.  and  died  Christmas  day  of  1847.  I 
have  seen  two  of  her  sons,  and  in  tracing 
lines  of  descent  of  different  families  I  find 
that  she  is  the  ancestor  of  nearly  all  in  Fos- 
ter township.  She  is  buried  at  Sandy  Branch 
I  have  seen  her  grave;  it  is  well  kept  and 
well  marked.  Within  a  few  rods  of  this 
old  house  site  an  Indian  trail  crossed  the 
creek.  It  is  yet  very  distinct  in  as  many 


as  three  different  places  in  the  course  of  a 
mile.  It  lies  in  a  southwest  direction  and 
passed  very  near  the  Doojen  school-house. 
Northeast  of  the  school-house  about  three- 
fourths  of  a  mile  is  a  stone  of  considerable 
size,  hollowed  out  basin-like,  where  the  In- 
dians made  meal.  I  have  seen  many  per- 
sons who  played  around  this  old  Indian 
mill.  I  myself  have  searched  for  it.  It  is  in  a 
small  tract  of  woodland;  it  is  supposed  the 
creek  (Bear  creek)  changed  its  course  and 
buried  it.  It  is  more  than  likely  the  trail 
led  by  this  spot.  The  early  settlers  of  this 
township  were  southerners;  Foster,  Holt, 
Mrs.  Jones,  Arnold,  all  originally  from 
Georgia.  Foster  and  Holt  both  married 
daughters  of  Mrs.  Jones.  At  the  present 
time  no  less  than  nineteen  grandchildren 
of  this  woman  are  living.  Later  came 
others  from  Kentucky  and  Tennessee. 

"EDWARD  J.  DOOLEN. 
"Vernon,  Illinois,  August  25,   1908." 

We  wish  to  thank  Mr.  Doolen  for  his  let- 
ter and  say  if  others  had  done  likewise, 
every  township  might  have  had  a  better  rep- 
resentation. 


TONTI  TOWNSHIP. 


Tonti    township    was    najned    from  the 
Chevalier  De  Tonti,  a  contemporary  of  Jol- 


borders  and  is  crossed  in  the  southeast  cor- 
ner by  the  Chicago  branch  of  the  Illinois 
iet,  and  was  one  of  the  early  French  ex-  Central  Railroad,  having  one  station,  Tonti, 
plorers  of  Illinois.  It  is  north  of  Salem  a  hamlet  of  four  or  five  houses,  a  store,  a 


and  its  survey  numbers  are  town  3  north, 
range  2  east.     It  has  no  towns  within  its 


saw-mill  and  a  fruit  warehouse. 

The  first  settler  of  Tonti  township  was 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


159 


William  Pursley,  who  settled  on  section  14 
in  1820,  but  did  not  enter  any  land  until 
1823,  in  which  year  he  entered  the  west 
half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  section  14. 
He  deeded  the  land  to  his  wife,  who  was 
Miss  Lydia  Little.  She  was  the  heroine  of 
the  rescue  of  Thomas  Higgins  in  his  des- 
perate encounter  with  the  Indians.  The  fol- 
lowing is  an  account  of  the  fight  as  given  by 
Governor  Reynolds  in  his  pioneer  history 
of  Illinois: 

"Thomas  Higgins  was  born  in  Barren 
county,  Kentucky,  in  1790.  He  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  relatives  in  1807,  and  lo- 
cated on  Silver  creek,  near  the  Bradsley's. 
He  received  a  very  limited  education,  as 
his  parents  were  in  humble  circumstances, 
and  he  himself  was  not  much  in  love  with 
a  school-house.  He  possessed  a  good  mind, 
but  would,  in  defiance  of  danger  or  any- 
thing else,  employ  himself  in  harmless  mis- 
chief, yet  he  was  as  brave  a  man  as  ever 
existed.  He  was  in  his  manhood,  very 
strong,  muscular  and  active.  He  was  not 
so  very  tall,  but  compactly  formed  for  great 
strength  and  activity.  During  the  whole 
War  of  1812  he  was  actively  engaged  on 
the  frontiers  in  defending  the  settlements.  I 
personally  knew  him  to  be  a  member  of  the 
company  commanded  by  Capt.  William  B. 
Whitesides,  in  most  of  the  war.  In  1814 
he  joined  another  company  and  was  one  of 
the  party  under  command  of  Lieut.  John 
Journey  at  Hillsfort,  situated  six  or  eight 
miles  southwest  of  the  present  town  of 
Greenville  in  Bond  county.  Journey  had 
eleven  men  in  his  corps,  and  on  the  2Oth  of 


August,  1814,  Indian  signs  were  discovered 
near  the  fort,  and  next  morning  at  day- 
break, Journey  and  party  mounted  and  went 
out  to  reconnoitre  the  country.  They  had 
not  marched  far  before  they  entered  an  am- 
buscade of  a  large  party  of  Indians.  The 
warriors  fired  on  them  and  Journey  and 
three  of  his  men  were  killed  instantly,  Wil- 
liam Burges  and  John  Boucher  wounded, 
Boucher  slightly.  The  horse  of  Higgins 
was  shot  in  the  neck  and  fell  to  the  ground, 
but  soon  rose  again.  Higgins  remained  a 
moment  "to  get  a  pull  at  them,"  as  he  said. 
He  took  deliberate  aim  at  an  Indian  and 
shot  him  dead.  He  then  mounted  his  horse 
and  was  about  to  return  to  the  fort,  when  a 
familiar  voice  hailed  him  from  the  grass, 
and  said,  "Tom,  you  won't  leave  me?"  Hig- 
gins hollowed  out  to  him  to  "come  on." 
"I  can't,  my  leg  is  smashed  to  pieces,"  an- 
swered Burges.  Higgins  dismounted  in- 
stantly and  was  getting  the  wounded  man 
on  his  horse,  but  the  horse  scared  and  ran 
off.  Higgins  told  Burges  to  limp  off  on 
three  legs  and  he  would  protect  him.  Bur- 
ges crawled  off  through  the  grass  and  saved 
himself,  while  Higgins  was  left  behind  to 
fight  the  most  bloody  and  terrible  battle  that 
ever  the  same  number  of  men — three  In- 
dians and  one  white  man — were  engaged  in. 
Higgins  had  loaded  his  gun,  as  soon  as  he 
had  killed  the  Indian,  and  was  ready  for  the 
enemy  again,  but  all  at  once  three  Indians 
made  their  appearance  near  him.  He  saw  a 
small  ravine  close  to  him  and  ran  for  it,  so 
he  could  defend  himself  against  so  many 
Indians.  While  he  was  running,  he  dis- 


i6o 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


covered  for  the  first  time  that  his  leg  failed 
him;  he  was  wounded  at  the  first  fire  but 
did  not  know  it  at  the  time.  One  of  the  In- 
dians was  a  very  large  and  stout  man — as 
large  as  Higgins.  The  others  were  small 
and  not  so  courageous  as  the  large  one. 
Higgins  was  satisfied  he  must  receive  the 
fire  of  the  large  Indian,  and  attempted  to 
dodge  it,  but  the  bullet  lodged  in  his  thigh, 
and  he  fell,  but  rose  instantly.  By  this 
time  the  other  two  had  also  fired  at  him,  and 
both  balls  hit  him.  He  fell,  badly  wounded, 
but  soon  again  was  on  his  feet,  with  his 
loaded  gun  in  his  hand.  The  Indians  threw 
down  their  guns  as  they  had  not  time  to 
load  them  again  and  rushed,  whooping  and 
yelling  on  Higgins,  with  their  spears,  toma- 
hawks and  knives.  When  they  advanced 
near  him,  he  presented  his  gun  at  them  and 
that  kept  them  off  a  while.  Higgins  often 
told  me  that  the  large  Indian  was  as  brave 
as  a  lion,  he  could  not  daunt  him  or  intim- 
idate him  in  the  least,  but  when  the  two 
small  ones  came  near  him  they  quailed  under 
his  furious  looks.  They  could  not  look  him 
in  the  face,  "but  the  large  Indian  could  look 
the  devil  in  the  face,"  as  Higgins  expressed 
it.  The  bold  Indian  was  rushing  on  him, 
and  he  shot  him  dead.  It  is  supposed  that 
the  large  Indian  did  not  believe  Higgins's 
gun  loaded,  or  he  would  not  have  rushed  on 
certain  death.  The  Indian  had  a  great  sol- 
dier (Higgins)  to  contend  with.  When  the 
other  Indians  saw  their  main  man  killed,  it 
made  them  more  fierce.  They  raised  the 
war  whoop  louder  and  rushed  with  greater 
vigor  on  poor  wounded  Higgins,  who  had 


in  his  body  four  Indian  balls,  and  had  lost 
much  blood,  was  weak  and  almost  exhaust- 
ed, had  an  empty  gun  and  no  other  weapon. 
He  was  near  many  Indian  warriors  besides 
the  two  pressing  on  him,  who  were  armed 
with  spears,  tomahawks  and  knives,  and 
were  strong,  having  lost  no  blood,  nor  were 
they  wounded  as  Higgins  was.  They  gave 
Higgins  many  flesh  wounds,  as  his  shirt 
and  body  were  literally  cut  to  pieces.  One 
of  the  Indians  threw  a  tomahawk  at  him, 
cutting  his  ear  nearly  off,  and  laid  the  bone 
of  his  head  and  side  of  his  neck  entirely 
bare.  This  blow  knocked  him  down,  and 
when  they  rushed  on  him  with  their  spears, 
he  kicked  them  off.  When  one  of  the  In- 
dians presented  his  spear  at  the  breast  of 
Higgins,  while  he  was  stretched  on  the 
ground,  he  caught  the  spear  and  the  Indian 
pulling  it,  raise  Higgins  up  by  it.  Then  it 
was  that  he  took  his  gun  and  literally 
knocked  the  brains,  out  of  one  of  the  In- 
dians. This  blow  broke  the  skull  of  the  In- 
dian and  likewise  Higgins's  gun.  It  was 
shattered  to  pieces,  and  the  barrel  was  bent. 
Then  he  had  'but  one  Indian  to  fight,  but 
he  was  nearly  exhausted.  During  most  of 
this  fight,  it  was  in  sight  of  the  fort,  and  a 
woman — a  Mrs.  Pursley,  became  excited, 
and  said  she  could  not  stand  to  see  so  brave 
a  man  as  Higgins  murdered  by  the  Indians. 
She  mounted  her  husband's  horse,  and  start- 
ed to  his  rescue.  The  men  in  the  fort  could 
not  see  a  woman  go  alone  and  followed 
her.  As  soon  as  the  Indian  fighting  Hig- 
gins saw  the  rangers  coming,  he  fled.  They 
found  Higgins  prostrated  on  the  ground, 


I'.RINKKRIIOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


161 


nearly  dead,  cut  and  mangled,  and  almost 
torn  to  pieces. 

Governor  Reynolds  states  that  Higgins 
never  fully  recovered  and  that  he  received 
a  pension  to  the  full  amount  of  the  law. 
Such  a  woman  was  the  first  white  woman 
to  live  in  Tonti  township.  Some  of  her  de- 
scendants still  live  in  this  county.  In  1823 
William  Marshall  settled  in  the  east  part  of 
Tonti  township.  He  was  a  farmer,  teacher, 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  a  fiddler.  It  is 
told  of  him  that  he  would  walk  to  the  home 
of  a  bride-to-be,  perform  the  marriage  cere- 
mony, and  then  take  his  fiddle,  play  all  night 
for  the  wedding  dance  and  often  the  fee  was 
not  more  than  "two  bits."  Marshall  was  the 
first  County  Surveyor.  In  1838  he  moved 
to  near  what  is  now  Fairman  in  Carrigan 
township,  where  he  died.  John  Eddington 
also  came  to  Tonti  in  1823.  William  Nich- 
ols also  settled  in  the  northwest  part  of  the 
township  in  1823.  He  owned  one  slave  and 
moved  to  Missouri  in  1826.  William  Mar- 
shall bought  his  place,  which  afterward  was 
owned  by  John  S.  Martin,  who  was  -an  en- 
terprising, intelligent  man  of  considerable 
means  and  who  owned  at  his  death  about 
two  thousand  acres  of  land  in  the  neighbor- 
hood of  this  farm.  The  Nichols  land  is 
still  in  the  Martin  family.  John  S.  Martin 
was  the  father  of  Gen.  James  S.  Martin, 
who  commanded  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Infantry  in  the  Civil  war. 
John  S.  Martin  died  at  Alma  in  1865. 
Thomas  Allmon  came  from  Tennessee  in 
1827.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Allmon 
family  in  this  county  and  from  him  is  de- 
n 


rived  the  name  of  the  Allmon  peach,  noted 
in  this  county,  as  one  of  the  most  perfect 
of  cling  peaches.  John  Davidson  was  a  set- 
tler in  1828  and  lived  in  this  and  Carrigan 
township  many  years.  Robert  Nichols  im- 
proved a  farm  in  this  township  in  1823  and 
lived  on  it  until  he  died  in  1836.  He  was 
the  eldest  of  eighteen  children,  several  of 
whom  lived  in  this  county. 

Britton  Smith  came  to  Tonti  in  1827. 
When  he  came  to  the  township,  there  were 
only  seven  families  in  the  township,  he  mak- 
ing the  eighth.  They  were  the  Widow 
Pursley,  a  sketch  of  whom  is  given  above, 
William  Marshall,  Thomas  Allmon.  John 
Eddingten,  Ross  Jones,  John  Davidson  and 
Robert  Nichols.  Mordecai  and  Britton 
Smith  came  to  Salem  in  1829  and  their  fa- 
ther, Abraham  Smith,  followed  them  to  Ma- 
rion county  in  1831  and  settled  in  Tonti 
township,  where  he  died  in  1854.  Britton 
was  a  stage  driver  on  the  Vincennes  and  St. 
Louis  route  a  long  time.  He  afterward 
married  and  settled  on  section  5.  where 
he  died.  Israel  Jennings  moved  from  Wal- 
nut Hill  and  settled  on  section  31  about 
1831. 

James  Black,  of  whom  mention  is  made 
in  the  county  section,  settled  on  section  17, 
in  1831.  He  raised  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dern  and  the  Blacks  and  their  descendants 
are  allied  to  many  of  the  best  families  in  the 
county.  Charles  Purcell  came  from  Tennes- 
see in  1832  and  settled  on  land  in  section  2. 
He  died  here  in  1846.  He  raised  a  family 
of  eight  children,  five  sons  and  three 
daughters,  one  of  the  sons,  Thomas,  still 


162 


UNKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


living  on  the  old  home,  enjoying  in  old  age 
the  fruits  of  a  well  spent  life. 

J.  D.  Gray,  a  Methodist  minister  located 
on  section  17  in  1840  and  was  the  first  min- 
ister settled  in  the  township.  Lemuel  Bal- 
lance  came  in  1836  and  was  the  founder  of 
the  Ballance  family  of  this  township  of 
whom  there  are  but  few  left.  Gen.  Josiah 
Woodward  came  from  Ohio  in  1840  and 
settled  in  Tonti,  but  afterward  went  back  to 
Ohio.  His  son,  Charles,  who  died  a  couple 
of  years  ago,  lived  on  the  place  until  about 
1902  or  1903.  William  Woodward,  of  Sa- 
lem, and  Jay  Woodward,  of  Tonti,  are  the 
grandsons  of  General  Woodward. 

The  first  school-house  was  a  log,  structure 
built  in  the  heavy  timber  on  section  10.  Wil- 
liam Marshall  was  the  first  teacher.  The 
Baptists  built  the  first  church  near  the  school 
house  quite  early  in  the  forties.  It  was  of 
logs  and  was  long  since  replaced  by  a  neat 
frame  church  known  as  Fredonia.  Cubbage 
Chapel,  a  neat  frame  church,  was  built  aft- 
erward on  the  Fredonia  road  by  the  Metho- 
dist people.  Both  have  good  membership 
and  have  exercised  a  wholesome  influence. 
Moriah  church  is  also  in  this  township  and 
has  exerted  a  good  influence  in  its  neigh- 
borhood. It  also  is  a  Methodist  church,  but 
when  not  in  use  like  the  others  is  open  to 
any  respectable  minister. 

The  Borden  farm  in  this  township  is  one 
of  the  notable  things  of  the  county.  Mr. 
WT.  L.  Borden,  son  of  Gail  Borden  of  con- 


densed milk  fame  and  a  successor  to  his 
father  in  the  business,  purchased  a  tract  of 
about  one  thousand  acres  of  land  and  im- 
proved it  with  fine  buildings  as  a  sort  of 
summer  home.  Here  he  built  dwellings  for 
himself  and  for  his  help;,built  barns,  mills, 
poultry  houses,  carriage  houses,  etc.,  so  that 
approaching  one  thinks  he  is  surely  coming 
to  a  village.  Mr.  Borden  spent  over  one 
hundred  thousand  dollars  beautifying  the 
Borden  farm  and  as  he  once  said  to  the 
writer,  "just  for  the  satisfaction  of  having 
a  place  where  he  could  retire  for  a  few 
months  each  year  and  rest  and  be  free  from 
business  cares.  The  place  is  .still  kept  up 
by  his  heir. 

During  the  building  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad  through  this  township,  a  sen- 
sation was  caused  by  finding,  the  dead  body 
of  a  man  hid  in  a  shock  of  fodder,  by  a 
farmer.  The  circumstances  were  these : 
During  the  winter  the  farmer  had  oc- 
casion to  haul  out  fodder  to  feed  his  stock. 
Approaching  a  shock  of  fodder  he  observed 
a  pair  of  boots  sticking  out  from  under  the 
shock  and  thought  some  one  had  hidden 
them  there  and  was  congratulating  himself 
upon  finding  a  good  pair  of  boots.  Imagine 
his  horror  upon  pulling  them  out  of  the  fod- 
der to  find  the  dead  body  of  a  laborer.  The 
dead  man  was  supposed  to  have  been  killed 
by  other  laborers  on  the  railroad  and  hid- 
den in  the  fodder.  The  mystery  was  never 
cleared  up. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS.  163 

SALEM  TOWNSHIP. 


The  first  settler  in  Salem  township  was 
also  the  first  settler  in  the  county,  as  has 
been  related  in  the  sketch  of  the  county. 
His  name  was  Capt.  Samuel  Young,  and 
from  him  is  derived  the  numerous  families 
of  Youngs  in  this  part  of  the  county.  He 
was  a  widower  when  he  came  to  the  county 
and  had  a  large  family.  James  Young  was 
his  eldest  son,  and  was  a  married  man,  and 
soon  the  old  man  turned  over  to  him  the 
cares  of  the  farm,  while  Captain  Samuel  put 
in  his  time  hunting  and  fishing,  and  in  other 
backwoods  occupations.  He  was  an  original 
character  and  like  all  backwoods  men,  he 
had  a  strong  aversion  to  anything  that 
smacked  of  style,  which  in  his  later  years, 
was  sometimes  seen  in  the  travelers  on  the 
highway  from  Vincennes  to  St.  Louis.  It  is 
related  of  him  that  being  in  Salem  one  day 
he  saw  a  couple  of  young  men  who  offended 
his  sense  of  taste  by  their  slighting  remarks. 
They  were  easterners  who  were  going  to  St. 
Louis.  Young  hastened  home  and  getting 
his  gun  watched  for  the  youths  and  as  they 
arrived  about  where  Ike  Shanafelt's  house 
now  stands,  confronted  them  with  his  gun 
and  made  them  dismount  and  dance  a  horn- 
pipe for  the  amusement  of  the  backwoods 
man,  which  he  made  them  keep  up  until 
well-nigh  exhausted,  when  he  permitted 
them  to  proceed  on  their  way,  while  the  old 
man  went  chuckling  home,  but  he  who 
laughs  last  laughs  best,  and  the  old  man  was 
not  done  with  dancing.  The  youths  on  arriv- 
ing at  Carlyle  related  the  circumstance  and 


learning  of  the  intention  of  a  couple  of  trav- 
elers to  journey  to  Vincennes,  prevailed  on 
them  to  pay  the  old  man  in  his  own  coin, 
which  they  did  by  watching  for  him,  and  at 
the  muzzle  of  a  pistol  made  the  old  man 
give  a  half-hour  exhibition  dance  in  the 
middle  of  the  road  and  then  rode  away 
leaving  the  old  man  in  doubt  as  to  who  had 
the  best  of  it. 

The  history  of  Salem  is  largely  the  his- 
tory of  the  county  for  the  first  few  years,  so 
far  as  civil  history  goes.  The  township  was 
about  half  timber  and  half  prairie,  but  now 
is  largely  cleared  and  in  cultivation.  The 
main  watercourse  is  Crooked  creek,  which 
flows  southwest  across  the  township  from 
section  24  to  31.  The  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Southwestern  Railroad  runs  about  two 
miles  south  of  the  north  line  of  the  town- 
ship, and  nearly  parallel  to  it,  while  the  old 
Vincennes  road  parallels  the  railroad,  about 
a  half  mile  north.  The  C.  &  E.  I.  Rail- 
road enters  the  township  at  the  northeast 
corner,  bends  to  the  west  about  one  mile  to 
the  city  of  Salem,  and  then  bends  to  the  east, 
passing  out  of  the  township  near  the  south- 
east corner  of  section  24. 

The  Illinois  Southern  enters  the  township 
on  the  west  near  the  southwest  corner  and 
runs  to  the  city  of  Salem,  its  northern  ter- 
minus. The  Chicago  branch  of  the  Illinois 
Central  crosses  the  northwest  corner  of  the 
township,  but  has  no  station  in  Salem  town- 
ship, but  Tonti  in  Tonti  township  is  only 
three  miles  from  the  city  of  Salem,  and 


[64 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


gives  good  shipping  facilities,  by  that  road. 
It  is  said  that  a  narrow  policy  held  to  by  the 
citizens  of  Salem  when  the  road  was  being 
built  prevented  the  Central  coming  to  Sa- 
lem. If  such  was  the  policy  of  the  fathers 
it  is  certainly  not  of  the  sons  for  when  the 
C.  P.  &  M.  was  projected,  Salem  citi- 
zens gave  eleven  thousand  dollars  cash  and. 
the  right  of  way  through  the  township  as 
an  inducement  to  deflect  from  a  straight 
line,  so  as  to  touch  Salem,  and  they  also 
gave  the  right  of  way  to  the  Illinois  South- 
ern, when  it  was  extended  from  Centralia. 

The  next  comers  after  Young  and  his 
sons-in-law  Snodgrass  and  Piles,  did  not 
settle  in  this  township  for  some  years. 
James  Roberts  was  the  first;  he  came  from 
Indiana  in  1819.  He  brought  his  wife  and 
four  children,  two  sons,  Jesse  and  William, 
and  two  daughters,  both  married,  one  Mrs. 
John  Walker,  the  other  Mrs.  William  Frost. 
This  family  made  the  second  settlement  and 
Roberts  having  selected  section  n,  began 
improvements,  where  the  city  of  Salem  now 
stands,  thus  increasing  the  population  by 
eight  adults.  Roberts  sold  his  holdings  to 
Rufus  Ricker  and  Mark  Tulley  in  1824  and 
moved  back  to  Indiana  with  his  entire  fam- 
ily. Mark  Tully,  who  came  to  the  township 
in  1821,  was  the  second  son  of  an  Irish  emi- 
grant and  wife  and  was  born  near  Harpers 
Ferry,  Virginia,  then  went  to  Tennessee, 
thence  to  Indiana  and  from  there  to  Illinois 
in  1821.  He  first  settled  about  three  miles 
west  of  Salem,  in  the  neighborhood  of  the 
Youngs.  He  brought  his  wife  and  four 
children  of  his  own  and  two  step-children, 


having  married  ,a  widow.  Nine  more  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them  after  coming  to  this 
county,  one  of  whom  is  still  living  in  Sa- 
lem, and  is  well  known  to  almost  every  citi- 
zen of  the  county,  who  has  been  here  any- 
time. \Ve  refer  to  Mr.  Ander  Tully,  Esq., 
and  from  him  we  get  most  of  the  facts  per- 
taining to  the  family.  Mr.  Tully  soon  after 
his  settlement  moved  to  a  place  north  of 
Salem  and  in  1824  in  partnership  with  Ru- 
fus Ricker  bought  out  James  Roberts  and 
confirmed  the  deed  of  gift  of  thirty  acres  of 
land  made  by  Roberts  to  the  county  in 
1823,  in  consideration  of  the  county  seat 
being  located  on  his  land.  Ricker  and  Tul- 
ly and  their  wives  signed  the  deed  in  1826, 
Mrs.  Tully  signing  by  mark  as  Suckey  Tul- 
ly- 

The  Tully  family  by  their  number  unites 
in  strains  of  blood  more  or  less  closely  most 
of  the  old  families  of  Salem,  among  whom 
are  the  Hulls,  the  Bryans  and  the  Ogles, 
and  through  their  children,  many  others. 
Mr.  Tully  was  a  man  of  fine  character  and 
was  endowed  with  the  clear  brain  and  kind 
heart  of  his  Irish  forefathers.  He  was  the 
first  Sheriff  of  the  county  and  for  many 
years  was  one  of  the  guiding  spirits  of  the 
destinies  of  the  new  county.  He  was  left 
the  second  of  five  children  when  quite  young 
to  the  care  of  his  mother,  made  a  widow  by 
the  unprovoked  murder  of  his  father.  The 
story  as  I  have  it  from  Mr.  Ander  Tully  is 
as  follows : 

Shortly  after  the  War  of  the  Revolution 
the  elder  Tully  and  his  wife  emigrated  from 
Ireland  to  Virginia  and  settled  a  few  miles 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


165 


west  of  what  is  now  Harper's  Ferry.  They 
possessed  but  little  of  this  world's  goods, 
but  with  cheerful  bravery  proceeded  to  wrest 
fortune  from  the  hand  of  destiny.  Mr.  Tul- 
ly was  employed  as  a  teamster  for  the  pro- 
prietor of  a  store,  a  day's  journey  from 
the  ferry,  and  was  accustomed  to  take  trips 
lasting  three  or  four  weeks  with  a  five  horse 
team  and  an  immense  freight  wagon,  there 
being  no  other  way  to  transport  produce 
from  or  goods  to  the  country  store  of  his 
employer.  On  these  trips  Mr.  Tully  would 
camp  by  the  wayside  to  feed  and  cook  meals 
or  pass  the  night,  often  not  seeing  a  person 
for  days  unless  chancing  to  meet  a  traveler 
like  himself.  On  one  occasion  he  was  re- 
turning with  a  load  of  salt,  driving  his  five 
horse  team  (two  teams  and  a  "spike"  leader, 
driven  by  a  single  line,  the  driver  riding  one 
wheel  horse)  when  noon  overtook  him 
about  six  miles  from  his  journey's  end  and 
he  stopped  to  feed  and  rest  his  team.  While 
so  resting  a  settler  passed  going  to  the  store 
and  spoke  to  Mr.  Tully  and  passed  on.  Ar- 
riving at  the  store  he  told  the  proprietor  his 
team  would  be  in  soon  as  he  had  passed  it 
some  miles  back.  The  settler  did  not  return 
that  way,  but  went  home  by  another  route. 
The  storekeeper  looked  for  the  team's  com- 
ing, but  it  had  not  appeared  at  sundown.  He 
waited  until  nine  o'clock,  then  thinking  Tul- 
ly must  have  broken  down,  got  another 
man,  and  taking  lanterns  with  them  started 
to  look  for  the  team  and  driver.  When 
they  arrived  at  the  place  where  the  friend 
had  seen  Tully  taking  the  noon  hour  rest, 
they  found  the  wagon  and  team  with  the 


best  horse  missing  and  a  worn-out  horse  in 
its  stead.  A  search  of  the  ground  showed 
evidence  of  a  struggle  and  blood  stains. 
They  followed  the  track  marked  by  blood 
drippings  to  the  ferry,  which  was  of  the  flat- 
boat  kind,  held  in  place  by  a  rope  across  the 
river  and  a  running  pulley  propelled  by  pol- 
ing. The  ferryman  had  been  absent  during 
the  day,  but  his  wife  on  being  asked  said  a 
man  and  woman  in  a  one-horse  wagon  ac- 
companied by  a  man  on  horseback,  were 
ferried  over  by  her  that  afternoon,  and  be- 
ing asked  if  she  noticed  anything  about  the 
buggy,  she  said  there  was  blood  dripping 
from  the  rear  end,  but  as  it  was  a  daily  oc- 
currence for  hunters  to  have  a  deer  or  bear 
just  killed,  she  thought  nothing  of  it.  She  in- 
dicated the  way  the  trio  went.  A  posse  was 
obtained  and  pursuit  made  the  next  day  ami 
on  the  morning  after  a  pole  with  a  man's 
head  stuck  on  it  was  standing  on  the  river 
bank.  The  murderers  were  the  notorious 
Harpe  brothers  known  throughout  the  West 
as  Big  Harpe  and  Little  Harpe.  The  head 
was  that  of  Big  Harpe.  Little  Harpe  and  the 
woman  escaped.  Little  Harpe  was  killed  in 
New  Orleans  years  after  and  confessed  be- 
fore he  died  that  he  and  his  brother  killed 
Tully,  and  thus  concluded  Uncle  Ander. 
My  father  has  told  me  many  times  of  the 
death  of  my  grandfather  and  from  that  time 
the  ferry  was  called  Harper's  Ferry.  Mrs. 
Mark  Tully  died  in  Salem  in  1857.  Mr.  Tul- 
ly retired  to  his  farm  in  Tonti  township  and 
lived  a  retired  life  until  his  summons  came 
in  1869,  October  ijth,  when  he  slept  the  last 
sleep. 


1 66 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Rufus  Ricker  came  in  1819  from  Indiana 
most  probably  with  Mark  Tully,  as  they 
were  friends  and  associates  in  business,  he 
and  Tully  buying  out  Roberts,  as  has  been 
mentioned  before.  He  was  popular  and  took 
prominent  part  in  the  affairs  of  the  new 
county.  He  was  the  first  postmaster,  being 
appointed  in  1825.  After  several  years  he 
went  to  Iowa.  The  first  marriage  in  the 
township  was  Samuel  Young's  daughter. 
Patsy,  to  Jacob  Albert,  a  soldier  of  the  sec- 
ond war  with  Great  Britain.  Abia  Lee,  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  performed  the  cere- 
mony. This  wedding  was  in  1816.  The 
first  child  born  was  a  daughter  of  this  cou- 
ple, and  the  first  male  child  was  John,  a  son 
of  Matthew  Young,  who  at  the  age  of  nine- 
teen married  Miss  Sarah  Ware.  John, 
or  Farmer  John  Young,  as  he  was 
called,  lived  and  died  within  a  few  hun- 
dred yards  of  where  his  father  and  mother 
began  life  together.  John  lived  to  a  ripe 
old  age,  and  died  in  1906.  Several  sons  and 
daughters  of  Matthew  and  Sarah  Young 
are  still  living  in  the  county,  and  many 
grandchildren  and  great  grandchildren. 
Matthew's  wife  survived  him  three  or  four 
years,  but  died  about  eighteen  years  ago. 
The  writer  knew  them  "well  in  life,  and  in 
death,  as  minister,  laid  them  to  rest  as 
well  as  their  eldest  son,  John  Young.  The 
first  death  in  the  township  was  William,  son 
of  Robert  Snodgrass,  and  Jane  Snodgrass, 
his  wife,  which  occurred  in  1816.  The  de- 
ceased was  buried  at  Young's  graveyard  in 
section  16.  This  was  the  first  grave- 
yard in  the  county.  A  rude  log  hut 


was  built  in  1824  near  James  Young's 
on  section  16  as  a  school-house,  and 
as  it  was  only  used  in  summer  it  was 
not  even  chinked  and  daubed.  The  first 
teacher  was  William  Hadden,  who  taught 
the  three  "R's"  "Readin',  Ritin'  and  Rith- 
metic."  Preaching  was  at  private  houses  as 
often  as  possible  and  by  1825  the  passing 
preacher  became  a  regular  preacher,  leaving 
his  appointments  sometimes  months  ahead, 
and  today  there  is  one  preacher  who  had 
preached  every  year  on  the  same  Sunday  in 
the  year  for  forty-four  years.  We  refer  to 
Elder  J.  D.  Morgan,  of  Odin,  and  the  place 
is  at  Young's  this  township.  The  celebrated 
Lorenzo  Dow,  Thomas  Cole,  Leonard  Mad- 
dux and  Elder  Patterson  were  among  the 
first  preachers  and  often  the  funeral  sermon 
of  a  deceased  friend  was  preached  a  year  or 
more  after  interment.  Those  of  today  can- 
not know  the  toil  and  hardships  these  early 
soldiers  of  the  Cross  had  to  bear  that  the 
message  might  be  brought  to  those  hunger- 
ing after  the  bread  of  life.  The  preaching 
day  was  "norated"  abroad  and  when  it  ar- 
rived the  neighborhood  met  at  the  house 
where  the  preaching  was  to  be,  coming  for 
miles  on  foot,  in  oxcarts,  wagons  and  on 
horseback.  The  preacher  at  the  hour  of 
service  arose  and  lined  the  opening  hymn, 
sometimes  reading  the  entire  hymn  first  and 
then  lining  it.  This  was  necessary,  as  per- 
haps the  only  hymn  book  in  the  audience 
was  that  carried  by  the  preacher.  The  man- 
ner of  lining  was  as  follows :  The  preacher 
would  read,  say, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


167 


"From  Greenland's  icy  mountains 
To  India's  coral  strands," 

and  then  call  the  meter,  long,  common,  or 
short,  and  start  the  hymn.  After  these  two 
lines  were  sung,  he  would  read  the  next 
two: 

"Where  Afric's  sunny  fountains 
Roll  down  the  golden  sands." 

All  immediately  sang  these  lines  and  thus 
alternately  reading  and  singing,  the  hymn 
was  finished,  nor  was  the  effect  so  grotesque 
as  one  might  think,  as  practice  rendered  the 
singers  adept  at  beginning  at  the  right  time 
with  right  tone  and  pitch.  Often  in  my 
young  days  in  Illinois  I  have  listened  to  this 
kind  of  singing  and  thought  it  excellent. 

James   Roberts  built  the    first  mill.      It 


stood  on  Main  street  near  the  place  where 
Mat  Marshall's  house  now  stands.  It  was 
a  horse  mill,  but  passed  into  the  hands  of 
Mark  Tully  in  1823  and  after  running  it 
some  years  he  made  it  into  a  steam  mill.  No 
trace  of  it  now  remains.  The  township  is 
now  fairly  dotted  with  fine  farms,  good 
•houses  and  barns,  large  orchards,  and  all 
that  goes  to  make  rural  life  worth  living. 
Schools  are  plentiful,  with  good  school 
houses  and  the  best  equipments  and  a  fine 
corps  of  teachers.  What  a  change  a  few 
short  years  have  brought  about.  Where  the 
wild  Indian  whoop  was  heard  a  few  years 
ago  is  now  heard  only  the  hum  of  quiet  in- 
dustry and  the  silent  arches  by  nature  built 
has  given  place  to  the  homes  of  men.  May 
they  be  happy  homes  of  virtue,  love  and 
peace. 


THE  CITY  OF  SALEM. 


The  city  of  Salem,  county  seat  of  Marion 
county,  is  within  a  mile  or  less  from  the  ge- 
ographic center  of  the  county,  that  is,  the 
northeast  corner  of  the  city  is  within  less 
than  a  mile  of  the  northeast  corner  of  the 
township,  which  is  at  the  exact  center  of  the 
county.  The  original  town  was  an  exact 
square  around  which  was  an  alley,  twenty- 
feet  wide.  The  city  inside  of  this  alley  was 
divided  into  four  squares  by  two  principal 
streets  at  right  angles  to  each  other  and 
crossing  each  other  at  what  is  known  as  the 
bank  corner.  Each  square  was  again  divid- 


ed into  four  equal  square  blocks  by  streets 
fifty  feet  wide,  the  two  principal  streets, 
Broadway,  running  north  and  south  and 
Main  street,  running  east  and  west,  being 
one  hundred  feet  wide.  The  blocks  in  turn 
were  divided  into  eight  lots  each  fifty-six 
by  one  hundred  and  twelve  feet.  Block 
three  in  square  one  was  reserved  as  a  coun- 
ty square  and  is  still,  and  forever  must  be 
by  the  terms  of  the  gift,  the  court-house 
square.  The  land  within  the  twenty  foot 
bordering  alley,  was  donated  to  the  county 
in  accordance  with  the  act  of  the  Legislature 


1 68 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


creating  the  county,  by  James  Roberts,  who 
was  the  owner  by  right  of  squatter  sov- 
ereignty and  entry  in  1819.  Although  he 
did  not  deed  the  land,  but  left  that  to  his 
successors  in  title,  Rufus  Ricker  and  Mark 
Tully,  who  confirmed  the  gift  by  deed  dated 
June  6,  1826.  The  Commissioners  acting 
for  the  county  were  John  S.  Davis,  Leonard 
P.  Pyles  and  Benjamin  (Blackbear)  Ver- 
million. 

The  first  house  in  Salem  was  a  log  house 
built  by  James  Roberts ;  it  stood  on  the  south 
side  of  Main  street,  east  of  the  square,  but 
was  not  in  the  original  town.  It  is  still 
standing,  having  been  repaired  and  weather- 
boarded  and  now  has  the  appearance  of  an 
old  frame  house.  The  second  house  was 
built  by  Mark  Tully  as  a  stopping  place  for 
the  Vincennes  stage,  which  route  was  in 
use  as  early  as  1820.  This  house  was  built 
about  the  time  that  Ricker  and  Tully  bought 
Roberts  out  and  stood  as  the  homestead 
of  A.  R.  Bryan  until  his  death,  with,  how- 
ever, many  improvements  and  additions  it 
has  sheltered  three  generations  and  still 
stands  a  commodious  and  substantial  build- 
ing. 

The  first  store  was  kept  by  Martin  Hill. 
It  was  in  a  small  frame  building  about  the 
middle  of  the  block  west  from  the  court- 
house, and  north  of  Main  street ;  it  has  dis- 
appeared. Hill  kept  a  few  groceries  and  no- 
tions, perhaps  the  entire  stock  was  brought 
from  St.  Louis  by  one  wagon.  The  next 
store  stood  where  the  National  Bank  now 
stands.  Thomas  Higgins  was  the  propri- 
etor, and  was  the  first  to  sell  dry  goods  in 
Salem. 


The  first  church  was  built  by  the  Presby- 
terians. It  stood  northeast  from  the  court- 
house, near  the  old  creamer)  site.  It  was 
sold  to  the  Colored  Baptists,  and  is  now 
gone.  It  was  built  in  1846. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1840, 
and  stood  in  the  same  part  of  the  town  as 
the  Presbyterian  church.  It  was  built  in 
1840.  It  was  a  small  frame  building  and 
stood  many  years,  and  has  only  disappeared 
with  the  last  decade.  It  must  not  be  in- 
ferred that  the  children  received  no  educa- 
tion from  1823  to  1840,  but  during  those 
seventeen  years  school  had  been  kept  at  such 
times  and  places  as  teachers  and  patrons 
could  make  convenient.  The  city  did  not 
graw  rapidly.  Indeed,  it  was  only  the  county 
seat  and  a  stopping  place  for  stage  coaches 
for  many  years  and  consisted  of  some  half 
a  dozen  houses.  By  1837  the  hamlet  had 
grown  so  that  the  subject  of  incorporating 
was  agitated  and  a  meeting  was  called  for 
July  i,  1837,  to  consider  the  advisability  of 
incorporating  Salem  as  a  town.  The  meet- 
ing was  held  in  the  store  of  Col.  W.  N. 
Dobbins,  and  Uriah  Mills  was  elected  as 
chairman  and  Thomas  Ray  as  clerk.  They 
were  both  sworn  to  do  the  duties  of  their 
offices  to  the  best  of  their  abilities.  The 
minutes  of  the  meeting  as  preserved  among 
the  county  records  are  unique,  and  are  here 
copied  verbatim : 

"On  motion  of  Col.  W.  N.  Dobbins,  W. 
D.  Haynie  explained  the  object  of  the  meet- 
ing and  on  motion  of  N.  B.  Nelems,  the 
house  proceeded  to  ascertain  by  vote  the 
sense  of  the  meeting.  Whareuppon  William 
D.  Haynie,  Jas.  Marshal,  N.  B.  Nelems, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


169 


William  X.  Dobbins,  Uriah  Mills,  W.  H.  H. 
Barens,  John  Harner,  George  W.  Pace  and 
Thomas  Ray,  voting  in  favor  of  incorpor- 
ating the  said  town.  No  opposition  voats. 
We  certify  that  thare  ware  nine  voats  in 
favor  of  incorporating  the  town,  as  above, 
and  none  against." 

"URIAH  MILLS,  Pres. 
"THOMAS   RAY,   Clerk." 

We  have  preserved  this  unique  document 
in  wording  and  spelling  that  modern  meth- 
ods may  be  compared  therewith.  Just  what 
was  accomplished  by  the  meeting  it  is  diffi- 
cult to  see,  as  no  further  action  seems  to 
have  been  taken  and  there  is  no  evidence 
that  the  town  was  legally  incorporated  at 
that  time,  nor  was  any  further  action  taken 
until1  the  spring  of  1854,  when  a  proposition 
to  organize  as  a  village  was  submitted  to 
the  voters.  The  proposition  was  carried  by 
a  vote  of  seventy-six  to  thirteen  against. 
An  election  was  called  and  the  following 
five  trustees  was  elected:  Thomas  Day,  B. 
F.  Marshall,  S.  W.  Cuningham,  T.  O.  Lef- 
fingwell  an  Samuel  Hull.  W.  W.  Jennings 
was  chosen  constable.  Salem  remained  un- 
der the  village  charter  until  1865,  when  it 
was  made  a  city  by  special  act  of  the 
Legislature.  W.  E.  McMackin  (afterward 
lieutenant  colonel  of  General  Grant's  regi- 
ment) was  elected  first  Mayor. 

In  1829  Salem  contained  five  families, 
viz.,  those  of  Rufus  Ricker,  Mark  Tully, 
James  Chance,  James  Pyles  and  Martin 
Hill.  Ricker  was  Clerk  of  the  Court  and 
postmaster ;  Tully  was  Sheriff,  Chance 
was  a  blacksmith;  Hill  a  storekeeper,  and 


Pyles  a  farmer.  Today  Salem  has  three 
thousand  five  hundred  people,  three  rail- 
roads, three  miles  of  brick  paved  streets, 
about  ten  miles  of  granitoid  sidewalk,  a 
large  three-story  school  building,  two  bank 
buildings,  the  finest  in  Southern  Illinois; 
four  hotels,  two  steam  flouring 'mills,  steam 
brick-making  plant ;  two  large  and  six  me- 
dium dry  goods  houses,  the  larger  carrying 
a  thirty  thousand  dollar  stock,  the  others 
from  six  thousand  to  ten  thousand  dollar 
stocks ;  three  millinery  stores ;  one  china 
store:  two  clothing  stores,  each  with  large 
stock :  one  machine  shop,  four  butcher 
shops,  two  furniture  stores,  one  of  which  is 
the  largest  establishment  of  its  kind  south 
of  Springfield ;  ten  grocery  stores,  one  poul- 
try house,  two  jewelry  stores  and  two  drug 
stores.  The  city  is  lighted  by  electricity, 
the  city  owning  its  own  plant.  Until  1905 
the  city's  growth  was  very  slow,  the  census 
of  1900  giving  it  but  one  thousand  six  hun- 
dred and  forty-two  inhabitants,  but  in  1905 
the  C.  &  E.  I.  Railroad  removed  their  re- 
pair shops  from  St.  Elmo  to  Salem,  a  com- 
pany of  citizens  buying  and  giving  to  the 
company  a  strip  of  land  one  thousand  feet 
wide  and  two  miles  long  for  yards.  The 
company  also  made  Salem  a  division  head- 
quarters with  offices  of  superintendent,  en- 
gineer, freight  and  dispatcher's  headquar- 
ters of  the  division,  thus  doubling  the  pop- 
ulation in  less  than  a  year.  Salem  still  needs 
two  things  to  make  it  an  ideal  city:  water- 
works and  good  country  roads  leading  to 
the  city  limits.  Both  are  being  agitated  and 
both  will  come  and  that,  too,  in  the  near  fu- 
ture. 


170 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Salem  also  boasts  of  the  largest  seed- 
cleaning  establishment  in  the  state  if  not 
in  the  world  that  makes  an  exclusive  busi- 
ness of  handling  Red  Top  seed.  Thousands 
and  thousands  of  bushels  are  handled  every 
year.  The  seed  is  said  to  be  shipped  to  Eu- 
rope and  there  used  in  making  an  excellent 
dye  for  fabric  coloring. 

The  Salem  mine,  now  being  rebuilt  after 
the  fire  of  last  December  is,  as  has  been 
stated,  one  of  the  deepest  in  the  state,  nine 
hundred  and  one  feet  to  the  bottom  of  the 
sump.  The  vein  is  four  feet  and  six  inches 
thick,  but  of  an  excellent  quality,  burning 
without  clinkers  and  giving  an  intense  heat, 
and  is  equal  to  one  and  one-half  times  the 
unit  of  other  coal. 

The  city  cemetery,  known  as  East  Lawn, 
is  situated  in  the  eastern  part  of  the  city 
and  contains  about  twenty  acres.  It  is 
beautifully  located  and  well  cared  for  and 
speaks  well  for  the  people's  remembering 
their  dead.  A  small  soldiers'  monument  oc- 
cupies the  circle  in  the  center  of  the  ceme- 
tery. It  was  erected  by  the  Woman's  Re- 
lief Corps  to  the  memory  of  the  deceased 
soldiers  of  the  Civil  war.  The  cemetery 
as  a  burial  place  dates  back  to  1830,  and  a 
man  by  the  name  of  Hammers  is  supposed 
to  have  been  the  first  interment. 

The  oldest  newspaper  in  the  county  is 
published  in  Salem.  It  is  the  Weekly  Her- 
ald-Advocate, owned  and  published  by 
Senator  C.  E.  Hull. 

As  Centralia  had  her  mystery  of  hidden 


skeletons  so  Salem  also  had  her  mystery, 
but  in  the  case  of  Salem  the  mystery  was- 
speedily  cleared  away. 

About  twenty-four  years  ago,  when  the 
excavation  for  the  basement  of  the  present 
Cutler  &  Hays  building  was  being  dug, 
the  workmen  dug  out  of  an  old  abandoned 
well  the  skeleton  of  a  woman,  which  was 
covered  by  .the  debris  that  had  accumulated 
in  the  old  well.  As  an  old  house  had  been 
standing  many  years  on  the  spot  the  report 
started  that  someone  had  been  murdered  and 
thrown  into  the  well  years  before.  Great 
excitement  prevailed  and  the  wiseacres  be- 
gan to  tell  of  this  one  and  that  one  who 
might  have  been  murdered,  drawing  largely 
upon  their  imaginations,  and  dark  hints  as 
to  who  the  murderers  were,  filled  the  minds 
of  the  ever-increasing  crowds.  People  from 
the  country  around  flocked  to  town  day 
after  day  until  the  excitement  grew  so  great 
it  was  thought  best  to  clear  up  the  mystery, 
as  some  of  the  best  citizens  were  coming 
under  the  suspicion  of  the  unreasoning 
throng.  It  was  quietly  let  leak  out  that  the 
whole  thing  was  a  grewsome  joke  and  the 
perpetrators  confessed  to  having  hid  the 
skeleton  in  the  well  the  night  before  its  dis- 
covery. The  jokers  were  Dr.  G.  S.  Rainey, 
now  chief  surgeon  for  the  C.  &  E.  I.  'Rail- 
road; W.  S.  Slack,  now  proprietor  of  the 
Salem  Marble  Works,  and  Dr.  Will  Mc- 
Mackin,  since  dead.  The  crowd  of  excited 
citizens  vanished  and  everybody  said,  "I 
knew  it  was  some  joke  of  Doctor  Rainey's." 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 
RACCOON  TOWNSHIP. 


171 


Raccoon  township  is  the  southernmost  of 
the  second  tier  of  townships,  east  of  the 
third  principal  meridian.  Its  survey  num- 
bers are  town  i  north,  range  2  east.  The 
name  is  taken  from  one  of  the  denizens  of 
the  forest  with  which  one-half  of  this  town- 
ship was  once  covered.  Its  principal  stream 
also  bears  the  same  name.  Small  glades  of 
prairie  land  project  into  this  township 
among  which  Walnut  Hill,  Romine  and 
Tennessee  prairies  form  most  of  the  open 
land.  Little  prairie  is  wholly  in  this  town- 
ship and  was  little  more  than  an  open  glade 
amid  the  forest.  Much  of  the  timber  land 
has  been  cleared  and  nothing  remains  in 
many  places  to  show  that  a  forest  ever  oc- 
cupied the  soil,  but  instead  of  the  forest,  or- 
chards of  apple,  peach  and  pear  trees  greet 
the  traveler's  eye.  Tennessee  prairie,  so 
called  because  settled  by  Tennesseeans,  is  in 
the  northwest  and  extends  to  Little  prairie, 
to  which  it  is  connected  by  a  narrow  strip. 
Like  all  settlements  of  Illinois,  the 'first  set- 
tlers chose  the  timber  land;  first,  because 
they  found  it  more  convenient  to  build  and 
for  fuel;  second,  because  they  were  used  to 
timber  and  loved  its  'protection  from  the 
summer  sun  and  the  blasts  of  winter ;  third, 
the  flies  with  which  the  prairie  was  infested, 
especially  the  green-heads,  rendered  it  al- 
most impossible  for  horses  to  work  during 
the  heat  of  the  day. 

The  first  man  to  settle  on  Tennessee 
prairie  was  Alfred  Ray.  He  was  a  good 
citizen  and  left  several  representatives,  who 


are  good  citizens  of  the  county.  Two  fam- 
ilies of  North  Carolina  settled  in  this  town- 
ship near  Walnut  Hill.  Their  names  were 
Sherwood  and  McKinney.  John  Adams 
came  from  Kentucky  in  1828  and 
settled  in  Raccoon  township.  He,  his  wife 
and  six  children  came  in  one  wagon.  The 
children  all  are  dead,  but  several  grand- 
children still  live  in  various  parts  of  the 
county.  John  Wilson  settled  on  section  32 
in  1819.  He  also  had  six  children;  all  are 
dead,  but  a  few  grandchildren  represent  the 
family.  He  was  from  North  Carolina.  Jb- 
siah  Fyke,  a  veteran  of  the  War  of  1812, 
one  of  General  Jackson's  Tennesseeans,  at 
the  battle  of  New  Orleans,  settled  in  section 
17,  in  1830.  He  was  the  first  Justice  of 
the  Peace  in  the  township  and  served  in  the 
Black  Hawk  war.  Several  of  his  descend- 
ants still  reside  in  this  township  and  a  few 
in  other  townships  of  the  county. 

Samuel  Hays  was  the  founder  of  the  large 
and  influential  Hays  family,  and  in  1828  he 
settled  on  section  32,  near  what  is  now  the 
Bundyville  school.  He  was  from  Alabama 
and  had  a  large  family  of  seven  boys  and 
two  girls,  all  of  whom  are  now  dead.  Elijah, 
the  fifth  son,  was  a  man  of  an  exceptionally 
large  mind  and  lived  until  a  few  years  ago. 
His  widow,  of  whom  mention  is  made  in 
the  sketch  of  Odin  township  and  the  Dead- 
mond  family,  still  lives  on  the  old  home  farm 
at  the  age  of  ninety-one.  Elijah  Hays  was 
an  original  Free  Soil  man  and  was  one  of 
the  two  men  living  south  of  Springfield, 


172 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


who  voted  for  John  G.  Birney  for  Presi- 
dent in  1852.  The  descendants  of  Samuel 
Hays  are  numerous  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  county  and  rank  with  our  best  people. 

John  Bundy,  from  North  Carolina,  set- 
tled in  Jefferson  county  in  1819,  but  moved 
to  Raccoon  township  soon  after  and  made  a 
home  in  section  6.  He  had  eight  children. 
Three  of  the  boys  were  in  the  Mexican  war 
and  one.  Rev.  Isaac  Bundy,  was  a  well 
known  Methodist  preacher  for  many  years. 
The  children  are  all  dead  but  one,  William 
Bundy.  who  still  'lives,  a  sturdy  representa- 
tive of  a  stock  that  made  the  wilderness 
blossom  as  a  rose. 

In  1822  Samuel  Huff  settled  on  section 
31.  He  came  from  Tennessee  and  was  a 
noted  character  in  the  early  days.  He  was 
one  of  the  celebrated  Illinois  Rangers,  who 
did  so  much  to  protect  the  frontier  settle- 
ments from  cutthroats,  who  nocked  to  the 
new  settlements  to  hide  from  justice,  as  well 
as  from  the  Indian  depredations.  His  home 
was  always  the  home  of  the  traveling 
preacher,  who  at  that  time  was  to  be  found 
ever  on  the  road  doing  his  Master's  work 
and  preaching  the  \Yord  as  opportunity  of- 
fered. One  of  these  itinerant  preachers  who 
stopped  at  the  Huffs  was  the  celebrated  Lo- 
renzo Dow,  who  preached  from  a  wagon  on 
the  text  "The  End  of  All  Things  Is  at 
Hand ;  be  ye,  therefore,  sober  and  watchful 
unto  prayer."  This  trait  of  keeping  the 
preacher  seems  to  run  in  the  family  and 
was  kept  up  by  the  sons  and  daughters, 
more  especially  by  his  daughter,  Cynthia, 
and  her  husband.  Mr.  Mercer,  whose  home 


was  the  preachers'  home,  where  an  old- 
fashioned  welcome  awaited  every  one  who 
came  in  the  name  of  the  Lord. 

The  Copple  family  came  from  Indiana  in 
1835,  and  the  founder,  Andrew  Copple,  has 
numerous  representatives  in  this  and  other 
townships.  The  Telford  family  came  in 
1831.  The  father,  Joseph  Telford,  brought 
his  family  from  South  Carolina  in  a  four- 
horse  wagon.  He  made  his  home  in  section 
33.  where  he  cleared  a  farm.  This  family 
is  also  represented  by  numerous  descendants 
who  are  active  citizens  and  public-spirited 
men. 

The  Radcliffs,  Boggs  and  Morrison  fam- 
ilies next  came  and  settled  in  this  township. 
The  settlers  of  this  township  were  from  the 
first  a  church-loving  and  a  church-going 
people  and  the  first  thought  after  the  home 
was  built  was  a  meeting-house.  The  first 
meeting  place  was  either  at  Mt.  Moriah  or 
Antioch,  but  both  places  claim  the  distinc- 
tion. Certain  it  is  they  are  the  oldest 
churches  in  the  county  and  were  built  at  the 
same  or  about  the  same  time:  Antioch  by  the 
Methodists  and  Mt.  Moriah  by  the  Baptists. 
The  Moriah  site  was  a  camp-meeting  ground, 
and  was  used  before  the  church  was  built, 
and  is  beyond  doubt  the  first  land  set  apart 
for  religious  purposes  in  the  county.  It  was 
first  a  Baptist  congregation,  but  at  an  early 
day  decided  to  call  themselves  Christians, 
by  which  name  it  is  now  known.  The  first 
church  built  here  was  a  small  log  cabin, 
eighteen  by  twenty-two  feet,  unchinked. 
Other  and  larger  houses  were  built  from 
time  to  time  until  now  this  historic  ground 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


is  occupied  by  a  neat  frame  chapel,  about 
thirty  by  forty-five  feet.  It  stands  on  the 
original  site  and  is  surrounded  by  ten  acres 
of  church  land,  a  part  of  which  is  used  as  a 
burial  ground.  This  is  the  oldest  graveyard 
in  the  township  and  perhaps  the  second  in 
the  county.  The  first  grave  dug  was  for  an 
Indian  child  who  was  drowned,  and  was 
buried  by  the  white  settlers.  This  spot  had 
been  used  for  burial  purposes  by  the  Indians 
and  a  few  graves  were  scattered  about  when 
the  whites  came.  Both  of  these  churches 
still  flourish  and  are  regarded  with  venera- 
tion in  their  neighborhoods. 

A  coal  shaft  was  opened  in  1846,  in  sec- 
tion 4.  It  did  not  amount  to  much  and  was 
abandoned.  A  stone  quarry  was  opened  on 
section  21  in  1834  by  B:  J.  Crane.  The 
stone  is  a  soft  sandstone,  which  hardens  by 
exposure  to  air,  but  is  of  inferior  quality, 
and  was  only  used  for  neighborhood  pur- 
poses. It  has  not  so  far  developed  any  com- 
mercial value.  The  old  Vincennes  trail 
passe  through  this  township.  And  across  its 
glades  and  through  its  forests,  Clark  and 
his  men  marched  on  their  famous  expedi- 
tion to  conquer  Vincennes.  The  first  school 
was  taught  by  one  Jeff  Dow,  near  the  pres- 
ent site  of  the  Bundy  school.  It  was  taught 


in  an  old  log  cabin.  The  first  school-house 
was  erected  in  section  18,  in  1832.  It  had  a 
chimney  and  fire  place  and  no  floor,  but 
mother  earth.  The  first  teacher  in  this  prim- 
itive school-house  was  Robert  Mayberry. 

Samuel  R.  Martin  built  the  first  mill.  It 
was  a  horse  mill  and  answered  the  needs  of 
the  settlers  for  a  time.  This  was  very  early, 
but  the  date  cannot  now  be  ascertained.  It 
was  in  section  15.  I^ater,  in  1832,  John  My- 
ers built  a  horse  mill  on  the  same  section. 
It  was  a  twenty-bushel  mill.  Next  Joseph 
Baldriclge  built  a  tread  mill,  run  by  oxen, 
with  a  capacity  of  forty  bushels  per  day. 
This  mill  was  on  section  20.  In  1848  a  post- 
office  was  established  at  Raccoon,  at  the 
home  of  John  Parkinson.  It  was  afterward 
moved  a  short  distance  southwest,  where  it 
continued  with  a  short  intermission  until  it 
was  superseded  by  the  Rural  Free  Delivery 
system. 

Raccoon  township  has  always  been  a 
township  of  religious  people.  The  Covenant- 
ers were  at  one  time  strong,  while  Christian, 
Baptist,  Methodist,  each  has  several  strong 
organizations,  and  perhaps  no  township  in 
the  county  has  so  many  places  of  public 
worship  nor  so  many  appointed  preachers. 


PATOKA  TOWNSHIP. 

The  name  Patoka  is  of  Indian  origin,  west  tier  of  townships  and  borders  on  Fay- 
evidently,  but  its  significance  is,  so  far  as  ette  county  on  the  north.  Its  survey  numbers 
the  writer  is  concerned,  lost.  It  is  the  fourth  are  town  4  north,  range  I  east  of  the  third 
township  north  from  the  base  line  in  the  principal  meridian.  The  Illinois  Central 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Railroad  passes  from  north  to  south  across 
the  township,  about  two  miles  from  the  west 
line,  and  has  two  stations  in  the  township, 
Patoka,  toward  the  south  side,  and  Vernon 
on  the  north. 

Harmon  Holt  was  the  first  man  to  settle 
in  this  township  and  he  settled  on  section 
14,  in  the  winter  of  1826.  At  that  time  the 
township  was  an  unbroken  wilderness,  part 
timber  and  part  prairie.  Harmon  Holt  re- 
mained on  this  tract  until  his  death  a  few 
years  later.  He  left  a  widow  and  six  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  were  daughters  and 
two  sons,  one  of  whom  owned  the  old 
homestead  until  his  death  less  than  twenty 
years  ago.  Henry  was  sixteen  years  old 
when  his  father  came  to  the  township. 

The  next  spring  John  Cole  and  family 
settled  near  the  Holt  cabin,  but  did  not  stay 
long,  and  went  to  Arkansas  and  until  1829 
these  two  families,  the  Holts  and  Coles,  were 
the  only  inhabitants  of  the  township.  In  the 
latter  year  Jeptha  Meador  came  from  Ten- 
nessee and  settled  near  Holts,  on  section  14. 
He  raised  a  family  of  eight  children  and  his 
son,  Stephen,  lived  on  the  original  farm 
many  years.  There  are  quite  a  number  of 
his  descendants  living  in  the  vicinity.  The 
next  accession  to  the  little  colony  was 
Stephen  Hopkins,  who  settled  on  section  13, 
but  he  was  a  "mover"  and  did  not  stay  long 
in  any  place,  but  was  continually  changing 
places.  At  last  he  went  to  Fayette  county, 
where  he  died. 

Ignatius  Anderson  came  from  Clinton 
county  about  1833,  and  settled  in  the  edge 
of  the  timber,  near  Flat  Creek,  close  to  the 


Fayette  county  line  on  the  west,  but  after- 
ward sold  his  improvements  to  William 
Brown,  who  on  the  3d  of  February  entered 
the  forty-acre  tract  that  he  had  bought  of 
Anderson.  It  was  the  southeast  quarter  of 
the  northeast  quarter  of  section  6,  and  was 
the  first  piece  of  land  entered  in  the  town- 
ship. The  second  piece  was  the  forty  that 
his  father  had  improved  and  had  lived  on 
seven  years  before  its  entry.  ' 

Henry  Holt  married  a  daughter  of  Jesse 
Nichols  in  1832  and  had  a  family  of  ten 
children,  all  of  whom  but  one  we  believe  is 
dead.  Henry  Holt  and  wife  lived  to  a  good 
old  age  upon  the  same  place  where  they  be- 
gan life  together  in  1832. 

The  farm  generally  known  as  the  old 
Walton  place  was  first  settled  by  Joseph 
Meador  in  1830,  but  in  1832  he  sold  it  to  a 
man  named  Epperson,  who  lived  there  sev- 
eral years  and  improved  a  farm  on  Flat 
creek.  He  afterward  went  to  Missouri. 
Labon  Gallion  also  settled  forty  acres  in 
section  4  in  1832.  He  did  not  enter  the  land 
until  1836.  Gallion  afterward  moved  to 
Fayette  county.  Ayers  Conant  settled  on 
section  n  in  1830.  He  was  a  man  of  some 
education  and  was  the  first  Justice  of  the 
Peace  in  the  township.  He  also  was  af- 
flicted with  the  moving  worm  and  moved 
to  Missouri  and  back  in  a  few  years  and 
finally  died  in  Foster  township. 

Young  Edwards  located  in  the  township 
in  1831  and  Levi  Stiles  in  the  same  year, 
Stiles  improving  the  old  Peter  Smith  place, 
but  after  living  here  many  years,  moved 
back  to  Tennessee.  He  afterward  returned 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


175 


to  Carrigan  township.  Then  he  moved  to 
Missouri,  then  to  Texas,  then  back  to  Ma- 
rion county,  where  he  died. 

Solomon  Cross  settled  in  this  township  on 
section  23.  His  wife  died  soon  after,  and  her 
death  was  the  first  in  the  township.  Martha 
Holt  was  the  first  child  born  in  Carrigan. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  J.  F.  and  Elizabeth 
Holt,  and  afterwards  married  William  Ea- 
gan. 

The  Altom  family  was  founded  by  John 
Altom,  who  came  from  Tennessee  with  his 
father  to  Clinton  county  in  1842.  He  moved 
to  this  county  and  settled  in  Patoka  town- 
ship. He  died  in  the  village  of  Patoka  in 
1877,  leaving  a  large  number  of  descend- 
ants. 

The  first  school-house  in  the  township, 
like  those  in  other  townships,  was  built  of 
logs.  It  stood  on  section  14.  Isom  Finch  was 
probably  the  first  teacher.  From  then  to 
now  what  a  change!  The  little  log  school- 
house  of  that  day  is  replaced  by  neat  frame 
buildings,  the  old  slab  benches  have  been  re- 
placed with  patent  folding  desks:  the  old 
blue-back  speller  and  McGuffey's  reader  by 
a  dozen  books  if  no  better,  at  least  more  at- 
tractive; the  untrained  teacher,  half  farmer, 
half  backwoods  man,  by  more  or  less  trained 
teachers  and  with  sanitary  surroundings. 
Verily,  the  change  is  great  and  surely  for 
the  better. 

Patoka  as  a  village,  like  all  the  cities, 
towns  and  villages  in  the  west  tier  of  town- 
ships, owes  its  existence  to  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad.  The  village  was  laid  out  on 
Independence  Day,  1854,  by  Clark  and 


Brigham.  C.  F.  Jones  laid  out  an  addition 
May  ii,  1855,  and  the  railroad  another  the 
same  day.  The  beginning  of  the  village  was 
the  building  of  a  station  house  by  the  Il- 
linois Central  Railroad,  which  was  used  as 
a  boarding  house  by  them  for  their  work- 
men, while  the  road  was  building.  A  man 
by  the  name  of  Crawford  was  the  boarding 
boss. 

Cyrus  Walker  built  the  first  house  in  Pa- 
toka in  1854  and  kept  a  small  general  store 
in  it.  It  afterward  was  a  part  of  the  Walk- 
er brothers'  house.  Mr.  Walker  succeeded 
Crawford  as  boarding  boss  and  when  the 
road  was  built  became  the  first  agent  at  Pa- 
toka. He  was  instrumental  in  getting  a 
post-office  established,  even  before  the  road 
was  completed  and  the  mail  was  for  a  while 
carried  from  Fosterburg.  As  Walker  wanted 
the  post-office  established  that  he  might  get 
his  own  mail  regularly,  he  submitted  the 
proposition  to  the  Government  that  he 
would  carry  the  mail  for  the  proceeds  of  the 
office.  Walker  could  not,  under  the  law,  be 
both  postmaster  and  mail  contractor,  so  he 
obviated  this  difficulty  by  securing  the  ap- 
pointment of  a  farmer  by  the  name  of  Alex- 
ander Rodman  to  be  postmaster,  who  kept 
the  office  in  Walker's  store,  Walker  doing 
all  the  work  of  the  office  as  well  as  carry- 
ing the  mail,  but  the  completion  of  the  road 
soon  stopped  this  inconvenient  way  of  get- 
ting mail.  Walker  also  built  the  first  pure- 
ly business  house  in  1856  and  to  this  build- 
ing moved  his  stock  of  goods.  This  build- 
ing was  afterwards  occupied  by  and  known 
as  Dr.  E.  M.  Beach's  building.  Walker  was 


176 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  public  spirited  man  and  built  many  build- 
ings and  was  prominent  in  building  up  Pa- 
toka,  keeping  his  interest  in  Patoka  active 
until  his  death  which  occurred  in  1872.  In 
1855  Richardson  and  Gray  opened  a 
produce  store  in  Patoka.  It  was  the  second 
business  venture.  They  sold  feed,  flour, 
meal,  etc.,  and  as  the  crops  of  1854  in  this 
section  were  almost  a  total  failure,  they  sup- 
plied the  farmers  with  feed. 

Later  in  the  same  year,  Williams  &  Kess- 
ner  built  the  third  business  house.  All  these 
business  houses  were  on  the  west  side  of  the 
track,  Walker's  residence  alone  being  on 
the  east  side.  Patoka  grew  rapidly  the  first 
few  years,  but  then  for  many  years  ceased 
to  advance,  but  in  the  last  three  or  four 
years  seems  to  be  imbued  with  new  life.  In 
1857  Snider  and  Harrison  opened  the  first 
blacksmith  shop.  Snider  also  repaired  guns. 
They  put  in  a  steam  engine  and  manufac- 
tured many  kinds  of  farm  implements.  Cy- 
rus Walker  built  a  grist  mill  in  1861.  It  was 
only  a  two  burr  mill,  but  the  next  year  he 
enlarged  it,  but  sold  the  machinery  in  1865, 
and  moved  the  building  to  the  site  of  the 
Patoka  Milling  Company.  It  was  remodeled 
and  was  then  one  of  the  most  complete  mill 
properties  in  the  county,  and  under  the  firm 
name  of  Walker  &  Sons,  was  operated  until 
1873,  when  they  were  succeeded  by  the  Pa- 


toka Milling  Company.  The  first  saw-mill 
began  operations  in  1863.  Its  owner  was 
Alexander  Wickersham.  Later  Squire  Fan- 
ner and  Jesse  Altom  opened  a  saw-mill,  the 
first  of  which  has  long  since  ceased  opera- 
tions, and  the  other  is  still  working. 

Patoka  has  six  churches:  the  Methodist 
Episcopal,  the  Methodist,  South,  the  Chris- 
tian, Baptist,  Presbyterian  and  Catholic,  the 
latter  two  congregations  being  small.  They 
all  have  good  church  houses,  the  Christian 
church  building  having  been  recently  en- 
larged and  improved  and  is  perhaps  the 
best  equipped.  The  Ancient,  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  and  other  lodges  flourish,  the  Odd 
Fellows  having  just  completed  a  fine  two- 
story  building  with  an  elegant  lodge  room 
in  the  upper  story.  Patoka  has  as  intimated 
in  the  preceding  lines  begun  to  take  on  new 
life.  A  fine  two-story  brick  school-house 
was  completed  in  1907.  A  cannery  of  large 
capacity  went  into  operation  in  1908.  A 
brick  and  tile  works  also  was  started  a  year 
or  two  ago  and  in  1908,  the  Patoka  Register 
was  started  by  Mr.  Huntoon,  who  is  making 
it  one  of  the  most  readable  papers  of  the 
county.  There  are  stores  and  shops  as  well 
as  a  bank,  so  that  all  things  necessary  may 
be  supplied  at  home. 


VILLAGE  OF  VERNON. 


Vernon  is  the  most  northern  village  in 
the  county,  being  less  than  a  mile  from  the 


Fayette  county  line.    It  is  a  station  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  was  laid  out 


[.\KKKI  I  OFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


177 


by  I).  \V.  Murfin  in  1872.  The  first  build- 
ing was  a  large  hay  barn,  built  by  T.  K. 
Dickey  in  1872.  The  next  year  Murry  & 
Harris  opened  a  general  store.  Later  three 
or  four  other  stores  were  opened  and  all 
are  still  doing  business.  A  good  school- 
house  has  been  erected  and  also  a  Methodist 
church.  A  neat  station-house  was  erected  in 
1880,  before  that  time  an  old  box  car  served 
as  station.  Vernon  long  enjoyed  the  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  home  of  the  oldest  man 


in  the  county,  Uncle  Frank  Binion,  who  died 
in  1907,  aged  one  hundred  and  seven  years. 
Vernon  is  the  home  of  more  veterans  of  the 
Civil  war  than  any  community  of  like  size, 
known  to  us,  and  its  quiet  companionship 
of  comrades  who  are  only  awaiting  the  call 
to  come  up  higher  is  blessed  with  old  ties 
and  remembrances  of  the  long  ago,  but  the 
waiting  will  soon  be  over,  for  the  Grand 
Army  is  passing  with  the  vanishing  years. 


CARRIGAN  TOWNSHIP. 


Carrigan  township,  named  after  the  pio- 
neer founder  of  the  Carrigan  family,  is  the 
third  township  north  of  the  base  line  in  the 
west  tier  of  townships  of  the  county.  The 
main  line  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
traverses  the  west  side  of  the  township  north 
and  south.  It  is  drained  by  the  East  Fork 
of  the  Okaw  or  Kaskaskia  river,  which 
flows  in  a  southwesterly  direction  across  the 
township,  near  the  middle.  East  Fork  is  one 
of  the  largest  streams  in  the  county  and  en- 
ters the  township  near  the  northeast  corner 
and  passes  out  at  section  18.  Davidson 
creek,  in  the  southeast  part  of  the  township, 
drains  the  waters  from  that  part  into  the 
East  Fork.  Along  these  creeks  was  original- 
ly a  heavy  growth  of  fine  timber,  but  it  has 
been  largely  cleared,  although  much  of  the 
land  is  covered  with  a  "second  growth," 
which  will  be  of  great  benefit  to  the  people. 

The  first  man  to  locate  in  the  township 
was  a  man  by  the  name  of  Jones,  who  in 
12 


1819  squatted  in  section  21,  but  who  sold 
out  his  partly  finished  cabin  to  Frederick 
Phelps  in  1820,  and  left  the  country.  Sam- 
uel Davidson  came  to  this  township  with 
Phelps.  Phelps  was  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
who  had  moved  to  St.  Clair  in  1817.  The 
next  year  he  moved  to  Clinton  county, 
where  he  married  and  moved  to  Carrigan 
townshp  in  March,  1820,  where,  as  above 
stated  he  bought  Jones's  claim  and  settled 
in  section  21.  In  March,  1822,  he  entered 
the  first  tract  entered  in  this  township,  viz. : 
west  half  of  the  northwest  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 21,  town  3  north,  range  i  east.  Mr. 
Phelps  was  a  very  conscientious  man,  a  de- 
vout member  of  the  Baptist  church  and  a 
good  manager  and  very  industrious,  and 
amassed  considerable  property.  He  reared 
a  family  of  ten  children  to  manhood  and 
womanhood.  He  died  September  2,  1845,  re- 
spected by  the  entire  community.  His  wife 
survived  him  several  vears.  One  son.  Sam- 


i78 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


uel  Phelps,  will  be  remembered  by  the  older 
citizens  of  the  county,  as  the  genial  host  of 
the  Phelps  House  in  Salem,  many  years  ago. 
Samuel  Davidson  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
but  his  father  moved  to  Lincoln  county, 
Kentucky,  when  Samuel  was  a  small  child, 
and  there  he  was  raised  and  lived  until  1820 
when  he  moved  to  Clinton  county,  where 
he  stayed  one  summer  and  then  moved  to 
Carrigan  township  and  built  a  cabin  on  sec- 
tion 36.  He  broke  and  planted  twenty  acres 
in  corn  the  first  year.  This  was  considered  a 
very  large  crop  at  that  day  and  as  there 
were  no  domestic  animals  within  miles  of 
him  and  fences  were  no  bar  to  "varmints" 
which  abounded  all  around  him,  he  raised 
this  crop  without  fencing  it.  When  he  start- 
ed from  his  Kentucky  home  he  had  a  family 
of  ten  children.  His  daughter  Betsy  was 
married  to  Louis  Weathers;  she  sickened 
and  died  on  the  road,  when  her  bereaved 
husband  went  back  to  his  old  home  in 
Kentucky.  All  the  other  nine  lived  to  be 
married  and  make  homes  for  themselves  in 
this  county.  The  sons  were  William,  John, 
George  and  Samuel,  Jr.,  three  of  whom  were 
grown  when  the  family  left  Kentucky.  Wil- 
liam was  the  eldest  and  lived  on  the  original 
farm.  He  was  a  prominent  man,  having 
been  twice  elected  Sheriff  of  the  county  and 
once  a  member  of  the  Legislature.  He  was 
married  three  times,  but  left  only  two  chil- 
dren, a  son  and  a  daughter.  He  died  in 
1847  from  the  effects  of  a  fall  from  a  wag- 
on. The  daughters  of  Samuel  Davidson, 
Sr.,  married  as  follows:  Maria  married 
Charles  Jennings  and  was  the  grandmother 


of  that  great  American,  William  Jennings 
Bryan;  Ann  married  Israel  Jennings;  Sallie 
married  Robert  Carrigan  and  Nancy,  James 
M.  Carrigan;  Susan  was  the  wife  of  Stew- 
art W.  Faridee. 

Samuel  Davidson,  Sr.,  was  a  man  who 
ranked  high  in  his  old  home  in  Kentucky. 
He  was  a  major  in  the  regiment  of  Col. 
Dick  Johnson,  during  the  War  of  1812,  and 
saw  much  service  on  the  frontier,  with  that 
fearless  commander  and  was  doubtless,  with 
Johnson's  command  at  the  battle  of  the 
Thames,  where  Tecumseh  was  killed  by 
Colonel  Johnson.  He  died  on  the  farm  he 
had  improved  in  1848,  full  of  years  and 
honors.  His  wife  died  about  1838. 

Joel  Davis,  the  third  man  who  settled  in 
Carrigan  township,  was  a  Tennessean  and 
remained  a  Tennessean  about  half  the  time, 
as  he  moved  back  and  forth  to  Tennessee 
and  Marion  county  several  times.  It  seems 
that  when  he  had  been  in  Illinois  a  year  or 
two  he  "hankered"  after  Tennessee  and 
when  he  had  been  in  Tennessee  a  while  he 
longed  for  Carrigan  township  and  would 
pull  up  stakes  and  move,  when  the  desire 
seized  him.  He  died,  however,  in  Illinois, 
in  what  is  now  known  as  Fredonia  Prairie, 
leaving  a  widow  and  family. 

Zadock  Phelps  was  another  eccentric 
character  and  seemed  never  to  be  content 
long  in  any  place.  He  came  with  Davis  and 
built  a  cabin  on  the  J.  M.  Carrigan  farm, 
cleared  a  "truck  patch"  and  then  sold  it  and 
started  another  home,  built  a  cabin,  cleared 
a  "truck  patch"  and  again  sold,  and  this  he 
did  no  less  than  eight  times,  starting  eight 


BRIXKKKIIOKK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


179 


farms  in  Carrigan  township.  Of  course  with 
this  restless  disposition,  he  did  not  accumu- 
late much  property,  but  evidently  enjoyed 
moving.  He  was  married  twice  and  had  a 
large  family  of  children  with  each  wife  and 
even  in  old  age  his  roving  disposition  did 
not  leave  him,  so  he  moved  to  Washington 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  died  and  at  last 
remained  in  one  place. 

James  Chance,  supposed  to  have  been  an 
emigrant  from  St.  Clair  county,  settled  in 
this  township  about  1822  or  1823  and  lo- 
cated near  the  center  of  the  township,  and 
made  improvements.  He  was  a  first  class 
citizen  and  lived  in  this  township  until  1866, 
when  he  died.  He  was  twice  elected  Sheriff 
of  the  county.  He  was  married  to  a 
daughter  of  Robert  Nichols,  and  raised  a 
large  family.  His  widow  survived  him  many 
years. 

Robert  Carrigan,  a  Georgian,  settled  in 
1830,  on  section  26.  The  father  of  Robert 
Carrigan  settled  in  Clinton  county  in  1817, 
and  Robert  was  the  man  who  as  a  lad  led 
the  St.  Clair  Rangers  across  the  country  to 
the  home  of  the  older  Jennings,  when  they 
rendezvoused  at  the  Jennings  homestead  to 
drive  out  the  Goings  gang.  He  died  in 
1834,  leaving  a  widow  and  three  children, 
John  S.,  Samuel  R.,  and  Nancy  J.  His 
widow  afterward  married  a  Mr.  Huff. 

In  December  following  the  death  of  Rob- 
ert, his  brother,  James  M.  Carrigan.  settled 
in  this  township.  James  M.  raised  a  family 
of  ten  children,  but  all  are  now  passed  away, 
excepting  one,  William,  who  still  resides  in 
the  township.  John  M.  Carrigan  married  one 


of  the  Davidson  family  and  a  few  years  ago 
his  wife  and  Mr.  Huff  were  the  three  last 
representatives  of  pioneer  days,  but  they 
now  rest  from  their  labors  and  their  works 
do  follow  them,  and  may  be  seen  in  the 
happy  homes  of  Carrigan.  Mr.  Huff,  who 
married  the  widow  of  Robert  Carrigan,  was 
an  over-religious  man  and  so  austere  and 
stern  that  he  was  disliked  by  his  step-chil- 
dren, but  nevertheless  they  treated  him  with 
due  respect  and  grew  to  manhood  and 
womanhood  with  more  liberal  views  than 
their  step-father  possessed.  One  son,  Sam- 
uel R.,  was  Sheriff  of  the  county  at  the 
time  of  the  death  of  Frank  Leonard,  an  ac- 
count of  which  will  be  given  in  the  sketch 
of  Salem  township,  and  made  heroic  efforts 
to  save  the  life  of  the  unfortunate  man. 
Samuel  R.  Carrigan  is  still  living  in  Car- 
rigan township  amidst  his  broad  acres,  be- 
ing the  largest  land  owner  in  the  township, 
having  more  than  fifteen  hundred  acres  and 
is  still  a  hale,  active  business  man,  taking 
great  interest  in  all  the  public  affairs  of  his 
township,  and  of  the  county. 

Zadock  Phelps.  Sr.,  an  uncle  of  Squatter 
Zadock  and  father  of  John,  built  a  cabin 
near  the  spring  in  section  17.  He  died  some 
years  later  while  on  a  visit  to  Lawrence 
county,  leaving  a  widow  and  seven  children, 
all  of  whom  are  long  since  dead.  Daniel 
Phelps  also  settled  in  this  township  in  1824. 
He  was  something  like  his  cousin,  Zadock, 
Jr.,  and  never  seemed  satisfied  to  stay  in  one 
place.  He  died  in  this  township  many  years 
ago.  A  large  family,  consisting  of  a  father, 
mother,  nine  grown  daughters  and  three 


i8o 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


grown  sons,  came  to  the  northern  part  of 
the  township  from  Clinton  county  in  1825 
and  made  the  second  land  entry  in  the  town- 
ship. It  was  the  southwest  quarter  of  sec- 
tion 5.  Here  he  improved  a  fine  farm,  and 
built  a  horse  mill  the  year  he  entered  his 
land.  One  son,  Wiley  Burton,  and  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Joe  Davis,  were  the  first 
blacksmiths  in  the  township.  Gideon  Burton 
and  his  wife  were  both  extremely  large  peo- 
ple, almost  giants.  They  were  from  Tennes- 
see and  were  first  class  people.  Burton  died 
in  1835  on  the  farm  he  settled. 

The  first  preaching  in  the  township  was 
at  the  cabin  of  Samuel  Davidson,  by  itiner- 
ant ministers  of  the  Methodist  church,  who 
made  the  cabin  of  Major  Davidson  a  stop- 
ping place.  The  first  child  born  was  La- 
vina  Phelps,  July,  1821,  and  the  first  death 
was  the  wife  of  William  Davidson  in  1829. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1833 
on  section  26.  It  was  a  small  log  affair,  not 
fitted  as  a  school-house.  R.  M.  Carrigan 
was  the  first  teacher.  Three  years  later  a  bet- 
ter cabin  was  built  and  the  first  teacher  in 
the  new  building  was  J.  Williams.  It  was 
fairly  comfortable  and  was  used  until  1849, 
when  it  burned  down.  In  1850  another 
school-house  was  built  in  the  place  of  the 


burned  one.  It  was  of  hewed  logs  and  is 
still  standing  or  was  a  few  years  ago,  and 
is  used  as  a  sort  of  plunder  room  by  Wil- 
liam Carrigan. 

Fairman  is  the  only  railroad  station  in 
the  township  and  is  a  hamlet  of  a  half-dozen 
houses,  a  store  and  school-house.  The  place 
was  originally  called  Hogback  and  "Hog- 
back" John  Wilson,  one  of  the  best  of  men, 
formerly  had  a  saw-mill  here.  John  Pules- 
ton  also  kept  store  here  and  when  the  post- 
office  was  established,  was  the  first  post- 
master. They  both  moved  away  and  later 
Leander  Mathews  did  a  flourishing  business 
here,  but  later  moved  to  Sandoval,  and 
then  to  Kinmundy.  There  is  still  a  store 
here,  but  much  of  the  business  is  diverted 
to  Sandoval,  Odin  and  Patoka.  Carrigan 
township  is  strictly  a  rural  community  made 
up  of  the  best  type  of  Americans.  The 
farms  are  large  and  productive,  and  where 
a  few  years  ago  stood  a  cabin  in  a  clearing, 
now  stands  comfortable  and  even  luxurious 
homes  amid  smiling  acres,  generously  re- 
sponsive to  the  husbandman's  toil.  School- 
houses  well  appointed,  are  at  convenient 
distances  apart,  and  everything  bespeaks  a 
prosperous  community,  unfretted  by  the 
mercenary  strife  engendered  by  city  life. 


ODIN  AND   SANDOVAL  TOWNSHIPS. 


These  townships  were  one  until  1896,  and 
therefore  their  history  is  one  until  that  time, 
and  will  be  treated  as  one,  but  the  cities  of 
Odin  and  Sandoval  will  be  given  separate- 


ly.  The  township  is  mostly  prairie,  with  a 
skirt  of  timber  land  in  the  south  side.  It  is 
a  beautiful  land,  slightly  undulating  and 
sloping  toward  the  watercourses  by  which 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


181 


it  is  drained.  It  was  early  settled  by  an 
enterprising  and  industrious  people,  and 
their  descendants,  with  additions  from  other 
states,  render  it  a  thickly  settled  and  pros- 
perous community,  with  fine  farms,  in  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  with  many  fine 
and  substantial  buildings  and  large  orchards 
set  to  apple  and  other  trees.  To  the  traveler 
from  older  communities  it  is  hard  to  realize 
that  little  more  than  a  generation  ago  this 
beautiful  township  was  almost  without  a 
white  inhabitant.  The  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road, both  main  line  and  branch,  crosses  this 
township,  the  main  line  running  almost  due 
north  about  one  mile  from  the  west  line  of 
the  township,  through  the  thriving  city  of 
Sandoval,  and  the  branch  from  the  junction 
just  north  of  Crooked  creek  in  an  almost 
northeast  direction  through  the  city  of  Odin. 
Both  of  these  cities  are  also  on  the  line  of 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern  Rail- 
way, which  runs  almost  due  east  and  west 
about  two  miles  south  of  the  north  line  of 
the  township.  These  little  cities  are  rivals, 
each  of  the  other,  and  maintain  such  an  even 
race,  both  in  the  number  of  inhabitants  and 
material  prosperity,  that  one  cannot  say 
which  is  in  the  lead.  This  township  is  next 
north  of  Centralia  in  the  west  tier  of  town- 
ships in  this  county.  Crooked  creek  runs 
southwest  through  sections  36  and  35  and 
is  the  drainage  outlet  for  the  larger  part  of 
the  township,  while  the  East  Fork  drains 
the  extreme  northern  part  of  the  township. 
A  native  of  Virginia,  Thomas  Deadmond, 
was  the  first  settler  in  these  townships.  He 
arrived  in  the  timbered  part  of  the  town- 


ship near  the  southern  line  in  1827,  intend- 
ing to  go  farther  north  to  settle,  but  as  it 
was  late  in  the  year  and  the  weather  was  ex- 
tremely cold,  he  determined  to  camp  for 
the  winter,  and  set  to  work  to  construct  a 
shelter  for  his  family,  which  he  did  by  cut- 
ting small  logs  and  building  a  shed  cabin, 
the  roof  sloping  to  the  north  and  all  the 
south  side  open.  Before  this  open  south 
side  he  would  drag  logs  with  his  team  and 
so  maintained  a  burning  log  heap  before 
the  cabin  all  winter,  which  served  the  dou- 
ble purpose  of  keeping  the  shelter  warm 
and  was  a  suitable  fire  for  his  wife  to  do  her 
cooking  on,  and  in  this  primitive;  manner 
the  Deadmonds  spent  the  first  winter  in 
their  new  home.  The  greatest  drawback 
to  the  shed  as  a  habitation  was  smoke,  which 
at  times,  when  there  was  a  strong  south 
wind,  filled  the  shed  to  almost  suffocation, 
but  then  the  family  could  adjourn  to  the 
other  side  of  the  burning  log  heap  and  thus 
keep  warm,  although  covered  only  by  heav- 
en's canopy  of  blue,  but  provided  with  plen- 
ty of  the  hides  of  animals  for  beds  and  bed- 
ding, they  of  that  day  feared  not  to  sleep 
on  'the  ground  and  in  the  open,  and  as  to 
smoke,  who  has  not  seen  the  old-fashioned 
fireplace  when  it  was  smoking.  The  early 
pioneers  were  used  to  smoke  and  were  not 
inconvenienced  by  it  in  moderation.  Mr. 
Deamond  remained  on  the  land  where  he 
passed  the  winter  in  section  28,  township  2 
north,  range  I  east,  but  did  not  enter  the 
land,  which  he  had  improved,  until  the  I2th 
day  of  January.  1837.  or  ten  years  later, 
when  he  entered  the  west  half  of  the  south- 


1 82 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


east  quarter  of  section  28.  He  was  for  a 
number  of  years  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  and 
lived  and  died  on  the  land  where  he  camped 
in  1 827,  respected  and  honored  by  his  fellow 
pioneers  for  his  sterling  worth.  Mr.  Dead- 
mond  raised  a  large  family,  some  of  whom 
are  still  living,  among  them  Mrs.  Denisha 
Hays,  of  Raccoon  township,  who  in  her 
ninety-first  year  is  an  active,  alert  old  lady, 
taking  an  active  interest  in  affairs  of  family 
and  church,  of  which  she  is  an  enthusiastic 
attendant.  Two  years  after  Deadmond's  set- 
tlement Silas  Barr  came  to  the  township 
from  Tennessee  and  in  1831  entered  the  east 
half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  27. 
This  was  the  first  land  entry  in  the  township 
and  is  in  the  Odin  side  of  the  township. 
James  N.  Barr,  who  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
lived  on  this  same  tract  which  his  father  en- 
tered. Isaac  G.  Barr  entered,  in  1836,  for- 
ty acres  and  made  himself  a  farm  in  sec- 
tion 26. 

Isaac  McClelland  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania and  went  to  Ohio  and  from  there  to 
Illinois  and  settled  at  Walnut  Hill  about 
1818.  He  married  Sallie  Welch.  For  the 
next  few  years  he  partially  improved  three 
or  four  places  in  Centralia  township,  but 
in  1830  he  settled  on  section  32  (the  San- 
doval  side  of  the  township)  and  lived  there 
many  years  and  raised  a  family  of  six  chil- 
dren. In  1839  Jonas  and  Jacob  McClelland, 
and  in  1840  Alexander  and  Henry  McClel- 
land came  to  the  township  and  improved 
farms.  Samuel  McClelland  settled  in  1830 
near  Silas  Barr  and  lived  there  until  his 
death.  He  left  eight  children,  four  sons  and 


four  daughters.  Isaac  McClelland  bought 
the  improvements  that  Isaac  Smith  had 
made  in  section  32  and  then  entered  the 
land.  Three  brothers  by  the  name  of  Wei- 
burn  settled  here  in  an  early  day.  Two  of 
them  died  here  and  the  other  went  to  Texas. 
James  Adams,  Thomas  Pigg  and  John  Hill 
were  also  early  settlers  and  all  raised  fami- 
lies and  have  descendants  now  living  in  the 
county,  and  are  respected  for  their  honest 
worth.  All  the  farms  were  for  many  years 
confined  to  the  timber,  but  Bluford  Dead- 
mond  ventured  out  into  the  prairie  and 
picked  out  a  farm  near  the  center  of  the 
township,  which  he  improved,  but  afterward 
sold  out  and  went  to  Oregon. 

The  first  school  was  taught  in  an  empty 
cabin  that  stood  near  Silas  Barr's  home,  in 
1834,  and  was  taught  by  Peter  Wilburn. 
The  first  school-house  built  stood  near  the 
McClelland  graveyard  and  was  built  of  logs, 
with  puncheon  seats. 

The  oil  industry  is  at  the  present  time  get- 
ting considerable  attention  in  the  southern 
part  of  this  township,  where  a  company  of 
Salem  capitalists  and  business  men  and  two 
plucky  women  have  struck  oil  and  are  now 
boring  the  second  well.  Other  parties  have 
thus  far  failed  to  strike  oil,  but  boring  is 
still  being  vigorously  prosecuted,  no  less  than 
four  or  five  companies  being  engaged  in  the 
work.  The  oil  is  struck  at  a  depth  of  less 
than  six  hundred  feet,  but  doubtless  a  deep- 
er well  will  develop  a  more  abundant  sup- 
ply, but  we  must  leave  the  chronicle  of  the 
success  or  failure  of  the  oil  fields  to  a  fu- 
ture historian. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


In  the  southern  part  of  this  township  one 
of  the  most  profound  mysteries  was  devel- 
oped in  the  year  1896,  known  as  the  Mc- 
Clelland mystery.  Some  years  before  Mr. 
McClelland  and  his  youngest  son  disap- 
peared from  the  county,  but  as  Mr.  Mc- 
Clelland, who  was  a  widower  with  no  home 
ties,  had  once  or  twice  before  gone  without 
saying  much  if  anything  about  going,  and 
after  a  year  or  two  had  returned,  and  as  he 
had  said  to  some  of  his  relatives  that  he  was 
going  away  and  not  coming  back,  nothing 
was  thought  of  their  absence,  especially  as 
it  was  thought  he  had  money  enough  to  take 
care  of  himself,  and  it  was  only  regarded  as 
an  eccentricity  on  his  part.  There  was  a 
pond  on  the  old  McClelland  place,  which 
was  owned  by  other  parties,  and  in  1896  it 
had  become  somewhat  filled  up  and  the  own- 
er resolved  to  clean  it  out  and  make  it  deep- 
er during  a  very  dry  spell.  While  the  work 
was  being  prosecuted  the  workmen  found 
two  skeletons  staked  down  in  the  bottom  of 
the  pond,  with  stakes  driven  crossways  over 
the  bodies.  Much  excitement  resulted  and 
much  discussion  resulted  as  to  whose  bodies 


they  were,  some  from  the  first  declaring  they 
were  the  bodies  of  McClelland  and  his  son, 
and  this  seems  to  be  the  settled  opinion  of 
those  best  qualified  to  judge  from  the  size  of 
the  skeletons,  age  and  teeth  and  the  filling 
of  some  of  the  teeth,  and  the  settled  convic- 
tion was  arrived  at  that  the  McClellands  had 
been  murdered  and  the  bodies  disposed  of  in 
this  unique  manner.  Suspicion  pointed  her 
unreasoning  finger  toward  several  parties, 
mostly  of  kin  to  the  missing  men,  and  some 
of  them  men  grown  old  in  the  paths  of  right 
and  who  stood  as  high  in  the  county  as  any 
men  living  in  her  borders.  Indictments  were 
found  against  several  parties,  among  whom 
was  another  son  of  the  elder  McClelland. 
One  or  two  were  tried,  but  the  state  utterly 
failed  to  make  a  case,  whereupon  the  indict- 
ments were  quashed  and  the  McClelland 
mystery  is  still  as  deep  a  mystery  as  ever, 
and  bids  fair  to  so  remain  until  the  trump 
shall  sound  and  the  grave  give  up  her  se- 
crets. The  two  little  cities,  each  of  which 
gives  its  name  to  one-half  township,  which  is 
clothed  with  the  powers  of  a  civil  town,  now 
demand  our  attention. 


CITY  OF  ODIN. 


The  thriving  little  city  of  Odin  is  situated 
in  the  east  side  of  township  2  north,  range  i 
east,  and  about  two  miles  from  the  north 
line  of  the  township.  It  is  at  the  crossing 
of  the  Illinois  Central  branch  and  the  Bal- 
timore &  Ohio  Southwestern  railroads  and 
is  the  product  of  these  roads,  hence  was 


not  built  until  the  roads  were.  The  first 
building  was  put  up  by  one  John  Hill,  as  a 
saloon,  and  with  Hill  as  a  saloonkeeper  ab- 
sorbed much  of  the  hard  earnings  of  the 
railway  laborers.  It  stood  south  of  the  rail- 
roads and  near  the  tracks.  The  Illinois  Cen- 
tral built  their  depot  in  1856  and  in  1860, 


1 84 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


April  5th,  laid  out  the  town,  it  being  on  a 
railroad  section.  The  house  of  the  section 
boss,  David  Dudy,  of  the  Ohio  &  Mississip- 
pi Company,  was  the  first  dwelling  erected. 
The  first  store  building  was  erected  by  P.  Z. 
Stone,  who  opened  a  general  store  about 
1857  or  1858.  James  Garretson  was  the 
first  postmaster  and  hotel-keeper.  He  built 
the  first  hotel  in  1859  and  called  it  after  him- 
self, the  Garretson  House.  It  was  after- 
ward called  the  Hartley  House.  It  still 
stands,  but  at  present  is  not  used  as  a  hotel. 
Before  1860  one  De  Schan,  Branson  and 
Lester,  and  George  Craig  had  opened  stores 
and  were  doing  a  country  trade  and  supply- 
ing the  railroad  men  and  passengers  from 
one  road  waiting  for  a  train  on  the  other. 
During  the  years  of  the  war  between  the 
states,  1862  to  1864,  the  town  grew  very 
rapidly,  many  refugees  from  the  South 
making  it  a  stopping  place  and  many  a  per- 
manent home.  A  woolen  mill  called  the  Odin 
Woolen  Factory  was  built  in  1867.  It  was 
of  brick  and  two  stories  high  and  manufac- 
tured jeans  and  flannel.  It  was  destroyed 
by  fire  in  1879,  and  was  never  rebuilt.  There 
was  a  sawmill  in  connection,  which  did  not 
burn  at  that  time  and  was  operated  for  some 
years  by  W.  E.  Smith,  but  it  finally  was  de- 
stroyed by  fire.  In  1863  a  large  hay  press 
barn  was  built  by  A.  M.  Woodward  &  Co., 
and  it  was  afterward  enlarged  until  it  was 
one  of  the  largest  press  barns  in  the  coun- 
try, but  it,  too,  was  destroyed  by  fire  in  the 
nineties.  It  may  be  well  to  state  for  the  in- 
formation of  the  younger  generation  that 
until  about  1870  hay  was  pressed  into  bales 
only  in  barns  built  for  that  purpose  with 


presses  built  in  them,  and  these  presses  were 
massive  pieces  of  machinery  with  a  heavy 
weight  arranged  like  a  pile  driver,  which 
was  drawn  to  the  top  of  the  barn  and  fell 
into  the  press  and  beat  the  loose  hay  solidly 
together  until  two  hundred  or  three  hun- 
dred pounds  were  beat  into  a  bale,  when 
an  immense  screw  operated  from  below  com- 
pressed the  bale,  which  was  then  "baled"  or 
bound  with  hickory  hoop-poles  being  passed 
around  them  and  nailed  together.  The  hay 
had  to  be  hauled  to  these  barns  loose  and 
was  much  labor  and  expense.  The  invention 
of  the  modern  portable  hay  press  killed  the 
hay  barn  press,  but  has  been  a  blessing  to  the 
farmer.  In  1863  Captain  Pierce  built  a  two- 
burr  grist  mill.  It  changed  hands  frequent- 
ly and  the  firm  of  Morrison  &  Smart  ran 
it  from  1873  to  1880,  and  then  sold  to  James 
Warren,  the  owner  when  the  mill  went  out 
of  business.  Odin  has  a  commodious  two- 
story  brick  school  building  and  has  a  corps 
of  six  teachers  and  takes  pride  in  maintain- 
ing a  first  class  school.  The  Methodist  Epis- 
copals  and  Protestant  Methodists  each  have 
a  church  in  Odin,  as  also  have  the  Christians 
and  Presbyterians,  although  the  latter  is  not 
used  of  late,  only  occasionally,  as  no  minis- 
ter is  in  charge.  Odin  Masonic  lodge  No. 
503  was  instituted  in  1866,  under  dispensa- 
tion from  the  grand  master.  E.  B.  Wilcox 
was  the  first  worshipful  master;  E.  Sid- 
well,  senior  warden,  and  O.  F.  Ball,  junior 
warden.  It  was  organized  with  only  eleven 
members.  It  is  now  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion. The  Modern  Woodmen  also  have  a 
strong  lodge  in  Odin,  with  about  one  hun- 
dred members.  In  1886  a  stock  company 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


was  formed  under  the  name  Odin  Coal  Com- 
pany, to  sink  a  shaft  and  mine  coal,  which 
was  successful  in  striking  a  fine  vein  of  coal 
at  a  depth  of  seven  hundred  and  fifteen  feet, 
with  a  vein  of  about  seven  feet  in  thickness. 
After  undergoing  the  usual  ups  and  downs 
of  such  stock  companies,  Messrs.  Morrison 
and  Secor,  with  perhaps  a  few  others,  ob- 
tained a  controlling  interest,  since  which 
time  it  has  been  so  successfully  handled  as 
to  prove  a  valuable  and  profitable  property. 
Some  few  years  ago  electric  mining  and 


haulage  and  electric  lighting  was  installed. 
The  dynamo  of  the  mine  also  furnishes 
electricity  for  lighting  the  city.  During  the 
life  of  the  mine  it  has  been  singularly  free 
from  fatalities,  but  few  accidents  of  serious 
character  having  occurred.  The  railroad 
crossing  of  the  Illinois  Central  branch  and 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern  is  con- 
trolled by  an  interlocking  device  controlled 
from  a  tower  built  so  as  to  give  the  operator 
a  view  of  both  tracks. 


CITY  OF  SANDOVAL,  ODIN   TOWNSHIP. 


The  city  of  Sandoval,  like  Centralia  and 
Odin,  was  laid  out  by  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  on  their  own  section  of 
land.  It  is  at  the  crossing  of  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Southwestern  and  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  main  line,  and  is  about  one  mile 
from  the  west  line  of  the  township  and  two 
from  the  north  line,  and,  like  Odin,  gave  its 
name  to  the  west  half  of  township  2  north, 
range  i  east,  when  the  township  was  divid- 
ed. The  survey  and  laying  out  of  the  city 
was  on  May  n,  1855.  Two  other  addi- 
tions were  laid  out  the  same  year.  Welcome 
Martin,  as  early  as  1853,  put  up  a  frame  store 
house  on  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  right  of 
way  just  west  of  the  right  of  way  of  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  sold  goods  to 
the  railroad  laborers  and  the  general  pub- 
lic. The  first  boarding  house  or  hotel  was 
kept  by  J.  B.  Crawford,  the  original  build- 
ing afterward  making  part  of  the  Sandoval 


House.  The  city  has  a  fine  public  school 
building,  in  which  there  are  employed  six 
teachers,  and  also  maintains  a  primary  room 
west  of  the  Central  tracks,  and  like  all  Ma- 
rion county  towns,  is  proud  of  her  schools. 
The  Catholic  church  has  a  good  church 
building'  and  parsonage  and  maintains  an 
organization  in  Sandoval.  The  Christian 
and  Congregational  churches  have  each  a 
fine  house  of  worship,  while  the  Methodists 
have  a  good,  comfortable  church  house. 
There  religious  bodies  each  maintain  a  resi- 
dent minister  and  are  full  of  good  works. 
The  Baptist  Brotherhood  has  recently  built 
a  neat  little  church  in  the  south  part  of 
town.  Sandoval  has  one  of  the  finest  parks 
in  the  county,  and  here  every  year  the  an- 
nual reunion  of  the  old  soldiers  and  sailors 
is  held  in  a  three  days'  session,  and  Sando- 
val spares  neither  energy,  time  nor  money 
to  make  the  reunion  a  success.  As  yet  they 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


have  not  failed,  but,  on  the  contrary,  each 
year  the  success  has  been  more  and  more 
pronounced,  until  the  Sandoval  reunion  at- 
tracts attention  from  all  parts  of  the  state. 

In  1877  the  St.  Louis  Sandoval  Coal  and 
Mining  Company  began  sinking  a  shaft  at 
Sandoval.  After  reaching  a  depth  of  one 
hundred  and  fourteen  feet  the  company 
went  into  bankruptcy.  The  property  was 
sold  at  Sheriff's  sale  and  bought  by  the  San- 
doval Coal  and  Mining  Company,  a  com- 
pany composed  mostly  of  Salem  men.  The 
new  company  began  work  on  the  shaft  in 
January,  1879,  and  reached  a  vein  of  coal 
five  and  one-half  feet  thick  in  September  of 
the  same  year  at  a  depth  of  six  hundred  and 
three  feet,  being  one  hundred  and  twelve 
feet  less  in  depth  than  the  Odin  mine,  four 
miles  further  east,  showing  the  "dip"  of 
the  coal  vein  to  be  eastward  about  twenty- 
eight  feet  to  the  mile.  The  company  was 
involved  in  long  and  expensive  litigation 
growing  out  of  the  bankruptcy  of  the  St. 
Louis  Sandoval  Company,  but  after  years 
of  legal  contest  the  Sandoval  Coal  and  Min- 
ing Company  established  their  "right  to  the 
property.  The  cause  was  carried  to  the  high- 
est tribunal  and  the  Sandoval  company's 
leading  attorney,  Judge  Michael  Sheafer,  of 
the  Supreme  Court  of  Utah,  made  such  a 
strong  and  learned  argument  that  it  is  rec- 
ognized as  an  exposition  of  mining  law.  The 
company's  stock  was  purchased  January  i, 
1903,  by  Thomas  S.  Marshall  from  the 
holders,  who  thus  became  the  company.  The 
original  shaft  was  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
city  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern 


Railroad,  but  an  air  shaft  was  sunk  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  city  about  a  half  mile  from  the 
original  shaft.  This  was  now  turned  into  a 
hoisting  shaft  with  a  steel  tipple  and  ma- 
chine mining  implements,  and  was  consid- 
ered one  of  the  best  equipped  mines  in  the 
state.  The  old  works  at  the  original  shaft 
in  the  meantime  burned  down,  but  were  im- 
mediately rebuilt.  The  mine  at  this  time 
was  employing  over  three  hundred  and  fifty 
men  and  taking  out  as  much  as  ten  thou- 
sand tons  per  day.  The  vast  expenditure 
necessary  to  thus  equip  the  mine,  with  other 
causes,  involved  Mr.  Marshall,  and  he  took 
voluntary  bankruptcy.  The  mine  stood  idle 
some  time,  but  was  recently  sold  to  Mr. 
Middleton,  who  is  running  it  to  its  greatest 
capacity  and  is  not  only  giving  work  to  a 
great  number  of  men,  but  making  it  a  suc- 
cess financially.  The  Sandoval  mine  was 
for  many  years,  while  controlled  by  the  San- 
doval company,  under  the  superintendence 
of  John  Robinson,  then  of  H.  R.  Hall,  and 
later  of  C.  E.  Hull,  and  was  one  of  the  best 
paying  enterprises  in  the  county,  and  it  bids 
fair  to  become  so  again.  The  Sandoval 
mine  had  several  quite  serious  accidents  re- 
sulting in  the  loss  of  life,  all  of  them  per- 
haps the  result  of  carelessness  on  the  part 
of  the  victims  or  of  some  fellow  workman. 

In  the  years  from  about  1890  to  1895* 
there  was  a  series  of  barn  burnings  in  the 
western  part  of  the  county,  confined  to  the 
townships  of  Sandoval,  Odin,  Carrigan, 
Tonti  and  Salem.  Several  of  the  most  val- 
uable barns  in  the  county  were  burned,  evi- 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


i87 


dently  set  on  fire,  but  the  incendiary  invari- 
ably escaped  detection,  and  these  burnings 
occurred  so  frequently  that  a  feeling  of 
dread  and  uneasiness  prevailed  over  the  en- 
tire community.  At  the  time  there  lived  one 
McKibbon  near  Sandoval.  McKibbon  was 
a  fanatic  on  political  subjects,  and  although 
in  many  respects  a  bright  man.  was  un- 
doubtedly insane  on  the  subject  of  equality 
of  wealth  and  had  brooded  over  the  unequal 
distribution  of  wealth  until  he  was  an  anar- 
chist on  that  subject  and  thought  to  bring 
about  equality  by  the  destruction  of  prop- 
erty, but  with  subtile  cunning  he  kept  his 
thoughts  and  feelings  hid  from  all  but  a 
chosen  few,  who,  like  himself,  were  lawless 
in  thought  and  also  in  action  when  safe  to 
be  so.  McKibbon  was  the  head  center  of 
the  clique  and  managed  to  escape  even  sus- 
picion until  he  approached  a  youth  in  San- 
doval whom  he  thought  he  could  control. 
The  young  man  fell  into  McKibbon's  views, 
but  after  studying  over  the  matter  revealed 
the  plot  to  burn  the  store  of  John  Robinson 
to  his  mother,  who  advised  him  to  go  to  the 
marshal  and  tell  what  he  knew.  This  the 
young  man  did  and  was  advised  to  carry  out 
the  plot  and  keep  the  officers  advised.  A 
committee  of  safety  was  formed  and  for 
weeks  kept  watch  armed  to  the  teeth,  but 
so  secretly  was  this  done  that  none  but  the 
watchers  ever  suspected  even  the  organiza- 
tion of  the  committee.  They  at  last  were 
rewarded  by  catching  the  anarchists  in  the 
act  of  trying  to  blow  up  Robinson's  store. 


McKibbon  was  tried  and  found  guilty,  but 
the  jury  so  misconstrued  the  law  that  they 
fined  him  five  hundred  dollars.  The  fine  was 
paid  after  some  time  by  McKibbon's  rela- 
tives and  he  disappeared  from  the  county. 
Barn  burning  ceased  with  the  arrest  of  Mc- 
Kibbon and  farmers  now  and  for  many 
years  past  have  slept  at  night  with  no  vis- 
ions of  burning  barns  and  tortured  stock 
confined  therein. 

Sandoval  is  a  center  for  the  strawberry 
industry.  The  celebrated  Warfield  berry 
was  originated  here  by  Mr.  Warfield,  from 
whom  it  received  its  name.  The  Sandoval 
Packing  Company's  tomatoes,  canned  here, 
are  the  best  on  the  market,  the  soil  being 
peculiarly  adapted  to  the  raising  of  tomatoes 
to  perfection.  The  smelting  works  in  the 
eastern  part  of  town  is  also  an  industry  of 
great  importance  to  the  city  and  is  one  of  the 
live  industries  of  the  county.  In  1908  the 
Marion  County  Coal  Company  opened  a 
shaft  at  Junction  City,  so  called,  in  the  south 
part  of  the  to\vnship,  and  at  the  depth  of 
about  five  hundred  and  sixty  feet  struck  a 
fine  vein  of  excellent  coal.  In  this  mine  pe- 
troleum oil  seeped  in  considerable  quanti- 
ties and  led  to  the  opening  of  the  first  oil 
well,  which  struck  oil  at  the  depth  of  five 
hundred  and  seventy-eight  feet.  Other  wells 
are  being  bored,  but  to  Sandoval  belongs  the 
honor  of  having  the  first  oil  well  in  the  coun- 
ty, but  whether  or  not  it  will  prove  a  com- 
mercial success  can  only  be  told  by  the  pass- 
ing years. 


KKIXKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


CENTRALIA  TOWNSHIP. 


Centralia  township  was  first  settled  at 
Walnut  Hill  in  the  southeast  part  of  the 
township  by  Joseph  Hensley,  probably  as 
early  as  1816  or  1817.  He  planted  an  or- 
chard on  what  was  later  known  as  the  Cap- 
tain Creed  place.  This  was  the  first  orchard 
in  the  county  and  was  set  out  about  1817. 
Captain  Hensley  was  fairly  well  educated 
and  a  stump  speaker  of  considerable  force, 
and  often  addressed  the  settlers  in  behalf  of 
his  party.  He  was  a  Whig  in  politics  and  a 
zealous  partisan.  In  1818  he  built  a  horse 
mill  to  supply  the  settlement  about  the  hill, 
which  by  this  time  had  several  families, 
among'  whom  were  the  Vermillion,  McKen- 
riey,  Jennings,  Ricker,  Taylor  and  Huff 
families.  The  first  land  entered  in  the  town- 
ship was  the  west  half  of  the  southeast  quar- 
ter of  section  28,  since  owned  by  the  Cop- 
pie  family.  Vermillion  was  a  ranger  in  1812 
and  later  moved  to  a  farm  just  out  of  Sa- 
lem, and  is  the  same  known  as  Black  Bear 
Vermillion.  He  was  foreman  of  the  first 
Grand  Jury  of  Marion  county.  He  moved 
to  Missouri  later,  where  he  died.  The  sec- 
ond land  entered  was  the  west  half  of  the 
northeast  quarter  of  section  34.  This  entry 
was  made  by  Daniel  McKinney  and  was  dat- 
ed February  21.  1820.  He  had  made  some 
improvements  as  a  squatter,  but  having. sold 
to  Charles  Jennings  in  January,  entered  the 
land  to  make  the  title  good.  Israel  Jen- 
nings entered  the  west  half  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  34  as  the  third  entry.  It 
must  not  be  thought  that  these  three  farms 


were  all  that  were  being  improved  in  this 
part  of  the  county,  but  many  settlers  picked 
out  forty  or  eighty  acres  and  began  im- 
provements, intending  to  enter  the  land  as 
soon  as  possible  thereafter,  and  these  claims 
were  rarely  disputed  or  jumped  by  others 
(It  was  not  considered  healthy).  Israel  Jen- 
nings was  from  Kentucky  and  lived  to  a 
good  old  age.  He  was  twice  married  and 
raised  a  large  family.  He  served  one  term 
in  the  Legislature.  He  was  a  man  of  vigor- 
ous intellect,  shrewd  judgment  and  sterling 
honesty.  At  his  death  he  owned  over  a 
thousand  acres  of  land,  leaving  a  goodly 
heritage  to  his  children,  both  of  material 
things  and  of  the  better  things  of  character. 
His  son  Charles  entered  eighty  acres  in  sec- 
27  August  24,  1821.  He  had  bought  the 
McKinney  place  in  1820,  where  he  took  his 
bride  when  he  married,  and  where  he  con- 
tinued to  live  until  his  death.  Rufus  Ricker 
entered  eighty  acres  in  1821.  but  in  1823  he 
moved  to  Salem,  where,  with  Mark  Tully, 
he  bought  out  James  Roberts,  and  they  car- 
ried out  the  contract  between  the  Commis- 
sioners to  select  a  place  for  a  permanent 
county  seat  by  deeding  to  the  county  thirty 
acres  of  land  in  section  1 1 .  township  2,  range 
2.  William  Taylor  came  to  the  Hill  settle- 
ment. He  was  a  tough  customer  in  a  fight, 
but  not  disposed  to  be  quarrelsome  with  his 
neighbors.  Mr.  Taylor  entered  eighty  acres 
in  section  30  in  1823  and  had  improved  or 
settled  on  the  west  half  of  the  southwest 
quarter  of  section  29.  One  Daniel  White,  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


189 


Clinton  county,  jumped  the  claim  of  Taylor 
by  entering  the  eighty  upon  which  Taylor 
had  built  a  cabin  and  fenced  a  small  tract. 
This  eighty  was  a  very  desirable  piece  of 
land  and  Taylor  was  not  disposed  to  give  it 
up.  White  knew  nothing  of  Taylor's  rep- 
utation, but  was  soon  to  learn  from  the  man 
himself,  for  Taylor  went  to  see  White,  and 
his  ferocious  aspect,  with  face  scarred  by 
many  battles,  one  ear  gone,  and  a  double 
row  of  teeth,  which  he  could  champ  like  an 
enraged  swine,  soon  convinced  White  that 
Taylor  was  entitled  to  the  land,  especially 
as  Taylor  told  him  he  would  have  the  land 
or  eat  White,  blood  raw.  White  and  Tay- 
lor went  before  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  and 
White  made  over  the  land  to  Taylor,  who 
paid  the  entry  fees. 

Samuel  Gaston,  in  1818,  settled  at  the 
Hill,  but  was  just  over  the  line  in  Jeffer- 
son county,  but  afterward  the  family  be- 
came active  citizens  of  Marion.  Samuel 
Shook,  a  Baptist  minister,  and  probably  the 
first  preacher  to  settle  in  the  county,  settled 
here  in  1820.  In  1823  he  entered  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  section  23,  which  is  still  in 
the  family. 

Thomas  Kell  came  from  South  Carolina 
and  settled  at  the  Hill,  but  just  south  of  the 
county  line.  Here  he  opened  a  small  store, 
but  afterward  was  as  much  interested  in 
Marion  as  in  Jefferson  county.  The  first 
school-house  was  built  in  1821.  It  was  made 
of  logs  and  stood  east  of  the  Jennings  place 
on  the  edge  of  the  prairie.  This  school- 
house  had  a  dirt  floor  for  several  years.  Wil- 
liam Carrigan  was  the  first  teacher  and  he 


began  teaching  before  the  house  was  chinked 
and  daubed.  Bird  M.  Simpson  taught  the 
second  term  and  John  S.  Davis  the  third. 
This  school-house  was  also  used  as  a  meet- 
ing house  and  ministers  of  the  Baptist  faith 
frequently  preached  to  the  people  there.  In 
those  days  the  settlers  would  go  many  miles 
to  "meeting,"  and  whenever  a  preacher 
"norated  around"  that  there  would  be 
preaching,  he  was  sure  of  an  attentive  and 
large  audience.  Absalom  Frazier  came  in 
1839  and  entered  land  and  contracted  to 
have  a  carding  mill  built  in  section  17,  but 
nothing  was  done  until  the  next  year,  when 
his  son,  Simpson  Frazier,  came  from  Indi- 
ana, when  the  mill  was  built.  The  machin- 
ery was  shipped  to  Shawneetown  by  river 
from  Indiana  and  thence  hauled  by  oxen  to 
the  mill  site.  The  mill  when  set  up  was  op- 
erated by  oxen  or  horses  and  was  operated 
until  about  1855,  when  it  fell  into  disuse.  It 
will  be  observed  that  the  settlement  of  Cen- 
tralia  township  was  confined  to  the  south- 
east portion,  nor  did  other  parts  of  the  town- 
ship receive  much  attention  from  the  settlers 
until  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  was  pro- 
jected, when  the  eyes  of  the  immigrants 
were  turned  to  that  part  of  the  county 
through  which  it  was  to  pass,  and  many  set- 
tlers took  up  land  along  the  proposed  line, 
and  Central  City,  in  the  northwest  part  of 
the  township,  was  started,  and  but  for  the 
lack  of  foresight  of  the  holders  of  the  land 
at  Central  City,  there  would  be  today  no 
Centralia.  Central  City  is  near  Crooked 
creek,  and  at  that  time  was  selected  by  the 
railroad  engineers  as  a  division  end,  but  the 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


land  owners  refused  to  grant  such  conces- 
sions as  the  railroad  demanded,  and  as  the 
officials  said  asked  exorbitant  prices  for  land, 
thinking-  the  road  must  build  shops,  etc., 
near  water.  It  will  be  remembered  that  the 
act  of  Congress  gave  each  alternate  section 
of  land  for  some  distance  on  both  sides  of 
the  road  to  the  company  as  a  bonus,  so  when 
they  could  not  get  land  on  which  to  build 
on  such  terms  as  they  thought  right,  they 
went  one  mile  farther  south  and  laid  out 
the  city  of  Centralia  on  their  own  section 
and  pumped  water  to  their  shops  from 
Crooked  creek.  From  the  earliest  settlement 
of  Illinois  by  the  Americans  after  Clark's 
conquest  there  had  been  a  class  of  very  un- 
desirable citizens  hovering  on  the  borders 
near  Vincennes,  Shawneetown  and  also  at 
Cave-in  Rock,  on  the  Ohio,  and  a  regular 
channel  by  which  these  cutthroats  and  rob- 
bers conducted  their  nefarious  barter  was 
kept  open,  with  stations  along  the  way,  so 
that  property  stolen  in  the  eastern  settle- 
ments was  sold  in  the  west,  and  that  stolen 
in  Randolph  and  St.  Clair  counties  was  sold 
in  the  east  at  Vincennes  or  Shawneetown. 
In  1816  an  attempt  to  make  a  station  for 
these  thieves  at  Walnut  Hill  was  made  and 
several  families  of  these  undesirable  people 
settled  or  rather  squatted  near  Walnut  Hill, 
but  their  neighbors  soon  suspected  that 
something  was  wrong,  as  counterfeit  money 
was  put  in  circulation  and  many  mysterious 
strangers  were  seen  to  visit  them.  Word 
was  conveyed  to  the  Rangers  of  St.  Clair 
county,  whoin  1819,  under  Captains  Thom- 
as and  Bankson,  marched  secretly  to  the 


home  of  John  Carrigan,  who  lived  in  Clin- 
ton county  near  Carlyle.  As  the  men  from 
St.  Clair  county  did  not  know  the  way 
across  the  country  to  Walnut  Hill  and  as 
the  expedition  was  secret,  they  must  have 
a  guide,  and  a  young  son  of  Carrigan's  was 
appointed  to  conduct  them  to  the  home  of 
Israel  Jennings,  which  he  accomplished 
without  any  one  seeing  them.  It  was  early 
in  the  night  when  they  arrived  at  the  Jen- 
nings homestead  and  young  Carrigan  was 
dismissed,  and  he  rode  home  through  the 
wilderness  in  the  night.  A  lad  of  about 
twelve,  alone  in  the  darkness,  bravely  fac- 
ing a  ride  of  thirty  miles  through  a  track- 
less wilderness  filled  with  wild  beasts  and 
at  any  moment  in  danger  of  meeting  law- 
less men,  who,  if  they  knew  his  mission, 
would  not  hesitate  to  murder  him,  but  of 
such  mettle  were  the  pioneers  of  our  coun- 
ty made.  Young  Carrigan,  with  his  father, 
soon  became  citizens  of  Carrigan  township 
in  this  county.  The  rangers,  after  reaching 
the  home  of  Jennings,  divided  into  three 
parties  of  fifteen  men  each,  and  quietly  sur- 
rounded the  cabins  of  the  outlaws  and  cap- 
tured them  without  resistance,  as  the  out- 
laws perceived  resistance  would  be  useless. 
The  captured  cutthroats  were  known  as  the 
Goings  gang,  and  consisted  of  William. 
John  and  Pleasant  Goings,  Theophilus  W. 
Harring,  Tarleton  Kane  and  John  Bimber- 
ry  and  others  who  were  not  at  home,  but 
presumably  out  on  an  expedition  and  not 
caught.  The  above  named,  however,  were 
told  that  they  must  leave  the  country  within 
a  given  number  of  days,  under  penalty  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


191 


death,  and  to  impress  upon  their  minds  that 
the  edict  must  be  obeyed  they  were  all  lashed 
to  saplings  and  given  an  unmerciful  whip- 
ping. By  the  appointed  time  all  had  depart- 
ed and  none  ever  returned.  This  procedure 
may  seem  to  us  of  the  present  day  extremely 
harsh,  and  when  we  reflect  that  the  law  was 


solely  in  the  hands  of  the  rangers  in  such 
remote  places,  and  that  they  were  organized 
by  authority  for  the  protection  of  the  fron- 
tier, where  the  law  could  not  reach  the  of- 
fenders, and  above  all  that  it  was  effective, 
we  must,  however,  reluctantly  give  our  ap- 
proval. 


THE  CITY  OF  CENTRALIA. 


The  following  sketch  is  furnished  the  ed- 
itor by  ex-Mayor  S.  A.  Frazier,  to  whom 
we  hereby  acknowledge  our  indebtedness. 

The  county  of  Marion  was  formed  and 
its  boundaries  defined  by  an  act  of  the  Leg- 
islature of  the  state  of  Illinois,  which  be- 
came a  law  on  the  24th  of  January,  1823. 
Centralia  is  situated  near  the  southwest  cor- 
ner of  the  county,  near  the  center  of  Seven 
Mile  Prairie.  Central  City,  older  by  about 
two  years  than  Centralia,  is  located  at  the 
point  where  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  en- 
ters Seven  Mile  Prairie  from  the  north, 
about  one  mile  distant  from  the  northern 
limits  of  the  corporation.  In  the  year  1850 
the  inhabitants  of  Seven  Mile  Prairie  could 
have  been  counted  on  one's  fingers.  They 
were  located,  with  the  exception  of  a  half- 
dozen  families,  at  the  edge  of  the  wooded 
land  which  surrounded  the  prairie,  and  all 
lived,  excepting  perhaps  an  equal  number 
of  families,  in  one-story  log  houses.  There 
is  not,  so  far  as  the  writer  knows,  a  house 
now  standing  in  Seven  Mile  Prairie  which 
is  a  fair  sample  of  the  average  residence  of 
the  time  alluded  to.  The  house  was  one 


story  in  height,  the  open  space  between  the 
logs  being  chinked  with  small  blocks  of 
wood  and  daubed  or  plastered  with  clay. 
The  chimney  was  on  the  outside  at  the  end 
of  the  building  and  was  composed  of  a 
framework  of  logs  and  sticks,  lined  in  the 
lower  portion  with  clay  and  stones  and  in 
the  upper  portion  with  clay  alone.  The  roof 
and  often  the  doors  were  made  of  clapboards 
riven  from  the  trees  of  the  forest.  The  floor 
was  often  made  of  puncheons  split  from 
logs  and  hewed  on  one  side.  It  need  not  be 
stated  that  this  kind  of  flooring  was  never 
tongued  and  grooved,  and  the  floor  was 
never  air-tight,  except  when  the  floor  was 
laid  on  the  ground.  Usually  these  houses 
contained  but  one  room,  in  which  the  family 
performed  all  the  various  offices  of  indoor 
life.  Here  they  dressed,  talked  over  the 
family  and  neighborhood  affairs,  received 
company,  courted  and  were  given  in  mar- 
riage and  married.  Here  also  the  women 
attended  to  those  never  neglected  duties  of 
the  time,  knitting,  spinning  and  weaving, 
duties  which  have  since  almost  lost  their 
places  among  the  household  arts.  The  ques- 


192 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tion  occurs:  Were  these  people  happy  amid 
such  rude  surroundings  and  with  such  pri- 
vations of  the  conveniences  of  life?  We 
may  truly  answer,  yes.  So  emphatically 
true  is  it  that  life  does  not  consist  in  the 
aboundance  of  our  possessions.  Ask  those 
who  lived  at  that  time  and  they  will  tell 
you  they  were  happy  in  those  days,  and  will 
probably  add  that  the  good  old  times  were 
better  than  the  present  strenuous  period. 
Their  happiness  we  may  not  gainsay,  but 
as  to  those  times  being  better  than  this  pres- 
ent time,  that  does  not  follow.  This  is  an- 
other question  and  one  open  to  very  serious 
question. 

In  1851  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  was 
sureyed  and  located,  and  Seven  Mile  Prai- 
rie, in  which  they  had  been  no  marked  im- 
provement, began  to  exhibit  more  anima- 
tion. Unknown  faces  were  less  rare  than 
formerly  and  citizens  showed  more  anxiety 
to  increase  their  landed  possessions.  In  1852 
the  work  of  grading  was  begun  and  many 
foreigners  appeared  upon  the  scene,  some 
of  whom  remained  in  the  country  and  were 
valuable  additions  to  its  population.  The 
change  wrought  in  the  appearance  of  the 
county  and  the  habits  and  pursuits  of  the 
people  was  wonderful.  Where  before  there 
had  been  a  sort  of  Rip  Van  Winkle  sleep, 
all  was  life,  industry  and  activity.  New  in- 
dustries became  available  and  old  ones  were 
stimulated  by  better  prices  and  a  home  mar- 
ket. The  people  began  to  put  the  good  old 
times  behind  them.  Central  City  supple- 
mented Walnut  Hill  as  a  commercial  me- 
tropolis of  the  region.  That  part  of  the  city 


of  Centralia  known  as  Jones,  Eheninger,Mc- 
Clelland  and  Spear's  addition  was  laid  out 
in  the  summer  of  1853.  In  the  autumn  of 
the  same  year  A.  P.  Crosby's  addition  was 
laid  out.  In  1853  Centralia  proper  was  laid 
out  by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany, and  some  lots  were  sold,  but  no  deeds 
were  executed  until  after  the  passage  of  the 
law  of  January  14,  1855,  authorizing  the 
railroad  company  to  lay  out  towns  and  sell 
town  lots. 

The  first  house  built  in  Centralia  was  the 
one-story  frame  house  fronting  north  on  the 
west  side  of  the  last  railroad  crossing  but 
one  in  South  Centralia,  in  the  east  end  of 
which  McCord  &  Davenport  sold  merchan- 
dise ;  the  west  end  of  the  same  building  was 
used  for  a  residence ;  the  next  building  erect- 
ed in  our  city  was  a  one-story  frame  about 
ten  by  twelve  feet  in  extent  across  the  street 
north  from  McCord  &  Davenport's,  in  which 
Thomas  Douglas,  afterward  of  Sandoval, 
sold  dried  herring  and  liquid  refreshments. 
The  first  house  built  in  Centralia  still  stands, 
but  the  second  and  third,  which  were  imme- 
diately across  the  railroad,  east  from  it,  be- 
ing the  one-story  part  of  the  Hoskins  prop- 
erty, built  by  Joseph  Hensley,  have  long 
since  vanished. 

The  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company 
commenced  the  erection  of  their  round- 
house, shops  and  hotel  in  November,  1853. 
It  was  the  desire  of  the  railroad  company 
originally  to  erect  their  buildings  at  Cen- 
tral City,  and  with  that  object  in  view  ne- 
gotiations were  entered  into  with  O'Mel- 
veny  and  Gall,  the  then  proprietors  of  the 


5RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


193 


land,  but  failing  to  agree  upon  the  price  to 
be  paid  for  land  on  which  to  erect  buildings 
and  sidetracks,  the  present  site  was  fixed 
upon.  The  work  of  erecting  the  buildings 
once  commenced  was  pushed  with  vigor  un- 
til they  were  fully  completed.  The  first 
house  built  in  the  city  of  Centralia  as  laid 
out  by  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Com- 
pany, was  the  two-story  frame  building  still 
standing  at  the  southeast  corner  of  Walnut 
and  First  streets.  The  next  house  built  was 
a  barn,  which  stood  on  the  present  site  of 
the  Market  Block,  on  Chestnut  street.  The 
roof  was  better  adapted  to  secure  perfect 
ventilation  than  immunity  from  moisture, 
and  in  consequence  the  boarders  slept  on 
rainy  nights  with  umbrellas  stretched  over 
their  heads.  The  first  store  in  Centralia 
was  that  of  McCord  &  Davenport,  the  sec- 
ond that  of  A.  P.  Crosby,  both  located  in 
South  Centralia.  The  next  store  was  that  of 
J.  M.  O'Melveny,  which  stood  east  of  the 
present  site  of  the  Centralia  House,  but  the 
building  was  moved  by  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  Company  without  any  interrup- 
tion to  the  business  of  the  occupant  to  the 
present  site  of  Saddler's  Block.  The  next 
store  opened  was  that  of  Kohl  &  Warner.  In 
November,  1854.  the  first  regular  train  over 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  passed  through 
Centralia.  The  first  school-house  erected  in 
Centralia  is  a  two-story  frame  building  that 
originally  stood  near  the  southern  limit  of 
Jones,  Ehminger,  McClelland  &  Spear's  ad- 
dition on  the  east  side  of  the  railroad.  It 
was  afterward  removed  to  the  present  site 
of  the  Welcome  Hall  in  the  south  part  of 
13 


the  city.  It  was  again  removed,  this  time 
across  the  street  immediately  east,  where  it 
now  stands,  transformed  into  a  residence. 
The  upper  story  was  originally  designed  for 
an  Odd  Fellows'  Hall,  but  for  some  reason 
was  never  used  by  that  order.  The  first 
school-house  erected  in  Centralia  proper  was 
a  small  frame  building,  which  stood  on  the 
ground  where  now  stands  the  one-story 
building  occupied  by  the  Star  Laundry.  The 
school-houses,  still  in  use,  known  as  the 
East  Side  and  West  Side,  school-houses, 
were  built  in  1861.  The  brick  school-house 
in  South  Centralia,  being  the  same  now 
known  as  Welcome  Hall,  was  built  in  1862. 
The  first  house  of  worship  erected  in  our 
city  was  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
built  in  Crosby's  addition  in  1854.  It  stood 
on  the  southwest  corner  of  the  block  on 
which  the  brick  now  stands  and  fronted  to 
the  south ;  its  first  pastor  was  R.  H.  Manier, 
who  was  also  the  first  resident  minister  who 
ever  preached  in  Centralia.  He  came  here 
in  1855.  The  house  was  afterward  re- 
moved to  the  northeast  corner  of  Poplar 
and  Fifth  streets.  In  1864  and  1865  the 
society  erected  a  brick  building  at  the  south- 
east corner  of  Broadway  and  Elm  streets. 
In  1856  the  Christian  church  erected  a  house 
of  worship,  which  was  afterward  burned 
down,  on  the  ground  occupied  by  the  pres- 
ent Christian  church.  The  present  building 
was  erected  in  1872.  In  1856  the  first  Pres- 
byterian church  was  erected. 

The  next  church  built  was  the  Roman 
Catholic  church,  in  1858.  The  building  was 
afterward  increased  in  size.  The  United 


i94 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Presbyterian  church  was  built  in  1862,  the 
building  being  sold  afterward  to  the  Epis- 
copalians. The  First  Baptist  church  was 
erected  in  1864,  the  German  Evangelical 
church  in  1865,  the  Second  Baptist  church 
(colored)  was  built  in  1871  and  the  Second 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  (colored)  in 

1873- 

.  The  first  physicians  to  take  up  their  resi- 
dence in  our  city  were  G.  W.  Hotchkiss  and 
C.  W.  Dunning,  who  opened  an  office  here 
in  the  spring  of  1854.  Next  came  J.  M. 
Gaskill  and  J.  L.  Hallam,  who  opened  an 
office  in  South  Centralia  in  July,  1854. 

Our  first  lawyer  was  W.  W.  O'Melveny, 
who  came  here  in  1854.  The  next  was  W. 
Stoker,  who  came  in  June  following.  H. 
K.  S.  O'Melveny  opened  an  office  in  Central 
City  in  1853.  N.  R.  Stickney  was  the  first 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  He  was  elected  in 
1855  and  assumed  the  duties  of  the  office  the 
following  December.  The  city  was  incor- 
porated under  a  special  act  of  the  Legisla- 
ture, which  was  passed  February  22,  1859. 
The  formal  incorporation  was  March  i, 
1859.  The  charter  was  amended  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1861,  and  further  amended  Febru- 
ary 16.  1865.  The  first  officers  of  the  city 
were:  Mayor.  Mathew  C.  Kell.  Aldermen: 
First  Ward,  J.  J.  Dimick  and  J.  G.  Cormick ; 
Second  Ward,  Samuel  Storer  and  D.  H. 
McCord;  Third  Ward,  James  Cunningham 
and  G.  V.  Johnson;  City  Marshal,  A.  H. 
Seley ;  Street  Commissioner,  E.  Probst ;  City 
Surveyor,  S.  Frazier:  Treasurer,  James 
Wilson;  Assessor,  A.  H.  Crosby;  Police 
Magistrate,  Edwin  S.  Condit;  City  Clerk, 


Lewis  Bunce ;  Attorney,  George  C.  McKee ; 
Collector,  A.  H.  Seley.  All  these  officers, 
with  one  or  two  exceptions,  have  joined  the 
silent  majority. 

At  the  Presidential  election  of  1860  the 
vote  for  the  Democratic  electors  was  147 
against  197  for  the  Republican  electors.  In 
the  Centralia  precinct  in  1864  the  Demo- 
crats polled  133  and  the  Republicans  405 
votes;  1868,  Democrats  269,  and  Repub- 
licans 544,  and  in  1872  Democrat  and  Lib- 
.eral  vote  was  271  and  O'Conner  and  Re- 
publican 453.  Until  1856  the  polling  place 
was  at  Walnut  Hill. 

In  the  fall  of  1856  D.  A.  Burton  pub- 
lished the  first  newspaper  in  Centralia.  It 
was  called  the  Enterprise,  and  died  after  an 
existence  of  two  months.  The  next  paper 
was  the  Rural  Press,  edited  and  published 
by  M.  L.  McCord.  It  struggled  along  for 
two  years  and  then  suspended.  Then  H.  S. 
Blanchard  tried  the  newspaper  venture,  but 
without  success.  J.  D.  G.  Pettijohn  started 
the  Egyptian  Republic  November  3,  1859. 
This  paper  lived  until  after  the  strenuous 
Presidential  campaign  of  1860,  but  went  out 
of  existence  in  1861.  A  Mr.  Fuller  then 
issued  a  few  numbers  of  a  paper  the  name 
of  which  is  not  remembered  by  any  one  in 
Centralia  as  far  as  can  be  learned.  The  Com- 
mercial, published  by  E.  P.  Thorpe,  issued 
its  first  number  in  April,  1867,  and  survived 
six  months.  On  May  28,  1868,  the  first 
number  of  the  Centralia  Sentinel  was  issued, 
with  E.  S.  Condit  and  J.  W.  Fletcher  as 
editors,  but  it  is  said  Mr.  Condit's  editorial 
connection  with  the  paper  was  only  nominal. 


BRINKERHOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


195 


At  the  expiration  of  a  year  J.  W.  and  F.  W. 
Fletcher  became  the  editors  and  publishers. 
Jn  1869  J.  C.  Cooper  bought  the  interest  of 
J.  W.  Fletcher  and  the  Sentinel  was  pub- 
lished by  J.  C.  Cooper  and  C.  D.  Fletcher 
.until  1872,  when  L.  C.  Wilcox  purchased 
the  interest  of  J.  C.  Cooper.  On  January 
i,  1875,  it  passed  into  the  hands  of  J.  W. 
and  F.  W.  Fletcher,  who  were  succeeded  by 
J.  W.  Kerr.  and  he  by  T.  L.  Joy.  The  latter 
took  charge  October  20,  1888.  It  is  now  a 
daily  as  well  as  weekly. 

The  Centralia  Democrat  was  first  pub- 
lished on  November  7,  1867,  by  W.  H. 
Mantz.  Afterward  Isaac  McClelland  be- 
came nominally  a  co-editor  and  publisher 
•with  Mr.  Mantz.  In  October,  1870,  the  of- 
fice was  partially  destroyed  by  fire,  but  the 
press  soon  after  came  into  the  possession 
of  S.  P.  Tufts,  by  whom  it  was  repaired, 
and  from  the  Qth  day  of  February,  1871.  the 
Democrat  has  been  published  by  Mr.  Tufts 
and  his  son,  who  succeeded  as  editor  his 
father  at  the  latter's  death  some  years  ago. 
It  is  now  published  both  as  a  daily  and 
weekly. 

Centralia  was  not  surpassed  in  patriotism 
by  any  city  in  the  state  during  the  late  war. 
No  less  than  six  companies  were  organized 
and  sent  forward  from  our  city,  besides  con- 
tributing a  great  number  of  recruits  to  com- 
panies organized  at  other  points.  The  first 
company  was  organized  April  19,  1861.  It 
was  Company  C  of  the  Eleventh  Illinois  In- 
fantry, commanded  by  A.  L.  Rockwood  as 
captain.  The  next  was  Company  C  of  the 
Twenty-second  Illinois  Infantrv.  command- 


ed by  E.  Probst.  Other  companies  were 
organized  and  commanded,  respectively,  by 
Captains  Noleman,  Cormick,  Sommerville 
and  Cunningham.  During  the  war  a  hos- 
pital was  maintained  by  our  city  for  the 
benefit  of  sick  and  wounded  soldiers,  and 
many  of  our  ladies  are  remembered  to  this 
day  with  gratitude  by  our  country's  brave 
defenders  scattered  over  the  land,  for  the 
kindness  with  which  they  were  cared  for 
in  our  city. 

No  other  single  industry  up  to  the  pres- 
ent writing  surpasses  or  indeed  equals  the 
railroad  interests  of  our  city.  Centralia  has 
been  from  the  first  a  railroad  town,  being 
the  headquarters  of  a  division  of  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  and  containing  as  it 
does  shops  with  facilities  for  carrying  on 
every  variety  of  railroad  work,  and  the  ac- 
commodation of  hundreds  of  employes. 
During  the  month  of  May,  1876,  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company  had  two 
hundred  and  sixty-two  men  in  its  employe 
who  resided  in  Centralia,  to  whom  the  sum 
of  fifteen  thousand  seven  hundred  and  nine- 
ty-five dollars  was  paid  in  wages  for  that 
month.  The  monthly  payroll  is  now  much 
larger. 

Next  in  importance  is  the  coal  industry 
of  Centralia.  A  shaft  was  sunk  at  Central 
City  in  1857  to  the  depth  of  one  hundred 
and  ninety  feet,  passing  through  ten  inches 
of  coal  at  the  depth  of  fifty  feet  and  another 
seam  of  coal  twelve  inches  thick  at  one  hun- 
dred and  eighty  feet.  At  one  hundred  and 
ninety  feet  the  shaft  was  discontinued  and  a 
boring  made  one  hundred  and  eighty  feet. 


196 


BRINKERIIOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


to  a  total  depth  of  three  hundred  and  sev- 
enty feet,  without,  however,  rinding  other 
seams  of  coal.  In  1857  and  1858  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railway  Company  sunk  an  ar- 
tesian well  near  the  machine  shops  in  Cen- 
tralia  to  the  depth  of  eight  hundred  and 
fifty-seven  feet  for  the  purpose  of  securing 
a  supply  of  water  for  their  shops.  The  re- 
port of  the  strata  passed  through  in  boring 
that  well,  though  subsequent  events  have 
shown  it  to  be  unreliable,  did  much  to  en- 
courage our  citizens  to  thoroughly  test  the 
question  of  the  existence  or  non-existence 
of  coal  in  the  vicinity  in  paying  quantities. 
In  the  fall  of  1869  some  citizens  of  our  city 
organized  a  stock  company  under  the  name 
of  the  Centralia  Coal  and  Mining  Company, 
for  the  purpose  of  testing  and  setting  at 
rest  once  for  all,  either  by  failure  or  success, 
the  coal  question.  The  first  and  only  board 
of  directors  consisted  of  F.  Kohl,  R.  D. 
Noleman,  M.  C.  Kell.  E.  S.  Condit,  H.  D. 
Kingsbury,  J.  L.  Hopkins,  H.  Kurth,  C.  D. 
Hay  and  J.  C.  Cooper.  A  contract  was  en- 
tered into  with  two  of  our  citizens,  James 
Wilson  and  Thomas  Warren,  to  do  the  bor- 
ing. They  commenced  work  about  the  2Oth 
of  February,  1870,  and  continued  at  inter- 
vals until  about  the  2oth  of  April,  when  the 
work  was  abandoned  at  a  depth  of  two  hun- 
dred and  nineteen  feet,  having  passed 
through  six  inches  of  coal  at  a  depth  .of 
eighty  feet.  The  Centralia  Coal  and  Mining 
Company  failed  to  set  the  coal  question  at 
rest. 

On  the  2ist  of  January,  1873,  F.  Kohl, 
Esq.,  requested  the  citizens  of  Centralia  to 


meet  at  the  City  Hall  January  25,  1873,  to 
consider  the  propriety  of  organizing  a  com- 
pany to  establish  a  nail  mill,  at  which  time 
and  place  the  meeting  was  held  and  the 
project  discussed.  The  conclusion  was  ar- 
rived at  that  the  proposed  nail  mill  would  be 
more  certainly  successful  if  fuel  could  be 
obtained  without  the  cost  of  transportation. 
At  a  subsequent  meeting,  held  February  i, 
1873,  it  was  decided  to  organize  a  company 
to  be  incorporated  under  the  general  incor- 
poration laws  of  the  state,  to  sink  a  shaft  to 
a  depth  sufficient  to  determine  with  certain- 
ty the  question  of  obtaining  a  home  supply 
of  coal.  The  company  was  styled  the  Min- 
ing and  Manufacturing  Company  of  Cen- 
tralia, Illinois,  and  was  organized  in  April, 
1873,  with  a  capital  stock  of  fifteen  thousand 
dollars.  The  capital  stock  was  twice  in- 
creased, to  the  amount  of  five  thousand  dol- 
lars each  time.  The  work  of  sinking  the 
shaft  was  begun  May  14,  1873,  and  was 
prosecuted  with  varying  hopes  of  success.  At 
the  commencement  many  had  strong  faith 
in  the  substantial  correctness  of  the  report 
of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company's 
boring,  but  as  our  hopes  based  upon  it  were 
one  by  one  dissipated,  Prof.  Engleman,  of 
the  Illinois  Geological  Survey,  was  appealed 
to  for  encouragement  by  the  leaders  of  the 
enterprise  and  did  much  by  his  letters  and, 
as  the  events  proved,  by  his  accurate  knowl- 
edge of  the  geology  of  the  region,  to  inspire 
confidence.  Finally,  on  the  28th  of  Septem- 
ber, 1874,  at  the  depth  of  five  hundred  and 
sixty-four  feet,  a  vein  of  coal  was  reached, 
which  proved  to  be  seven  feet  in  thickness 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


I97 


and  of  excellent  quality.  At  about  12  o'clock 
noon  on  the  2gth  the  cannon  announced  the 
good  news  to  our  citizens;  their  pluck  and 
energy  had  been  fitly  rewarded.  Many  of 
them  met,  as  if  by  common  consent,  at  the 
City  Hall,  where  the  enterprise  had  been 
organized,  and  made  arrangements  for  a 
grand  celebration  of  the  event  on  Saturday. 
November  7,  1874.  On  the  day  appointed 
our  citizens  and  many  of  the  citizens  of 
neighboring  towns  as  well  as  of  the  sur- 
rounding country,  turned  out,  and  a  grand 
gala  day  was  had.  Our  business  interests 
and  mechanical  arts  were  all  represented  in 
the  procession  which  that  day  paraded 
through  our  city.  Our  coal  mine  has  since 
became  and  will  ever  remain  one  of  the  in- 
stitutions of  our  city.  In  her  coal  interests 
Centralia  has  a  permanent  industry. 

Among  the  other  institutions  of  our  city 
it  is  proper  to  mention  the  First  National 
Bank,  organized  in  1865,  one  of  the  sound- 
est banking  institutions  in  the  state ;  the  gas 
works,  erected  in  1868,  and  the  Union  Fair, 
organized  in  1869.  There  are  also  many 
carefully  conducted  industries  in  our  city. 
which  in  time  will  develop  into  enterprises 
of  greater  magnitude  and  will  prove  to  be 
productive  industries  in  our  city.  Centralia 
now  has  a  state  bank,  also  both  banks  are  on 
a  solid  basis  and  do  a  large,  though  safe  and 
conservative,  business. 

For  several  years  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  was  the  only  railroad  connecting 
Centralia  with  the  outside  world,  but  about 
twenty-five  years  ago  a  new  impetus  was 
given  the  little  city  by  the  building  of  the 


Jacksonville  road,  and  about  the  same  time 
also  the  Southern,  the  first  extending  south- 
east and  northwest,  the  latter  more  nearly 
east  and  west,  yet  tending  to  the  north.  The 
first  extended  from  Jacksonville  to  Centra- 
lia and  then  southeast,  the  latter  from  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  to  Evansville,  Indiana.  The 
Jacksonville  is  now  a  part  of  the  Burlington 
system,  which  absorbed  the  Jacksonville  and 
extended  it  south  from  Centralia,  tapping 
the  rich  coal  deposits  of  Franklin,  William- 
son and  other  counties.  These  roads  do  a 
large  business  and  add  much  to  the  material 
prosperity  of  Centralia.  A  fair  estimate 
would  place  one-fourth  of  our  population  di- 
rectly dependent  upon  the  various  railroads. 
Shortly  after  the  building  of  the  Southern 
the  Centralia  &  Chester  Railroad  was  built. 
Its  northeast  terminal  was  Centralia  for  a 
number  of  years,  but  was  subsequently  ex- 
tended to  Salem,  which  is  now  the  northern 
terminal  of  the  once  Centralia  &  Chester, 
but  now  Illinois  Southern  Railroad.  The 
coal  mining  industry  now  occupies  the  in- 
dustry of  many  hundreds  of  men  and  fur- 
nishes thousands  of  tons  of  coal  per  day, 
the  output  of  three  extensive  mines.  The 
boring  for  oil  on  the  Bundy  farm  has  de- 
veloped a  water  supply  of  hitherto  unsus- 
pected source,  but  as  to  whether  it  can  be  of 
any  practical  benefit  to  the  city  or  not  it  is 
too  early  to  predict.  Centralia  has  a  factory 
for  the  manufacture  of  envelopes,  with  an 
output  of  millions  of  envelopes  of  every  va- 
riety. A  township  high  school  building  of 
great  architectural  beauty  stands  at  the  east 


3RINKERHOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


side  of  town.  A  Carnegie  Library  graces 
the  public  square,  and  many  other  evidences 
of  a  rapidly  growing  city  may  be  found.  At 


the  close  of  the  year  1908  the  number  of  in- 
habitants is  about  twelve  thousand  five  hun- 
dred and  is  rapidly  increasing. 


ALMA  TOWNSHIP. 


Town  3  north,  range  3  east  of  the  third 
.principal  meridian,  is  Alma.  Who  suggested 
the  name  is  not  known,  but  whoever  it  was 
evidently  had  a  sweetheart.  Big  creek  and 
Dumb's  creek  drain  the  township ;  the  water 
from  the  first  named  flowing  into  the  Kas- 
kaskia,  from  the  latter  into  the  Wabash. 
Grand  Prairie  in  the  north,  Summit  Prairie 
in  the  center  and  a  very  small  prairie  in  the 
southeast  is  called  from  a  spring  there,  Red 
Lick.  This  township  was  originally  mostly 
prairie  and  is  now  mostly  cultivated,  and 
like  Stevenson,  has  fine  farms  and  farm 
buildings  and  many  orchards.  The  Illinois 
Central,  Chicago  branch,  passes  across  the 
northwest  corner  of  the  township,  while  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 
crosses  it  from  north  to  south,  leaving  the 
township  at  the  northwest  corner  of  Steven- 
son township,  just  touching  the  southeast 
corner  of  Tonti.  This  railroad  was  original- 
ly the  Chicago,  Peoria  &  Memphis.  It 
enters  the  township  in  section  3  and  bends 
to  the  west  and  passes  out  as  stated. 

Marshall  Wantland  settled  on  section  35, 
and  his  brother,  John,  on  36,  in  1826.  They 
were  from  Tennessee.  It  is  told  of  John 
that  he  carried  a  spade  and  wandered  over 
the  country  for  a  radius  of  thirteen  miles, 


digging  here  and  there  and  examining  the 
soil,  but  concluded  that  section  36  was  the 
best,  so  settled  there.  Both  moved  to 
Omega  township  and  later  Marshall  went 
to  Texas  and  John  to  Saline  county.  James 
Beard,  another  Tennesseean,  with  his  wife 
and  two  children,  settled  in  section  23,  but 
stayed  only  about  ten  years,  when  he 
moved  to  Missouri. 

A  Tennesseean  by  the  name  of  James 
Chance,  a  blacksmith,  settled  in  Salem  in 
1822.  He  had  a  large  family.  He  was 
elected  Sheriff  and, served  for  eight  years. 
He  settled  in  section  1 1  at  the  expiration  of 
his  term  of  office  and  remained  until  1835 
when  he  moved  to  Tonti  township,  where 
he  died  in  1863. 

Mrs.  Letitia  Duncan,  the  widow  of  a 
soldier  under  Jackson  at  New  Orleans,  who 
died  in  the  hospital  after  the  battle,  brought 
her  ten  children,  settled  in  Tennessee 
Prairie  about  1818,  but  in  1833  she  located 
in  Alma,  where  she  died  in  1846.  Mark 
Tully's  brother  William  came  from  Vir- 
ginia about  1825,  and  after  remaining  in 
Salem  about  ten  years  settled  on  section  35. 
Aterward  he  went  to  Texas.  Peter  Bretz 
and  Robert  Phillips  both  came  from  Ohio 
about  the  same  time.  Bretz  had  six  chil- 


3RINKERHOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


199 


dren  and  Phillips  had  nine,  among  whom 
were  Israel  and  John,  so  long  and  well 
known  in  the  east  side  of  the  county.  J.  P. 
French  came  from  St.  Clair  county  in  1838, 
and  after  living  in  Tonti  township  until 
1855,  moved  into  Alma.  The  township  was 
first  named  Pleasant,  but  later  changed  to 
Alma. 

The  Baptists  built  the  first  church  in  the 
township  in  1848.  It  stood  on  the  line 
between  sections  35  ad  36.  It  was  a  small 
frame  house.  The  first  preacher  of  this 
church  was  X.  R.  Eskridge.  There  are 
now  three  Methodist  churches,  one  Bap- 
tist and  one  Christian  church,  besides  reg- 
ular union  services  are  held  in  the  town  hall. 

The  first  school  was  held  in  an  old  aban- 
doned cabin  and  was  taught  by  Isaac  Kagy. 
The  cabin  stood  on  what  is  known  as  the 
Wantland  (Marshall)  place.  It  was  a  sub- 
scription school  and  the  subscriptions  were 
paid  in  produce,  which  in  turn  was  bartered 
at  Rate's  store.  In  1842  the  first  school- 
house  was  built  on  the  site  of  Pleasant 
Grove  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  It  was 
of  the  pioneer  type,  log  cabin  with  clap- 
board roof,  held  on  with  roof  poles.  There 
are  doubtless  men  and  women  now  living 
in  the  township  who  remember  the  old 
school-house  of  seventy  years  ago. 

William  Tullv  built  the  first  horse  mill  in 


1836,  and  John  Beck  kept  the  first  store. 
He  failed  and  went  out  of  business  in  a 
short  time.  He  began  his  store-keeping  in 
1851,  at  the  house  of  Squire  Siple. 

On  section  35  the  early  settlers  estab- 
lished a  burying  ground.  It  was  used  about 
fifteen  years  and  then  closed  for  burial  pur- 
poses. It  was  called  Mound  Graveyard. 

This  township  was  among  the  first  to  in- 
troduce imported  stock  and  has  ever  since 
kept  the  best  blood  obtainable.  Berkshire 
hogs  were  introduced  in  1841 ;  Durham 
cattle  in  1840  by  the  Hite  brothers;  English 
draft  horses  by  John  Cunningham  in  1852, 
and  Southdown  sheep  by  Thomas  White  in 
1856. 

The  first  doctors  were  Thomas  L.  Middle- 
ton.  William  Haynie,  Doctor  Baker,  T.  B. 
Lester  and  John  Davenport,  and  they  trav- 
eled many  miles  in  every  direction.  Their 
names  will  be  found  as  the  first  physicians 
in  several  townships.  The  post-office  at 
Alma,  established  upon  the  completion  of 
the  Central  Branch  Railroad,  was  the  first 
in  the  township. 

In  1841  John  Hammers  opened  a  coal 
mine  six  feet  under  ground  by  stripping, 
that  is,  by  removing  six  feet  of  surface  to  a 
coal  vein  two  feet  thick,  but  when  the  rail- 
road brought  coal  to  Alma  the  mine  was 
abandoned. 


VILLAGE  OF  ALMA. 

The  village  of  Alma  is  on  the  northwest  was  first  laid  out  by  John  S.  Martin,  in 
corner  of  the  township  on  the  Chicago  1854,  and  the  Martin,  French  and  Tilden 
branch  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  It  addition  was  platted  about  the  same  time. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


It  was  named  Rantoul,  after  an  offi- 
cer of  the  railroad,  but  another  town 
in  the  state  had  appropriated  that  name,  and 
it  was  changed  to  Grand  Mound  City,  but 
in  1855  the  name  was  changed  to  Alma. 

Doctor  Hutton  built  the  first  store  house 
in  1853,  and  was  the  first  postmaster.  Smith 
and  Hawkins  conducted  the  first  blacksmith 
shop  and  John  Ross  the  first  grist  and  saw 
mill.  Jefferson  Hawkins  was  the  first 
Methodist  preacher;  John  Ross,  the  first 
Christian  preacher,  and  was  instrumental  in 
building  the  first  church  in  which  he 
preached  several  years  and  from  which  he 
was  buried,  by  the  writer,  about  eighteen 
years  ago.  The  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
was  built  in  1871.  The  first  school-house 
was  burned  and  the  second  was  built  in 
1866  and  1867.  It  was  a  two-room  build- 
ing, but  it  is  not  now  used.  Some  of  the 
members  of  the  Christian  church  conceived 
the  thought  of  a  Christian  college  at  Alma. 
The  Rosses  and  others  gave  land  and  money 
and  a  good  two-story  school-house,  or  col- 
lege, was  built  and  a  college  opened,  but 
after  a  few  years'  struggle  the  property  was 


sold  three  years  ago  to  the  district  for  public 
school  purposes. 

.  Alma  has  grown  from  a  hamlet  to  a  vil- 
lage of  two  hundred  or  three  hundred  in- 
habitants and  is  incorporated  as  a  village. 
It  has  many  business  houses  and  enjoys  the 
trade  of  a  large  part  of  this,  Tonti  and  Fos- 
ter townships.  On  the  28th  day  of  Decem- 
ber, 1908,  fire  broke  out  in  a  large  hay  barn 
and  destroyed  the  entire  business  part  of 
Alma.  Several  stores,  warehouses,  shops 
and  restaurants  were  burned  and  as  all 
were  of  frame,  the  loss  was  total,  but  with 
true  American  grit,  the  ashes  were  hardly 
cold  before  the  debris  was  being  cleared 
away  and  preparations  for  brick  buildings 
were  under  way.  In  the  spring  of  1908  the 
large  fruit  cannery  of  Doctor  Shrigley's 
was  burned,  also  quite  a  serious  loss  to  the 
business  of  the  village.  Alma  is  one  of  the 
chief  fruit  shipping  points  of  the  county. 
Thousands  upon  thousands  of  baskets  of 
tomatoes,  peaches  and  other  fruits  are  an- 
nually shipped,  while  the  Alma  gem  melon 
requires  two  or  three  cars  per  day  during 
the  season,  and  are  the  only  rival  of  the 
Rocky  Fords  on  the  markets. 


BRUBAKER. 


The  station  of  Brubaker  on  the  Chicago 
&  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  is  an  active  little 
hamlet.  It  contains  two  stores,  a  saw-mill, 
blacksmith  shop  and  the  Alma  town  house. 
It  was  laid  out  bv  E.  E.  Brubaker,  who  built 


a  two-story  store  room  upon  the  completion 
of  the  railroad  in  1895,  and  he  has  con- 
ducted a  flourishing  business  ever  since. 
Much  produce  is  also  shipped  from  here, 
and  also  live  stock.  The  railroad  company 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.,  ILLINOIS. 


just  after  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
took  charge  opened  an  extensive  ballast- 
burning  experiment  and  acres  of  clay  was 
dug  and  mixed  with  coal  and  burned,  but 
for  some  reason  the  work  was  stopped,  and 
all  that  remains  is  a  considerable  body  of 
water,  forming  an  artificial  lake. 

Red  Lick  Prairie  is  also  the  scene  in 
which  is  laid  the  "Stories  of  New  Egypt," 
by  Frank  Spittler,  Esq.,  and  the  tale  has  a 
foundation  in  fact,  which  is  as  follows : 
About  1830  or  1835,  two  brothers  with  a 
small  amount  of  money  were  journeying 
westward  from  Vincennes,  when  they  fell 
in  with  a  third  young  man,  who  had  about 
nine  hundred  dollars  on  his  person.  When 
in  the  vicinity  of  Red  Lick,  the  older 
brother  killed  the  young  man  and  the 


brothers  appropriated  the  money  and  buried 
the  body.  They  settled  near  Red  Lick 
Prairie  and  the  older  brother  became  an  ac- 
tive member  of  the  band  of  cutthroats  and 
horsethieves,  with  headquarters  at  Cave-in- 
Rock,  and  operating  all  over  Southern  Illi- 
nois, and  his  house  was  a  regular  stopping 
place  for  the  thieves  and  their  plunder. 
The  suspicions  of  the  rapidly  increasing 
population  were  directed  to  the  elder  brother 
and  he  disappeared.  The  younger  brother 
lived  in  the  township  and  reared  a  large 
and  respectable  family.  Such  is  the  tale 
handed  down  by  the  old  men  and  women  at 
the  fireside  a  generation  ago,  and  doubtless 
there  is  some  truth  at  the  foundation  of  the 
story.  It  is  impossible  to  say  how  much. 


KINMUNDY  TOWNSHIP. 


'Town  4  north,  range  3  east,  is  known  in 
civil  law  as  Kinmundy.  Its  north  line  is 
also  the  dividing  line  between  Marion  and 
Fayette  counties.  The  watershed  between 
the  Kaskaskia  and  Wabash  rivers  extends 
from  Alma  through  this  township,  the  west 
side  being  drained  by  the  East  Fork,  and  the 
east  side  by  the  Skillet  Fork.  The  prairie  of 
Alma  extends  through  this  township,  while 
heavy  timber  was  originally  along  the 
above  streams,  making  the  township  about 
half  timber  and  half  prairie. 

The  first  settler  was  John  W.  Nichols, 
who  settled  on  Howell's  branch  in  1823,  but 


went  north  in  1827,  but  soon  returned  and 
died.  Henry  Howell  came  in  1826  and  set- 
tled near  the  Nichols  claim,  where  he  died 
after  several  years'  residence.  He  raised 
a  large  family,  one  of  whom  is  still  living. 
Abner  Stewart  came  to  the  township  in  the 
latter  part  of  1828,  and  in  1829  entered  the 
first  land  entered  in  this  township.  His 
cabin  stood  in  what  is  now  the  corporate 
limits  of  Kinmundy  city.  He  built  a  horse 
mill,  and  after  three  years  moved  to  Mis- 
souri. In  1828  three  brothers  by  the  name 
of  Gray.  James,  Joseph  and  William,  came 
to  Kinmundv.  (These  settlers  were  all  from 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Tennessee.)  James  Gray  settled  on  section 
10,  but  died  in  1835,  leaving  a  widow  and 
eight  children.  The  widow  entered  eighty 
acres  of  land  in  section  10,  February  13, 
1837,  and  in  the  fall  forty  acres  more.  She 
lived  until  1844.  Her  son,  the  late  James 
H.  Gray,  lived  until  about  1899,  and  died 
one  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  of  the  county. 
He  lived  and  died  on  the  old  homestead. 
Joseph  Gray  settled  three  or  four  places  in 
the  township,  but  died  in  1844.  William 
Gray  built  a  home  on  section  21,  but  sold 
out  and  went  to  Missouri  in  1833.  Isaac 
Eagan,  a  single  man,  came  to  the  township 
with  James  Gray  in  1828.  He  drove  stage 
for  several  years,  but  married  and  bought 
the  William  Gray  place  of  Abner  Stewart, 
who  had  bought  it  of  John  Eagan,  who  had 
bought  it  of  Gray,  two  sales  before  any 


one  had  title  but  Uncle  Sam.  Abner  Stew- 
art entered  the  land  in  1837,  the  same  day 
that  the  widow  Gray  entered  her  eighty. 
Hugh  Eagan  came  in  1829,  but  afterward 
bought  the  Ross  Jones  claim  north  of  Sa- 
lem, where  he  died.  Harrison  Eagan,  a 
noted  Cumberland  Presbyterian  minister, 
was  his  son.  John  Beardin  came  in  1838 
and  located  in  Kinmundy.  All  these  settlers 
came  originally  from  Tennessee. 

The  first  school-house  was  built  in  1837, 
and  Samuel  Whiteside  was  the  first  to  teach 
in  it.  Although  schools  had  been  taught 
in  cabins  before  this  date.  The  Baptists 
built  the  first  church.  It  was  of  hewed  logs 
and  was  in  the  Howell  neighborhood.  The 
Cumberland  Presbyterians,  however,  held 
meetings  frequently  in  private  houses. 


CITY  OF  KIXMUXDY. 


Kinmundy,  a  city  of  about  fifteen  hun- 
dred inhabitants,  is  situated  on  the  Chicago 
branch  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  It 
was  laid  out  in  April,  1857,  on  section  22, 
which  brings  it  near  the  center  of  the  town- 
ship. W.  T.  Sprouse  laid  out  the  city.  Isaac 
Eagan  laid  out  an  addition  in  1858.  Other 
additions  have  been  laid  out  from  time  to 
time.  In  1895  trie  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illi- 
nois Railroad,  then  the  Chicago,  Peoria  & 
Memphis,  was  built  through  the  township, 
and  passed  through  the  western  part  of  the 


city.  The  city  and  township  are  said  to  be 
named  after  a  Scotchman,  who  was  a 
stockholder  in  the  Central  when  it  was 
built,  and  visited  this  part  of  the  county. 
W.  B.  Eagan  built  the  first  house  in  1857, 
in  which  he  kept  a  general  store  and  was  the 
first  postmaster.  The  house  was  two  stories 
and  Eagan  lived  above  the  store.  Eagan 
had  kept  a  country  store  two  or  three  years 
at  the  old  homestead  before  Kinmundy  was 
laid  out.  The  Illinois  depot  was  built  in 
1856,  and  like  most  Illinois  Central  depots 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


203 


of  that  day,  was  a  big  barn-like  structure. 
Later  a  neat  little  depot  was  built  and  the 
old  one  used  as  a  freight  room.  Kinmundy, 
like  nearly  all  towns  along  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral, is  built  on  both  sides  of  the  railroad, 
and  the  crossing  is  dangerous,  and  deaths 
from  being  struck  by  trains  are  too  often 
the  result  of  this  building  of  the  towns. 
Several  deaths  at  Kinmundy  have  resulted, 
among  them  that  of  Miss  Cammerer,  daugh- 
ter of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Cammerer,  about  twelve 
years  ago.  Miss  Cammerer  was  walking 
with  her  mother,  and  stepping  around  the 
end  of  a  car  standing  on  the  track,  was 
struck  by  a  fast  train,  the  mother  barely  es- 
caping the  same  fate.  About  the  same  time 
an  entire  family,  except  one  child,  were 
killed  at  the  crossing  at  Alma.  At  the  south 
side  of  the  town  Willis  Wilburn  built  a 
small  store  room  and  sold  goods  for  a  time, 
in  1855.  He  built  a  hotel  south  of  the  present 
depot,  about  the  same  time.  Doctor  Skil- 
ling  kept  the  first  drug  store,  and  Dr.  W. 
W.  Elliott  was  the  first  medical  practitioner. 
Henry  Eagan  was  the  first  "village  black- 
smith". In  1858  Sprouse  built  a  saw  and 
grist  mill,  but  it  was  moved  away  in  a  short 
time,  but  he  buit  another  in  1864.  and  in 
1868  Songer  Brothers  built  the  present 
brick  mill.  It  too,  was  moved  away.  An- 
other mill  was  built  in  1877  and  passed  into 


the  hands  of  C.  Rohrbough,  but  it  has  long 
since  gone  out  of  business. 

The  first  bank  was  the  W.  T.  Haymond 
&  Company's  bank,  organized  in  1870.  The 
capital  stock  fully  paid  in  was  forty-five 
thousand  dollars.  This  bank  was  a  good 
business  proposition,  and  was  a  stable  insti- 
tution. On  the  death  of  Mr.  Haymond  in 
1899  a  National  bank  was  organized  and  is 
at  present  one  of  the  safe  banks  of  the  coun- 
ty. There  is  a  private  bank  called  The  War- 
ren Bank,  doing  a  good  business. 

The  building  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern 
Illinois  Railroad  gave  an  impetus  to  busi- 
ness of  Kinmundy,  and  several  good  brick 
business  houses  were  built,  but  an  extensive 
fire  in  1904  destroyed  about  one-half  of  the 
business  part  of  the  town.  It  has,  however, 
been  rebuilt.  A  short  time  later  another 
fire  destroyed  a  large  part  of  the  remainder 
of  the  town.  It  too,  has  been  rebuilt. 

Kinmundy  has  six  churches,  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal,  and  Christian  churches  are 
fine,  modern  structures;  the  others  are  old 
style  frame  buildings,  and  are  xised  by  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterians,  Presbyterians, 
Methodist  Episcopal,  South,  and  Catholic. 

The  schools  of  Kinmundy  are  good,  with 
energetic  teachers,  and  a  high  school  course 
of  three  years,  but  the  building  is  old  and 
unsuited  for  modern  school  purposes. 


204 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTS,    ILLINOIS. 


IUKA  TOWNSHIP. 


luka  township  lies  along  the  east  line  of 
the  county  and  north  of  Romine.  Its  sur- 
vey numbers  are  township  2  north,  range 
4  east.  It  was  a  part  of  the  Maguire  pre- 
cinct until  1873,  when  township  organiza- 
tion was  adopted.  Skillet  Fork  is  the  prin- 
cipal stream.  It  passes  north  and  south 
near  the  middle  of  the  township,  and  Ful- 
ton, Jamison  and  Dumb's  creeks  drain  into 
it.  This  township  was  about  three-fourths 
timber,  but  is  now  cleared  up  and  less  than 
one-half  is  in  timber.  Ramsey's  prairie  on 
the  east,  projects  into  luka  from  Clay 
county,  and  Romine  prairie  on  the  west 
from  Stevenson  township.  The  part  of  Ro- 
mine prairie  in  luka  was  first  called  Bone 
prairie,  on  account  of  the  many  bones  of 
animals  that  littered  its  surface.  About 
1820  Patrick  Conner,  a  noted  hunter  and 
trapper,  located  in  this  township,  which  with 
Romine  on  the  south  and  Omega  on  the 
north,  made  it  a  hunter's  paradise.  Mr. 
Jamison  settled  on  Jamison's  creek  in  1821, 
but  he  was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  1823. 
A  man  by  the  name  of  Tadlock,  built  a 
cabin  on  the  Vincennes  road  in  1823.  but 
left  no  record  of  his  life  in  the  minds  of  the 
people. 

Leonard  P.  Pyles,  a  Tennesseean,  settled 
in  the  township  in  1822.  He  was  a  man  of 
much  force  of  character  and  was  for  many 
years  active  in  the  forming  of  the  new 
county  and  directing  its  affairs.  After  seven 
years'  residence  he  moved  to  Missouri,  as 
this  county  was  settling  up  too  fast,  and 
game  was  getting  scarce.  He  died  in  1872. 


Some  of  his  grandchildren  still  live  in  this 
county.  In  1825,  Jesse  Tinkler  moved  here 
from  Indiana,  and  Solomon  Smith,  wife  and 
six  children  came  in  a  four  horse  wagon 
from  Tennessee,  in  1829.  He  died  in  1846. 
He  first  stopped  near  Salem,  but  soon 
moved  to  luka.  George  and  Ann  McGuire 
and  eight  children  came  from  Tennessee  in 
1829.  They  stopped  one  winter  in  Tennes- 
see prairie,  then  settled  in  luka,  on  section 
8.  They  both  died  in  1833.  Mrs.  McGuire 
of  cholera. 

Thomas  L.  Middleton,  born  in  North 
Carolina  but  raised  in  Tennessee,  came  to 
Illinois  in  1831,  in  a  six  horse  wagon,  and 
was  nearly  lost  in  crossing  the  Ohio  river. 
He  settled  first  in  Haines  township,  but 
came  to  luka  in  1834.  He  was  a  preacher 
and  a  doctor,  and  devoted  to  the  chase.  He 
died  in  1876,  seventy-seven  years  old.  He 
had  four  sons  and  four  daughters,  now  all 
dead,  but  several  grandchildren  and  great- 
grandchildren are  living  in  the  county. 
One  of  the  sons,  B.  F.  Middleton,  long  pre- 
served a  gun  with  which  his  father  killed 
forty-seven  deer  out  of  fifty-one  shots,  a  rec- 
ord that  one  might  well  be  proud  of. 

John  B.  Middleton  came  from  Tennessee 
in  1831.  but  this  family  was  unfortunate,  as 
most  of  their  children  died  young.  Eight  of 
them  are  buried  in  the  Fulton  graveyard. 

Denning  Baker  in  1832,  and  Thomas 
Chapman  in  1838,  came  to  luka.  Chap- 
man died  in  1872.  He  had  twelve  children, 
ten  of  whom  grew  to  manhood  and  woman- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


205 


hood.  Rolling  Mattingly,  a  hatter,  and 
Jesse  Breese,  who  was  a  maker  of  wooden 
mould  boards  for  plows,  and  was  also  a 
hunter.  James  Songer,  the  father  of  the1 
Songers  of  Kinmundy,  settled  here  very 
early.  He  was  a  miller. 

Between  1830  and  1842  the  Litterells, 
Daggetts,  Eblins,  Youngs,  Hollidays  and 
the  Cheeleys  settled  in  this  township,  all 
well  known  names  of  respectable  families  in 
the  township.  The  first  school  was  a  select 
school  taught  at  old  Stringtown  by  Cynthia 
Cooper,  in  1841.  The  school-house  was  an 
old  log  cabin.  The  first  school-house  was  the 
Cooper  school  in  section  8.  It  was  built  of 
unhewn  logs,  and  had  a  puncheon  floor. 
The  first  school  taught  there  was  by  Samuel 
Dewel,  in  1845.  The  first  graveyard  was 
the  McGuire  burying  ground,  but  it  has  not 
been  used  for  more  than  fifty  years. 

Doctor  Middleton  preached  the  first  ser- 
mon in  a  log  cabin  a  short  distance  northeast 
of  the  village  of  luka.  The  luka  cemetery 
now  occupies  the  ground  where  he  preached, 
and  he  is  buried  within  a  few  feet  of  the 
spot  on  which  he  stood  when  he  preached 
the  first  sermon  delivered  in  the  township. 

William  Finley,  the  most  active  of  the 
early  preachers  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terians, often  preached  in  luka  township. 
Preacher  Middleton  built  the  first  mill,  and 
ground  corn  for  the  settlers.  The  mill  had 
a  capacity  of  ten  or  fifteen  bushels  per  day. 

The  first  church  built  in  the  township 
was  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church.  A. 
B.  Taylor  was  the  first  blacksmith  and  John 
McGuire  owned  the  first  grocery  store. 


Frederickton  was  laid  out  in  1840  by 
Robert  Shields,  and  in  ten  years  had  one 
hundred  inhabitants.  It  was  a  stage  stand, 
and  the  largest  and  best  business  point  in 
the  township.  Being  a  stage  point  toughs 
from  older  settlements  drifted  there.  James 
Fisher  built  the  first  house,  and  F.  D.  New- 
ell was  the  first  storekeeper.  The  first  post- 
office  in  the  township  was  established  here 
in  1845,  with  John  Lawson  as  postmaster. 
After  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad  was 
built  the  town  began  to  die,  many  of  the 
houses  were  moved  to  Xenia,  and  others 
torn  down,  and  today  not  a  vestige  of  Fred- 
erickton remains.  Greendale,  a  flag  station 
on  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi,  now  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Southwestern,  Railroad,  was  a  post- 
office  established  in  1873,  but  now  nothing 
is  left  of  Greendale  but  a  side  track  and  a 
house.  On  the  completion  of  the  Ohio  & 
Mississippi,  now  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Southwestern  Railroad,  which  runs  through 
the  township  east  and  west,  about  two  miles 
south  of  the  north  line  and  nearly  parallel 
with  it.  a  town  was  laid  out  on  sections  17 
and  1 8,  on  land  owned  by  D.  J.  and  Alfred 
Middleton,  and  in  honor  of  the  family,  was 
called  Middleton.  The  post-office  was  called 
New  Middleton.  The  town  was  laid  out  by 
Songer  and  Camp  in  1856.  Jerry  Allmon 
built  a  small  frame  house  the  same  year,  and 
kept  a  store  in  it.  James  A.  Middleton 
opened  another  store  soon  after.  Ned 
Young  kept  a  boarding  house  about  this 
time,  and  a  man  by  the  name  of  Coon 
opened  a  hotel.  In  1858  James  S.  Jackson, 
afterward  a  lawyer  and  a  captain  in  the 


206 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regiment, 
opened  a  blacksmith  shop.  The  Fyke 
brothers  built  a  sawmill  in  1859. 

Harrison  Eagan  was  the  first  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  preacher,  and  T.  L.  Middleton 
the  first  Methodist  Episcopal  minister.  L. 
L.  Morgan  and  T.  L.  Middleton  were  the 
first  doctors,  and  Mary  Finch  the  first 
teacher.  Miss  Mina  N.  Lear  taught  a  se- 
lect school  in  1859.  Solomon  Smith  was 
the  first  justice.  In  1857  a  post-office  was 
established  with  P.  E.  Cutler,  founder  of 
Cutler  &  Hays,  of  Salem,  as  postmaster.  In 
1867  the  Legislature  changed  the  name  of 
Middleton  to  luka,  at  the  request  of  the  sol- 
diers who  had  been  in  the  battle  of  luka  in 
the  Civil  war,  and  thus  the  township  also 
got  its  name. 

There  are  a  Cumberland  Presbvterian.  a 


Methodist  Episcopal  and  a  Christian  church 
in  the  village.  The  first  was  built  in  1863, 
the  second  in  1877  and  the  last  in  1895. 

In  1866  Collens  Brothers  built  a  brick- 
mill  of  fifty  barrel  capacity.  This  mill  has 
changed  hands  several  times  but  in  all 
changes  the  luka  flour  has  maintained  its 
excellent  reputation.  luka  is  the  greatest 
point  for  shipping  ties  in  the  county,  the  av- 
erage being  about  one  thousand  per  month. 
Outside  of  the  village  of  luka  there  are 
three  churches  in  the  township,  a  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian,  a  Methodist  Episcopal 
and  a  German  Lutheran. 

The  village  has  good  schools,  a  bank  and 
a  dozen  business  houses,  and  numbers  about 
eight  hundred  inhabitants,  wide  awake  and 
industrious,  and  with  a  justifiable  pride  in 
their  beautiful  little  village. 


OMEGA  TOWNSHIP. 


Town  3  north,  range  4  east,  is  known  in 
the  civil  law  as  Omega.  Why  the  name  of 
the  last  letter  of  the  Greek  alphabet  was 
given  to  this  township  is  hard  to  imagine, 
unless  for  its  sound,  for  Omega  is  not  the 
last  place  by  any  means.  It  is  a  well 
watered  tract,  the  streams  being  Skillet  fork, 
Dumbs  creek,  Bee  branch,  White  Oak 
creek  and  Mountain  branch.  In  this  town- 
ship Skillet  Fork  has  made  bottoms  of  low 
land,  which  often  overflows  and  thus  en- 
riched there  is  no  more  fertile  lands  in  the 
county  than  are  found  in  Omega.  The 


township  was  well  timbered,  only  one-fourth 
being  prairie,  but  like  the  other  townships, 
is  largely  cleared  and  where  the  native  wood 
shaded  the  ground  are  now  fine  farms. 

Henry  T.  Pyles,  of  Tennessee,  came  to 
this  county  in  1820  and  settled  in  String- 
town  in  luka.  In  1829  he  married  Rachael 
Tinkler  and  the  next  year  settled  in  Omega 
township.  He  raised  a  family  of  nine  chil- 
dren, of  whom  three  are  still  living :  Josiah, 
at  Odin,  Lidia  Jones  at  luka  and  T.  B.,  edi- 
tor of  a  paper  at  Fountain,  Colorado. 

Marcum  C.  Lovell  came  from  Kentucky 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


with  his  father  in  1829,  and  stopped  at  Wal- 
nut Hill  Prairie,  where  he  married  Polly 
Hensley,  daughter  of  Joseph  Hensley,  first 
settler  of  that  section,  in  1831,  and  moved 
to  this  township,  where  he  died  in  1879. 
His  wife,  Polly,  had  died  in  1873.  Four  of 
their  children  still  live  in  the  county :  Wood- 
son  and  Mrs.  Frances  Farson  in  Omega. 
Mrs.  Julia  Lacey  in  Meacham  and  Mrs. 
Mary  Hammond  in  Salem. 

Daniel  Lovell  moved  to  this  township  in 
1832,  and  David  England  the  same  year; 
Thomas  T.  Jones  in  1834,  Thomas  C.  Smith 
in  1837.  Henderson  Hensley  came  in  the 
same  year. 

Nicholas  Van  Dusen,  of  Massachusetts, 
moved  to  Ohio,  then  to  Illinois  and  in  1840 
settled  in  this  township.  The  late  Henry 
A.  Van  Dusen,  the  noted  Christian  preacher, 
was  his  son.  Andrew  Beard  and  his 
brother,  John,  came  in  1840,  and  John 
Wantland  from  Tennessee,  first  settled  in 
Red  Lick  Prairie  in  1826,  and  in  1841 
moved  to  this  township.  Thomas  Chapman 
also  settled  in  this  township  in  1841.  Black- 
burn Brown,  son  of  Alexander  Brown,  who 
was  living  at  Stringtown  as  early  as  1831, 
came  to  Omega  in  1845,  and  died  here  in 
1908,  about  ninety  years  of  age.  There 
are  no  railroads  touching  Omega  and  the 
township  is  strictly  an  agricultural  one. 
Henry  Piles  built  the  first  house  in  the 
township. 

John  Porter  and  Mary  E.  Lovell  were 
married  by  Squire  Samuel  Hensley  in  1837. 
This  was  the  first  wedding.  The  first  death 
was  a  young  daughter  of  Richard  Pyles. 


She  was  the  first  person  buried  in  the  Mil- 
lican  graveyard.  Small  stores  were  opened 
by  Charles  O'Neal,  Wesley  Beasley,  Levi 
Rollins  and  Captain  Elder.  They  were 
small  and  kept  only  the  necessaries.  Most 
of  the  business  was  barter. 

The  first  school  was  taught  by  William 
Hadden  in  the  Lovell  school-house.  This 
was  a  log  house  with  an  opening  on  the 
north  side  to  admit  light.  It  stood  on  sec- 
tion 20.  A  log  cabin  with  a  dirt  floor  next 
served  as  a  school-house.  It  stood  on  section 
27.  A  subscription  school  was  taught  here 
two  terms  by  Silas  Litterell.  He  charged 
two  dollars  per  pupil  per  term  of  three 
months. 

The  Presbyterians,  Methodist  Episcopal 
and  Christians  now  have  churches  in  the 
township  and  each  has  a  large  number  of 
communicants  in  the  township.  All  of  the 
early  preachers  of  the  county  preached  in 
this  township,  among  them  Doctor  Middle- 
ton,  Joseph  Helms,  Cyrus  Wright,  John  A. 
Williams  and  David  R.  Chance. 

A  small  water  mill  was  built  on  Lost 
creek,  and  was  the  first  in  the  township. 
The  next  mill  was  on  Skillet  Fork,  and  was 
both  grist  and  saw  mill,  and  sawed  the  first 
lumber  cut  in  the  township.  Both  are  now 
only  a  memory. 

The  first  crime  was  that  one  so  peculiarly 
attached  to  rural  districts,  horse  stealing. 
Reuben  and  Robert  Black  stole  a  horse  from 
Richard  Claflin.  They  were  caught,  but 
one  broke  out  of  jail,  and  was  retaken  while 
trying  to  cross  the  Illinois  river.  He  had 


208 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


stolen  a  gun  to  pay  the  ferryman  and  this  late  as  1874,  since  which  time 'only  a  few 
led  to  his  re-arrest.  Both  were  sent  to  the  penaJ  offenses  have  occurred  in  the  town- 
penitentiary  for  eleven  years.  This  was  as  ship. 


VILLAGE  OF  OMEGA. 


In  1856  Timothy  Baldwin  laid  out  the 
village  of  Omega,  and  built  the  first  house. 
Dr.  Lewis  Rogers  was  the  first  doctor  and 
Captain  Elder  the  first  store-keeper.  Ralph 
F.  Baldwin  was  the  first  postmaster.  He 
was  appointed  when  the  office  was  estab- 
lished in  1855,  before  the  village  was  laid 
out.  A  frame  school-house  was  built  in  1856 


and  William  Duncan  taught  the  winter  term 
and  Kate  Elder  the  spring  term. 

The  village  of  Omega  is  a  good  point  for 
a  country  store,  two  being  there  at  present, 
but  the  village  has  not  grown  and  has  now 
less  than  one  hundred  inhabitants,  but  some 
day  a  railroad  will  be  built  through  Omega, 
which  will  make  it  one  of  the  good  shipping 
points  of  the  county. 


MEACHAM  TOWNSHIP. 


4-4  in  the  Government  survey,  the  north- 
east township  in  the  county  is  Meacham.  A 
little  more  than  half  of  this  township  is 
beautiful  level  prairie  land,  slightly  undu- 
lating in  a  very  small  part.  The  prairie  is 
all  cultivated  and  a  good  part  of  the  timber 
land  is  cleared  and  in  good  farms.  A  small 
part  of  the  timber,  like  that  of  Omega,  is 
somewhat  broken  and  hilly.  The  Chicago 
branch  of  the  Central  Illinois  crosses  the 
northwest  corner,  but  has  no  station  in  the 
township.  Kinmundy  and  Farina  in  Fayette 
county  are  its  markets  for  the  larger  part,  al- 
though some  produce  is  taken  to  Clay  coun- 
ty station  on  the  Springfield  branch  of  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern. 


The  first  settler  was  Cornelius  Dunham. 
He  came  with  his  family  from  New  York  in 
1823,  and  located  on  section  13,  but  in  1836 
he  went  to  Iowa,  leaving  his  family  behind. 
The  family  afterwards  went  to  Wisconsin. 

The  prairie  was  first,  occupied  by  a  man 
by  the  name  of  Ingram.  He  located  near  a 
point  of  timber  since  known  as  Ingram 
Point.  This  was  about  1824.  John  Chesser 
located  a  farm  in  what  is  now  known  as 
Schrutchfield's  Prairie.  It  was  then  called 
Chesser's  Prairie,  but  he  only  lived  there  one 
year,  and  in  1833  so^  to  Terry  Schrutch- 
field,  and  the  name  changed  to  that  of  the 
new  settler.  One  Wright  also  located  in  the 
same  prairie  about  this  time.  Schrutchfield 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


209 


lived  in  Xenia  about  ten  years,  having  came 
from  Indiana  in  1823.  His  son,  John 
Schrntchfield,  inherited  the  same  farm  and 
occupied  it  many  years. 

Felix  G.  Cockrell,  of  Morgan  county, 
Kentucky,  came  to  Meacham  with  his  wife 
in  1837.  They  had  two  children  at  this 
time  and  had  six  more  born  to  them  here, 
seven  of  whom  reached  maturity.  Mr. 
Cockrell  lived  on  the  farm  where  he  first 
settled  until  his  death  about  eighteen  years 
ago,  near  ninety  years  of  age.  Two  of  the 
sons  are  still  living,  Hon.  James  Cockrell 
and  Clayburn  Cockrell,  both  of  this  county. 
Mrs.  Cockrell  died  in  1865.  Mr.  Cockrell 
married  again  in  1868,  and  three  children 
were  born  to  them. 

William  Orender  settled  a  claim  in  1837, 
but  sold  it  to  John  Deremiah,  who  with  his 
brother,  Thomas,  entered  in  section  3,  in 
1837.  John  Orender  located  on  what  is 
known  as  the  Svvitzer  place,  but  sold  his 
claim  to  Svvitzer  in  1838.  All  the  Orenders 
moved  to  Fayette  county,  where  all  the  fam- 
ily died.  George  Neal  and  his  father-in-law, 
William  Chaffin  came  to  Meacham  the  same 
year,  1837,  as  did  also  John  Meacham  and 
his  wife,  Nancy,  and  her  son-in-law,  and 
her  single  daughter,  Henrietta  Lilly.  They 
came  from  Tennessee  in  1837.  Henrietta 
married  William  Deremiah  soon  after  their 
arrival.  Meacham's  house  was  the  voting 
place  for  the  precinct  and  thus  his  name  at- 
tached to  the  township. 

John  W.  Nichols  was  in  early  life  some- 
thing of  a  wanderer.  He  was  born  in  Ten- 
nessee and  came  to  Kinmundy  in  1823.  At 


that  time  his  nearest  neighbor  was  five  miles 
away.  After  four  years  he  went  to  Wiscon- 
sin, where  he  married,  and  the  next  year  re- 
turned to  Marion  county  and  lived  just  north 
of  the  city  of  Kinmundy.  This  was  in  1828. 
The  next  year  he  moved  to  Fayette  county, 
and  after  a  short  stay  moved  to  Salem,  and 
in  1837  he  entered  land  in  Meacham,  where 
he  made  himself  a  home  and  where  he  lived 
many  years,  and  where  he  died  at  a  ripe  old 
age. 

In  1839  a  Mormon,  who  had  been  driven 
out  of  Missouri,  came  to  Meacham.  His 
name  was  George  W.  Orman,  and  he 
preached  at  his  home  to  such  of  his  neigh- 
bors as  would  come.  John  Schrutchfield  was 
converted  to  that  faith  and  joined  the  Mor- 
mon church,  but  the  doctrine  was  not  ac- 
ceptable to  the  people  and  there  were  no 
more  converts. 

A  post-office  was  established  h  1840  on 
the  Salem  and  Ewington  road  and  called 
Mount  Liberty,  but  when  an  office  was  es- 
tablished at  Kinmundy,  it  was  discontinued. 
The  township  is  now  served  by  rural  routes. 

Felix  Cockrell  built  a  horse  mill  in  1844, 
Andrew  Shields  a  blacksmith  shop  about 
1835.  The  Elder  graveyard  was  the  first 
burial  place.  It  is  still  used  occasionally  as 
a  place  of  interment.  The  first  sermon 
preached  in  the  township  was  at  the  house  of 
Nancy  Mitchell  in  1837.  by  William  Chaffin, 
a  Christian  preacher.  The  Methodists  built 
the  first  church  in  1840.  It  was  of  logs  hewn 
by  Wesley  Oliver.  William  Blundle  was  the 
first  preacher.  During  the  Civil  war  politics 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


divided  the  church,  and  it  went  down  and 
for  a  time  there  was  no  church  in  the  town- 
ship, but  school-houses  were  used.  Now 
churches  have  been  built  and  the  spiritual 
needs  of  the  people  are  cared  for  by  visiting 
ministers. 

The  first  school  was  taught  by  Hiram  K. 
Farris  at  the  Farris  school-house.  William 
Deremiah  was  the  second  teacher,  at  the  El- 


der school-house.  These  schools  were  taught 
early  in  the  thirties.  In  1839  the  Cockrell 
school-house  was  built  and  the  first  teacher 
was  Miss  Susan  Jones,  afterward  Mrs. 
"Buck"  Pace,  of  Salem.  Meacham  now  has 
good  school-houses  conveniently  located  to 
meet  the  needs  of  an  increasing  population. 
The  township  is  purely  agricultural  and 
ranks  with  the  best  in  the  county. 


STEVENSON  TOWNSHIP. 


Samuel  E.  Stevenson  was  the  leading  cit- 
izen of  this  township  at  its  formation,  and 
his  name  was  given  to  it.  About  half  and 
half  timber  and  prairie,  but  the  timber  has 
been  ait  away  and  now  perhaps  not  more 
than  one-fourth  is  timber.  It,  like  Haines, 
on  the  south,  and  Alma  on  the  north,  is  good 
farm  land,  and  the  township  has  many  fine 
farms.  Its  survey  numbers  are  town  2  north, 
range  3  east  of  the  third  principal  meridian. 
Near  the  west  side  about  half  way  north  and 
south  is  an  elevated  prairie,  from  which  a 
splendid  view  of  nearly  half  the  township 
may  be  had.  The  Baltimore  &  Ohio  South- 
western Railroad  runs  across  the  north  part 
of  the  township  from  east  to  west,  about 
two  miles  south  of  the  north  line.  There 
are  no  towns  or  villages  in  the  township. 

About  1815,  a  man  by  the  name  of  Dumb, 
settled  in  the  north  part  of  the  township  on 
a  small  creek,  which  has  since  borne  his 
name.  John  Davidson  settled  the  Daniel 
Holstlaw  farm  in  1821  and  shortly  after 
Thomas  Fulton  settled  in  the  south  part  of 


the  township.  Richard  Holstlaw,  with  his 
wife  and  eight  children,  came  from  Indiana 
in  1830,  and  settled  on  the  old  state  road, 
but  he  died  three  years  after,  but  the  family 
left  their  impress  on  the  township  in  after 
years,  through  the  son,  Daniel,  who  left 
eleven  children,  who  have  been  prominent  in 
both  this  and  luka  townships,  one  of  whom, 
D.  W.  Holstlaw,  has  just  begun  a  term  as 
State  Senator,  being  elected  in  November, 
1908. 

About  1800  William  Middleton  left  Vir- 
ginia and  settled  in  North  Carolina.  On 
April  15,  1831,  he  left  there  and  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  arriving  in  Stevenson 
township  the  middle  of  May  the  same  year. 
He  brought  thirteen  children  with  him,  the 
fourteenth,  James,  did  not  come  with  his 
father.  Joel  H.  settled  in  this  township.  The 
rest  scattered  in  after  years.  He  left  a  nu- 
merous offspring. 

Samuel  Gaston  came  to  Walnut  Hill 
prairie  in  1819,  but  died  in  1826.  He  was 
a  soldier  of  the  Revolution.  He  came  from 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS. 


North  Carolina  to  Kentucky,  thence  to  Ma- 
rion county.  His  son,  William,  married  Ra- 
chael  Huff,  and  from  them  all  the  Gastons 
of  this  township  sprung.  William  moved  to 
Raccoon  township  in  1833,  and  later  to  Ste- 
venson. He  went  to  California  in  1849,  anc' 
died  there  in  1865.  The  widow  lived  in 
Stevenson  township  until  her  death  in  1899, 
at  the  age  of  ninety  years. 

David  R.  Chance  first  settled  in  Haines 
township,  but  went  later  to  Iowa,  and  after 
a  few  years  returned  and  settled  in  Steven- 
son township.  Mr.  Chance  was  a  leading- 
preacher  of  the  Christian  church,  among  the 
early  settlers.  His  children  scattered  some 
going  to  Iowa,  some  to  Missouri,  Texas, 
and  one  to  Jefferson  county. 

James  P.  Rogers  came  from  Georgia  to 
Illinois  by  wagon  in  1818  and  stopped  two 
years  at  Carlyle,  and  in  1820  came  to  Wal- 
nut Hill  prairie.  In  1834  he  came  to  Ste- 
venson and  settled  on  section  32.  He  died  in 
1863.  James  Rogers,  of  Stevenson,  and  Mrs. 
V.  L.  Harper,  of  Salem,  are  his  surviving 
children. 

William  Hix  Huff  came  a  single  man  to 
this  county  in  1839,  and  the  next  year  mar- 
ried Mary  Grain.  He  died  in  1863.  Nine 
children  survived  him,  of  whom  Green,  Hen- 
derson, and  Mrs.  Libbie  Brazel  yet  live  in 
Stevenson,  and  George  and  Mrs.  Harriett 
Gaston  live  in  Haines  township.  Mrs.  Huff 
herself  is  still  living  in  Stevenson  township, 
very  feeble,  in  her  ninty-first  year. 

Reuben  Chance  was  born  in  Kaskaskia, 
Illinois,  in  1805.  He  moved  to  Ridge  Prai- 
rie, St.  Clair  county,  and  to  Haines  township 


in  1831.  He  went  to  Iowa  in  1834,  but  re- 
turned in  1843,  and  settled  on  section  14,  in 
Haines  township.  Of  his  children  S.  S. 
Chance,  of  Salem,  for  many  years  a  faithful 
county  officer  but  now  retired;  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Metcalf,  widow  of  Joshua  Metcalf,  and 
Rachael,  wife  of  James  Hanna,  both  living 
in  Salem  township,  are  the  only  living.  J.  O. 
Chance,  who  was  Clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  died  at  Mt.  Vernon. 

The  Brubakers,  Eli,  Noah  and  Jacob  came 
in  1842,  and  Israel  Warner  came  the  same 
year.  The  Brubakers  are  still  a  large  fam- 
ily in  this  township.  Samuel  Stevenson 
came  in  1846,  and  was  at  his  death  in  1899, 
the  wealthiest  man  in  the  township.  His 
brother,  Noah,  still  lives  in  the  township. 

Joel  Middleton  was  the  first  blacksmith, 
and  was  a  fine  workman,  making  knives  and 
forks,  as  well  as  plows,  with  wooden  moul- 
boards.  He  built  his  shop  in  1831,  and 
worked  at  his  trade  about  twenty  years. 

The  doctors  who  first  practiced  in  the 
township  were  Middleton  and  Hall.  Richard 
Holstlaw  bought  a  mill  of  John  Sutton,  and 
set  it  up  on  his  farm.  It  was  of  about  fifteen 
bushels  capacity. 

The  first  church  was  built  by  the  Baptists, 
on  Dumb's  creek,  but  the  first  preaching  was 
at  the  house  of  Mr.  Breese  in  1831.  There 
are  now  a  Christian  church,  Gaston  Grove; 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Rabbit  Grove; 
two  Presbyterian  churches,  old  and  new 
Bethel,  and  Summit  Prairie  Baptist  church, 
and  Romine  Prairie  German  Baptist  church 
in  the  township. 

The  first  school  was  kept  by  Othy  Daven- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


port  in  1833.  The  school-house  was  a  log- 
cabin  on  the  Vincennes  road,  only  three 
months  of  school  being  kept. 

Banister  Switch  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Southwestern  Railroad,  near  the  middle  of 
the  township  east  and  west,  is  a  flag  stopping 
place  for  local  trains.  About  1869  a  large 
hay  barn  was  built  here  by  L.  G.  Porter  and 
Eli  Brubaker,  but  they  sold  to  John  Boyn- 
ton  in  1875.  It  was  blown  down  ',n  1880. 
Mr.  Boynton  rebuilt  a  barn  thirty-four  by 
eighty-two  feet,  with  an  ell  twenty-four  by 
thirty  feet,  and  baled  hay  for  several  years. 
It  is  now  gone,  burned  down  we  believe, 
years  ago.  A  town  house  was  built  near  the 
switch. 

The  farmers  of  Stevenson  township  are  a 
forehanded  set  of  men,  and  are  aiert  to  im- 


prove their  farms  and  their  stock  and  have 
organized  horse  companies  to  improve  the 
breed.  The  county  home  and  farm  is  lo- 
cated in  this  township  about  seven  miles 
southeast  of  Salem.  It  consists  of  a  one- 
story  frame  front  about  fifty  feet  long  and 
thirty  deep,  with  two  wings  each  about  sixty 
feet  long,  •  extending  back  in  the  form  of  a 
capital  U,  surrounded  by  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres.  It  is  well  kept  and  the 
farm  well  tilled,  but  the  buildings  are  old. 
and  but  poorly  calculated  to  serve  the  pur- 
pose of  a  county  home.  There  is  in  addition 
a  small  house  or  two  in  the  rear  that  may  be 
used  besides  barns  and  other  outbuildings. 
H.  C.  Pigg  is  the  present  superintendent. 
The  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 
crosses  the  southwest  corner  of  the  town- 
ship. 


ROMINE  TOWNSHIP. 


Town  i,  range  4  east,  is  known  by  the 
name  of  Romine.  It  lies  as  its  numbers  in- 
dicate, in  the  southeast  corner  of  the  county. 
A  portion  of  this  township  is  rough,  broken 
land,  and  nearly  all  was  originally  heavily 
timbered.  A  small  section  of  Donoho  Prai- 
rie lies  within  this  township.  Skillet  Fork 
is  the  principal  stream.  It  takes  a  meander- 
ing course  across  the  township  from  near 
the  middle  on  the  north  to  near  the  east  line 
on  the  south.  A  sn>all  branch  on  the  west  is 
known  as  Paint  Rock.  The  soil  in  the  low- 
lands is  very  good,  that  of  the  hills  not  so 


productive.  Most  of  the  timber  of  value  has 
been  cut  off  and  now  nothing  remains  of  the 
once  magnificent  forest  but  "tie"  timber,  and 
coal  props.  The  township  was  named  after 
Abram  Romine,  one  of  the  early  settlers.  It. 
is  said  that  a  man  named  Adams  was  the 
first  white  man  to  live  in  Romine,  but  no 
trace  of  him  remains.  Joseph  Helms  and 
John  Dillon  came  to  the  township  in  1826. 
Helms  located  on  section  28 ;  Dillon  did  not 
enter  any  land  and  left  the  township.  Wil- 
liam Brewer,  of  Kentucky,  brought  his  fam- 
ily in  1827  and  settled  on  section  29.  W. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


213 


P.  Byers,  born  in  Virginia,  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky and  then  to  Tennessee,  where  he  mar- 
ried Nancy  Sutton  and  in  1827  moved  with 
his  family  to  Marion  county  and  settled  in 
Romine.  He  left  eleven  children  at  his 
death  in  1873,  a  few  of  whom  are  still  liv- 
ing. William  Donaho  settled  on  the  strip 
of  prairie  extending  into  this  township  from 
Haines  and  his  memory  is  kept  alive  by  the 
name  of  the  prairie  where  he  first  settled. 
Ellis  Branson  came  from  Tennessee  and  set- 
tied  on  section  30  in  1838,  in  Haines.  but 
moved  into  Romine  in  1881.  Ephraim 
Meadows  moved  by  ox  teams  from  Tennes- 
see in  1829,  bringing  his  wife  and  six  chil- 
dren to  Romine.  He  was  the  first  County 
Surveyor  and  a  man  of  character. 

Joseph  Stonecipher,  the  founder  of  the 
numerous  family  of  Stoneciphers  of  this 
county,  came  with  his  mother  and  sister 
from  Tennessee  in  1840.  They  traveled  by 
ox  team  and  settled  on  section  31. 

The  first  school  was  taught  at  the  home 
of  Benjamin  Litteral,  with  Henry  Darnell 
as  teacher.  Another  very  early  school  was 
taught  in  a  miserable  log  hut  by  Thomas 


Cohorn.  He  "boarded  round"  and  received 
ten  dollars  per  month.  The  first  school- 
house  was  a  log  house  with  a  sawed  plank 
floor.  It  was  near  the  Stonecipher  home. 
The  first  church  was  on  Donaho  Prairie  and 
was  built  of  logs.  There  are  two.  Baptist, 
one  Methodist  Episcopal  and  one  Christian 
church  in  the  township. 

This  township,  on  account  of  the  rough, 
hilly  character  of  a  portion  of  its  territory, 
was  a  favorite  hiding  place  for  criminals  in 
past  days,  but  it  is  fast  becoming  settled  so 
thickly  that  the  hiding  places  are  disappear- 
ing and  the  law-abiding  element  is  largely 
in  the  ascendant  and  crime  is  not  as  frequent 
as  in  the  more  populous  centers.  The  peo- 
ple are  a  virtuous,  industrious  class  of  farm- 
ers, who  are  content  to  live  at  peace  with 
each  other  and  the  world.  There  were  two 
post-offices  in  the  township  until  the  estab- 
lishment of  the  rural  free  delivery,  which 
now  supplies  the  best  mail  facilities  to  the 
people.  There  are  no  towns  in  the  township 
and  the  only  industry  is  agriculture  and  the 
day  is  not  far  distant  when  this  township 
will  lead  in  farm  products. 


MISCELLANEOUS. 


The  first  wall  paper  ever  brought  to  this 
county  was  brought  here  by  the  late  Martin 
Buckhout.  It  was  bought  in  New  York  in 
the  forties  and  shipped  to  New  Orleans, 
thence  up  the  river  to  St.  Louis  and  by  wa- 
gon to  Salem.  This  was  in  the  late  forties. 


The  first  piano  brought  to  Salem,  if  not 
to  the  county,  was  brought  by  river  to  Shaw- 
neetown  from  Virginia  by  Bryan  W.  Lester, 
grandfather  of  Ed.,  Harry  and  George 
Lester  and  of  Mrs.  J.  W.  Finn,  of  Salem,  as 
a  present  for  his  daughter,  the  late  Mrs. 


214 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Herron,  and  brought  from  Shawneetown 
(to  which  point  it  had  been  brought  by 
river),  by  John  Earnhardt,  father  of  Abe 
Earnhardt,  with  a  two-yoke  ox  team.  Mr. 
Earnhardt  was  ten  days  making  the  trip. 
This  was  about  1835. 

The  Salem  company  that  struck  oil  in  a 
well  near  Centralia  in  December  last  shot 
their  second  well  January  23,  1909,  and 
the  indications  are!  that  it  is  a  paying  oil 
well. 

Salem  was  a  stage  stopping  place  from 
about  1824  to  1854,  when  the  Ohio  &  Mis- 
sissippi Railroad  was  built.  Many  drivers 
lived  in  Salem,  among  whom  he  last  living 
were  "Crook"  Garner  and  "Sandy"  Nelm. 
The  first  died  about  fifteen  years  ago  and 
the  last  in  1906.  They  drove  stage  when 
only  one  house  was  on  the  road  after  they 
left  Salem  until  they  reached  Carlyle,  and 
that  stood  on  what  is  known  as  the  .mound, 
about  half  way  between  the  two  points,  and 
was  a  stage  stand. 

The  soldiers  of  the  Black  Hawk  war  were 
expected  to  furnish  their  own  horses  and 
arms  and  all  equipments,  and  these  were 
listed  with  the  officer  in  charge,  and  if  lost 
or  destroyed  were  charged  to  the  govern- 
ment, and  paid  for  upon  proper  certificate 
being  made.  The  following  is  a  list  of  the 
losses  of  Marion  county  men:  Capt.  W.  N. 
Dobbins,  horse  wounded,  rifle  lost;  First 
Lieut.  Steven  Yocum,  lost  one  U.  S.  halter; 
Second  Lieut.  —  — •,  horse  killed ;  John  F. 
Draper,  lost  U.  S.  halter;  Hamilton  Farth- 


ing, lost  one  rope;  William  S.  Booth,  lost 
halter ;  Joseph  Gray,  horse  killed ;  Ben  Allen, 
lost  halter;  David  W.  Allmon,  horse  lost; 
Welles  Chandler,  horse  killed;  Samuel 
Craig,  horse  wounded,  lost  halter;  Green 
R.  Dunkin,  lost  U.  S.  kettle;  Green  Fields, 
horse  killed,  lost  U.  S.  coffee  pot;  Nathan 
Fields,  lost  U.  S.  frying  pan  ;  William  King, 
.lost  U.  S.  camp  kettle,  horse  killed;  James 
Lovell,  horse  killed;  Henry  McDaniels, 
horse  lost ;  John  McGuire,  lost  U.  S.  halter ; 
Dudley  H.  Mabry,  horse  killed,  lost  rifle, 
also  U.  S.  halter;  Norflit  B.  Nelms,  horse 
killed;  Calvin  Piles,  horse  killed,  lost  hal- 
ter; John  Phelps,  horse  killed,  lost  halter; 
J.  J.  Richeson,  lost  halter;  Wellers  Smith, 
horse  killed;  Bird  M.  Thompson,  horse 
killed;  John  B.  Uhis,  horse  killed;  James 
Williams,  horse  killed;  Levin  Wright, horse 
killed,  lost  halter;  Edwin  Young,  horse 
killed.  When  a  soldier's  horse  was  killed 
the  soldier  was  immediately  discharged  by 
the  colonel  or  other  officer.  It  was  two  Ma- 
rion county  men  who  made  the  trip  through 
the  swarms  of  savages  after  the  fight  at 
Kellogg's  Grove  for  help.  One  was  David 
Allmon.  The  name  of  the  other  is  unknown 
to  the  writer,  nor  have  I  been  able  to  ascer- 
tain it.  They  bade  their  comrades  farewell, 
as  none  expected  them  to  get  through  alive, 
but  on  foot  they  made  the  journey  to  the 
camp  of  the  troops,  more  than  twenty  miles, 
in  safety,  and  carried  word  of  the  fight  and 
brought  reinforcements  to  the  defeated  and 
discouraged  detachment. 


BIOGRAPHICAL. 


WILLIAM  JENNINGS  BRYAN. 
BY  PROF.  J.  H.  G.  BRINKERHOFF. 

William  Jennings  Bryan,  son  of  Silas  L. 
Bryan  (see  biography)  and  Mariah  Eliza- 
beth (Jennings)  Bryan,  was  born  in  Salem, 
Illinois,  March  19,  1860.  As  a  boy  he  was 
not  different  from  other  healthy,  hearty 
American  boys,  fond  of  play  and  fond  of 
good  things  to  eat,  but  rather  given  to  seri- 
ous sport  than  to  mischief.  Among  his  earli- 
est ambition  was  the  desire  to  become  a  min- 
ister, but  in  early  youth  that  desire  was  lost 
in  the  ambition  to  become  a  lawyer  like  his 
father  and  as  that  ambition  seemed  to  be 
permanent  his  training  was  directed  to  that 
end.  When  William  was  six  years  old  the 
family  moved  to  a  large  farm  just  outside 
of  the  corporate  limits  of  Salem,  and  here 
he  studied,  played  and  worked  until  ten 
years  old,  his  mother,  a  remarkably  strong- 
minded,  clear-headed,  Christian  woman,  be- 
ing his  teacher,  his  guide  and  task-master, 
his  work  being  such  chores  as  fall  to  the  lot 
of  boys  in  well  regulated,  prosperous  farm 
homes.  At  the  age  of  ten  years  he  entered 
the  Salem  public  school,  which  he  attended 
five  years,  but  was  not  particularly  bright  in 
his  studies;  his  examinations  show  thor- 


oughness rather  than  brilliancy,  but  his  in- 
terest in  the  literary  and  debating  societies 
was  early  developed  and  remained  while  he 
attended  the  school  and  still  abides,  as  is 
shown  by  the  Bryan  oratorical  contest  held 
annually  in  this  school,  and  for  which  Mr. 
Bryan  provides  a  first  and  second  prize  of 
ten  and  five  dollars  respectively. 

In  1872  his  father  made  the  race  for  Con- 
gress, and  William,  then  twelve  years  of 
age,  became  much  interested  in  the  cam- 
paign, and  from  that  time  on  he  cherished 
the  thought  of  some  day  being  a  public  man 
and  a  leader  of  the  people. 

At  the  age  of  fourteen  he  united  with  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  at  Salem. 
While  at  Jacksonville  he  took  membership 
with  the  First  Presbyterian  church,  and 
upon  his  removal  to  Lincoln,  Nebraska,  he 
placed  his  letter  with  the  First  Presbyte- 
rian church  of  that  place,  and  where  his 
membership  still  remains. 

At  fifteen  years  of  age  he  entered  the  pre- 
paratory department  of  Illinois  College,  at 
Jacksonville,  and  for  eight  years  was  a  stu- 
dent in  that  college,  spending  only  his  vaca- 
tions at  home.  Mr.  Bryan  while  at  college 
was  not  a  great  admirer  of  athletic  sports, 
but  took  a  mild  interest  in  base  ball  and  foot 
ball,  and  was  rather  an  enthusiastic  runner 


216 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  jumper,  and  in  a  contest  open  to  stu- 
dents and  alumni,  three  years  after  his  grad- 
uation, he  won  the  medal  for  the  broad 
standing  jump,  twelve  feet  and  four  inches 
being  the  distance  covered. 

While  at  the  preparatory  school  the  first 
year  he  entered  a  prize  contest  and  de- 
claimed Patrick  Henry's  great  speech,  and 
ranked  near  the  foot.  The  second  year  he  de- 
claimed "The  Palmetto  and  the  Pine,"  and 
stood  third.  The  next  year  as  a  freshman 
he  tried  for  a  prize  in  Latin  prose  and  di- 
vided the  second  prize  with  a  competitor. 
The  same  year  he  gained  second  prize  in 
declamation.  In  his  sophomore  year  he 
took  first  prize  with  an  essay,  and  in  his  jun- 
ior year  first  prize  in  oration  and  was  there- 
by made  representative  of  his  college  in  the 
intercollegiate  oratorical  contest  at  Gales- 
burg,  in  1880,  where  he  received  the  second 
prize  of  fifty  dollars.  That  great  orator,  Gen. 
John  C.  Black,  was  one  of  the  judges  and 
marked  him  one  hundred  on  delivery.  At 
the  close  of  his  college  life  in  1881,  Mr. 
Bryan  stood  at  the  head  of  his  class  and  de- 
livered the  valedictory.  This  much  is  given 
for  the  encouragement  of  young  men,  show- 
ing that  improvement  only  comes  with  ef- 
fort, and  to  persevere,  though  the  first  at- 
tempt finds  you  near  the  foot. 

In  the  fall  of  1881  Mr.  Bryan  entered 
Union  Law  College  at  Chicago,  and  spent 
much  of  his  time  in  the  law  office  of  Lyman 
Trumbull.  After  graduation  he  returned 
to  Salem  for  a  short  time,  and  won  his  fee 
in  the  county  court  of  Marion  county. 

July  4,  1883.  Mr.  Bryan  began  the  prac- 


tice of  law  in  Jacksonville,  Illinois ;  he  had 
desk  room  in  the  office  of  Brown  &  Kirby, 
and  now  came  the  real  test,  waiting  for  busi- 
ness. The  first  six  months  were  trying  and 
he  was  forced  to  draw  upon  his  father's  es- 
tate for  small  advances,  and  at  one  time  he 
seriously  thought  of  seeking  new  fields,  but 
the  beginning  of  the  year  1884  brought 
clients  more  frequently,  and  he  felt  encour- 
aged to  stay  in  Jacksonville,  and  now  feeling 
that  he  could  see  success,  on  October  i, 
1884,  he  was  married  to  Miss  Mary  Baird, 
of  Perry,  Illinois. 

In  the  summer  of  1887  business  called 
Mr.  Bryan  to  the  West,  and  he  spent  one 
Sunday  with  a  classmate,  A.  R.  Talbot,  who 
was  located  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  So  greatly 
was  he  impressed  with  the  opportunities  of 
the  growing  capital  of  the  state  that  he  re- 
turned to  Illinois  full  of  enthusiasm  for  the 
city  of  Lincoln,  and  perfected  plans  for  re- 
moval thither.  In  October,  1887,  a  partner- 
ship was  formed  with  Mr.  Talbot,  and 
during  the  next  three  years  a  paying  prac- 
tice resulted. 

As  soon  as  Mr.  Bryan  settled  in  Lincoln 
he  identified  himself  actively  with  the  Demo- 
cratic party,  of  which  he  had  been  a  mem- 
ber in  Illinois,  and  to  the  principles  of  which 
his  whole  being  was  bound,  and  made  his  first 
political  speech  at  Seward,  in  the  spring  of 
1888.  Soon  after  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate 
to  the  state  convention,  and  in  the  canvass 
of  the  First  Congressional  District  he  made 
many  speeches  in  favor  of  J.  Sterling  Mor- 
ton, and  also  spoke  in  thirty-four  counties 
in  favor  of  the  state  ticket.  Mr.  Morton 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


217 


was  defeated  by  thirty-four  hundred,  as  the 
district  was  strongly  Republican.  In  1890 
there  was  but  little  hope  for  the  Democrats 
in  the  First  District,  and  Mr.  Bryan  was 
nominated  without  opposition.  \V.  J.  Con- 
nell  was  the  Republican  nominee.  A  chal- 
lenge to  conduct  the  canvass  by  a  series  of 
joint  debates  was  issued  by  Mr.  Bryan  and 
accepted  by  Mr.  Connell,  and  at  the  close 
Mr.  Bryan  won  by  a  plurality  of  six  thou- 
sand, seven  hundred  and  thirteen.  Mr. 
Bryan  was  elected  to  Congress  again  from 
a  new  district  which  had  been  formed  when 
the  state  was  re-apportioned  in  1891.  The 
Republican  state  ticket  carried  the  district 
by  six  thousand,  five  hundred,  but  Mr. 
Bryan  was  elected  by  one  hundred  and  forty 
plurality.  During  the  four  years  he  was  in 
Congress,  he  was  very  active,  taking  part  in 
every  important  debate  and  speaking  many 
times.  He  declined  to  run  again  for  Con- 
gress but  later  permitted  his  nomination  for 
the  Senate,  but  the  Republicans  carried  the 
state  and  Thurston  was  chosen  Senator. 

The  Democratic  National  Convention 
convened  at  Chicago  July  4.  1896,  and  for 
four  days  a  battle  of  giants  ensued  over  the 
monetary  plank  in  the  platform.  Speeches 
were  made  for  and  against  the  free  silver 
coinage  plank  by  such  men  of  master  minds 
and  national  reputations  before  the  conven- 
tion as  Senator  Tillman,  Senator  Jones, 
Senator  Hill,  Senator  Vilas,  ex-Governor 
Russell.  Senator  Tillman  favored  the  ma- 
jority report  of  the  committee,  which  fa- 
vored the  free  coinage;  all  the  rest  opposed. 
The  debate  was  closed  by  Mr.  Bryan  in 


support  of  the  majority  report  in  a  speech 
which  rang  so  true  and  was  such  a  master 
piece  of  oratory  that  the  convention  was 
swept  off  its  feet  and  brought  to  Mr.  Bryan 
the  nomination  for  the  Presidency  on  the 
fifth  ballot  on  Friday,  July  loth.  After  a 
most  remarkable  campaign  he  was  defeated 
by  William  McKinley  being  elected. 

Four  years  later  Mr.  Bryan,  greater  in 
defeat  than  other  men  in  success,  was  again 
the  choice  of  the  Democratic  party  for  the 
Presidency,  and  again  suffered  defeat,  Mr. 
McKinley  being  re-elected.  In  1904  the 
Democratic  party  nominated  Alton  B.  Par- 
ker, of  New  York,  for  President,  and  he 
led  the  party  to  the  most  crushing  defeat 
ever  suffered  by  any  party  since  the  days  of 
John  Quincy  Adams. 

In  1908  the  Democratic  party  again  nom- 
inated Mr.  Bryan,  and  the  Republican  party 
William  H.  Taft  and  again  the  decision  was 
against  the  former.  Thrice  defeated  yet 
with  each  defeat  growing  greater,  ad- 
vocating great  principles  which  he  sees  his 
political  opponents  adopt,  he  stands  today 
the  greatest  living  American. 

When  in  1906  and  1907  he  took  a  trip 
around  the  world,  he  was  received  every- 
where with  such  ovations  as  are  seldom  ac- 
corded to  any,  and  were  never  before  to  a 
private  citizen,  and  his  welcome  home  in  the 
city  of  New  York  was  a  demonstration  of 
love  and  respect  from  Americans  to  an 
American  that  has  never  been  equalled  in 
the  history  of  the  nation.  Mr.  Bryan  may 
'never  be  President,  but  he  has  made  an 
impress  on  the  nation  for  good  that  can 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


never  be  effaced  and  from  his  life  the  peo- 
ples of  the  world  have  received  an  uplift 
that  will  be  felt  to  bless  generations  yet  un- 
born. In  his  life  of  moral  purity,  in  his  sin- 
cere Christianity,  and  in  his  addresses  on 
the  duties  and  responsibilities  of  life  he  has 
given  a  new  impulse  to  many  a  youth  for 
better  things  and  if  his  work  closed  now 
the  one  address  "The  Prince  of  Peace,"  will 
stand  a  monument,  more  enduring  than 
chiseled  marble  or  moulded  brass,  standing 
forever  as  it  must  in  the  higher  aims,  purer 
thoughts,  nobler  impulses  and  grander  lives 
of  the  men  and  women  of  the  America  of 
the  future. 


JETER  C.  UTTERBACK. 

Prominent  among  the  leading  journalists 
of  southern  Illinois  is  the  well  known  and 
highly  esteemed  gentleman  whose  name  fur- 
nishes the  caption  of  this  article.  As  editor 
and  proprietor  of  one  of  the  influential  pa- 
pers in  his  part  of  the  state  he  has  been  a 
forceful  factor  in  moulding  sentiment  in  his 
community  and  directing  thought  along 
those  lines  which  make  fof  the  enlighten- 
ment of  the  public  and  the  highest  good  of 
his  fellow  men. 

Jeter  C.  Utterback  is  a  native  of  Jasper 
county,  Illinois,  where  his  birth  occurred  on 
the  8th  day  of  August,  1873.  His  father, 
B.  C.  W.  Utterback,  a  Kentuckian  by  birth, 
was  the  son  of  Thomas  Utterback,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  the  Blue  Grass  state,  and  a 
member  of  one  of  the  oldest  pioneer  families 


of  Grayson  county.  In  an  early  day  Thomas 
Utterback  became  prominent  in  the  affairs 
of  his  county  and  stood  high  in  the  confi- 
dence and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens.  In 
1836  he  migrated  to  Illinois  and  settled  in 
the  northwestern  part  of  Richland  county, 
where  he  also  became  a  local  leader  and  a 
man  of  wide  influence.  He  was  a  farmer  by 
occupation,  and  in  due  time  accumulated  a 
large  and  valuable  estate  in  the  county  of 
Richland,  in  which  he  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  days,  dying  a  number  of  years  ago, 
deeply  lamented  by  the  large  circle  of  friends 
and  acquaintances  who  had  learned  to  prize 
him  for  his  sterling  worth. 

B.  C.  W.  Utterback  was  reared  to  matu- 
rity in  Richland  county,  and,  like  his  father, 
followed  agricultural  pursuits  for  a  liveli- 
hood. In  the  early  seventies  he  disposed  of 
his  interests  in  the  county  of  Richland  and 
removed  to  Jasper  county,  where  he  contin- 
ued farming  and  stock  raising  until  1878, 
when  heturned  his  land  over  to  other  hands 
and  took  up  his  residence  in  Newton,  where 
he  is  now  living  a  life  of  honorable  retire- 
ment. Nancy  Ann  Hinman,  who  became  the 
wife  of  B.  C.  W.  Utterback  in  January,  1856, 
was  born  in  Bartholomew  county,  Indiana, 
where  her  father,  Titus  Hinman,  a  native  of 
Ohio,  settled  in  an  early  day.  She  bore  her 
husband  ten  children,  seven  of  whom  sur- 
vive, namely :  Eva,  wife  of  George  E.  Hut- 
son,  of  Dundas,  Illinois;  Thomas  H.,  As- 
sistant State  Librarian,  who  lives  in  the 
city  of  Springfield ;  Hester,  now  Mrs.  T.  C. 
Chamberlin,  of  Newton;  Charles  C.  resides 
in  Salem;  Albert  L.,  of  Caney,  Kansas, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


219 


where  he  holds  the  position  of  postmaster; 
M.  T.,  of  Newton,  and  Jeter  C,  whose  name 
introduces  this  sketch. 

Jeter  C.  Utterback  spent  his  early  life  in 
the  town  of  Newton,  grew  up  under  the 
sturdy  and  invigorating  discipline  of  an  ex- 
cellent home  environment  and  while  still  a 
lad  laid  his  plans  for  the  future  with  the 
object  of  becoming  something  more  than  a 
mere  passive  agent  in  the  world  of  affairs. 
In  due  time  he  entered  the  schools  of  his 
native  place  and  after  attending  the  same 
until  completing  the  prescribed  course  of 
study,  in  1889  began  learning  the  printer's 
trade  in  the  office  of  the  Newton  Mentor, 
where  he  made  rapid  progress  and  soon 
became  quite  proficient,  besides  obtaining  a 
practical  knowledge  of  other  branches  of  the 
profession.  After  mastering  the  trade  he 
worked  for  a  short  time  in  Webb  City,  Mis- 
souri, and  then  accepted  a  position  in  the 
office  of  the  St.  Louis  Post-Dispatch,  where 
he  continued  until  1891,  when  he  came  to 
Salem,  Illinois,  and  entered  the  employ  of 
Mrs.  Belle  C.  Johnson,  editress  and  man- 
ager of  The  Republican,  with  whom  he 
continued  until  affecting  'a  co-partnership 
with  his  brother,  T.  H.  Utterback,  for  the 
purchase  of  a  paper  four  years  later. 

The  Republican  under  the  joint  manage- 
ment of  the  Utterback  brothers,  continued 
to  make  its  periodical  visits  about  one  year, 
when  the  plant  passed  into  the  hands  of  G. 
C.  Harner,  the  subject  going  to  the  town 
of  Carrollton,  where  he  followed  his  chosen 
calling  until  his  return  to  Salem  in  1896, 
when  he  again  became  interested  in  The  Re- 


publican, buying  the  paper  that  year  from 
his  brother,  who  in  the  meantime  had  suc- 
ceeded Mr.  Harner  as  editor  and  proprietor. 
On  becoming  sole  proprietor  of  The  Repub- 
lican Mr.  Utterback  infused  new  life  into 
the  paper  and  it  was  not  long  until  its  influ- 
ence began  to  be  felt  throughout  the  county, 
not  only  as  an  able  political  organ,  but  as  a 
clean,  dignified  and  popular  family  paper, 
through  the  columns  of  which  appeared  all 
the  latest  news,  also  much  of  the  best  liter- 
ature of  the  day,  to  say  nothing  of  the 
numerous  productions  from  the  pens  of  local 
writers.  Since  assuming  control  he  has 
enlarged  the  paper  as  well  as  added  to  its 
interest  and  popularity  besides  purchasing 
new  machinery,  presses  and  other  appliances 
and  thoroughly  equipping  the  office  until  the 
plant  is  now  one  of  the  most  valuable  of  the 
kind  in  Marion  county,  and  in  all  that  con- 
stitutes a  live  up-to-date  sheet  The  Repub- 
lican compares  favorably  with  any  other  lo- 
cal paper  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state. 
Mechanically  it  is  a  model  of  the  printer's 
art,  and  politically  is  staunchly  and  uncom- 
promisingly Republican,  being  the  official 
party  organ  of  Marion  county,  while  its  in- 
fluence in  directing  and  controlling  current 
thought  in  relation  to  the  leading  questions 
and  issues  of  the  day  has  brought  it  promi- 
nently to  the  notice  of  party  leaders  through- 
out the  state. 

As  an  editorial  writer,  Mr.  Utterback  is 
clear,  forceful,  elegant,  at  times  trenchant, 
and  in  discussing  the  leading  questions  be- 
fore the  people  he  is  a  courteous  but  fearless 
and  formidable  antagonist.  On  all  matters 


{RINKERHOFp'S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


of  public  policy  he  occupies  no  neutral 
ground,  but  fearlessly  and  honestly  advo- 
cates what  he  considers  to  be  for  the  best 
interest  of  the  people  and  regardless  of  con- 
sequences. In  addition  to  its  prominence 
and  influence  as  a  party  organ,  Mr.  Utter- 
back  has  endeavored  to  make  his  paper 
answer  the  purpose  of  an  educational  factor 
and  such  it  has  indeed  become,  as  its  con- 
tents, both  political  and  general,  tend  to 
improve  the  mind  and  cultivate  the  taste 
rather  than  appeal  to  passion  and  prejudice, 
after  the  manner  of  too  many  local  sheets. 

In  recognition  of  valuable  political  ser- 
vices as  well  as  by  reason  of  his  fitness  for 
the  position,  Mr.  Utterback  in  February, 
1907,  was  appointed  by  President  Roosevelt, 
postmaster  of  Salem,  the  duties  of  which 
responsible  position  he  has  discharged  with 
commendable  fidelity,  proving  an  able,  cour- 
teous and  truly  obliging  public  official.  At 
the  time  of  his  appointment  the  office  was 
in  the  third  class  with  a  salary  of  $1,700 
per  year,  but  since  then  the  business  has  in- 
creased to  such  an  extent  that  it  is  now  a 
second  class  office  with  fair  prospects  of 
advancing. 

Since  the  establishment  of  a  post-office 
at  Salem  many  years  ago,  no  young  man 
was  appointed  postmaster  until  the  honor 
fell  to  Mr.  Utterback,  and  to  say  that  he  has 
been  praiseworthy  of  the  trust  and  dis- 
charged the  duties  as  ably  and  faithfully  as 
any  of  his  numerous  predecessors  is  to  state 
a  fact  of  which  all  are  cognizant,  and  which 
all,  irrespective  of  political  alignment,  most 
cheerfully  concede.  The  high  esteem  in 
which  he  is  held  as  an  editor,  public  servant 


and  enterprising  citizen,  indicate  the  pos- 
session of  sterling  manly  qualities  and  a 
character  above  reproach,  and  that  he  is 
destined  to  fill  a  still  larger  place  in  the  pub- 
lic gaze  and  win  brighter  honor  with  the 
passing  of  years,  is  the  belief  of  his  friends 
and  fellow  citizens,  based,  they  say,  on  the 
able  and  conscientious  manner  in  which  he 
has  fulfilled  every  trust  thus  far  confided  to 
him.  Mr.  Utterback,  although  a  young  man, 
has  achieved  success  such  as  few  attain  in 
a  much  longer  career,  and  the  hope  the  peo- 
ple of  Salem  and  Marion  county  entertain 
for  his  future  seems  fully  justified  and  well 
founded. 

Mr.  Utterback  is  a  splendid  type  of  the 
intelligent,  broadminded  American  of  today, 
and  personally  as  well  as  through  the  me- 
dium of  the  press  he  is  doing  much  to  foster 
the  material  development  and  intellectual 
growth  of  his  city  and  county,  besides  exer- 
cising an  active  and  potential  influence  in 
elevating  the  moral  sentiment  of  the  com- 
munity. He  holds  membership  with  the 
Pythian  Lodge  of  Salem,  and  has  labored 
earnestly  to  make  the  organization  answer 
the  purposes  which  the  founders  had  in 
view,  exemplifying  in  his  daily  life  and  con- 
duct the  beautiful  principles  and  sublime 
precepts  upon  which  the  order  is  based.  He 
is  a  believer  in  revealed  religion,  and  while 
subscribing  to  the  Methodist  faith  is  not 
narrow  in  his  views,  having  faith  in  the 
mission  of  all  churches  and  to  the  extent  of 
his  ability  assisting  the  different  organiza- 
tions of  his  city,  although  devoutly  loyal 
to  the  one  with  which  identified. 

Mr.  Utterback  owns  one  of  the  most  beau- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tiful  and  attractive  homes  in  Salem,  which 
is  a  favorite  resort  of  the  best  social  circle 
of  the  city,  and  within  its  walls  reigns  an 
air  of  genuine  hospitality  which  sweetens 
the  welcome  extended  to  every  guest  that 
crosses  the  threshold.  The  presiding  spirit 
of  this  attractive  domicile  is  a  lady  of  intel- 
ligence and  gracious  presence  who  presides 
over  the  family  circle  with  becoming  grace 
and  dignity,  and  whose  popularity  is  only 
bounded  by  the  limits  of  her  acquaintance. 
The  maiden  name  of  this  estimable  woman 
was  Charlotte  B.  Merritt,  and  the  ceremony 
by  which  it  was  changed  to  the  one  she  now 
so  worthily  bears  as  the  wife  and  helpmeet 
of  the  subject  was  solemnized  on  the  2nd 
day  of  November,  1898.  Mrs.  Utterback 
is  the  daughter  of  Hon.  T.  E.  Merritt,  of 
Salem,  ex- Senator  from  Marion  county,  and 
a  man  of  influence  and  high  standing  both 
politically  and  socially.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ut- 
terback have  one  child,  a  son,  Tom  C,  who 
was  born  October  17,  1901,  and  for  whose 
future  his  fond  parents  entertain  many  ar- 
dent hopes. 


ROBERT  T.  McQUIN. 

In  the  pursuit  of  his  business  career  Mr. 
McQuin  has  displayed  unfaltering  devotion 
to  the  principles  he  has  learned  to  cherish 
and  his  honesty  and  integrity  have  earned 
him  a  place  among  the  representative  and 
staunchest  citizens  of  Marion  county,  Illi- 


Robert  T.  McQuin  was  born  in  Johnson 
county,  Indiana,  October  16,  1853,  the  son 
of  William  I.  McQuin,  a  native  of  Kentucky 
who  went  to  Indiana  when  a  young  man. 
He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade.  He  moved 
from  Indiana  soon  after  our  subject  was 
born,  locating  at  Oconee,  Shelby  county,  Il- 
linois, where  he  lived  for  three  or  four  years. 
Then  he  moved  to  Salem,  Illinois,  in  July, 
1859.  The  first  work  he  did  here  was  on 
the  Park  Hotel,  which  was  built  in  that  year 
by  Amos  Clark  and  which  was  known  then 
as  the  Clark  House.  William  I.  McQuin 
continued  to  live  in  Salem,  where  he  was 
regarded  as  a  man  of  integrity  and  influ- 
ence, until  his  death  in  October,  1899.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Mary  E.  Stur- 
geon, who  was  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  a 
woman  of  many  estimable  traits.  Her  moth- 
er lived  to  reach  the  remarkable  age  of  nine- 
ty-seven years.  One  of  her  brothers  was  a 
policeman  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  She  died 
in  April,  1908,  in  Denison,  Texas,  where 
she  was  living  with  her  son,  Edwin  S.  Mc- 
Quin. 

The  father  and  mother  of  the  subject 
were'  the  parents  of  nine  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  Their  names  in  order  of 
birth  follow:  Tarlton,  deceased;  William  F., 
deceased;  Robert  T.,  our  subject;  James  S., 
who  is  living  at  New  Castle,  Indiana,  and 
is  secretary  and  treasurer  of  the  Hoosier 
Kitchen  Cabinet  Company,  which  is  doing 
an  extensive  business  all  over  the  world ; 
Sarah  E.,  deceased;  Agnes,  deceased;  Ed- 
win S.,  living  at  Denison,  Tex.,  being  a  con- 
ductor on  the  Missouri,  Kansas  &  Texas 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Railroad  Company's  lines:  John  T.,  a  car- 
penter, living  in  St.  Louis;  May  lives  with 
her  brother  in  Denison,  Texas. 

These  children  all  received  every  advan- 
tage possible  by  their  parents,  who  tried  to 
raise  them  in  a  wholesome  home  atmosphere, 
setting  worthy  ideals  before  them  at  all 
times. 

Robert  T.  McQuin,  our  subject,  lived  with 
his  father  until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old. 
assisting  with  the  work  about  the  place  and 
attending  the  public  schools  of  Salem,  in 
which  he  diligently  applied  himself,  and  re- 
ceived a  fairly  good  education.  When  twen- 
ty years  old  he  began  working  as  a  harness 
maker  and  two  years  later  commenced  the 
shoemaker's  trade,  following  this  with  much 
success  until  1881,  when  he  launched  into 
the  shoe  business  for  himself,  having  con- 
tinued the  same  ever  since  with  satisfactory 
results,  building  up  a  large  and  extensive 
trade  by  reason  of  his  honest  business  prin- 
ciples and  his  uniform  courtesy  to  custom- 
ers. His  trade  extends  to  all  parts  of  the 
county  and  his  store  is  well  known  to  all 
the  citizens  of  Salem  and  surrounding  towns 
for  his  patrons  have  learned  that  he  handles 
the  best  grade  of  footwear  in  the  market  and 
always  gives  good  value.  He  augmented  his 
business  in  1889  by  adding  a  complete  stock 
of  harness  and  by  doing  a  general  line  of  re- 
pair work.  He  now  handles  a  full  line  of 
harness  and  similar  materials.  He  manufac- 
tures most  all  of  his  heavy  harness  and  some 
buggy  harness,  being  recognized  as  the  lead- 
ing dealer  in  this  line  in  Marion  county. 

Mr.  McQuin  was  happily  married  to  Jen- 


nie Slack,  October  16,  1879,  the  refined  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  Frederick  \Y. 
Slack,  who  lived  in  Salem  at  that  time.  Her 
family  were  natives  of  Kentucky.  It  was 
rather  singular  that  this  family  moved  from 
Kentucky  to  Oconee,  Illinois,  and  then  to 
Salem  simultaneously  with  the  McQuin  fam- 
ily ;  however  the  last  move  was  made  a  few 
years  after  the  McQuin  family  came  to  Sa- 
lem. Two  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  namely:  Maud,  who  is  the 
wife  of  Dwight  W.  Larimer,  in  the  abstract 
business  in  Salem ;  Ralph  is  the  second  child 
and  a  student  of  the  Salem  public  schools. 

Mr.  McQuin  has  been  twice  honored  by 
being  elected  City  Council  of  Salem.  He 
is  associated  with  his  brother-in-law,  W.  S. 
Slack,  in  the  monument  business  in  Salem, 
which  is  also  a  thriving  business,  the  firm 
name  being  R.  T.  McQuin  &  Company. 

Our  subject  is  a  Modern  Woodman  in  his 
fraternal  relations  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Presbyterian  church,  having  been  a  consist- 
ent member  of  the  same  for  a  period  of  thir- 
ty-four years  in  1908.  Mrs.  McQuin  also 
subscribes  to  this  faith.  Our  subject  has 
been  a  deacon  in  the  church  and  is  now  a 
ruling  elder. 

Mr.  McQuin  has  ever  been  known  as  a 
loyal  citizen  and  has  done  his  share  in  aid- 
ing the  march  of  progress  and  development 
in  this  county,  and  during  his  residence  in 
Salem  his  characteristics  have  won  for  him 
recognition  as  a  man  of  upright  dealing  and 
by  his  many  virtues  he  has  won  the  respect 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


223 


WALTER  C.   IRWIX. 

One  of  the  progressive  and  well  known 
business  men  of  Salem,  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  has 
spent  his  life  in  this  vicinity,  a  life  that  has 
been  very  active  and  useful,  for  he  has  not 
lost  sight  of  the  fact  that  it  is  every  man's 
duty  to  aid  in  the  upbuilding  of  his  county 
in  all  lines  of  development  while  he  is  ad- 
vancing his  own  interests,  and  because  of  the 
fact  that  he  has  ever  taken  an  interest  in 
the  public  weal,  has  led  an  honorable  and 
consistent  career,  being  at  present  one  of  the 
best  known  druggists  of  the  county,  the  pub- 
lishers of  this  work  are  glad  to  give  him 
proper  representation  here. 

Walter  C.  Irwin,  of  the  Salem  Drug  Com- 
pany, was  born  in  luka,  this  county,  in  Oc- 
tober, 1866,  the  son  of  Dr.  J.  A.  Irwin,  a 
native  of  Johnson  county,  Missouri,  who 
came  to  luka  at  the  close  of  the  war,  having 
been  a  surgeon  in  the  Confederate  army  un- 
der General  Price's  command.  He  was  at 
the  battle  of  Wilson's  Creek,  near  Spring- 
field, Missouri,  and  also  the  battle  of  Pea 
Ridge,  Arkansas,  in  addition  to  many  other 
smaller  engagements.  He  successfully  prac- 
ticed his  profession  from  1865  to  1905,  and 
is  now  living  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida, 
where  he  went  in  1905  on  account  of  his 
health. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  Mary 
Dubbs,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came 
to  Illinois  in  1865.  She  was  a  woman  of 
many  praiseworthy  traits  and  passed  to  her 
rest  in  1894  at  luka.  Four  children  were 


born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject,  named  in 
order  of  birth  as  follows :  Walter,subject  of 
this  sketch;  Byrdie,  the  wife  of  Charles  A. 
Bainum,  cashier  of  the  First  National  Bank 
at  Bicknell,  Indiana;  J.  Max  is  practicing 
medicine  at  St.  Augustine,  Florida;  Maggie 
Alice  died  in  1880. 

Walter  Irwin  was  reared  at  luka,  where 
he  attended  the  common  schools,  later  tak- 
ing a  course  in  Lincoln  University  at  Lin- 
coln, Illinois,  which  he  attended  for  two 
years,  making  a  brilliant  record  as  a  student. 
After  this  he  attended  the  Business  Univer- 
sity at  Lincoln  for  one  year,  having  grad- 
uated from  the  same.  He  then  returned  to 
luka  and  was  engaged  in  general  merchan- 
dising and  the  drug  business  until  1894, 
when  he  came  to  Salem  and  embarked  in 
the  drug  business.  While  at  luka  he  was 
postmaster  under  Cleveland  and  resigned  to 
come  to  Salem,  and  his  father  was  appointed 
postmaster  in  his  place.  Our  subject  has 
been  in  Salem  ever  since,  with  the  exception 
of  two  years  spent  as  a  traveling  salesman, 
when  he  resided  in  Bloomington,  this  state. 

The  Salem  Drug  Company  was  organized 
August  26,  1907.  Prior  to  that  time  Mr. 
Irwin  owned  the  store,  having  established  it 
in  1904,  and  with  the  exception  of  the  two 
years  noted  he  has  been  continuously  identi- 
fied with  it,  building  up  an  excellent  trade 
with  the  people  of  Salem  and  the  entire  coun- 
ty, as  the  result  of  his  unusual  knowledge  of 
this  line  of  business  and  his  courteous  and 
impartial  treatment  of  cutsomers. 

Mr.  Irwin  was  married  in  1892  to  Maggie 
Stevenson,  who  was  born  in  Stevenson 


224 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


township,  this  county,  the  accomplished 
daughter  of  Samuel  E.  Stevenson,  now  de- 
ceased, for  whom  the  township  was  named, 
lie  was  a  prominent  citizen  of  the  county  for 
many  years. 

One  son,  a  bright  and  interesting  lad,  has 
added  cheer  and  comfort  to  the  home  of  our 
subject,  who  bears  the  name  of  Eugene  E., 
and  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  November 
5,  1893,  while  the  family  was  residing  at 
luka. 

Mr.  Irwin  has  prospered  as  a  result  of  his 
well  directed  energies  and  has  considerable 
business  interests  besides  his  drug  store, 
among  which  may  be  mentioned  a  half  inter- 
est in  the  Fibernie  Sweep  Clean  Company, 
manufacturers  of  a  preparation  for  cleaning 
floors,  carpets,  etc.,  the  main  office  being  lo- 
cated at  Salem  with  branches  in  Springfield, 
Missouri;  Memphis,  Tennessee,  and  Fort 
Smith,  Arkansas.  The  business  of  this  con- 
cern is  growing  at  a  rapid  stride.  Mr.  Ir- 
win is  a  stockholder  and  director  in  the  Sa- 
lem National  Bank.  He  is  also  proprietor 
of  the  White  Foam  Company,  which  manu- 
factures a  preparation  for  cleaning  fabrics 
without  rubbing  and  which  at  present  prom- 
ises to  become  in  immense  demand.  Our 
subject  is  also  a  stockholder  and  director  in 
the  Oleite  Manufacturing  Company,  of  St. 
Louis,  which  manufactures  leather  dress- 
ings. 

Mr.  Irwin  has  served  in  a  most  acceptable 
manner  as  a  member  of  the  Salem  Board  of 
Education.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he  is 
a  Mason,  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Py- 
thias, the  American  Home  Circle,  Ben  Hur 
and  the  Eastern  Star,  and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Ir- 


win are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
They  live  in  a  modern,  comfortable  and 
nicely  furnished  home,  which  is  presided 
over  with  rare  grace  and  dignity  by  Mrs. 
Irwin,  who  often  acts  as  hostess  to 
numerous  admiring  friends,  and  every- 
one who  crosses  its  threshold  is  made 
partaker  of  the  good  will  and  hos- 
pitality that  is  always  unstintingly  dis- 
pensed here,  and  because  of  their  genuine 
worth,  integrity,  uprightness  and  pleasing 
manners  no  couple  in  Marion  county  en- 
joy to  a  fuller  extent  the  esteem  and  friend- 
ship of  all  classes  than  our  subject  and  wife. 


HON.  CHARLES  E.  HULL. 

One  of  the  notable  men  of  his  day  and 
generation,  who  has  gained  success  and  rec- 
ognition for  himself  and  at  the  same  time 
honored  his  county  and  state  by  distin- 
guished services  in  important  trusts,  is 
Hon.  Charles  E.  Hull,  of  Salem,  who 
holds  worthy  prestige  among  the  leading 
business  men  of  Southern  Illinois.  Distinct- 
ively a  man  of  affairs  whose  broad  and  liber- 
al ideas  command  respect,  he  has  long  filled  a 
conspicuous  place  in  the  public  eye,  and  as 
a  leader  in  many  important  civic  enterprises 
as  well  as  a  notable  figure  in  the  political 
arena  of  his  day,  he  has  contributed  much 
to  the  welfare  of  his  fellow  men  and  at- 
tained distinction  in  a  field  of  endeavor 
where  sound  erudition,  mature  judgment 
and  talents  of  a  high  order  are  required. 


W  I  HE 


'HINDIS. 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


225 


Aside  from  his  honorable  standing  in  pri- 
vate and  publjc  life,  there  is  further  pro- 
priety in  according  him  representation  in 
the  work,  for  he  is  a  native  son  of  Marion 
county,  which  has  been  the  scene  of  the 
greater  part  of  his  life's  earnest  labors,  his 
home  being  in  the  beautiful  and  attractive 
little  city  of  Salem,  where  he  it  at  present 
the  head  of  a  large  and  important  business 
enterprise,  and  where  he  also  commands  the 
esteem  and  confidence  of  all  classes  and  con- 
ditions of  the  populace. 

Mr.  Hull  belongs  to  an  old  and  highly 
esteemed  family  that  figured  in  the  early 
history  of  Kentucky,  to  which  state  his 
great-grandparent.  John  Hull,  emigrated 
from  Xew  Jersey  in  1788.  Here  Samuel 
Hull  was  born  in  1806.  About  the  year  1815 
the  Hulls  disposed  of  their  interests  in  the 
South  and  migrated  to  Illinois,  settling  at 
Grand  Prairie,  Clinton  county,  where  John 
Hull  died  in  1833.  Before  his  death  he  sent 
his  son,  Samuel,  into  what  is  now  the  county 
of  Marion  to  a  place  near  the  site  of  Wal- 
nut Hill,  where  he.  in  1823,  at  the  age  of 
seventeen,  attended  the  first  school  ever 
taught  in  the  county.  At  this  time  Marion 
was  created  from  Jefferson  county  and  the 
young  man  remained  here,  marrying  in  1831 
Lucy,  the  daughter  of  Mark  Tully,  the 
founder  of  Salem.  He  was  made  Recorder 
in  1833,  which  office  he  held  until  1837, 
when  he  was  made  Sheriff,  filling  the  latter 
position  by  successive  re-elections  six  terms, 
the  most  of  the  time  without  opposition. 
Later  in  1849  he  was  further  honored  by 
being  elected  County  Judge,  this  being  un- 


der the  old  law  which  provided  for  two  As- 
sociate Judges,  but  Mr.  Hull's  knowledge  of 
law  together  with  his  fitness  for  the  position 
enabled  him  to  discharge  his  judicial  func- 
tions without  much  assistance  from  the  hon- 
orable gentleman  who  occupied  the  Ijencb 
with  him.  He  proved  an  able  and  judicious 
judge,  and  during  his  incumbency  of  four 
years  transacted  a  great  deal  of  business  and 
rendered  a  number  of  important  decisions, 
but  few  of  which  suffered  reversal  at  the 
hands  of  higher  tribunals.  Shortly  after  re- 
tiring from  the  bench  he  was  appointed  by 
President  Pierce  postmaster  of  Salem,  and 
four  years  later  he  was  reappointed  by 
President  Buchanan,  holding  the  position 
during  the  latter's  administration,  and  in 
this,  as  in  the  other  offices  with  which  he 
was  honored,  proving  a  capable  and  popu- 
lar public  servant. 

Samuel  Hull  was  a  pronounced  Demo- 
crat and  influential  meml>er  of  the  party  un- 
till  the  breaking  out  of  the  Rebellion,  when 
he  became  a  Republican  and  a  great  admirer 
of  President  Lincoln,  whom  he  supported  in 
the  election  of  1860.  and  for  whom  he  ever 
afterward  entertained  feeling  of  the  most 
profound  regard.  Me  was  a  prominent  fig- 
ure in  the  affairs  of  Marion. county  for  over 
eighty  years,  during  which  period  he  be- 
came widely  and  favorably  known, 
and  his  influence  was  always  on  ttie  side  of 
right  as  he  saw  and  understood  the  right. 
During  his  later  years  he  lived  a  life  of  hon- 
orable retirement  at  his  beautiful  rural  home 
near  Salem,  having  purchased  the  land 
from  the  Government  shortlv  after  coming 


226 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


to  Marion  county,  building  with  his  own 
hands  in  1831  a  double  log  house,  which  still 
stands — the  oldest  building  in  Marion 
county.  This  sterling  citizen  and  faithful 
official  lived  to  a  good  purpose  and  his  mem- 
ory is  cherished  as  a  sacred  heritage  not 
only  by  his  immediate  family  and  friends, 
but  by  the  entire  community,  all  with  whom 
he  was  accustomed  to  mingle,  feeling  his 
death  as  a  personal  loss.  He  reached  a 
ripe  and  contented  old  age  and  it  is  a  fact 
worthy  of  note  that  he  and  his  faithful  wife 
and  helpmeet  died  the  same  night  after  a 
mutually  happy  and  prosperous  wedded  ex- 
perience of  fifty-nine  years.  Samuel  Hull 
and  wife  were  held  in  high  esteem  by  near- 
ly every  citizen  of  Marion  county,  their  cir- 
cle of  friends  and  acquaintances  being  large 
and  their  names  familiar  sounds  in  almost 
every  household  in  both  city  and  country. 
He  served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war,  besides 
participating  in  many  other  exciting  strug- 
gles during  the  pioneer  period,  as  he  was  a 
leader  among  his  fellow  men  and  always 
stood  for  law  and  order,  sometimes,  too,  at 
his  personal  risk.  The  land  which  he  en- 
tered and  improved  and  on  which  he  spent 
the  greater  part  of  his  life  is  now  owned  by 
his  grandson,  Charles  E.  Hull.  This  piece 
of  land,  now  within  the  city  limits  of  Sa- 
lem, has  the  unique  distinction  of  the  few- 
est transfers,  it  having  been  transferred  by 
purchase  from  Samuel  direct  to  Charles. 

Erasmus  Hull,  son  of  the  aforementioned 
Samuel  and  father  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  August  31,  1832,  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  and  spent  his  entire 


life  near  the  place  of  his  birth,  having  for 
many  years  been  identified  with  the  town 
of  Salem,  and  a  leader  in  its  business  and 
financial  interests.  He  was  a  merchant  and 
banker  and  in  addition  to  achieving  marked 
success  in  those  capacities  he  was  also  an 
enterprising  man  of  affairs,  public  spirited 
in  all  the  term  implies  and  wielded  a  strong 
influence  in  behalf  of  all  measures  and 
movements  having  for  their  object  the  ma- 
terial advancement  of  the  community  and 
the  social  and  moral  welfare  of  the  people. 
A  leading  spirit  in  the  organization  of  the 
Salem  Bank,  in  1869,  and  one  of  the  orig- 
inal stockholders,  he  was  a  member  of  the 
board  of  directors  from  that  time  until  his 
death,  and  to  his  mature  judgment,  sound 
business  ability  and  familiarity  with  finan- 
cial matters  were  largely  due  the  continued 
growth  and  signal  success  of  the  institu- 
tion. He  was  also  interested  in  the  Ma- 
rion County  Loan  and  Trust  Company,  the 
predecessor  of  the  bank,  and  always  kept  in 
close  touch  with  the  finances  of  the  state 
and  nation  as  well  as  with  general  business 
affairs,  on  all  of  which  he  was  well  in- 
formed and  on  not  a  few  was  considered  an 
authority. 

Mr.  Hull  was  the  first  Supervisor  of  Sa- 
lem township,  also  Chairman  of  the  County 
Board  for  a  number  of  years,  besides  serv- 
ing a  long  time  as  School  Director.  In 
these  different  capacities  he  discharged  his 
official  duties  faithfully  and  effectively,  tak- 
ing a  leading  part  in  educational  matters 
and  using  his  influence  in  every  laudable 
way  to  promote  the  prosperity  of  the  com- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


227 


munity  and  the  happiness  of  the  people.  In 
addition  to  his  mercantile  and  financial  busi- 
ness he  was  quite  prominently  interested  in 
the  manufacture  of  flour  and  lumber,  be- 
ginning to  operate  a  mill  in  1853,  and  con- 
tinuing the  business  with  encouraging  suc- 
cess as  long  as  he  lived.  He  also  conducted 
a  large  packing  house  in  Salem  before  the 
days  of  trusts  and  combines  and  built  up  an 
important  and  far-reaching  industry,  buying 
nearly  all  the  hogs  in  the  adjacent  country 
and  shipping  his  meats  to  the  leading  mar- 
kets, where  they  commanded  good  prices. 
He  was  a  man  of  brain  and  of  practical 
ideas,  combined  with  solid  judgment,  wise 
foresight  and  he  seldom  failed  in  any  of  his 
imdertakings.  In  politics  he  was  an  un- 
swerving Democrat,  and  an  influential 
worker  for  the  success  of  his  party  and  its 
candidates,  though  not  a  partisan  in  the 
sense  of  aspiring  for  office.  He  discharged 
his  duties  of  citizenship  in  the  spirit  becom- 
ing the  progressive  and  broad  minded  Amer- 
ican of  the  day  in  which  he  lived,  while  the 
deep  interest  he  manifested  in  his  own  lo- 
cality made  him  a  leader  in  all  laudable  en- 
terprises for  its  advancement.  His  career, 
which  was  strenuous,  eminently  honorable 
and  fraught  with  great  good  to  his  fellow 
men  and  to  the  world,  terminated  with  his 
lamented  death  on  the  i6th  day  of  June, 
1896,  in  his  sixty-fourth  year;  his  taking 
off,  like  that  of  his  father,  being  keenly  felt 
and  widely  mourned  in  the  town  where  he 
"had  so  long  and  creditably  lived,  and  where 
his  success  had  been  achieved. 

Before  her  marriage  Mrs.    Erasmus   Hull 


was  Dicy  Finley.  Her  father,  Rev.  William 
Finley,  a  well  known  and  remarkably  suc- 
cessful minister  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian church,  came  to  Marion  county  in  an 
early  day  and  for  many  years  labored  zeal- 
ously to  disseminate  the  truths  of  religion 
among  the  people  and  win  souls  to  the 
higher  life.  During  the  years  of  his  activ- 
ity, he  traveled  extensively  throughout 
Southern  Illinois,  preaching  and  organizing 
churches,  and  it  is  said  that  the  majority  of 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  societies  in  the 
central  and  southern  portions  of  the  state 
were  established  by  him,  while  others  and 
weak  congregations  were  strengthened  and 
placed  upon  solid  footing  through  his  ef- 
forts. Mrs.  Hull  bore  her  husband  three 
children  and  departed  this  life  on  May  16, 
1903.  beloved  and  respected  by  all  with 
whom  she  came  in  contact.  Of  her  family 
one  of  the  children  died  in  infancy,  Mrs. 
Mary  Bradford  being  the  second  in  order 
of  birth,  and  Charles  E.  Hull,  of  Salem,  the 
subject  of  this  review,  the  youngest  of  the 
number. 

On  his  father's  maternal  side  the  subject 
dates  his  family  history  to  the  earliest  set- 
tlement of  Illinois,  his  great-grandfather, 
Mark  Tully,  migrating  to  what  is  now  Ma- 
rion county,  while  the  feet  of  savages  still 
pressed  the  soil  and  settling  near  the  site  of 
Salem,  where  there  was  no  vestage  of  civili- 
zation within  a  radius  of  eight  or  ten  miles, 
his  rude  cabin  having  been  the  first  human 
habitation  where  the  thriving  seat  of  justice 
now  stands.  He  moved  here  from  Indiana 
and  entered  a  tract  of  land  from  which  in 


228 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUXTY,    ILLINOIS. 


due  time  he  cleared  and  developed  a  farm, 
and  later  when  the  county  of  Marion  was  set 
off  and  organized,  he  donated  ground  for 
the  seat  of  justice,  which  was  surveyed  and 
platted  in  1823,  and  to  which  he  gave  the 
name  of  Salem.  In  honor  of  the  town  in 
the  Hoosier  state  from  which  he  came.  He 
took  an  active  part  in  the  county  organiza- 
tion, was  its  first  Sheriff  and  held  a  number 
of  offices  from  time  to  time,  and  to  him  be- 
longs the  credit  of  keeping  the  first  tavern 
in  Salem,  which  appears  to  have  been  quite 
well  patronized,  while  the  town  was  being 
settled  and  for  eighty  years  thereafter,  being 
kept  after  his  death  by  a  daughter.  He  also 
erected  a  mill,  the  first  in  Salem,  which  was 
highly  prized  by  the  pioneers  for  many 
miles  around,  although  a  primitive  affair 
equipped  with  the  simplest  kind  of  machin- 
ery, and  originally  operated  by  means  of  a 
sweep.  Later  it  was  somewhat  improved 
and  operated  by  horses  or  oxen  in  what  was 
called  a  tread,  but  after  the  lapse  of  several 
years  the  original  structure  was  remodeled, 
a  large  addition  built,  and  new  and  im- 
proved machinery  installed,  and  steam 
power  introduced,  this  being  the  first  mill  in 
the  county  to  be  run  by  steam.  Mr.  Tully 
was  a  true  type  of  the  sturdy,  strong  willed 
pioneer  of  his  day.  He  was  energetic,  pub- 
lic-spirited, distinctively  a  man  of  affairs, 
and  to  him  as  much  perhaps  as  to  any  other, 
is  the  town  of  Salem  indebted  for  the  im- 
petus which  added  so  materially  to  its 
growth  and  prosperity.  As  a  leader  among 
the  pioneers  of  his  time,  he  did  a  work  that 
few  could  accomplish  and  wielded  an  influ- 


ence which  had  a  decided  effect  in  establish- 
ing the  social  status  of  the  community  upon 
a  high  moral  plane.  After  a  long  and  useful 
career  he  was  called  from  the  scenes  of  his 
earthly  struggles  and  triumphs-  in  the  year 
1867,  leaving  a  number  of  descendants, 
some  of  whom  still  live  in  Marion  county, 
and  are  among  the  substantial  and  respected 
people  of  the  communities  in  which  they  re- 
side. 

Hon.  Charles  E.  Hull  was  born  Novem- 
ber 7,  1862,  in  Salem,  and  spent  his  early 
years  like  the  majority  of  town  lads,  assist- 
ing his  parents  where  his  services  were  re- 
quired, and  during  certain  months  pursuing 
his  studies  in  the  public  schools.  While  a 
mere  child,  he  evinced  a  decided  taste  for 
books  and  his  progress  in  his  studies  was  so 
rapid  that  he  completed  the  high  school 
course  and  was  graduated  at  the  early  age 
of  fourteen,  standing  among  the  best  stu- 
dents in  the  class  of  1877.  Actuated  by  a 
laudable  desire  to  add  to  his  scholastic 
knowledge  he  subsequently  entered  the 
Southern  Illinois  Normal  University,  at 
Carbondale,  where  he  took  the  full  classical 
course,  which  he  finished  in  three  years,  one 
year  less  than  the  prescribed  time,  graduat- 
ing in  1880  with  the  class  honors. 

Shortly  after  receiving  his  degree  from 
the  above  institution  Mr.  Hull  engaged  in 
merchandising  at  Salem,  continued  to  the 
present  time  a  business  established  by  Sam- 
uel and  Erasmus  Hull,  in  1853,  and  since 
that  time  his  life  has  been  very  closely  iden- 
tified with  the  business  interests  and  general 
prosperity  of  the  town,  in  addition  to  which 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


he  has  conducted  several  mercantile  estab- 
lishments at  other  points  and  become  a 
prominent  figure  in  the  public  life  of  Marion 
county,  and  the  state  at  large.  Possessing 
sound  sense,,  well  balanced  judgment,  and  a 
natural  aptitude  for  business,  his  mercantile 
experience  soon  passed  the  experimental 
stage  and  within  a  comparatively  brief  pe- 
riod he  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  patron- 
age, and  became  one  of  the  best  known  and 
most  popular  merchants  of  the  town.  Ad- 
vancing with  rapid  strides  and  outstripping 
all  of  his  competitors,  he  was  soon  induced 
to  project  his  business  enterprises  into  other 
parts,  accordingly,  as  already  indicated,  he 
established  stores  in  various  towns  and  vil- 
lages of  the  county,  and  at  one  time  had 
five  of  these  establishments  in  successful  op- 
eration in  addition  to  his  large  general 
mercantile  house  in  Salem,  all  of  which 
proved  successful  and  in  due  season  made 
him  one  of  the  financially  solid  and  reliable 
men  of  Marion  county.  After  some  years 
he  closed  out  two  of  his  stores  but  he  still 
retains  the  other  three,  two  in  Salem  and 
one  in  Kinmundy,  and  enjoys  a  well  merited 
reputation  as  one  of  the  most  enterprising 
and  successful  business  men  in  the  southern 
part  of  the  state. 

In  addition  to  his  large  mercantile  inter- 
ests Mr.  Hull  is  connected  with  other  im- 
portant business  enterprises,  having  been  a 
director  of  the  Salem  bank  since  1895,  and 
cashier  of  the  institution  during  the  years 
1906-7,  and  in  1889  he  organized  the  Salem 
Creamery,  which  he  operated  for  a  period  of 
fifteen  years,  during  which  time  he  did  an 


extensive  and  lucrative  business,  using  as 
high  as  twenty  thousand  pounds  of  milk  per 
day,  and  making  a  brand  of  butter  for  which 
there  was  always  a  great  demand.  By  rea- 
son of  indifference  on  the  part  of  the  farm- 
ers in  the  matter  of  supplying  milk,  Mr. 
Hull  disposed  of  the  creamery  at  the  expira- 
tion of  the  period  indicated,  the  better  to  de- 
vote his  attention  to  his  other  interests, 
which  have  become  important  and  far  reach- 
ing in  their  influence,  adding  much  to  the 
material  prosperity  of  the  city  and  to  his 
fame  as  a  leading  spirit  in  business  circles. 
Among  the  various  enterprises  of  which  he 
is  the  head,  is  the  Salem  Brick  Mill,  which, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Hull  &  Draper,  has 
become  one  of  the  successful  industrial  con- 
cerns of  the  place,  also  the  Hull  Telephone 
System,  established  in  1898,  and  of  which 
he  is  sole  proprietor.  This  important  and 
much  valued  enterprise,  one  of  the  best  of 
the  kind  in  Illinois,  extends  to  all  parts  of 
Marion  county,  connecting  all  the  towns  and 
villages  and  numerous  private  residences, 
besides  having  connection  in  the  adjoining 
counties,  thus  bringing  Salem  in  close  touch 
with  all  the  leading  cities  of  the  state  and 
nation,  and  proving  of  inestimable  value  to 
the  people  as  well  as  to  the  business  interests 
of  the  various  points  on  the  line.  Under  the 
personal  management  of  Mr.  Hull,  who  has 
operated  the  plant  ever  since  it  was  estab- 
lished, the  system  has  been  brought  to  a 
degree  of  efficiency  second  to  no  other. 

Since  the  year  1894,  Mr.  Hull  has  owned 
The  Salem  Herald  Advocate,  the  oldest 
newspaper  in  Marion  county,  the  history  of 


230 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


which  dates  from  1853.  The  paper  origin- 
ally was  established  by  John  W.  Merritt, 
and  since  the  above  year  has  been  the  best 
patronized  and  most  successful  sheet  in  Ma- 
rion county,  and  one  of  the  most  influential 
in  Southern  Illinois,  being  the  official  organ 
of  the  local  Democracy,  and  a  power  in  the 
political  affairs  of  this  part  of  the  state.  Un- 
der the  management  of  Mr.  Hull  it  has 
steadily  grown  in  public  favor,  and  now  has 
a  large  and  continually  increasing  subscrip- 
tion list,  a  liberal  advertising  patronage,  and 
with  an  office  well  equipped  with  the  latest 
machinery  and  devices  used  in  the  art  pre- 
servative, and  its  columns  teeming  with  the 
news  of  the  day  as  well  as  with  able  discus- 
sions of  the  leading  questions  and  issues 
upon  which  men  and  parties  are  divided,  it 
promises  to  continue  in  the  future  as  it  has 
been  in  the  past,  a  strong  influence  in  politi- 
cal affairs  and  a  power  in  moulding  and  di- 
recting opinion  on  matters  of  general  in- 
terest to  the  people. 

Aside  from  the  various  enterprises  enu- 
merated, Mr.  Hull  for  a  number  of  years 
was  quite  extensively  interested  in  the  San- 
doval  Coal  and  Mining  Company,  of  which 
he  was  general  manager  until  disposing  of 
his  shares  in  the  concern,  and  he  is  now  and 
long  has  been  one  of  the  largest  holders  of 
real  estate  in  Marion  county,  being  an  en- 
terprising and  up-to-date  agriculturist.  In 
the  midst  of  his  numerous  and  pressing  du- 
ties, he  finds  time  to  devote  to  other  than 
his  individual  affairs,  being  interested  in  the 
community  and  its  advancement  and  in  all 
worthy  enterprises  for  the  good  of  his  fel- 


low men.  Ever  since  arriving  at  the  years 
of  manhood  he  has  been  a  leading  factor  in 
public  matters,  and  in  a  material  way  has 
been  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  promote  the 
prosperity  of  Salem  and  Marion  county,  tak- 
ing an  active  interest  in  all  movements  and 
measures  with  this  object  in  view  besides  in- 
augurating and  carrying  to  successful  issue 
many  enterprises  which  have  tended  greatly 
to  the  general  welfare  of  the  community.  In 
political  matters  and  kindred  subjects  he  has 
not  only  been  interested  but  has  risen  to  the 
position  of  leader.  He  has  been  a  life-long 
Democrat,  and  since  his  twenty-first  year 
has  exercised  a  strong  influence  in  the  polit- 
ical affairs  of  Marion  county,  and  became 
widely  and  favorably  known  in  party  circles 
throughout  the  state,  a  prominent  figure  in 
local,  district  and  state  conventions,  he  has 
borne  a  leading  part  in  making  platforms, 
formulating  policies;  as  a  campaigner,  he  is 
a  judicious  adviser  in  the  councils  of  his 
party,  a  successful  worker  in  the  ranks,  and 
to  him  as  much  if  not  more  than  to  any 
other  man  in  Marion  county,  is  the  party  in- 
debted for  its  success  in  a  number  of  ani- 
mated and  exciting  political  contests. 

In  1896  Mr.  Hull  was  elected  to  repre- 
sent the  Forty-second  Senatorial  District, 
composed  of  the  counties  of  Clay,  Washing- 
ton, Marion  and  Clinton,  in  the  Upper 
House  of  the  State  Legislature,  in  the  cam- 
paign of  which  memorable  year  he  ran  far  in 
advance  in  his  home  town  of  any  other  can- 
didate on  the  Democratic  ticket,  receiving 
more  votes  than  were  polled  for  William 
Jennings  Bryan,  the  popular  head  of  the  na- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


231 


tional  ticket,  and  the  idol  of  Democracy. 
Mr.  Hull's  career  in  the  General  Assembly 
was  eminently  honorable,  and  he  took  high 
rank  as  an  industrious  and  useful  member, 
who  spared  no  effort  in  behalf  of  his  con- 
stituents, besides  laboring  earnestly  and 
faithfully  for  the  general  good  of  his  state. 
In  1904  he  was  renominated  by  his  party, 
and  in  the  ensuing  election  his  Republican 
competitor  withdrew  from  the  race,  it  being 
evident  that  he  would  be  overwhelmingly  de- 
feated. The  district  that  year  was  com- 
posed of  the  counties  of  Marion,  Clay,  Clin- 
ton and  Effingham.  In  the  senate  he  be- 
came the  minority  leader,  and  in  addition 
to  serving  on  a  number  of  important  com- 
mittees, took  an  active  part  in  the  general 
deliberations  of  the  chamber,  participating 
in  the  discussions  and  debates,  and  to  him 
belongs  the  credit  of  leading  in  the  fight  for 
a  direct  primary,  also  of  being  the  only  mi- 
nority leader  who  ever  succeeded  in  holding 
his  party  together  on  minority  legislation. 
Mr.  Hull's  senatorial  experience  is  replete 
with  duty  ably  and  faithfully  performed, 
and  such  was  the  interest  he  manifested  for 
his  district  that  he  won  the  confidence  and 
good  will  of  the  people  irrespective  of  po- 
litical alignment,  all  of  whom  speak  in 
praise  of  his  honorable  course  and  the  broad 
enlightenment  spirit  which  he  displayed 
throughout  his  legislative  career.  As  already 
stated  he  is  a  familiar  figure  in  the  conven- 
tions of  his  party,  both  local  and  state,  and 
for  a  period  of  twenty-eight  .years  he  has 
not  missed  attending  a  Democratic  national 
convention. 


For  several  years  Mr.  Hull  owned  and 
occupied  the  place  where  Mr.  Bryan  was 
born,  but  after  the  campaign  of  1896  he  sold 
it  to  Mr.  Bryan,  between  whom  and  himself 
the  warmest  friendship  has  ever  prevailed. 
The  two  were  classmates  when  they  at- 
tended high  school,  since  which  time  they 
have  labored  for  each  other's  interests,  and 
as  stated  above,  their  attachment  is  stronger 
and  more  enduring  than  the  ordinary  ties 
by  which  friends  are  bound  together.  Mr. 
Hull  has  served  the  people  of  his  city  as 
School  Director,  and  for  a  period  of  two 
years  he  was  president  of  the  Inter-State  In- 
dependent Telephone  Association,  besides 
being  for  a  number  of  years  a  member  of 
the  executive  committee.  He  also  served  for 
a  series  of  years  on  the  executive  commit- 
tee for  the  operators  on  the  scale  of  agree- 
ment, with  the  United  Mine  Workers  of 
America,  a  position  of  great  responsibility 
and  delicacy,  as  is  indicated  by  the  fact  of 
his  having  devoted  one  hundred  and  twelve 
days  in  one  year  to  the  settlement  of  wage 
scales  and  of  disputes  between  the  contend- 
ing parties,  besides  having  been  called  upon 
repeatedly  to  adjust  differences  and  har- 
monize conflicting  interests,  which  arose 
from  time  to  time,  between  the  two  organi- 
zations. 

The  domestic  chapter  in  the  life  of  Mr. 
Hull  dates  from  May  10,  1883,  when  he 
was  happily  married  to  Miss  Lulu  Ham- 
mond, the  accomplished  and  popular  daugh- 
ter of  Hon.  J.  E.  W.  Hammond,  the 
latter  a  prominent  merchant  and  influential 
politician  of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  who 


232 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


served  in  the  Legislature,  on  the  County 
Board  of  Supervisors,  and  for  many  years 
was  one  of  the  public  spirited  men  and  rep- 
resentative citizens  of  Salem.  On  her 
mother's  side  Mrs.  Hull  traces  to  the  Lov- 
ells  and  Hensleys,  who  were  among  the 
earliest  settlers  of  Marion  county,  as  is  men- 
tioned elsewhere  in  this  volume.  Senator 
Hull's  beautiful  and  attractive  home  on 
North  Broadway,  the  finest  and  most  de- 
sirable private  dwelling  in  the  city,  is 
brightened  and  rendered  doubly  attractive 
by  the  presence  of  two  intelligent  and  in- 
teresting daughters,  namely :  Lovell,  born 
January  8,  1888,  and  Louise,  whose  birth 
occurred  on  the  3ist  day  of  May,  1897, 
these  with  their  parents  constituting  a  happy 
and  almost  ideal  domestic  circle. 

Senator  Hull's  fraternal  association  rep- 
resents the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks',  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Red  Men,  and  the  Modern 
\Yooclmen,  in  all  of  which  lie  has  been  an 
active  and  influential  worker,  besides  being 
honored  with  important  official  positions 
from  time  to  time.  In  the  midst  of  his 
many  strenuous  duties  as  a  business  man 
and  public  servant,  the  Senator  has  not  neg- 
lected the  higher  obligations  which  man 
owes  to  his  Maker,  nor  been  unmindful  of 
the  claims  of  the  Christian  religion — to 
which  deep  and  absorbing  subject  he  has 
devoted  much  profound  study  and  investi- 
gation, and  in  the  light  of  which  he  has 
been  led  into  the  straight  and  narrow  way 
which  leads  to  a  higher  state  of  being  here, 
and  to  eternal  felicitv  bevond  death's  mys- 


tic stream.  Subscribing  to  no  human 
creeds  or  man-made  doctrines,  he  takes  the 
Holy  Scriptures  alone  for  his  rule  of  faith 
and  practice,  and  as  an  humble  and  consist- 
ent member  of  the  Christian,  or  Disciple, 
church,  demonstrates  by  his  daily  life  the 
beauty  and  value  of  the  faith  which  he  pro- 
fesses. He  has  been  identified  with  the  re- 
ligious body  since  his  young  manhood,  and 
for  more  than  twenty  years  has  been  the  able 
and  popular  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school,  besides  filling  other  official  stations. 
.  Mrs.  Hull  is  also  a  faithful  and  devout 
Christian,  an  active  member  of  the  church, 
and  deeply  interested  in  all  lines  of  good 
work  under  the  auspices  of  the  same.  Since 
her  fourteenth  year  she  has  been  the  accom- 
plished organist  of  the  congregation  in  Sa- 
lem, as  well  as  an  efficient  and  enthusiastic 
teacher  in  the  Sunday  school.  Senator  Hull 
is  a  liberal  contributor  to  benevolent  enter- 
prises, and  it  was  through  his  initiation  and 
influence  that  the  present  handsome  temple 
of  worship  used  by  the  Christian  church, 
was  erected,  his  contributions  to  the  build- 
ing fund  being  twenty-five  dollars  for  every 
one  hundred  dollars  contributed  by  the  con- 
gregation. In  addition  to  his  munificence 
already  noted,  the  Senator  has  given  largely 
to  various  worthy  objects  of  which  the 
world  knows  nothing,  in  this  way  exempli- 
fying the  spirit  of  the  Master,  by  not  letting 
the  left  hand  know  what  the  right  hand 
doeth,  or  in  other  words,  doing  good 
in  secret  in  the  name  of  the  Father  who 
hath  promised  to  reward  such  actions 
openly. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


233 


Senator  Hull  is  a  splendid  specimen  of 
well  rounded,  symmetrically  developed,  vi- 
rile manhood,  with  a  commanding  presence 
and  a  strong  personality,  being  six  feet  in 
height,  weighing  two  hundred  and  thirty- 
four  pounds,  and  moving  among  his  fellows 
as  one  born  to  leadership.  He  is  a  notice- 
able figure  in  any  crowd  or  assemblage,  and 
never  fails  to  attract  attention,  not  only  by 
his  powerful  physique,  but  by  the  amiable 
qualities  of  mind  and  heart,  which  show  in 
his  face,  and  always  make  his  presence  pleas- 
ing to  all  beholders.  He  has  directed  his 
life  along  lines  which  could  not  fail  to  ef- 
fect favorably  the  physical  'as  well  as  the 
mental  man,  having  from  his  youth  been 
singularly  free  from  thoughts  which  lower 
and  degrade  self-respect,  and  from  those  in- 
siduous  habits  which,  pollute  the  body  and 
debase  the  soul,  and  which  today  are  prov- 
ing the  destruction  of  so  many  young  men 
of  whom  better  things  have  been  expected. 
Mr.  Hull  is  a  total  abstainer  in  all  the  term 
implies,  having  never  tasted,  much  less  taken 
a  drink  of  any  kind  of  intoxicants,  nor  used 
tobacco  in  any  of  its  forms;  neither  has  he 
ever  taken  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  He  is 
pleasing  and  companionable,  a  favorite  in 
the  social  circle,  and  a  hale  and  hearty  spirit, 
whose  presence  inspires  good  humor,  and 
who  believes  in  legitimate  sports  and  pas- 
times and  in  the  idea  that  fret  and  worry 
are  among  the  greatest  enemies  of  happi- 
ness. With  duties  that  would  crush  the  ordi- 
nary man,  he  has  his  labors  so  systematized 
that  he  experiences  little  or  no  inconveni- 
ence in  doing  them.  He  believes  in  rest  and 
recreation  and  is  an  advocate  of  vacations, 


and  he  invariably  takes  one  every  summer, 
but  not  in  the  manner  that  many  do,  by 
locking  his  office  and  hieing  away  to  the 
seaside,  lake  or  forest,  to  spend  the  season 
in  tiresome  sports.  His  vacations,  which 
are  always  enjoyable,  are  spent  in  the  hay- 
field,  where  he  finds  the  recreation  condu- 
cive to  good  health  and  a  contented  mind. 

Personally  Mr.  Hull  is  a  gentleman  of 
unblemished  reputation,  and  the  strictest  in- 
tegrity and  his  private  character  and  im- 
portant trusts  have  always  been  above  re-, 
proach.  He  is  a  vigorous  as  well  as  an 
independent  thinker,  a  wide  reader,  and  he 
has  the  courage  of  his  convictions  upon  all 
subjects  which  he  investigates.  He  is  also 
strikingly  original  and  fearless,  prosecutes 
his  researches  after  his  own  peculiar  fash- 
ion, and  cares  little  for  conventionalism  or 
for  the  sanctity  attaching  to  person  or  place 
by  reason  of  artificial  distinction,  tradition 
or  the  accident  of  birth.  He  is  essentially 
cosmopolitan  in  his  ideas,  a  man  of  the  peo- 
ple in  all  the  term  implies,  and  in  the  best 
sense  of  the  word  a  representative  type  of 
that  strong  American  manhood,  which 
commands  and  retains  respect  by  reason  of 
inherent  merit,  sound  sense  and  correct  con- 
duct. He  has  so  impressed  his  individuality 
upon  his  community  as  to  win  the  confidence 
and  esteem  of  his  fellow-cTtizens  and  be- 
come a  strong  and  influential  power  in  lead- 
ing them  to  high  and  noble  things. 
Measured  by  the  accepted  standard  of  ex- 
cellence, his  career,  though  strenuous,  has 
been  eminently  honorable  and  useful,  and 
his  life  fraught  with  great  good  to  his  fel- 
lows and  to  the  world. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


BENJAMIN   E.   MARTIN,   SR. 

It  is  safe  to  venture  the  assertion  that  no 
one  attains  eminence  in  business  or  any  pro- 
fession without  passing  through  a  period  of 
more  or  less  unremitting  toil,  of  disappoint- 
ments and  struggles.  He  who  has  brought 
his  business  to  a  successful  issue  through 
years  of  work  and  has  established  it  upon 
a  substantial  basis,  and  yet  retains  the  ap- 
pearance of  youth,  who  has  in  his  step  the 
elasticity  of  younger  days  and  shows  little 
trace  of  worry  or  care  that  too  often  lag  the 
footsteps  of  the  direction  of  large  affairs, 
must  be  a  man  possessed  of  enviable  char- 
acteristics. Such  is  a  brief  word  picture  of 
the  worthy  gentleman  whose  name  forms  the 
caption  of  this  sketch,  as  he  now  appears, 
after  a  long,  active  and  prosperous  business 
career,  the  peer  of  any  of  his  contemporaries 
in  all  that  enters  into  the  make-up  of  the  suc- 
cessful man  of  affairs  or  that  constitutes  a 
leader  in  important  business  enterprises. 
Therefore,  by  reason  of  the  fact  that  Mr. 
Martin  has  attained  worthy  prestige  as  a 
business  man,  and  also  because  he  was  one 
of  the  patriotic  sons  of  the  North  who  went 
forth  on  many  a  hard  fought  battlefield  to 
defend  the  flag  in  the  days  of  the  Rebellion. 
and  also  because  of  his  life  of  honor,  it  is 
eminently  fitting  that  he  be  given  just  rep- 
resentation in  a  work  of  the  province  as- 
signed to  the  one  at  hand. 

B.  E.  Martin  was  born  in  what  was  for- 
merly Estillville,  now  Gate  City,  Virginia, 
February  27,  1845,  tne  son  °f  John  S.  Mar- 
tin, also  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the  repre- 


sentative of  a  fine  old  Southern  family.  The 
father  of  the  subject  was  Clerk  of  the  Court 
in  his  home  county  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
four  years.  He  moved  to  Illinois  in  1846 
and  entered  government  land  near  Alma,  the 
land  that  Alma  now  stands  on.  He  laid  out 
the  town  of  Alma  and  there  went  into  the 
mercantile  business,  in  which  he  remained 
until  the  breaking  out  of  the  Civil  war.  He 
died  in  that  town  in  1866.  He  was  a  man 
of  unusual  business  ability  and  became  well 
known  in  his  community.  The  mother  of 
the  subject  was  Nancy  Brownlow,  a  native 
of  Virginia.  She  dide  shortly  after  she 
moved  to  Illinois.  She  is  remembered  as  a 
woman  of  gracious  personality.  Seven  chil- 
dren were  born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject, 
four  sons  and  three  daughters,  named  in  01- 
der  of  birth  as  follows :  Eliza,  deceased ;  Mrs. 
Nancy  Bradford,  of  Greenville,  Illinois, 
Emily,  deceased;  Robert;  Mrs.  Kate  Ben- 
nett, of  Greenville,  Illinois;  Thompson  G., 
of  Salem;  B.  E.,  our  subject,  being  the 
youngest.  The  father  of  these  children  was 
married  three  times,  his  first  wife  being  Ma- 
linda  Morrison,  of  Estillville,  Virginia,  to 
whom  three  children  were  born,  two  dying 
in  infancy,  the  one  surviving  becoming  Col. 
James  S.  Martin,  now  deceased,  who  lived 
to  be  eighty  years  of  age,  a  sketch  of  whom 
appears  elsewhere  in  this  volume.  The  sec- 
ond wife  was  the  mother  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch ;  the  third  wife  was  Jane  See,  to 
whom  one  child  was  born,  who  died  in  the 
Philippine  Islands. 

B.  E,  Martin,  Sr.,  was  reared  in  Alma, 
this  state,  remaining  there  until  he  was  six- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


235 


teen  years  of  age,  attending  the  local  school. 
When  only  sixteen  years  old  he  could  not  re- 
press the  patriotic  feeling  that  prompted  him 
to  shoulder  arms  in  defense  of  the  nation's 
integrity,  consequently  on  July  25,  1861,  he 
enlisted  in  the  Fortieth  Illinois  Volunteer  in- 
fantry. He  was  in  many  skirmishes  and  en- 
gagements, having  fought  in  the  great  bat- 
tle of  Shiloh,  where  his  regiment  lost  two 
hundred  and  forty-seven  men  in  the  two 
days'  fight,  and  he  was  in  several  small  en- 
gagements as  they  advanced  on  Corinth. 
His  brother,  Thomas  G.,  was  in  every  en- 
gagement and  skirmish  in  which  this  regi- 
ment was  involved,  never  being  sick  a  day. 
and  never  missing  a  roll  call.  He  enlisted 
in  1861  and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of 
three  years  re-enlisted  as  a  veteran  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  Our  sub- 
ject had  three  brothers  and  one  half-brother 
in  the  army. 

After  his  career  in  the  army  Mr.  Martin 
went  into  the  drug  business  at  Greenville, 
Illinois.  He  later  went  to  Olathe,  Johnson 
county,  Kansas,  where  he  engaged  in  the 
same  line  of  business  from  1867  to  1869; 
then  he  returned  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
and  resumed  the  drug  business  here,  in 
which  he  remained  a  short  time.  Selling 
out  his  stock  of  drugs,  he  began  selling 
agricultural  implements,  adding  the  lumber 
business  in  connection  with  his  brother.  He 
made  a  success  of  all  the  lines  in  his  vari- 
ous locations.  In  1877  he  established  his 
present  business,  that  of  wholesale  seeds,  in 
which  he  has  quite  an  extensive  trade,  hav- 
ing become  known  as  the  leading  seed  man 


in  this  locality,  consequently  his  trade  ex- 
tends to  all  parts  of  the  country.  He  uses 
the  most  modern  and  highly  improved  ma- 
chinery for  cleaning  seeds. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
November,  1866,  to  Florida  Cunningham, 
who  was  born  and  reared  in  Salem,  the 
daughter  of  John  Cunningham,  then  a  mer- 
chant of  Salem.  He  was  a  man  of  honest 
principle  and  influence  in  his  community. 

Eight  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  one  of  whom  died  in  infancy, 
the  others  are  now  living  in  1908.  They 
are:  Mary,  the  wife  of  Charles  T.  Austin,' 
of  Indianapolis;  B.  E.,  Jr.,  who  is  engaged 
in  the  general  mercantile  business  in  Salem; 
Bertha  is  the  wife  of  John  Gibson,  living  in 
Manila,  Philippine  Islands;  Nancy  is  living 
in  Salem;  John  C.  is  cashier  of  the  Salem 
National  Bank ;  Edith  and  Gena. 

The  subject  has  achieved  success  in  an 
eminent  degree  owing  to  his  well  directed 
energy  and  honesty  and  persistency.  He  is 
a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Salem  Na- 
itonal  Bank.  He  owns  a  modern,  comfort- 
able and  nicely  furnished  residence. 

Mr.  Martin  has  served  as  Supervisor  of 
Salem  township.  He  discharged  the  duties 
of  this  office  with  his  usual  business  alacrity 
and  foresight.  He  is  a  Democrat  and  has 
always  been  active  in  politics.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations  he  affiliates  with  the  Ma- 
sons. He  also  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  also  the  Gid- 
eons. He  is  an  honorary  member  of  the 
Woodmen,  and  he  is  well  and  favorably 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


known  in  lodge  circles,  business  life  and 
social  relations,  being  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  trustworthy  and  substantial  citi- 
zens of  Salem  and  Marion  county. 

Before  closing  this  review  it  would  not  be 
amiss  to  quote  the  following  paragraph 
which  appeared  in  a  Salem  paper  some  time 
since  under  the  caption,  "A  Remarkable 
Record" : 

"There  resides  in  this  city  four  brothers 
who  have  a  record  which  is  remarkable  and 
doubtless  without  a  parallel  among  their 
fellow  countrymen.  They  were  all  soldiers 
in  the  Civil  war ;  two  enlisting  in  the  Forti- 
eth Regiment  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in 
1861,  and  the  other  two  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Regiment  of  this  state  in  1862. 
They  participated  in  every  battle  in  which 
their  respective  regiments  were  engaged, 
were  never  in  a  hospital,  and  none  of  them 
ever  received  the  slightest  wound,  notwith- 
standing they  were  in  the  thickest  of  rights 
where  thousands  were  slain  or  wounded.  At 
the  battle  of  Shiloh  nearly  three  hundred 
of  the  Fortieth  Regiment  were  killed  or 
wounded,  but  'Tom'  and  'Ben'  were  among 
those  who  came  out  without  a  scratch. 
These  four  brothers  with  the  remarkable 
record  are  James  S.,  Thomas,  Robert  and 
Benjamin  E.  Martin,  honorable,  substantial 
citizens  of  Salem." 


H.  T.  PACE. 

A  happy  combination  of  characteristics  is 
possessed  by  the  honorable  gentleman  of 
whom  the  biographer  now  essays  to  write. 


for  he  has  shown  during  his  long  residence 
in  Salem,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  that  he  is 
a  man  of  rare  business  acumen,  foresight  and 
sagacity,  at  the  same  time  possessing  lauda- 
ble traits  of  character  such  as  integrity,  in- 
dustry, sobriety  and  kindliness;  these,  com- 
bined with  his  public  spirit  and  model  home 
life,  have  resulted  in  winning  for  Mr.  Pace 
the  unqualified  esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 

li.  T.  Pace  was  born  one  and  one-half 
miles  south  of  Salem  on  a  farm,  February 
3,  1850,  and,  believing  that  better  opportu- 
nities awaited  him  right  here  at  home,  he 
early  decided  to  cast  his  lot  with  his  own 
people  rather  than  seek  uncertain  success  in 
other  fields,  and,  judging  from  the  pro- 
nounced success  which  has  attended  his  sub- 
sequent efforts,  one  must  conclude  that  he 
made  a  wise  decision. 

The  subject's  father  was  George  \Y.  Pace, 
a  native  of  Kentucky,  who  came  to  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  when  a  young  man.  but 
soon  after  locating  here  he  moved  to  Marion 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  farming,  late1." 
in  the  furniture  business,  having  spent  many 
years  in  this;  he  also  learned  the  tailor's 
trade  and  conducted  a  tailor  shop  for  a  time 
soon  after  coming  here.  He  was  a  man  of 
considerable  force  and  influence,  honest, 
hard  working  and  hospitable,  who  spared  no 
pains  in  rearing  his  family  in  the  best  pos- 
sible manner,  always  holding  out  high  ideals 
and  lofty  aims.  He  was  noted  as  a  great 
story  teller  as  well  as  a  kindly,  neighborly 
man.  He  was  born  December  18.  1806.  and 
passed  to  his  rest  June  i.  1867.  He  was  one 
of  the  oldest  pioneers  of  Marion  county,  be- 
ing one  of  the  best  known  and  most  beloved 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


237 


men  in  the  county  and  familiarly  called  "L  n- 
cle  George." 

The  mother  of  the  subject,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred on  the  same  clay  of  the  month  as  that 
of  her  husband,  December  i8th,  in  the  year 
1808.  was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Ta- 
bithia  J.  Rogers,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  the 
representative  of  a  fine  old  Southern  fam- 
ily, and  she  "crossed  over  the  mystic  river" 
to  join  her  worthy  life  companion  on  the 
other  shore  February  26.  1881,  at  the  age 
of  seventy-three  years,  after  closing  a  serene 
and  beautiful  life  of  the  noblest  Christian  at- 
tributes and  wholesome  influence.  One  of 
the  most  commendable  traits  in  our  subject 
was  his  devotion  to  his  mother,  with  whom 
he  lived  until  her  death,  joyfully  administer- 
ing to  her  every  want  and  sacrificing  much 
in  his  own  life  that  she  might  be  comfortable 
and  happy.  Nine  children  were  bom  to  the 
parents  of  the  subject,  only  three  of  whom 
are  living  at  this  writing,  1908.  The  living 
are:  O.  H.  Pace,  of  Mount  Vernon.  Illinois, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years:  Mrs.  O.  E. 
Tryner,  living  at  Long  Beach,  California,  at 
the  age  of  sixty  years;  H.  T..  our  subject. 
The  parents  of  the  subject  were  married 
May  13,  1830. 

H.  T.  Pace  remained  under  his  parental 
roof-tree  during  the  lifetime  of  his  parents. 
He  attended  the  common  schools  in  Salem, 
where  he  diligently  applied  himself  and  re- 
ceived a  good  education.  However,  thirst- 
ing for  more  knowledge,  he  attended  college 
at  Jacksonville,  Illinois,  for  a  short  time.  The 
stage  having  allurements  and  he  having  nat- 
ural talents  as  a  comedian,  he  traveled  for 


three  years  with  some  of  the  best  companies 
on  the  road  as  a  black-face  comedian,  win- 
ning wide  notoriety  through  this  medium. 

Tiring  of  the  stage,  he  went  to  Denver  in 
1880,  where  he  clerked  for  a  while  in  a  jew- 
el 17  store,  later  worked  as  a  Pullman  con- 
ductor between  Denver  and  Leadville  over 
the  South  Park  Railroad.  In  1884  Mr.  Pace 
came  back  to  Salem  and  has  remained  here 
ever  since  prospering  in  whatever  he  has  un- 
dertaken. 

The  harmonious  domestic  life  of  the  sub- 
ject dates  from  1884,  when  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Alice  H.  Andrews,  the  ac- 
complished and  popular  daughter  of  Samuel 
Andrews,  who  sacrificed  his  life  for  his 
country,  having  met  death  in  the  Union  lines 
while  fighting  in  defense  of  the  flag.  At  the 
time  of  their  marriage  Mr.  Pace  was  sup 
posed  to  be  on  his  death  bed  from  a  sudden 
and  serious  illness.  The  married  life  of  this 
couple  has  been  a  most  ideal  one  and  has  re- 
sulted in  the  birth  of  seven  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living.  Their  names  follow : 
Claude  S.,  of  Salem,  engine  foreman  at  the 
Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  shops;  Effie 
Jenella,  Lynn  Harvey,  Ned  R.,  Gladys  D., 
Lowell  died  in  infancy,  as  did  also  the  last 
child.  Mona. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Pace  went  into 
the  piano  business,  which  he  has  since  con- 
ducted for  twenty-five  years,  the  greates' 
success  attending  his  efforts,  his  house  being 
known  throughout  Marion  county,  and  his 
trade  extending-  many  miles  in  every  direc- 
tion, as  a  result  of  his  skill  in  managing  this 
line  and  his  uniform  fairness  and  courteous- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ness  to  customers.  His  piano  parlor  is  one 
of  the  popular  business  houses  of  Salem.  Mr. 
Pace  keeps  a  modern  and  up-to-date  line  of 
musical  instruments,  talking  machines  and 
similar  goods. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Pace  is  a  member  of  the 
Masonic  order,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
Woodmen  and  the  Eastern  Star,  being  the 
Worthy  Patron  in  the  latter  order. 

Mr.  Pace  is  now  the  only  member  of  this 
worthy  family  in  Marion  county,  and  he  is 
one  of  the  oldest  native  born  residents  of 
Salem.  Among  his  interesting  collection  of 
relics  and  curios  is  an  old  clock  which  his 
father  and  mother  bought  when  they  first 
went  to  housekeeping. 

In  all  the  relations  of  life  our  subject  has 
been  found  worthy  of  the  trust  imposed  in 
him,  being  a  man  of  rare  business  ability, 
force  of  character  and  possessing  praise- 
worthy qualities  of  head  and  heart  which 
make  him  popular  with  all  whom  he  meets, 
and  he  is  today  regarded  by  all  classes  as  be- 
ing one  of  the  staunchest,  most  upright  and 
representative  citizens  of  Marion  county. 


D.  D.  HAYN1E. 

For  the  high  rank  of  her  bench  and  bar 
Illinois  has  always  been  distinguished,  and 
it  is  gratifying  to  note  that  in  no  section  of 
the  commonwealth  has  the  standard  been 
lowered  in  any  epoch  of  its  history.  To  the 
subject  of  this  review,  who  is  at  the  time  of 
this  writing,  1908,  the  popular  and  influen- 
tial Clerk  of  the  Circuit  Court  at  Salem, 


Marion  county,  we  may  refer  with  propriety 
and  satisfaction  as  being  one  of  the  able  and 
representative  members  of  the  legal  profes- 
sion of  the  state.  He  prepared  himself  most 
carefully  for  the  work  of  his  exacting  pro- 
fession and  has  ever  been  ambitious  and 
self-reliant,  gaining  success  and  securing  his 
technical  training  through  his  own  deter- 
mination and  well  directed  efforts.  He  not 
only  stands  high  in  his  profession  but  is  a 
potent  factor  in  local  politics,  his  advice 
being  often  relied  upon  in  the  selection  of 
candidates  for  county  offices  and  he  has  led 
such  a  career,  one  upon  which  not  the 
shadow  or  suspicion  of  evil  rests,  that  his 
counsel  is  often  sought  and  heeded  in  im- 
portant movements  in  the  county,  with  grati- 
fying results. 

D.  D.  Haynie  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  November  22,  1848.  His  father 
was  William  D.  Haynie,  a  native  of 
Norfolk,  Virginia,  where  he  was  born 
August  29,  1798.  He  came  with  his  mother 
to  Winchester,  Tennessee,  when  he  was  ten 
years  old,  and  remained  there  until  he 
reached  young  manhood.  He  was  a  soldier 
in  the  War  of  1812,  having  performed  gal- 
lant service  in  the  same,  after  which  he  re- 
turned to  Kentucky,  settling  near  Hopkins- 
ville,  where  he  married  Elizabeth  B.  Frost, 
and  where  he  lived  for  several  years,  finally 
in  1832  moving  to  Salem,  Illinois,  bringing 
three  slaves  with  them,  which  they  later  lib- 
erated. They  lived  in  Salem,  developing 
the  primitive  conditions  which  they  found, 
for  many  years,  rearing  eleven  children, 
namely:  Abner  F.,  deceased,  having  died 
in  1850;  General  Isham  N.,  who  died  in 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


239 


1868,  having  been  adjutant  general  at  the 
time  of  his  death,  formerly  colonel  of  the 
Forty-eighth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry; 
William  M.,  died  in  1855;  Rebecca  was  the 
wife  of  James  Marshall,  who  moved  to 
Texas  and  died  there  about  1857;  George 
W.,  quartermaster  of  the  Forty-eighth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Regiment,  who  died  in  1891, 
when  seventy  years  old;  Mary  and  John  B., 
both  died  in  infancy ;  Elizabeth  is  the  widow 
of  Hon.  B.  B.  Smith,  who  was  one  of 
the  first  and  best  lawyers  in  southern  Illi- 
nois, and  who  died  in  1884,  his  widow  now 
residing  at  Mount  Vernon,  Washington : 
Martha  J.,  now  deceased,  was  the  wife  of 
Dr.  Thomas  Williams,  of  Jacksonville,  Flor- 
ida, dying  in  Philadelphia  in  1906;  Sarah 
C.  is  the  wife  of  L.  L.  Adams,  of  Spokane, 
Washington;  D.  D.,  our  subject,  was  the 
youngest  of  the  family. 

Our  subject  made  his  home  with  his 
father  until  he  died  in  1870,  the  subject's 
mother  surviving  until  1884.  They  were 
people  of  excellent  qualities  of  mind  and 
heart,  and  spared  no  pains  in  giving  their 
children  every  advantage  possible,  and  the 
wholesome  home  influence  in  which  they 
were  reared  is  reflected  in  the  characters  of 
the  subject  and  the  other  children. 

D.  D.  Haynie  attended  the  common 
schools  when  a  boy,  making  rapid  progress. 
Being  ambitious  and  thirsting  for  all  the 
book  learning  possible,  he  entered  the  State 
Normal  at  Bloomington,  Illinois,  after  a 
course  in  which  he  made  an  excellent  record, 
he  returned  home  and  clerked,  but  believing 
that  his  true  life  path  lay  along  the  higher 


lines  of  the  legal  profession,  he  begun  the 
study  of  law  and  was  admitted  to  the  Salem 
bar  in  1871.  His  success  was  instantaneous 
and  he  soon  built  up  a  good  practice.  His 
unusual  attributes  soon  attracted  attention 
and  he  was  appointed  clerk  in  the  Pension 
Agency  located  in  Salem,  which  position  he 
held  with  much  credit  for  a  period  of  six 
years.  He  then  devoted  some  of  his  time  to 
farming  with  gratifying  results,  at  the  same 
time  continuing  his  law  practice  which  had 
by  this  time  been  built  up  to  a  very  large 
practice.  He  has  continued  with  great  suc- 
cess ever  since  he  first  began  practice  in 
1885.  During  this  time  he  has  served  his 
county  and  city  in  many  official  capacities. 
He  was  twice  elected  president  of  the  City 
Board  of  Education,  and  afterward  was  a 
member  of  the  same  for  two  terms ;  during 
his  connection  with  the  same  the  educational 
interests  of  the  city  were  greatly  strength- 
ened. He  was  elected  Police  Magistrate  in 
1904  and  elected  Circuit  Clerk  as  a  Repub- 
lican and  is  serving  in  this  capacity  in  1908, 
making  one  of  the  best  clerks  the  court  has 
ever  had.  In  all  his  political  and  official 
career,  not  the  least  dissatisfaction  has 
arisen  over  the  manner  in  which  he  has 
handled  the  affairs  entrusted  to  him,  and  he 
has  by  this  consistent  record  gained  a  host 
of  admiring  friends  throughout  the  county. 
Mr.  Haynie's  happy  and  harmonious  do- 
mestic life  dates  from  August  26,  1875, 
when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Emma 
J.  McMackin,  the  accomplished  and  cultured 
daughter  of  W.  E.  McMackin,  who  was 
lieutenant-colonel  of  Grant's  Twenty-first 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Illinois  Regiment,  and  a  well  known  and 
influential  man  in  his  community. 

One  bright  and  winsome  daughter  was 
born  to  the  subject  and  wife,  who  was  given 
the  name  of  May  E.,  and  who  is  now  the 
wife  of  William  W.  Morrow,  of  Oklahoma 
City.  The  subject's  wife  was  called  to  her 
rest  January.  21,  1878,  and  he  was  married 
the  second  time,  this  wife  being  in  her 
maidenhood.  Maggie  Bobbitt,  daughter  of 
Joseph  J.  Bobbitt,  who  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Eighth  Kentucky  Regiment.  She  proved  a 
worthy  helpmeet  and  to  this  union  the  fol- 
lowing interesting  children  were  born : 
Edith  M.,  now  living  in  Spokane,  Washing- 
ton; Donald  C,  of  Salem,  Illinois,  is  clerk 
for  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Rail- 
way Company.  The  subject's  wife  died  in 
April  1890.  The  subject  then  married  Rose 
M.  Haley,  the  daughter  of  Rev.  J.  L.  Haley, 
a  well  known  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
minister,  the  date  of  the  wedding  falling 
on  July  14,  1891.  No  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union  which  has  been  a  most 
harmonious  one. 

Fraternally  the  subject  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows for  thirty-seven  years,  having  occupied 
the  chairs  of  the  same,  and  he  has  been  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Fraternity  since 
1879,  a  chapter  member. 

The  subject  in  his  political  activity  had 
occasion  to  become  intimately  acquainted 
with  Governor  Oglesby,  Gen.  John  A.  Lo- 
gan, Col.  Robert  G.  Ingersoll.  Governor 
Tanner  and  most  of  the  noted  men  of  the 
state. 


Air.  Haynie  delights  to  recall  reminis- 
cences of  his  great  grandfather  on  his 
father's  side,  who  was  named  Donald  Camp- 
bell, who  migrated  from  Scotland  to  Nor- 
folk, Virginia,  where  he  bought  up  all  the 
land  between  what  was  then  Norfolk  and 
the  wharf,  which  is  now  known  as  Campbell 
wharf.  Mr.  Campbell  died  in  February, 
1795.  Mr.  Haynie  has  in  his  possession  a 
copy  of  Campbell's  will  executed  February 
2,  1795.  Donald  Campbell's  father  was 
Archibald  Campbell,  who  survived  his  son 
and  died  in  1802.  There  are  many  descen- 
dants of  the  Campbell  family  living  today 
in  Philadelphia  and  Virginia. 


CHARLES  H.  HOLT. 

The  biographical  annals  of  Marion  Coun- 
ty. Illinois,  would  he  incomplete  were  there 
failure  to  make  specific  mention  of  the  hon- 
orable gentleman,  whose  name  introduces 
this  review,  who  is  one  of  the  county's 
Ablest  and  most  distinguished  native  sons, 
for  he  had  the  sagacity  early  in  youth  to 
see  that  better  opportunities  waited  for  him 
right  here  on  his  native  heath  than  other- 
where, consequently  his  life  labors  have 
been  confined  to  this  locality  rather  than  in 
distant  and  precarious  fields,  and  judging 
from  the  eminent  success  he  has  here  at- 
tained he  was  fortunate  in  coming  to  this 
decision — to  remain  at  home.  Judge  Holt 
has  been  prominently  identified  with  the  in- 
dustrial, material  and  civic  progress  of  the 


CHARLES  H.  HOLT. 


•" 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


241 


community,  having  ever  stood  for  loyal  and 
public-spirited  citizenship,  having  been  a 
potent  factor  in  bringing  about  the  wonder- 
ful development  in  this  favored  section,  con- 
tributing his  influence  and  energy  in  the 
transformation  which  has  made  this  one  of 
the  leading  counties  of  the  state,  with  its 
highly  cultivated  farms,  thriving  towns  and 
villages,  its  school-houses,  churches  and  all 
other  evidences  of  progress  and  culture,  and 
he  is  today  not  only  one  of  the  leading  attor- 
neys and  among  the  most  highly  honered 
citizens  of  Salem,  the  beautiful  and  thriving 
county  seat,  but  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
foremost  men  at  the  bar  in  the  state.  In  all 
the  relations  of  life  he  has  been  faithful  to  all 
the  trusts  reposed  in  him,  performing  his 
duty  conscientiously  and  with  due  regard 
for  the  welfare  of  others  often  at  the  sacri- 
fice of  his  own  best  interests  and  pleasures. 
Charles  H.  Holt  was  bom  near  Vernon, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  October  i,  1868,  the 
only  child  of  William  H.  Holt,  and  Sarah 
(Parsons)  Holt,  the  former  a  native  of 
Union  county,  and  the  latter  a  native  of  the 
state  of  Ohio.  They  were  married  in  Ma- 
rion county.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was 
called  to  her  rest  in  November,  1892.  Wil- 
liam H.  Holt  is  living  in  1908,  and  making 
his  home  with  the  subject  in  Salem.  The 
father  was  a  soldier  is  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
having  enlisted  under  Col.  James  S. 
Martin,  who  aftenvard  became  a  general. 
Mr.  Holt  served  gallantly  for  three  years, 
or  until  his  enlistment  expired,  his  princi- 
pal services  being  with  Sherman  on  his 
16 


march  to  the  sea,  and  his  campaigns  around 
Atlanta.  William  H.  Holt  has  been  a  use- 
ful and  industrious  man,  scrupulously  honest 
and  he  yet  exercises  considerable  influence 
in  his  community.  He  and  his  worthy  life 
companion  spared  no  pains  in  giving  their 
son,  our  subject,  every  possible  advantage 
and  encouragement  to  make  the  most  of  life, 
and  many  of  his  sterling  attributes  and 
noble  traits  of  character  may  be  traced  to 
the  wholesome  home  influence  and  uplifting 
environment  in  which  he  was  reared.  Henry 
Holt,  grandfather  of  the  subject,  was  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  Marion  county,  having 
come  here  from  Tennessee,  and  participated 
in  organizing  the  county  and  many  of  the 
county  offices  were  indebted  to  his  sound 
judgment  for  their  early  development.  He 
was  a  public-spirited  man  and  did  an  incal- 
culable amount  of  good  in  furthering  the 
interests  of  his  community.  Like  many  of 
the  hardy  pioneers  of  those  early  times,  he 
possessed  many  sterling  qualities  and  won 
the  admiration  of  all  who  knew  him. 

Charles  H.  Holt,  our  subject,  attended 
the  country  schools  during  the  winter 
months  while  living  on  his  father's  farm 
and  later  the  Salem  high  school,  from  which 
he  graduated  in  the  class  of  1889.  Being 
an  ambitious  lad  from  the  first  he  applied 
himself  most  assiduously  and  outstripped 
many  of  the  less  courageous  plodders  of  his 
day,  making  excellent  grades.  After  leaving 
the  high  school  he  engaged  in  teaching  with 
marked  success  for  one  year,  then,  thirsting 
for  more  knowledge,  he  entered  Northwest- 
ern University  at  Chicago,  taking  a  prepara- 


242 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tory  course  the  first  year.  Believing  that 
his  true  life  work  lay  along  legal  lines,  he 
spent  three  years  in  a  law  office  in  Chicago 
and  then  located  at  Kinmundy,  this  county, 
and  while  living  here,  where  his  success  was 
instantaneous,  he  became  popular  with  his 
party,  which  nominated  him  for  the  respon- 
sible position  of  county  judge,  and  he  was 
subsequently  elected  by  a  handsome  majority 
in  1898,  serving  two  terms  with  entire  sat- 
isfaction to  his  constituents  and  all  con- 
cerned and  in  such  a  manner  as  to  reflect 
great  credit  upon  his  ability,  manifesting 
from  the  first  that  he  had  unmistakable  judi- 
cial talent  and  a  profound  knowledge  of 
law  in  its  variegated  phases. 

In  1904  Judge  Holt  removed  to  Salem 
and  at  the  expiration  of  his  term  of  office 
resumed  the  practice  of  law,  with  a  well 
equipped  and  pleasant  suite  of  rooms  in  the 
Stonecipher  building.  He  has  one  of  the 
largest  and  best  selected  libraries  to  be  found 
in  Southern  Illinois.  Not  only  does  the 
Judge  keep  posted  on  all  the  late  judicial  de- 
cisions and  court  rulings,  but  he  is  a  well 
read  man  on  scientific,  literary  and  current 
topics,  so  that  his  conversation  is  at  once 
animated  and  learned. 

The  Judge  is  a  strong  and  influential  ad- 
vocate of  the  principles  embodied  in  the 
Democratic  party  and  is  well  fortified  in  his 
convictions,  always  ready  to  lend  his  influ- 
ence and  time  to  the  furtherance  of  his  par- 
ty's interests  and  assist  in  placing  the  best 
men  obtainable  in  the  county  offices.  He 
has-  served  as  chairman  of  the  Democratic 
Central  Committee  of  Marion  county,  dur- 


ing which  time  he  displayed  rare  acumen 
and  sagacity  in  the  management  of  the  par- 
ty's affairs. 

Although  Mr.  Holt's  extensive  legal  prac- 
tice occupied  the  major  part  of  his  time,  he 
has  considerable  business  interests  which  he 
manages  with  uniform  success.  He  is  a 
stockholder  in  the  Salem  National  Bank, 
and  also  in  the  Farmers'  and  Merchants' 
Bank  of  St.  Peter,  Illinois. 

Judge  Holt's  happy  and  harmonious  do- 
mestic life  dates  from  1897,  when  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Frances  W.  Fox,  the 
accomplished  and  cultured  daughter  of  Dr. 
Jesse  D.  Fox,  of  Kindmundy,  this  county. 
Doctor  Fox  was  one  of  the  county's  most 
noted  physicians  and  best  known  citizens, 
who  died  about  1881.  The  following  chil- 
dren have  blessed  the  home  of  the  subject 
with  their  cheer  and  sunshine :  Dorothy  F.. 
who  was  bom  in  May,  1898;  Ward  P.,  born 
in  October,  1900;  Frances  S.,  who  was  born 
in  October,  1904;  Charlotte,  whose  date  of 
birth  occurred  September  29,  1906.  These 
children  are  all  bright  and  winsome,  giving 
promise  of  successful  future  careers.  The 
Holt  home  is  a  model  one,  the  residence 
being  modern,  commodious,  well  furnished 
and  invaded  with  the  most  wholesome  at- 
mosphere. 

Our  subject  in  his  fraternal  relations  is 
affiliated  with  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
having  occupied  the  chairs  in  both.  He  is 
truly  a  strong  and  prominent  character,  and 
owing  to  his  individual  personal  traits, 
which  are  highly  commendable,  his  past 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


243 


record,  which  is  unmarred  by  a  shadow,  his 
pleasing  address,  kindly  disposition,  upright- 
ness and  public  spirit,  the  future  augurs  still 
greater  honors  for  the  subject,  for  he  has 
gained  the  undivided  esteem  and  confidence 
of  his  fellow  citizens  throughout  Marion 
and  adjoining  counties,  and  such  a  worthy 
character  is  seldom  left  alone  by  the  public 
when  services  of  a  high  order  are  constantly 
being  sought. 


H.  D.  EVANS. 

H.  D.  Evans  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
this  state,  September  30.  1866,  the  son  of  O. 
F.  Evans,  Police  Magistrate,  and  a  native  of 
this  county.  The  mother  of  Mr.  Evans  was 
Lucy  J.  Tingle,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  who 
came  here  in  1850.  The  subject's  parents 
are  still  living  in  1908.  They  became  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  four  sons  and  five 
daughters. 

H.  D.  Evans  attended  school  in  Salem,  re- 
maining under  his  parental  roof  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  old.  He  then  went  to  To- 
peka,  Kansas,  in  1888,  and  learned  the  car- 
penter's trade,  at  which  he  worked  twelve  or 
fourteen  years,  remaining  in  Topeka  three 
years.  He  finally  returned  to  Salem  and 
•worked  at  his  trade  for  two  years,  when  he 
went  near  Terre  Haute  and  continued  at 
this  trade,  and  was  there  married  to  Nannie 
Maddock,  the  daughter  of  William  Mad- 
dock,  of  Atherton,  Indiana,  on  March  7, 
1894.  Two  interesting  and  winsome  chil- 


dren have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
as  follows:  Gladys  Marie,  whose  date  of 
birth  occurred  June  24,  1895,  and  Gretchen 
Irene,  who  first  saw  the  light  of  day  on  Au- 
gust 19,  1899. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Evans  came  to 
Salem.  Moving  on  a  farm,  he  remained 
there  one  and  one-half  years,  when  he  moved 
to  Salem  and  engaged  in  contracting  and  the 
lumber  business  for  four  years,  after  which 
he  went  on  the  road  for  two  and  one-half 
years,  selling  paints  and  varnishes.  He  is 
now  a  member  of  the  drug  firm  of  Evans  & 
Harmon,  which  owns  stores  at  luka,  Illinois, 
and  Moorhouse,  Missouri. 

Mr.  Evans  is  a  wide  awake,  energetic 
business  man  of  sound  judgment  and  mod- 
ern business  principles,  and  he  has  always 
succeeded  at  whatever  he  undertook.  He 
faithfully  served  the  city  of  Salem  as  Alder- 
man several  years  ago.  He  is  a  Mason,  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  and  both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  are  well  and  favorably 
known  to  a  host  of  friends  in  this  commun- 
ity. 


T.  W.  WILLIAMS. 

Among  the  strong  and  influential  citizens 
of  Marion  county,  the  record  of  whose  lives 
have  become  an  essential  part  of  the  history 
of  the  section,  the  gentleman  whose  name 
appears  above  occupies  a  prominent  place, 
and  for  manv  vears  has  exerted  a  beneficial 


244    ' 


IJKI. \KI-.K  I IOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


influence  in  the  community  in  which  he  re- 
sides. 

T.  \\.  Williams,  the  well  known  Justice 
of  the  Peace  at  Salem,  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Silver  Springs,  Wilson  county,  Tennessee, 
May  22,  1837,  the  son  of  W.  G.  Williams, 
a  man  of  sterling  worth  and  influence,  who 
was  born  and  reared  at  Silver  Springs.  He 
came  to  Illinois  in  1845,  locating  in  the 
northern  part  of  Marion  county  which  is 
now  embraced  in  Kinmundy  township, 
where  he  developed  a  farm,  making  a  com- 
fortable home  and  a  good  living  during  his 
residence  there.  Thomas  Williams,  father 
of  W.  G.  Williams  and  grandfather  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  came  to  Illinois  with 
the  family  in  1845.  He  was  a  North  Caro- 
linian by  birth  and  a  fine  type  of  the  true 
Southern  gentleman.  He  followed  farming 
all  his  life.  He  died  in  Kinmundy.  W.  G. 
Williams  died  in  1904,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-seven  years.  The  mother  of  the 
subject  was  Mary  Morning,  a  native  of  old 
Virginia  and  a  woman  of  many  estimable 
traits.  She  passed  to  her  rest  in  1852.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  W.  G.  Williams  were  the  parents 
of  nine  children  as  follows:  Elizabeth, 
widow  of  R.  G.  Williams,  who  now  lives  in 
Foster  township,  Marion  county;  T.  W., 
our  subject;  Othnial,  who  is  living  at 
Raleigh,  Saline  county,  Illinois,  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war;  Joseph  died  while 
in  the  Union  army;  G.  H.  also  died  in 
the  Union  army;  George  M.  was  killed 
while  in  the  Federal  ranks ;  Henry  N.  also 
died  in  the  Union  army;  Carroll  died  in  in- 


fancy; Mary  Jane  is  the  wife  of  John  Car- 
man, living  at  Kinmundy,  this  county. 

The  subject's  father  married  the  second 
time,  his  last  wife  being  Martha  Boczkie- 
wicz,  and  by  this  union  five  children  were 
born  as  follows:  Piety  Smith,  now  de- 
ceased, who  lived  in  Hamilton  county,  Illi- 
nois; W.  G.,  Jr.,  who  is  living  in  Hamilton 
county;  F.  O.,  who  is  also  a  resident  of 
Hamilton  county;  John  V.,  is  a  Baptist  min- 
ister, living  at  Galitia,  Saline  county,  Illi- 
nois; Priscilla  died  at  the  age  of  ten  years. 

T.  W.  Williams,  our  subject,  was  raised 
on  the  farm  and  attended  the  common 
schools  where  he  diligently  applied  himself 
and  received  a  fairly  good  education.  After 
he  reached  maturity  he  bought  and  sold  live 
stock,  making  this  business  a  success  from 
the  start,  having  much  natural  ability  as  a 
trader.  He  lived  on  the  farm  for  twenty- 
five  years.  He  also  made  a  marked  success 
later  dealing  in  live  stock  and  grain,  becom- 
ing widely  known  not  only  as  a  man  of 
unusual  industry  but  also  of  scrupulous 
honesty. 

Having  taken  a  lively  interest  in  politics 
and  becoming  well  known  throughout  the 
county  he  was  sought  out  by  his  political 
friends  for  positions  of  public  trust,  having 
first  served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  in  1890  of  Ma- 
rion county  for  a  period  of  two  years,  with 
the  greatest  satisfaction  to  all  concerned  and 
reflecting  much  credit  upon  his  innate  ability 
as  an  official.  In  1893  he  became  Deputy 
Circuit  Clerk,  in  which  capacity  he  ably 
served  for  five  years.  Mr.  Williams  was 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


245 


postmaster  at  Kinmundy,  Illinois,  in  1885, 
during  Cleveland's  first  administration.  He 
had  previously  been  living  on  his  farm,  but 
he  then  moved  to  Kinmundy  and  from  that 
town  to  Salem  in  1900  for  the  purpose  of 
assuming  the  duties  of  Deputy  Sheriff.  In 
all  of  his  official  career  not  the  shadow  of 
suspicion  of  wrong  has  rested  upon  him,  and 
he  has  given  uniform  satisfaction  to  all  con- 
cerned in  whatever  place  he  has  filled.  He 
was  the  Democratic  nominee  for  Sheriff  in 
1894,  but  was  defeated  by  a  Republican  can- 
didate. 

Mr.  Williams'  early  life  was  devoted  very 
largely  to  school  teaching,  having  won  a 
lasting  reputation  throughout  Marion 
county  as  an  able  instructor  and  his  services 
were  always  in  great  demand.  He  followed 
this  line  of  work  from  the  time  he  was 
twenty-one  until  he  was  forty  years  old, 
having  taught  not  only  in  Marion  but  also 
Hamilton  and  Saline  counties.  He  has 
given  his  time  to  the  duties  of  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  to  which  he  was  elected 
in  1900.  He  is  also  engaged  in  the  hotel 
business,  being  the  present  proprietor  of  the 
Williams  House,  which  he  has  managed  fof 
ten  years.  Owing  to  the  courteous  treat- 
ment and  excellent  accommodations  which 
the  traveling  public  finds  at  this  house,  it 
has  a  liberal  patronage  and  has  become  well 
known  to  those  finding  it  convenient  to  stop 
at  a  well  kept  hostelry. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Williams  began 
when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with  Juliet 
Boczkiewicz  on  March  27.  1859.  She  was 
a  representative  of  a  highly  respected  and 


well  known  family  of  this  county.  By  this 
union  the  following  interesting  children 
have  been  bom:  Henrietta,  the  wife  of 
George  M.  Hargrove,  of  Fayette  county,  Il- 
linois; Annetta,  deceased;  Alfe,  the  wife  of 
W.  W.  Newis,  of  Salem ;  W.  W.,  of  Cen- 
tralia,  this  state;  Walter,  of  Ashland,  Cass 
county,  Illinois;  T.  S.,  of  Salem. 

These  children  have  received  good  edu- 
cations and  careful  home  training  which  is 
clearly  reflected  in  their  lives. 

Mrs.  Williams  was  called  to  her  rest  in 
1881,  and  Mr.  Williams  was  married  again 
in  1884  to  Nannie  L.  Williams,  a  daughter 
of  T.  C.  Williams,  of  Kinmundy,  a  well 
known  family  of  that  place.  There  have 
been  no  children  by  this  union. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Williams  is  affiliated 
with  the  Masonic  order,  having  belonged  to 
this  lodge  since  he  was  twenty-five  years 
old.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  judging  from  his  sober,  upright,  well 
ordered  daily  life  one  would  conclude  that 
he  believes  in  carrying  out  the  sublime  pre- 
cepts and  doctrines  embraced  in  both  the 
lodge  and  the  church  to  which  he  belongs. 
Mr.  Williams  is  a  man  of  striking  personal- 
ity, portly  with  a  proper  poise  of  dignity  to 
his  military  bearing  which  makes  him  a  con- 
spicuous figure  wherever  he  goes.  He  is  a 
pleasant  man  to  meet,  always  kind,  affable, 
well  mannered  and  congenial:  these  com- 
mendable traits  coupled  with  his  industry 
and  genuine  worth  make  him  a  favorite  in 
Marion  county  and  wherever  he  is  known, 
and  he  justly  merits  the  high  esteem  of 
which  he  is  the  recipient. 


246 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


JAMES  B.  LEWIS. 

Few  men  in  Marion  county  occupy  as 
prominent  position  in  public  and  political 
affairs  as  the  well  known  and  deservedly 
popular  gentleman  whose  name  introduces 
this  article.  His  has  indeed  been  a  busy  and 
successful  life  and  the  record  is  eminently 
worthy  of  perusal  by  the  student  who  would 
learn  the  intrinsic  essence  of  individuality 
and  its  influence  in  moulding  opinion  and 
giving  character  and  stability  to  a  commu- 
nity. 

James  B.  Lewis,  editor  and  publisher  of 
The  Marion  County  Democrat,  and  one  of 
the  leading  journalists  of  southern  Illinois, 
is  a  native  of  Nicholas  county,  Kentucky, 
where  his  birth  occurred  on  the  i4th  day  of 
November,  1852.  His  father,  O.  M.  Lewis, 
who  was  born  and  reared  to  manhood  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  migrated  about  1835  to 
Ohio  where  he  spent  the  ensuing  ten  years, 
and  at  the  expiration  of  that  time  removed 
to  Kentucky  where  he  made  his  home  until 
his  death  in  the  year  1862.  O.  M.  Lewis 
was  a  man  of  fine  mind  and  superior  intel- 
lectual atainments,  having  enjoyed  excellent 
educational  advantages  in  his  native  state, 
graduating  when  a  young  man  from  Alfred 
Center  College.  After  finishing  his  educa- 
tion he  engaged  in  teaching,  which  profes- 
sion he  followed  with  marked  success  in 
Carlisle  and  Maysville,  Kentucky,  until  the 
breaking  out  of  the  war  with  Mexico,  when 
he  resigned  his  position  and  entering  the 
army  served  throughout  that  struggle  while 
still  in  his  minority.  Later  when  the  na- 


tional sky  became  overcast  with  the  ominous 
clouds  of  approaching  Civil  war  he  was 
among  the  first  men  of  Nicholas  county  to 
tender  his  services  to  the  national  govern- 
ment, enlisting  in  1861  in  Company  H, 
Eighteenth  Kentucky  Volunteer  Infantry, 
in  which  he  soon  rose  to  the  position  of  cap- 
tain, and  as  such  served  with  a  brilliant 
record  until  August,  1862,  when  he  was 
killed  while  bravely  leading  his  men  in  the 
battle  of  Richmond,  Kentucky.  This  was 
one  of  the  bloodiest  of  the  war,  the  Eight- 
eenth Kentucky,  a  veteran  regiment,  losing 
two-thirds  of  its  men,  while  the  losses  of 
several  other  regiments  were  almost  if  not 
quite  as  great.  Mr.  Lewis  is  said  to  have 
been  the  most  popular  man  in  his  regiment, 
and  was  almost  idolized  by  his  own  com- 
pany, during  his  entire  period  of  service. 
The  Grand  Army  Post  at  Carlisle,  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  enlisted,  is  called  the 
O.  M.  Lewis  Post  in  his  honor.  Although 
a  man  of  scholarly  tastes  and  habits,  and  for 
many  years  devoted  to  his  books  and  studies 
he  inherited  the  martial  instinct  also  being 
descended  from  fighting  stock  on  the  ma- 
ternal side,  his  mother  having  been  a  Law- 
ton,  a  relative  of  the  late  General  Lawton, 
one  of  America's  most  distinguished  heroes, 
who  lost  his  life  in  the  Philippines.  O.  M. 
Lewis  was  born  on  August  30,  1824,  mar- 
ried in  1850  to  Elizabeth  Mann,  of  Nicholas 
county,  Kentucky,  and  became  the  father  of 
eight  children,  only  three  now  survive, 
namely :  Mrs.  Louisa  L.  Davidson,  of  Pa- 
toka,  Illinois,  James  B.,  of  this  review  and 
Airs.  Anna  J.  Burns  who  lives  in  Fresno, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


247 


California.  In  September  following  her 
husband's  death,  1863,  Mrs.  Lewis,  with  her 
three  children,  moved  to  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois, and  located  about  two  miles  east  of 
Patoka,  on  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  which  had  been  purchased  by  Mr. 
Lewis  some  years  previously.  In  1865  she 
became  the  wife  of  George  Binnion,  of  Mar- 
ion county,  who  was  also  a  soldier  during 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  and  the  son  of 
Francis  Binnion,  the  second  marriage  result- 
ing in  the  birth  of  two  sons,  Daniel  H.,  and 
Frank.  At  the  time  of  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  the  month  of  July,  1907,  at  the 
remarkable  age  of  one  hundred  and  seven 
years,  Francis  Binnion  was  the  oldest  man 
in  Marion  county,  if  not  in  the  state. 

James  B.  Lewis  spent  his  childhood  in  the 
state  of  his  birth,  and  when  eleven  years  old 
was  brought  by  his  mother  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  with  the  subsequent  history 
and  progress  of  which  his  life  has  been  very 
closely  interwoven.  At  the  proper  age  he 
entered  the  public  schools  of  Patoka,  where 
he  pursued  his  studies  until  completing  the 
common  and  high  school  branches,  the 
training  thus  received  was  in  Milton,  Wis- 
consin, where  he  earned  an  honorable  record 
as  a  close  and  painstaking  student.  On  quit- 
ting college  he  turned  his  attention  to  teach- 
ing, but  after  devoting  several  years  to  this 
field  of  work  and  finding  it  not  altogether  to 
his  liking  he  discontinued  it  and  took  up  the 
study  of  medicine.  After  a  course  of  read- 
ing under  the  direction  of  competent  local 
talent  he  entered  the  Eclectic  Medical  Insti- 
tute at  Cincinnati,  where  he  continued  his 


studies  and  researches  until  receiving  his  de- 
gree in  the  year  1878,  following  which  he 
opened  an  office  in  Patoka  and  in  due  time 
built  up  an  extensive  practice  which  proved 
as  successful  financially  as  professionally, 
and  which  earned  for  him  an  honorable 
reputation  among  the  leading  physicians  and 
surgeons  of  Marion  and  neighboring  coun- 
ties. 

Dr.  Lewis  brought  to  his  chosen  calling 
a  mind  well  disciplined  by  intellectual  and 
professional  training,  and  it  was  not  long 
until  his  practice  took  a  very  wide  range, 
embracing  not  only  the  town  and  a  large 
area  of  adjacent  country,  but  not  infre- 
quently were  his  services  sought  at  other  and 
remote  points  for  treatment  of  difficult  and 
critical  cases  in  which  a  high  degree  of  ef- 
ficiency and  skill  were  required.  He  con- 
tinued his  professional  business  with  encour- 
aging success  until  the  fall  of  1884  when  he 
was  elected  Clerk  of  the  Marion  Circuit 
Court,  and  the  better  to  attend  to  his  official 
functions  here  moved  within  a  short  time  to 
Salem  where  he  has  since  resided.  Doctor 
Lewis  discharged  the  duties  of  the  clerkship 
with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  people,  and  during  his  incum- 
bency of  four  years  won  the  esteem  and 
confidence  of  all  who  had  business  to  trans- 
act in  his  office,  proving  a  most  capable,  ju- 
dicious and  obliging  public  servant.  In 
February,  1889,  shortly  after  the  expiration 
of  his  official  term  he  established  "The  Mar- 
ion County  Democrat,"  which  he  has  since 
conducted,  and  which  under  his  able  busi- 
ness and  editorial  management  is  now  one 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


of  the  best  and  most  influential  local  papers 
in  the  southern  part  of  the  state,  in  many 
respects  comparing'  favorably  with  the  more 
pretentious  sheets  of  the  larger  metropolitan 
centers.  The  political  creed  of  The  Demo- 
crat is  indicated  by  its  title,  and  as  a  party 
organ  it  has  had  much  to  do  in  moulding 
opinion,  formulating  policies  and  directing 
public  affairs,  the  doctor  being  an  elegant 
and  forceful  writer,  a  courteous  but  fearless 
antagonist  and  in  discussing  the  leading 
questions  and  issues  of  the  day  he  wields  a 
trenchant  pen  and  makes  his  influence  felt 
not  only  on  these  but  on  all  other  matters 
which  the  enterprising  journalist  is  supposed 
to  bring  to  the  attention  of  the  public. 

The  Democrat  office  is  well  equipped  with 
the  latest  modern  machinery  and  appliances 
for  first  class  work  in  the  art  preservative, 
and  in  its  mechanical  make  up  the  paper  is 
fully  abreast  of  the  times,  all  that  constitutes 
a  first  class  newspaper  being  systematically 
arranged  and  a  model  of  neatness  and  typo- 
graphical art.  Aside  from  its  political  phase 
it  is  designed  to  vibrate  with  the  public  pulse 
and  in  addition  to  the  news  of  the  day,  its 
columns  teem  with  much  of  the  best  current 
literature  and  it  has  also  became  the  medium 
through  which  the  productions  of  a  number 
of  rising  local  writers  are  given  publicity. 

In  brief  The  Democrat  is  a  clean  and  dig- 
nified and  interesting  family  paper  as  well 
as  a  popular  and  influential  political  organ, 
and  its  steady  growth  in  public  favor  be- 
speaks for  it  a  future  of  still  greater  prom- 
ise and  usefulness.  Not  only  as  an  editorial 
moulder  of  opinion  does  Mr.  Lewis  make 


his  influence  felt  in  directing  the  affairs  of 
his  town  and  county,  but  as  an  enterprising 
public  spirited  citizen,  with  the  welfare  of 
the  community  at  heart,  he  has  ever  been 
interested  in  whatever  makes  for  the  benefit 
of  his  fellow  men,  encouraging  to  the  extent 
of  his  ability  all  worthy  measures  and  takes 
the  lead  in  movements  having  for  their  ob- 
ject the  social,  intellectual  and  moral  ad- 
vancement of  those  with  whom  he  mingles. 
On  the  1 2th  day  of  September,  1877.  Mr. 
Lewis  was  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock 
with  Mona  I.  Quoyle,  daughter  of  Capt.  T. 
H.  and  Rebecca  Quoyle,  of  Salem,  the  mar- 
riage being  blessed  with  six  children,  four 
of  whom  are  living,  the  other  two  dying  in 
infancy.  Anna  L.,  the  oldest  of  the  family, 
is  the  wife  of  E.  H.  Barenfauger,  a  con- 
tractor of  Salem.  Orin  M.,  the  second  in 
order  of  birth  is  associated  with  his  father 
in  The  Democrat  office  and  has  achieved 
honorable  repute  as  an  enterprising  and 
capable  newspaper  man.  Before  entering 
the  field  of  journalism  he  served  four  years 
in  the  United  States  navy,  having 
visited  nearly  every  country  of  the  old 
and  new  world,  and  completely  encircled 
the  globe  while  with  the  squadron  under  the 
command  of  Robley  D.  Evans  or  "Fighting 
Bob,"  one  of  the  most  distinguished  admir- 
als of  his  time.  Thomas  O.,  the  second  son, 
is  a  locomotive  fireman  at  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  yards  in  Salem,  while  Owen 
W.,  the  youngest  of  the  number  is  also  con- 
nected with  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railway,  holding  the  position  of  store 
keeper  at  Salem.  In  his  fraternal  relations 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS. 


249 


Mr.  Lewis  is  a  Mason  and  an  Odd  Fellow, 
belonging  to  the  lodges  of  those  organiza- 
tions in  Salem  and  manifesting  a  lively  in- 
terest in  their  deliberations.  While  not 
actively  engaged  in  the  practice  of  his  pro- 
fession he  is  fully  abreast  of  the  times  on  all 
matters  relating  to  medical  science,  being  a 
close  and  diligent  student  and  an  untiring 
investigator,  and  by  keeping  in  touch  with 
the  trend  of  modern  thought  maintains  not 
only  his  interest  in  the  healing  art,  but  the 
honorable  position  to  which  he  attained 
while  devoting  his  entire  time  and  attention 
to  the  ills  of  suffering  humanity. 

During  the  entire  period  of  his  residence 
in  Salem  as  a  physician,  public  official,  edi- 
tor, as  the  center  of  his  family  circle  and 
as  a  citizen  he  has  made  good  his  title  to 
the  honored  name  inherited  from  his 
ancestors,  besides  adding  to  its  luster  by  a 
strict  adherence  to  duty  in  every  relation  to 
which  he  has  been  called. 


OBEDIAH  F.  EVANS. 

The  history  of  the  loyal  sons  and  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
would  be  incomplete  should  the  name  that 
heads  this  review  be  omitted,  for  it  is  emi- 
nently consistent  that  a  record  of  his  labors 
and  achievements,  and  a  tribute  to  his 
worth  and  high  character  as  a  business  man, 
public  official  and  enterprising,  broad 
minded  citizen  be  made  at  this  place. 

Obediah  F.   Evans,    the  present    efficient 


Police  Magistrate  of  Salem,  Illinois,  is  a 
native  son  of  this  county,  having  first  seen 
the  light  of  day  here  on  March  23,  1844.  His 
father  was  James  Evans,  who  was  a  grand- 
son of  W.  W.  Evans  and  the  son  of  Obediah 
Evans,  Sr.  James  Evans  was  born  in  West 
Virginia,  December  7,  1819,  and  with  his 
father  emigrated  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
in  1830,  settling  near  Salem,  being  one  of 
the  sterling  pioneers  that  did  so  much 
for  succeeding  generations.  In  1838  he 
was  married  to  Kizzire  Morrison, 
daughter  of  Joseph  Morrison,  of  Revo- 
lutionary fame.  To  this  fortunate  union 
nine  children  were  born,  four  sons  and 
five  daughters.  When  the  national  govern- 
ment was  in  need  of  loyal  sons  to  save  it 
from  disruption,  this  patriotic  father  and 
three  sons  enlisted  in  its  defense,  he  on  Au- 
gust 9,  1862,  and  the  sons  on  August  25, 
1 86 1.  The  father  returned  home  in  1865 
after  gallant  service,  leaving  two  sons  be- 
hind him  who  had  sacrificed  their  lives  on 
the  altar  of  their  country,  having  fallen  in 
battle,  one  at  Shiloh  and  the  other  at  Frank- 
lin, Tennessee.  The  third  son,  Obediah, 
our  worthy  subject,  was  only  seventeen 
years  old  when  he  enlisted.  After  perform- 
ing conspicuous  service  and  conducting  him- 
self with  as  much  bravery  and  martial  spirit 
as  the  older  members  of  his  regiment,  hav- 
ing borne  the  brunt  of  battle  at  the  momen- 
tous and  sanguinary  conflict  at  Shiloh,  Ten- 
nessee, toward  the  close  of  that  great 
engagement  he  was  struck  by  a  canister  and 
seriously  wounded  so  that  his  discharge 
from  the  army  was  a  necessity,  greatly  to 


250 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


his  regret.  After  the  war  Mr.  Evans  re- 
turned to  his  home  in  Salem.  James  Evans 
was  called  from  his  earthly  labors  October 
24,  1898.  The  subject's  mother,  a  woman 
of  beautiful  Christian  character  and  numer- 
ous commendable  attributes,  was  called  to 
her  rest  in  1877.  Grandmother  Evans  was 
the  third  person  to  be  buried  in  the  cemetery 
at  Salem,  her  death  having  occurred  in 
1834.  Joseph  Morrison,  grandfather  of  the 
subject,  on  his  maternal  side,  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six  years  in  1836.  He  is 
buried  at  Mt.  Maria  church,  seven  miles 
south  of  Salem.  The  ancestry  of  the  subject 
were  numbered  among  the  best  and  most  in- 
dustrious people  of  their  day  and  generation. 
Our  subject's  domestic  life  dates  from 
November  10,  1863,  when  he  was  married 
to  Lucy  J.  Tingle,  the  accomplished  and 
genial  daughter  of  Lloyd  Tingle,  a  well 
known  citizen  of  Henderson  county,  Ken- 
tucky, and  to  this  union  nine  children  have 
been  born,  namely:  Charles  E.,  born  Sep- 
tember 8,  1864;  Harry  D.,  president  of  the 
Salem  Drug  Company,  of  this  city,  whose 
date  of  birth  occurred  on  August  30,  1866; 
Nellie  Grant,  wife  of  J.  W.  Asbury,  of 
O'Fallon;  Illinois,  was  born  in  1868.  He  is 
a  school  teacher,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  five  sons  and  one  daughter.  Carrie  Belle, 
the  fourth  child,  is  the  wife  of  Ed.  F.  Mu- 
nier,  of  Springfield,  Missouri,  who  is  a  ma- 
chinist. She  was  born  in  1870  and  is  the 
mother  of  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  one 
pair  of  twins.  Ida  Frank,  the  fifth  child, 
who  was  born  March  23,  1873,  is  the  wife 
of  W.  N.  Huff,  living  on  a  farm  south  of 


Salem,  he  being  a  carpenter  by  occupation, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  seven  children, 
three  sons  and  four  daughters ;  Anna  Lee, 
who  was  born  in  April,  1876,  is  the  wife  of 
T.  M.  Lutz,  who  is  engaged  in  the  railway 
mail  service  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  they 
are  the  parents  of  two  boys ;  George  G.,  who 
was  born  in  1881  is  in  the  United  States 
army  now  (1908)  located  at  Camp  Keeth- 
ley,  Philippine  Islands ;  Lucy  Blanche,  who 
was  born  in  1883,  is  the  wife  of  W.  F.  Peri- 
man,  a  machinist  employed  by  McMackin 
&  Vursells  Hardware  Company  at  Salem, 
Illinois;  Marshall  J.,  who  was  born  in  1887, 
is  single,  living  in  Salem  and  a  carpenter  by 
trade. 

These  nine  children  are  comfortably  situ- 
ated in  life  and  they  received  every  care  and 
attention  possible  by  their  solicitous  parents, 
and  as  a  result  of  the  wholesome  home  en- 
vironment and  the  uplifting  influence  that 
was  always  thrown  around  them,  all  of 
the  children  have  made  honorable  and  useful 
men  and  women.  The  subject  has  twenty- 
six  grandchildren,  seven  sons-in-law  and 
daughters-in-law  and  one  grand-son-in-law. 
Neither  Mr.  Evans  nor  any  of  his  children 
has  ever  lost  a  child,  a  most  remarkable 
record  for  such  a  large  family.  In  rearing 
his  family  Mr.  Evans  did  not  think  it  at  all 
irksome  to  work  fourteen  hours  a  day,  if 
necessary. 

Our  subject  was  engaged  in  farming  and 
stock  buying  for  several  years  after  his  mar- 
riage, and  he  was  engaged  in  buying  horses 
and  mules  for  the  firm  of  Evans  &  Daven- 
port, the  latter  an  old  resident  of  Salem  and 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


an  uncle  of  Hon.  W.  J.  Bryan.  Mr.  Daven- 
port practiced  medicine  for  a  number  of 
years.  After  this  Mr.  Evans  went  on  a  farm 
south  of  Salem  and  bought  timber  land, 
having  cleared  over  three  hundred  acres  of 
heavily  timbered  land  and  marketed  it.  In 
1898  he  retired  from  the  farm  and  moved  to 
Salem  and  again  engaged  in  buying  horses 
and  mules.  In  whatever  he  engaged  the 
result  was  always  the  same — gratifying  suc- 
cess. He  was  a  very  successful  agricultur- 
ist, keeping  his  farm  up  to  the  high  stand- 
ard of  Marion  county's  valuable  farms,  and 
he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  judges  of 
horses  and  mules  in  the  county. 

In  1900  Mr.  Evans  was  elected  Justice  of 
the  Peace  and  he  filled  this  office  with  entire 
satisfaction  to  all  concerned,  his  decisions 
having  been  at  all  times  fair  and  impartial 
and  seldom  if  ever  being  reversed  at  the 
hands  of  a  higher  tribunal.  In  the  same  year 
Mr.  Evans  began  to  deal  in  real  estate,  open- 
ing up  a  nicely  furnished  office  in  which  he 
also  soon  added  insurance  and  since  that 
time  he  has  devoted  the  major  portion  of  his 
time  to  the  office,  building  up  an  excellent 
business  and  becoming  widely  known  for 
the  unusual  fairness  of  his  deals  and  the 
public  has  been  pleased  to  put  explicit  con- 
fidence in  him  when  any  matters  of  these 
lines  are  to  be  transacted. 

Recognizing  his  innate  ability  as  a  judi- 
ciary and  because  of  his  former  record  of 
honor  and  his  poularity,  the  friends  of  Mr. 
Evans  elected  him  Police  Magistrate  of  the 
city  of  Salem  in  1906,  having  been  elected 
on  the  Citizen's  ticket  for  a  term  of  four 


years.  Our  subject  affiliated  with  the  Re- 
publican party  up  to  1884,  but  becoming  dis- 
satisfied he  turned  Prohibitionist  for  one 
year,  directing  his  efforts  to  the  success  of 
this  party,  after  which  the  Union  Labor 
party  was  organized  in  Marion  county  and 
he  cast  his  lot  with  them  until  1891.  At 
this  time  he  helped  organize  the  Populist 
party.  He  became  Chairman  of  the  County 
Central  Committee,  Chairman  of  the  Con- 
gressional Committee,  and  a  member  of  the 
State  Committee.  In  1896  when  Bryan  was 
first  nominated  for  President  he  felt  there 
was  no  longer  need  of  the  Populist  party 
and  he  has  since  been  a  Democrat.  In  1898 
he  was  Chairman  of  the  Populist  State  Com- 
mittee. In  1890  he  was  elected  Justice  of 
the  Peace  as  a  Democrat  and  served  four 
years.  He  is  a  great  admirer  of  Mr.  Bryan, 
having  known  five  generations  of  this  fam- 
ily. 

Mr.  Evans  is  a  man  of  exemplary  habits, 
temperate  in  all  things  and  a  man  of  good 
repute.  He  says  his  motto  has  long  been, 
"Meet  life  with  a  smile,"  and  "Always  say 
no  at  the  right  time  and  in  the  right  way 
and  you  will  always  be  a  success."  With 
this  end  in  view  he  has  made  life  not  only 
pleasant  for  himself  and  family,  but  also  to 
those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact, 
being  regarded  by  all  who  know  him  as  a 
pleasant,  kind,  affable,  honest,  public-spir- 
ited gentleman  of  the  highest  type,  and  a 
better,  abler  or  more  widely  known  and 
popular  man  than  Mr.  Evans  could  not  be 
found  within  the  borders  of  Marion  county 
where  he  has  spent  his  eminently  useful  life 


252 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  where  he  has  done  so  much  for  the  bet- 
terment of  civic,  educational,  moral  and  re- 
ligious movements. 


FRANK  A.  ROGERS. 

In  touching  upon  the  life  history  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  the  writer  aims 
to  avoid  fulsome  encomium  and  extrava- 
gant praise,  yet  he  desires  to  hold  up 
for  consideration  those  facts ,  which  have 
shown  the  distinction  of  a  true,  useful  and 
honorable  life — a  life  characterized  by  per- 
severance, energy,  broad  charity  and  well 
defined  purpose.  To  do  this  will  be  but  to 
reiterate  the  dictum  pronounced  upon  Mr. 
Rogers  by  the  people  who  have  known  him 
so  long  and  well. 

Frank  A.  Rogers,  the  present  popular 
County  Treasurer  of  Marion  county,  was 
born  in  Omega,  this  county,  April  I,  1871, 
and  while  still  a  young  man  has  left  the  in- 
delible imprint  of  his  strong  personality 
upon  the  locality  where  he  has  spent  his 
life.  The  father  of  the  subject  was  William 
A.  Rogers,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  came 
to  this  county  in  1854.  He  was  engaged  all 
his  life  in  agricultural  pursuits,  and  he  was  a 
man  of  great  influence  in  his  community, 
and  was  Supervisor  of  his  township  for  fif- 
teen years,  also  Justice  of  the  Peace  for 
twenty  years,  and  he  was  chairman  of  the 
County  Board  at  the  time  of  his  death,  Feb- 
ruary 24,  1891.  The  subject's  mother  was 
Rebecca  Chapman  in  her  maidenhood.  She 


was  born  in  Omega  township,  this  county, 
November  25,  1846,  and  is  still  living  in 
1908  on  the  old  homestead.  She  is  a  woman 
of  refinement  and  gracious  personality 
which  has  won  hosts  of  friends.  To  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  William  A.  Rogers  the  following 
children  were  bom:  Leva,  who  died  in 
infancy;  the  second  in  order  of  birth  was 
our  subject;  Luther  A.,  living  at  Welling- 
ton, Kansas;  Giles  N.,  of  luka,  Illinois; 
Daniel  C,  deceased;  Leo  Delbert,  of  Poca- 
hontas,  Iowa ;  Paul,  of  Omega  township. 

The  subject's  father  was  twice  married. 
His  first  wife  was  Minerva  Jane  Craig. 

Frank  A.  Rogers  lived  at  home  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old,  assisting  with  the 
work  about  the  farm  until  he  had  acquired 
sufficient  education  to  begin  teaching.  Be- 
ing an  ambitious  lad  he  always  applied  him- 
self diligently  to  his  text-books  and  conse- 
quently outstripped  most  of  the  common 
plodders  that  made  up  the  roll  of  contem- 
poraneous school-fellows  in  his  neighbor- 
hood, and  he  has  since  greatly  added  to  his 
early  foundation  in  educational  matters  by 
coming  in  contact  with  the  world  and  by  sys- 
tematic home  study.  But  few  men  are  to  be 
met  with  in  the  state  of  Illinois  who  are  any 
better  informed  on  current  topics  of  a  gen- 
eral nature  than  Mr.  Rogers,  for  he  has  al- 
ways been  a  close  student  of  the  trend  of 
events,  politically,  scientifically  and  in  other 
leading  issues.  He  followed  teaching  for  a 
period  of  seventeen  years  in  Marion  county, 
during  which  time  he  established  an  envied 
reputation  as  an  instructor  and  his  services 
were  in  great  demand.  He  was  not  only 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


253 


popular  for  his  superior  text-book  learning, 
but  his  kind  and  pleasing  personality,  his 
peculiar  insight  in  the  characters  of  his  pu- 
pils, which  made  it  easy  for  him  to  control 
and  properly  direct  each  pupil,  made  him 
popular  with  all  classes  of  people. 

Mr.  Rogers  always  took  a  deep  interest  in 
political  movements,  being  a  stanch  advo- 
cate of  the  principles  and  policies  of  the 
Democratic  party,  with  which  he  has  been 
affiliated  from  the  time  of  attaining  his  ma- 
jority, and  he  has  ever  lent  his  aid  in  fur- 
thering the  party's  cause  and  is  well  forti- 
fied in  his  political  convictions,  while  he  is 
essentially  public-spirited  and  progressive. 
Being  animated  with  the  laudable  ambition 
for  political  preferment  and  his  general 
popularity  having  been  long  ago  well  estab- 
lished, it  is  not  strange  that  his  fellow  citi- 
zens singled  him  out  for  offices  of  public 
trust,  and  he  held  the  office  of  Supervisor  of 
Omega  township  for  two  terms.  He  was  also 
chairman  of  the  County  Board  and  County 
Board  of  Review  in  1903.  He  was  nomi- 
nated for  County  Treasurer  on  the  Demo- 
cratic ticket  August  4,  1906,  by  a  majority 
of  eight  hundred  and  was  easily  elected  over 
a  strong  opponent  the  following  November, 
and  is  serving  the  duties  of  the  office  with 
great  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  not  only  his 
constituents  but  members  of  other  parties 
as  well,  being  generally  regarded  as  one 
of  the  best  officials  the  county  has  ever  had, 
especially  in  the  Treasurer's  office.  The 
subject  has  made  his  home  in  Salem  since 
December,  following  the  election. 


The  subject's  happy  and  harmonious  do- 
mestic life  dates  from  September  25,  1892, 
when  he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Lillie  M. 
Kagy,  who  was  born  April  7,  1875,  the 
daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  B.  Kagy, 
a  well  known,  highly  respected  and  influ- 
ential family  of  Marion  county.  Mrs. 
Rogers  is  a  highly  cultured  and  accom- 
plished lady  of  pleasing  manner  and  many 
commendable  attributes  of  mind  and  heart 
and  she  presides  over  their  comfortable  and 
cozy  home  with  grace  and  dignity  and  she  is 
popular  among  the  best  class  of  Marion 
county's  estimable  women. 

The  following  bright  and  interesting  chil- 
dren have  come  into  the  home  of  our  subject 
and  wife,  thereby  adding  cheer  and  sunshine 
to  the  family  circle:  Herschell,  born  June 
28,  1894;  Hazel,  born  October  5,  1897;  Ver- 
non  V.,  born  April  15,  1902,  surviving  only 
till  October  4th,  the  same  year;  Rolla,  who 
was  born  August  5,  1904. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogers  are  consistent  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
They  are  both  held  in  high  esteem  for  their 
friendly  manners,  wholesome  domestic  life 
and  upright  public  lives  which  have  resulted 
in  winning  and  retaining  the  friendship  of 
all  who  know  them. 


CARLOS  A.  FELTMAN,  M.  D. 

He  whose  name  initiates  this  paragraph  is 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  old  and 
honored  families  of  Marion  county,  Illinois, 


254 


BRINKEKHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


where  he  has  lived  from  the  time  of  his 
birth  and  where  he  has  gained  personal 
prestige  and  success  in  one  of  the  most  noble 
and  exacting  of  all  vocations  to  which  a  man 
may  devote  himself,  being  engaged  in  the 
practice  of  his  profession  at  Salem  and  con- 
trolling a  large  business  as  physician  and 
surgeon,  while  he  has  gained  precedence  by 
reason  of  his  devotion  to  his  profession  and 
his  marked  ability  as  an  exponent  of  ad- 
vanced and  practical  medical  science,  at  the 
same  time  establishing  a  record  of  honor. 

Dr.  Carlos  A.  Feltman  was  born  in 
Salem,  Illinois,  September  n,  1856,  the  son 
of  Charles  Feltman,  a  man  of  much  sterling 
worth  and  influence  in  his  community  who 
was  born  in  Strausburg,  Germany,  and  was 
one  of  the  earliest  German  settlers  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois.  He  was  a  successful  baker 
for  many  years  and  later  was  engaged  in 
the  mercantile  business  at  which  he  was 
equally  successful,  having  built  up  an  ex- 
cellent trade  with  the  surrounding  country 
districts.  He  spent  nearly  his  entire  life  in 
Salem  and  passed  to  his  reward  in  1875. 
The  subject's  mother,  who  was  a  woman  of 
many  admirable  attributes,  was  known  in 
her  maidenhood  as  Mary  Appel.  She  was 
born  in  Frankfort-on-the-Main,  Germany, 
and  she  passed  to  her  rest  in  1888.  The 
parents  of  the  subject  were  married  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  They  received  a  fairly 
good  education  and  were  people  of  refine- 
ment and  high  character,  having  reared  their 
children,  of  whom  there  were  eight  in  num- 
ber, in  a  wholesome  atmosphere  which 
modified  and  deeply  influenced  their  subse- 


quent careers.  Following  are  the  names  of 
their  children :  Emfl,  deceased ;  Ellen,  who 
married  R.  E.  Fletcher  and  who  died  in 
Grand  Junction,  Colorado;  H.  C,  deceased, 
was  a  prominent  attorney  at  law  and  was 
grand  scribe  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows  at  the  time  of  his  death ;  Wil- 
liam W.  is  deceased;  the  next  in  order  of 
birth  was  Carlos  A.,  our  subject;  Lenora, 
deceased;  C.  E.,  who  is  with  the  Eli  Walker 
Dry  Goods  Company,  of  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri ;  R.  E.,  who  is  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness at  Grand  Junction,  Colorado. 

Doctor  Feltman  remained  a  member  of 
the  home  circle  until  he  reached  manhood, 
having  attended  the  common  schools  in 
Salem  until  he  finished  the  prescribed  course. 
Being  a  diligent  student  he  made  excellent 
grades  and  received  a  good  education.  He 
went  into  newspaper  work,  believing  that 
journalism  offered  peculiar  attractions.  He 
worked  as  a  printer  for  three  years.  In  the 
meantime  he  felt  that  his  calling  was  in 
another  direction,  the  more  praiseworthy 
art  of  medicine,  consequently  he  began 
studying  during  spare  moments  and  finally 
entered  the  Louisville  Medical  College  at 
Louisville,  Kentucky,  where  he  remained 
one  term,  after  which  he  attended  the 
Eclectic  Medical  Institute  at  Cincinnati, 
from  which  he  graduated  with  high  honor 
in  1882  in  the  same  class  with  Dr.  M.  D. 
Foster,  the  present  Congressman  from  this 
district.  Our  subject  showed  from  the  time 
he  first  entered  medical  college  that  he  had 
a  peculiar  aptitude  and  unusual  talents  for 
this  line  of  endeavor  and  his  subsequent  life. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


255 


which  has  been  remarkably  successful, 
shows  that  he  would  have  made  a  grave 
mistake  had  he  adopted  any  other  profes- 
sion as  a  life  work. 

Doctor  Feltman  returned  to  his  native 
community  after  graduation,  beginning 
practice  at  Salem.  His  success  was  in- 
stantaneous and  his  ability  became  so  gen- 
erally known  that  he  was  selcted  to  the  im- 
portant post  of  United  States  Indian  Physi- 
cian at  Fort  Apache,  Arizona,  during  Presi- 
dent Cleveland's  first  administration.  He 
was  eminently  successful  in  this  new  field, 
but  he  finally  desired  to  return  to  his  native 
state,  and  in  1888  began  practice  at  Beards- 
town,  Illinois,  which  he  carried  on  with  the 
greatest  success  for  a  period  of  fourteen 
years,  building  up  a  very  large  practice  and 
becoming  City  Health  Officer,  also  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Board  of  Education.  He  was 
also  Secretary  of  the  Pension  Board  under 
Cleveland's  second  administration,  also  Cor- 
oner of  Cass  county  from  1896  to  1900; 
later  County  Physician  of  Cass  county.  Af- 
ter filling  all  these  positions  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned,  showing  pro- 
nounced innate  executive  ability  as  well  as 
superior  medical  skill,  in  1900,  greatly  to 
the  regret  of  his  large  patronage,  Doctor 
Feltman  moved  away  from  Beardstown,  lo- 
cating at  his  old  home  in  Salem.  Useless 
to  say  that  his  practice  was  large  from  the 
first,  for  he  had  long  ago  firmly  established 
a  reputation  here.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Education  at  Salem  and  is  County 
Physician.  He  was  nominated  by  his  party 
for  Coroner  in  1908  and  his  nomination  was 


regarded  by  not  only  the  Democrats,  but 
members  of  other  party  affiliations  as  well, 
to  be  a  most  fortunate  on.  He  was  elected 
at  the  ensuing  election  by  a  large  majority 
over  his  opponent. 

The  domestic  life  of  Doctor  Feltman 
dates  from  January  i,  1888,  when  he  was 
happily  married  at  Salem  to  Mayme  E. 
Fulks,  the  refined  and  accomplished  daugh- 
ter of  T.  Charles  Fulks.  She  received  a 
fairly  good  educational  training  and  is  a 
representative  of  a  well  known  and  influ- 
ential family. 

Two  interesting  children,  who,  in  their 
youth,  give  promise  of  successful  and  happy 
future  careers,  have  added  cheer  and  sun- 
shine to  the  cozy  home  of  Doctor  and  Mrs. 
Feltman.  Their  names  are  Blanche  and 
Mabel,  nineteen  and  seventeen  years  old, 
respectively,  in  1908.  They  are  both  apt 
students  and  of  winsome  personalities. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Order,  the  Woodmen  and  the 
Independent  Order  of  Foresters,  and  his 
daily  life  would  indicate  that  he  believes  in 
carrying  out  the  sublime  precepts  of  each. 
He  is  a  strict  Presbyterian  in  religious  faith. 
However,  he  is  not  a  member  of  any  church, 
although  all  his  family  subscribes  to  the 
church  in  Salem. 

Doctor  Feltman  is  of  a  public-spirited  na- 
ture, genial  personality,  uprightness  of  prin- 
ciple and  habits  of  industry.  He  is  re- 
garded by  the  people  of  Marion  county  as 
one  of  their  ablest  and  most  eminent 
citizens. 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


WILLIAM  KELL  BUNDY. 

The  life  of  the  early  settlers  in  any  com- 
munity has  ever  contained  much  to  interest 
and  entertain  us.  There  is  something  ro- 
mantic about  the  ruggedness  of  their  lives 
and  the  uncertainties  they  had  to  face  which 
holds  a  fascination  for  us  today.  The  family 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  were  among  the 
earliest  inhabitants  of  the  county  in  which 
they  lived,  and  the  hardworking  lives  they 
lived  were  much  more  eventful  than  the  life 
of  the  average  farmer  of  today. 

William  K.  Bundy  was  born  in  section 
No.  i,  Centralia  township,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  on  May  4,  1827,  and  was  the  son  of 
Frederick  and  Mary  Bundy.  His  mother, 
whose  maiden  name  was  Wilson,  was  born 
in  North  Carolina,  coming  from  the  region 
of  the  famous  Blue  Ridge  Mountains.  Fred- 
erick Bundy  was  the  son  of  Jonathan 
Bundy,  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  as  early  as  1825  or  1826, 
settling  near  Walnut  Hill,  where  he  soon 
afterward  died.  His  wife  belonged  to  a  well 
known  family  of  Tennessee  named  Dorcas. 
They  had  four  children,  all  sons — Robert, 
John  and  William,  who  settled  in  the  vicin- 
ity of  Walnut  Hill,  and  the  father  of  the 
subject  of  our  sketch,  Frederick  Bundy,  who 
settled  in  section  No.  I,  Centralia  township. 

Frederick  Bundy's  father-in-law,  John 
Wilson,  married  in  his  native  state  of  North 
Carolina.  He  was  a  farmer  who  on  becom- 
ing attacked  with  the  western  fever,  went 
westward  to  Illinois.  There  he  settled  north- 
east of  Salem.  On  the  death  of  his  first 


wife  he  married  a  widow  named  Jones. 
Their  married  years  must  have  been  happy 
ones,  for  upon  a  third  matrimonial  venture 
he  espoused  another  widow  named  Kelley. 
After  a  long  and  active  life  he  died  on  the 
farm.  The  children  by  his  first  wife  num- 
bered seven.  In  regular  order  they  were: 
Mary,  Nancy,  Jane,  Margaret,  Samuel, 
Dorrington,  and  Sylvester.  Mary,  the  eld- 
est daughter,  was  the  mother  of  the  subject 
of  our  sketch.  The  children  born  to  John 
Wilson's  second  wife  numbered  three. 

Frederick  Bundy,  living  in  a  different 
period  from  ours,  had  no  chance  to  go  to 
school.  His  education  had  to  be  self-ob- 
tained. He  did  not  fail  to  sieze  the  oppor- 
tunities which  came  his  way,  and  so  became 
a  remarkably  well  informed  man.  At  the 
time  the  family  came  to  Illinois  the  journey 
was  made  in  the  old  time  cumberous  team 
wagons.  The  family  of  the  mother  of  our 
sketch  also  arrived  by  means  of  the  same 
mode  of  travel. 

Centralia  township  at  the  time  Frederick 
Bundy  settled  there  in  1826,  was  as  yet  in 
its  original  wild  state.  As  may  be  supposed, 
wild  game  and  beasts  of  prey  of  many  varie- 
ties abounded  there,  particularly  wolves. 
He  remembered  the  howls  and  blood-cur- 
dling "ki-yiings"  of  the  timber-wolves,  to 
which  he  lay  awake  listening  on  many  a 
night  inside  of  the  rough  log-cabin  which  he 
had  built  with  his  own  hands,  In  time  he 
cleared  the  land  and  erected  for  himself  a 
suitable  home,  and  otherwise  much  im- 
proved the  property  which  embraced  four 
hundred  acres.  For  years  he  carried  on  an 


WILLIAM  BUNDY. 


*' 1*018, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


257 


active  farming  business  and  raised  consid- 
erable amount  of  stock.  Frederick  Bundy 
was  politically  a  staunch  Democrat,  and  in 
those  days  he  had  to  go  over  to  Salem  at 
election  times  to  record  his  vote.  In  reli- 
gious life  he  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church.  His  wife  died  in  February,  1848, 
and  the  demise  of  the  inseparable  companion 
of  his  life's  journey  was  a  great  loss.  He 
died  in  the  fall  of  1849,  having,  however, 
married  secondly  Elizabeth  Walker,  and 
leaving  a  son  by  that  marriage.  He  had 
eight  children  by  his  first  wife,  the  eldest 
of  which  was  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
William  K.  The  others  were:  Alexander, 
who  married  first  Margaret  Breeze,  and 
afterwards  another  member  of  that  family, 
and  who  is  a  farmer  in  Washington ;  Nancy 
Jane,  deceased,  first  married  James  Harper, 
and  afterwards  Reuben  Alderson;  Dorcas 
married  Sydney  Harmon,  both  of  whom 
are  dead;  Jeanette,  who  married,  also  died; 
John  joined  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Regiment,  Company  H,  at  the  outbreak  of 
the  Civil  war  and  died  while  in  the  service 
of  his  country ;  Robert  was  also  in  the  Civil 
war,  enlisting  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
and  died  of  small  pox  during  his  term  of 
service;  Sallie,  another  daughter,  married 
Thomas  J.  Hollowell  and  lives  in  Washing- 
ton with  her  husband. 

The  life  of  William  Kell  Bundy,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  has  been  an  adventurous 
one.  In  early  life  he  received  the  limited 
education  afforded  at  the  only  available  local 
institutions  of  learning — the  subscription 
schools.  He  remained  at  home  doing  nee- 
17 


essary  work  on  the  farm  until  1847,  when  at 
that  martial  period  he  enlisted  in  Company 
C,  No.  i,  United  States  army  for  the  Mexi- 
can war.  His  military  career  began  by  his 
being  sent  to  Alton,  Illinois,  and  later  to 
Fort  Leavenworth,  Kansas,  and  later  •  par- 
ticipated in  the  march  across  the  desert  to 
Santa  Fe.  He  was  on  the  march  sixty  days, 
which  was  a  tedious  one.  Later  he  took 
part  in  the  advance  upon  old  Albuquerque, 
the  Mexican  capital.  Here  he  remained 
until  1848,  where  he  did  guard  duty,  and 
finally  marched  back.  On  his  return  he  re- 
mained with  his  father  superintending  the 
old  homestead  until  the  latter's  death,  at 
which  time  he  bought  forty  acres  of  it,  on 
which  he  lived  for  fifteen  years.  In  1863 
he  changed  to  his  present  abode  in  section 
No.  6,  Raccoon  township.  At  different  times 
the  area  of  his  land  increased  until  he  had  at 
one  time  three  hundred  and  fifty  acres;  the 
greater  part  of  which  he  has  since  divided 
among  his  children.  All  the  improvements 
on  the  place  have  been  the  fruits  of  his 
labor  and  supervision.  He  has  principally 
raised  stock  on  the  farm,  cattle,  horses, 
sheep  and  hogs,  and  has  also  evinced  an 
interest  in  the  fancy  and  finer  breeds. 

William  K.  Bundy  married  first  Eliza- 
beth, the  daughter  of  Isaac  and  Sarah  Mc- 
Clelland. Isaac  was  an  early  settler  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  near  Walnut  Hill.  He 
followed  the  occupation  of  farmer  and  stock 
dealer.  On  the  death  of  his  first  wife,  Mr. 
Bundy  married  a  second  time  on  October 
20,  1887,  Mildred  Annie  Gaines,  of  Sumner 
county,  near  Nashville,  Tennessee.  She  was 


258 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  daughter  of  Henry  Gaines.  Her  mother's 
own  name  was  Marian  Bradley,  of  Nash- 
ville, Tennessee.  They  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1850,  and  settled  in  Ste- 
venson township.  There  Henry  Gaines  and 
his  wife  farmed  during  the  remainder  of 
their  lives.  He  died  in  1850,  and  his  wife 
in  1856.  They  had  eight  children,  of  which 
Mildred  Annie,  the  second  wife  of  William 
K.  Bundy,  was  the  seventh.  Of  the  others, 
Hazel  married  C.  Tracy;  P.  D.  is  a  farmer 
in  Stevenson  township ;  Josephine,  the  third, 
is  dead ;  Martha  is  also  dead ;  Henrietta  E., 
the  widow  of  Sidney  Charlton,  lives  in  Odin 
township;  Agnes  is  still  on  the  farmstead 
and  is  single;  Z.  T.  lives  in  Jefferson 
county.  The  second  marriage  of  William 
K.  Bundy  has  given  him  the  following  chil- 
dren, seven  in  number.  Mary  Rebecca,  the 
wife  of  John  French;  Sarah  Jane,  who  is 
Mrs.  Robinson,  living  at  Sedalia,  Washing- 
ton; Elizabeth,  who  married  John  Lament, 
since  deceased,  lives  in  Oklahoma;  Joseph- 
ine, who  married  George  West,  of  Odin 
township;  Isaac  M.,  who  is  a  farmer  in  Rac- 
coon township  married  Sarah  Johnson ; 
Fred,  who  lives  at  home  and  is  unmarried, 
went  through  the  Spanish-American  war  as 
a  member  of  Company  G,  Third  Regiment 
U.  S.  another  child,  Catherine  died  young. 

Though  now  in  his  eighty-second  year, 
William  Kell  Bundy  possesses  a  mind  of  un- 
usual transparency.  He  is  still  well  able  to 
review  in  detail  the  memories  and  exploits 
of  a  long  and  varied  career. 

In  politics  the  subject  of  our  sketch  is  a 
life-long  follower  of  the  Democracy.  His 


first  vote  for  a  presidential  candidate  was 
recorded  years  ago  when  it  went  to  James 
K.  Polk,  who  figured  in  an  eventful  election. 
In  religion  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  in  the  interests  of  which  he  has  ever 
been  active.  He  is  now  in  the  mellow  period 
of  a  long  life  which  has  always  been  at  the 
service  of  home  and  country.  He  has  ful- 
filled the  duties  of  a  long  life;  he  is  sur- 
rounded by  an  affectionate  circle  of  sons  and 
daughters;  he  has  the  friendship  and  good 
wishes  of  a  host  of  friends.  Is  not  this  as 
much  as  any  of  us  can  hope  for  in  the  even- 
ing of  life. 


J.  T.  JONES,  M.  D. 

The  physician  who  would  succeed  in  his 
profession  must  possess  many  qualities  of 
head  and  heart  not  included  in  the  curricu- 
lum of  the  schools  and  colleges  he  may 
have  attended.  In  analyzing  the  career  of 
the  successful  practitioner  of  the  healing 
art  it  will  invariably  be  found  true  that  a 
broad-minded  sympathy  with  the  sick  and 
suffering  and  an  honest,  earnest  desire  to 
aid  his  afflicted  fellow  men  have  gone  hand 
in  hand  with  skill  and  able  judgment.  The 
gentleman  to  whom  this  brief  tribute  is 
given  fortunately  embodies  these  necessary 
qualifications  in  a  marked  degree  and  by 
energy  and  application  to  his  professional 
duties  is  building  up  an  enviable  reputation 
and  drawing  to  himself  a  large  and  re- 
munerative practice,  being  recognized  as  one 
of  the  leading  physicians  of  this  locality  and 
a  man  of  honor  and  integrity  at  all  times. 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


259 


Dr.  J.  T.  Jones  was  born  in  Foster  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  August  26, 
1861,  and  "his  sober  wishes  never  learned 
to  stray,"  consequently  he  has  preferred  to 
remain  on  his  native  prairie  rather  than  seek 
uncertain  fortunes  elsewhere.  His  father  is 
Eli  W.  Jones,  a  native  of  the  same  township 
and  county.  Grandfather  James  Jones  was 
an  early  pioneer  of  Marion  county  and  a 
man  of  many  sterling  qualities  which  have 
outcropped  in  our  subject  to  a  marked  de- 
gree. He  was  a  Southerner  of  the  finest 
type.  His  residence  was  used  in  an  early 
day  for  the  purpose  of  holding  church  ser- 
vices, he  being  an  active  and  ardent  Metho- 
dist. He  is  living  at  this  writing,  1908,  in 
Foster  township  on  a  fine  farm  where  he 
has  become  influential  and  widely  known. 
He  was  Circuit  Clerk  from  1872  to  1876. 
He  makes  his  home  at  present  in  Vernon. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  Company  H,  Twenty- 
sixth  Regiment,  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  he  served  through  the  war,  having 
marched  with  Sherman  to  the  sea  and  lost 
a  leg  in  the  final  battle  at  Bentonville,  North 
Carolina,  the  last  battle  fought  by  Sherman. 
He  was  in  many  hard  fought  battles  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee,  being  in  the  Fif- 
teenth Army  Corps,  and  in  all  he  took  part 
in  about  thirty  engagements.  After  the 
war  he  returned  to  his  farm.  The  maiden 
name  of  the  mother  of  the  subject  was 
Mary  Ryman,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania. 
Her  father  was  Dr.  J.  R.  Ryman,  who  was 
an  early  Methodist  minister,  later  becoming 
a  physician.  He  came  to  Marion  county 
when  a  young  man,  and  was  at  one  time 


Circuit  Clerk  of  the  county  and  also  School 
Commissioner,  being  one  of  the  founders 
of  the  Western  Christian  Advocate  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  He  died  about  1877. 
The  mother  of  the  subject  is  living  at  this 
writing.  Three  children  were  born  to  these 
parents,  our  subject  being  the  only  one  now 
living.  The  subject's  maternal  grandmother 
was  Martha  Dickens,  a  daughter  of  Samuel 
Dickens,  a  pioneer  Baptist  minister. 

Doctor  Jones  spent  his  boyhood  on  his 
father's  farm,  attending  the  country 
schools  at  Fosterburg,  and  when  the  family 
came  to  Salem  in  1872  he  attended  school  in 
in  Salem  in  1872  he  attended  school  in 
Salem  from  1872  to  1878,  graduating  from 
the  high  school  here  in  1878  with  high 
honor.  After  leaving  school  he  clerked  one 
year  in  a  store  at  Vernon,  but  believing  that 
his  true  calling  lay  along  medical  lines 
rather  than  the  mercantile,  he  began  the 
study  of  medicine,  making  rapid  progress 
from  the  first.  He  entered  the  St.  Louis 
Medical  College  in  1880  from  which  he 
graduated  in  March,  1884,  having  made  a 
brilliant  record  for  scholarship.  He  lo- 
cated first  at  Warsaw,  Missouri,  practicing 
there  with  eminent  success  until  1889,  when, 
much  to  the  regret  of  his  many  friends  and 
patients,  he  left  that  town  and  came  to  Ver- 
non, Illinois,  where  he  remained,  building  up 
a  lucrative  practice,  until  1907,  in  which 
year  he  came  to  Salem,  having  moved  his 
family  here  a  year  previous.  Doctor  Jones 
took  a  post-graduate  course  in  the  medical 
department  of  the  University  of  St.  Louis  in 
1906.  He  has  been  very  successful  in  his 


260 


BRINKERHOFFJS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


practice  in  Marion  county,  having  a  large 
business  at  present  and  he  is  often  called  to 
other  localities  on  serious  and  important 
cases  where  his  superior  medical  advice  is 
sought  by  local  practitioners  whose  skill  has 
been  baffled,  and  his  counsels  are  always 
followed  by  gratifying  results. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  dates 
from  April  25,  1891,  when  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Carrie  E.  Bennett,  who 
was  born  and  reared  in  Salem,  the  accom- 
plished and  refined  daughter  of  ].  J.  Ben- 
nett, an  early  pioneer  of  Marion  county  and 
was  the  first  president  of  the  Salem  Na- 
tional Bank,  which  position  he  held  until 
within  a  few  years  of  his  death.  Mary 
Oglesby  was  the  maiden  name  of  the  sub- 
ject's mother,  who  was  the  first  girl  baby 
born  in  Salem.  Her  great-grandfather, 
Mark  Tully,  entered  land  on  which  the  city 
of  Salem  is  built.  He  gave  the  site  where 
the  court  house  stands.  This  family  was 
one  of  the  best  known  in  the  early  history 
of  the  county. 

Our  subject  and  wife  have  two  children,  a 
bright  boy  and  a  winsome  girl,  the  former, 
Don  Paul,  having  been  born  January  28, 
1892,  and  the  latter,  Nellie,  was  born  May 
22,  1895. 

Doctor  Jones  has  been  thrifty  and  has 
accumulated  a  fair  competence  as  a  result 
of  his  well  directed  energies.  He  owns  a 
valuable  and  highly  improved  farm  in  Fos- 
ter township,  and  has  numerous  real  estate 
holdings  in  Marion  county.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  county,  state  and  national  medical 
associations,  and  he  belongs  to  the  Masonic 


Fraternity,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Woodmen,  the  Sons  of  Vet- 
erans and  the  Yeomen. 

The  home  of  Dr.  and  Mrs.  Jones  is 
modern,  cozy,  nicely  furnished  and  is  pre- 
sided over  with  rare  grace  and  dignity  by 
the  latter  who  is  often  hostess  to  warm 
friends  who  hold  her  in  high  esteem.  This 
worthy  couple  is  regarded  by  all  classes  as 
meriting  the  confidence  and  regard  which 
are  unqualifiedly  proffered  to  them. 


O.  A.  JAMES. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  not  the 
example  of  a  man  whom  the  inscrutable 
caprice  of  fortune  or  fate  has  suddenly 
placed  in  a  conspicuous  position  in  the  busi- 
ness world  but  he  has  attained  to  the  same 
through  careful  preparation  during  long 
years  of  toil  and  endeavor,  for  he  realized 
early  in  his  career  that  success  comes  to 
the  deserving,  and  that  to  be  deserving,  one 
must  be  industrious  and  persistent,  so  he 
forged  ahead,  surmounting  obstacles  that 
would  have  daunted  and  diverted  the  course 
of  less  courageous  spirits. 

O.  A.  James,  the  popular  and  efficient 
assistant  cashier  of  the  Salem  State  Bank, 
who  has,  while  yet  a  young  man,  left  the 
indelible  imprint  of  his  personality  upon 
the  people  with  whom  he  has  come  in  con- 
tact, was  born  in  Salem,  Illinois,  in  1879. 

He  is  the  son  of  Joshua  L.  James,  a  native 
of  Middle  Tennessee  and  the  representative 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


261 


of  a  fine  old  Southern  family.  He  came  to  Il- 
linois in  1853,  settling  in  Williamson  county, 
where  he  lived  for  twenty-five  years,  having 
been  reasonably  prosperous  during  that  time 
and  becoming  known  as  a  hard  worker  and 
a  man  of  the  best  habits.  He  then  came  to 
Marion  county,  settling  near  Alma,  where 
he  also  remained  a  quarter  of  a  century,  de- 
veloping a  good  farm  and  making  a  com- 
fortable living  by  reason  of  his  habits  of 
industry  and  economy.  Desiring  to  spend 
the  remaining  years  of  his  life  in  the  city 
and  enjoy  a  respite  from  his  arduous  agri- 
cultural pursuits,  Mr.  James  moved  to 
Salem  in  1902  and  he  has  since  made  his 
home  here. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  on  his 
paternal  side  was  John  Wesley  James,  .a 
native  of  Tennessee,  and  an  excellent  farmer 
who  passed  to  his  rest  about  1893  after  a 
long  and  honorable  life.  His  death  occurred 
in  Williamson  county,  this  state,  where  he 
spent  the  major  part  of  his  life. 

Joseph  L.  Wnorowski,  the  subject's 
grandfather  on  his  mother's  side,  was  born 
in  Russia  and  received  his  education  in  the 
city  of  Moscow.  He  came  to  America  when 
thirty  years  old,  finally  settling  in  Salem, 
Illinois,  where  he  spent  his  remaining  years, 
dying  about  1890. 

The  subject's  mother  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Sophia  E.  Wnorowski,  who 
was  born  and  reared  in  Salem  where  she 
received  a  common  school  education  and 
developed  many  praiseworthy  character- 
istics. She  is  living  at  this  writing  (1908). 
Six  children  were  born  to  the  parents  of  the 


subject,  five  of  whom  are  still  living, 
named  in  order  of  birth  as  fol- 
lows :  Mrs.  Florence  Brasel,  of  Cartter,  Illi- 
nois; O.  A.,  our  subject;  Mrs.  Berdie  E. 
Stroment,  living  in  Salem,  this  county ;  Guy 
L.,  of  Wooden,  Iowa;  Mrs.  Jesse  Brasel, 
living  at  Terre  Haute,  Indiana. 

These  children  all  received  a  good  com- 
mon schooling  and  were  reared  in  a  home 
of  the  most  wholesome  atmosphere,  conse- 
quently they  have  developed  characters  of  a 
very  commendable  type. 

Our  subject  attended  the  common 
schools  of  Salem,  from  which  he  gradu- 
ated in  1897.  But  being  amibitious  for 
more  learning  and  to  become  a  teacher,  he 
later  attended  the  Carbondale  State  Normal 
School  for  some  time.  Not  yet  satisfied  he 
entered  Austin  College  at  Effmgham;  then 
took  a  course  in  the  Eastern  State  Normal 
at  Charleston,  thus  gaining  a  splendid  edu- 
cation, for  he  made  a  brilliant  record  for 
scholarship  in  all  these  institutions. 

After  leaving  school  he  began  teaching, 
which  he  followed  in  a  most  successful  and 
pfaiseworthy  manner  for  a  period  of  five 
years,  having  taught  three  years  in  Marion 
county  public  schools,  one  year  as  principal 
at  Central  City,  Illinois,  and  one  year  as 
principal  of  the  high  school'  at  Kinmundy, 
in  all  of  which  he  showed  that  he  not  only 
had  acquired  a  great  fund  of  serviceable 
knowledge  which  he  had  a  penchant  for 
readily  and  clearly  dispensing,  but  that  he 
possessed  the  other  necessary  prerequisites 
of  head  and  heart  to  make  a  first  class  and 
a  high  grade  educator,  and  his  reputation 


262 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


had  overspread  the  bounds  of  Marion 
county,  causing  his  services  to  be  in  great 
demand,  when,  much  to  the  regret  of  pupils 
and  school  boards  he  gave  up  his  teaching 
and  accepted  the  position  as  assistant  post- 
master at  Salem  the  duties  of  which  he  at- 
tended to  in  a  most  able  manner  for  a  period 
of  two  years,  when  he  resigned  to  become 
Deputy  Circuit  Clerk,  having  been  appointed 
for  a  period  of  four  years,  and  here  he 
again  displayed  his  great  innate  ability  as 
a  careful  and  painstaking  business  man  by 
handling  the  duties  devolving  upon  this  po- 
sition with  all  dispatch  and  alacrity  and  in 
a  most  satisfactory  manner  to  all  concerned, 
when  after  a  year  in  this  office  he  tendered 
his  resignation  to  become  assistant  cashier  in 
the  Salem  State  Bank,  which  very  respon- 
sible and  envied  position  had  been  proffered 
by  the  heads  of  that  institution  after  they 
had  carefully  considered  the  names  of  many 
young  and  talented  business  men  for  the 
place,  believing  that  Mr.  James  was  the 
best  qualified  to  handle  the  work  in  this  con- 
nection, and  the  praiseworthy  manner  and 
wonderful  technical  skill  he  has  displayed  in 
this  responsible  position  since  taking  up  the 
duties  of  the  same,  shows  that  the  man- 
agers of  this  institution  were  wise  in  their 
decision  and  selection.  Mr.  James  is  still 
thus  connected  with  the  Salem  State  Bank 
and  has  given  entire  satisfaction  and  in- 
creased the  popularity  and  prestige  of  this 
already  popular  and  sound  institution. 

Mr.  James  is  a  member  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  and  the  Wood- 
men, in  his  fraternal  relations,  and  he  is  a 


faithful  and  consistent  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  He  is  known  to  be  scrupu- 
lously honest,  courteous  and  a  gentleman  of 
the  highest  address  and  honor  and  owing  to 
the  fact  that  our  subject  is  yet  quite  a  young 
man  and  has  achieved  such  a  place  of  honor 
and  trust  the  future  augurs  great  things 
for  him. 


AUGUSTIN  ROBERT  WILLIAMS. 

By  reason  of  numerous  rare  innate  quali- 
ties, together  with  his  pleasing  personal 
qualities,  together  with  his  pleasing  personal 
address,  his  honesty  of  purpose  and  his 
loyalty  to  his  native  community,  Mr.  Wil- 
liams has  reached  a  conspicuous  round  in 
the  ladder  of  success  in  his  chosen  field  of 
endeavor  and  justly  merits  the  high  esteem 
in  which  he  is  held  by  all  who  know  him. 

A.  R.  Williams,  the  popular  and  well 
known  teller  of  the  Salem  State  Bank, 
Salem,  Illinois,  is  a  native  of  Marion  county, 
having  first  seen  the  light  of  day  in  the  city 
of  Salem  on  December  15,  1875,  the  son  of 
Rowland  H.  Williams,  a  native  of  New 
York  City,  who  was  born  near  Delaney 
street.  He  early  decided  to  leave  the  con- 
gested metropolis  and  seek  his  fortune  in 
the  freer  and  less  trammeled  West,  and 
consequently  in  casting  about  for  an  oppor- 
tunity to  properly  get  his  initial  start  in  the 
business  world  he  decided  to  try  Ohio  and 
soon  set  out  for  Columbus  and  finally  lo- 
cated near  that  city,  then  in  about  1870  he 
came  to  Salem,  Illinois,  where  he  elected  to 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


263 


remain,  being  impressed  with  the  superior 
prospects  of  the  place.  He  was  proprietor  of 
the  Salem  Marble  Works  for  a  number  of 
years  and  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred on  December  10,  1890,  he  was  post- 
master of  Salem,  this  important  appoint- 
ment having  been  made  in  recognition  of 
his  valuable  services  and  his  unflagging 
loyalty  to  the  principles  of  the  party  then 
in  power.  He  also  showed  his  loyalty  to 
the  Union  by  enlisting  in  the  Eighty-fifth 
Ohio  Volunteer  Regiment,  serving  with 
credit  throughout  the  war  between  the 
states. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  on  the 
paternal  side  of  the  house  was  Robert  Wil- 
liams, a  native  of  Wales,  he  and  his  good 
wife  having  settled  in  New  York  and  later 
coming  to  Ohio.  His  wife,  late  in  life,  came 
to  Salem  where  she  died.  The  grandmother 
of  the  subject  on  his  maternal  side  was  a 
native  of  Tennessee.  She,  too,  died  in 
Salem  where  she  had  lived  only  a  few  years, 
having  been  called  to  her  eternal  sleep 
shortly  after  the  war. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  known  in 
her  maidenhood  as  Margaret  Keeney,  a  na- 
tive of  near  old  Foxville,  Illinois,  this 
county,  the  daughter  of  A.  W.  Keeney,  who 
moved  from  Indiana  to  Marion  county 
where  he  settled  on  a  farm,  but  moved  to 
Salem  during  the  Civil  war.  He  had  a  son 
killed  in  the  battle  of  Shiloh  and  this  caused 
him  to  desert  the  old  farm  homestead  and 
move  to  Salem.  He  was  associated  with 
Seth  Andrews  in  the  Salem  Milling  Com- 
pany of  Salem  for  many  years.  The  last  few 


years  of  his  life  he  lived  in  retirement.  He 
passed  away  July  2,  1890.  The  mother  of 
the  subject,  a  woman  of  many  praise- 
worthy traits,  is  still  living  in  1908. 

Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Rowland  H.  Williams,  one  having  died 
in  infancy.  Frank  L.  Williams,  the  living 
brother  of  the  subject,  was  born  in  Salem 
May  25,  1 88 1,  and  is  a  well  known  con- 
tractor. 

A.  R.  Williams,  our  subject,  spent  his 
boyhood  in  Salem  attending  the  local 
schools,  having  graduated  from  the  Salem 
high  school  in  1893,  after  making  a  splen- 
did record  for  scholarship.  Mr.  Williams 
was  with  Cutler  &  Hays  in  the  mercantile 
business,  during  which  time  he  added  very 
much  to  the  prestige  of  the  firm  and  won 
scores  of  customers  from  all  over  the  county 
by  reason  of  his  courteous  treatment  and 
conscientious  work,  and  the  fact  that  his  ser- 
vices were  so  long  continued  by  this  firm 
is  a  criterion  that  they  were  eminently  satis- 
factory in  every  particular.  Desiring  to  bet- 
ter fit  himself  for  a  business  career  which 
he  soon  determined  should  be  his  life's  chief 
aim,  he  entered  Brown's  Business  College 
at  Centralia,  from  which  he  graduated  with 
distinction  in  1906. 

The  unusual  ability  of  Mr.  Williams  was 
soon  known  to  the  business  people  of  Salem 
and  when  the  State  Bank  became  in  need 
of  an  efficient  and  reliable  teller,  no  one 
worthier  of  the  place  could  be  found  than 
our  subject,  consequently  he  was  en- 
treated to  accept  this  important  post,  which 
he  did  on  December  26,  1906,  after  resign- 


264 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ing  his  position  with  Cutler  and  Hays, 
much  to  their  regret,  for  they  well  knew 
that  they  would  have  much  difficulty  in  fill- 
ing the  place  of  such  a  valuable  man. 

Mr.  Williams  has  shown  rare  business 
ability  in  handling  his  new  position  and  has 
given  entire  satisfaction  to  his  employers 
from  the  first,  having  become  known  as  one 
of  the  most  trusted  and  thoroughly  efficient 
bank  tellers  in  this  part  of  the  state. 

A.  R.  Williams  was  married  to  Miss 
Olive  M.  Peters,  of  Sandoval,  Illinois, 
October  25,  1908.  She  is  a  daughter  of  D. 
M.  and  Lydia  (Neff)  Peters.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Williams  is  a  member  of  the  ancient 
and  honorable  order  of  Masons,  a  member 
of  Cyrene  Commandery  No.  23,  Knights 
Templar,  of  Centralia,  also  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at 
Salem;  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Wood- 
men and  the  Modern  American  Fraternal 
Order. 

Mr.  Williams  is  strong  in  his  religious 
convictions,  being  a  faithful  member  of  the 
Presbvterian  church. 


CHARLES  D.   MERRITT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  the  repre- 
sentative of  an  old  and  influential  family 
which  has  been  identified  with  the  history  of 
Marion  county  from  the  pioneer  days  and 
he  is  a  worthy  scion  of  such  noble  ancestors 
as  he  can  claim,  for  all  the  years  of  his 
manhood  have  been  characterized  by  an  un- 


faltering devotion  to  his  country's  good  and 
his  interest  in  the  improvement  of  his  native 
locality  has  been  repeatedly  shown  by  the 
aid  he  has  given  to  plans  for  the  general 
improvement  and  advancement.  His  name 
is  a  synonym  for  integrity  in  business  af- 
fairs, and  his  life  history  proves  conclusively 
that  success  may  be  won  through  persever- 
ance, strong  determination  and  diligence. 
Charles  D.  Merritt  was  born  in  Salem, 
Illinois,  where  he  now  resides  and  where  he 
has  spent  his  entire  life  on  September  2, 
1863,  the  son  of  John  H.  Merritt,  a  native 
of  New  York  City,  where  he  was  born  in 
1830  and  where  he  made  his  home  until 
1850.  He  was  a  printer  by  trade  and  was 
very  adept  in  his  art.  The  grandfather  of 
the  subject  was  John  W.  Merritt,  who  was 
born  July  4,  1806,  in  New  York  City.  He 
was  a  lawyer  by  profession  and  achieved 
considerable  notoriety  as  an  able  member  of 
the  bar.  He  came  to  Illinois  about  1850 
and  located  in  Salem  and  where  in  Novem- 
ber, 1851,  he  established  The  Salem  Advo- 
cate, which  he  successfully  managed  for  a 
few  years,  after  which  John  H.  Merritt, 
father  of  the  subject,  managed  the  paper 
with  continued  success  for  a  number  of  years 
and  then  disposed  of  it.  In  1876  he  es- 
tablished The  Marion  County  Herald  and 
in  1879  he  purchased  The  Advocate  again 
and  consolidated  the  two  papers  under  the 
name  of  Herald-Advocate,  which  he  con- 
tinued to  successfully  edit  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death,  February  3,  1888.  After  the 
consolidation,  which  rendered  this  fearless 
exponent  of  the  people's  rights  one  of  the 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


265 


strongest  papers  of  its  kind  in  this  part  of 
the  state,  the  property  increased  gradually 
in  value  and  had  a  wide  patronage,  for  it 
was  ably  managed  and  Mr.  Merritt's  edi- 
torials were  always  eagerly  read,  especially 
when  great  issues  were  before  the  local  peo- 
ple for  settlement,  for  they  knew  that  his 
ideas  were  always  of  great  weight  and  that 
he  was  ever  ready  to  defend  the  rights  of 
his  locality. 

•  Grandfather  Merritt,  after  a  long  and 
eminently  useful  life  was  called  from  his 
earthly  labors  in  1879.  The  Merritt  family 
is  of  French  descent.  The  grandmother  of 
the  subject  was  known  as  Julia  DeForest  in 
her  maidenhood.  She  is  a  native  of  one  of 
the  Eastern  states,  where  she  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 14,  1808,  and  she  passed  to  her 
rest  sometime  before  her  husband.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  formerly  Mar- 
garet Bumgardner,  who  was  born  in  Ohio, 
November  16,  1837.  She  is  now  living  in 
Salem  and  is  known  as  a  woman  of  high 
culture  and  many  commendable  traits. 
Seven  children  were  born  to  the  subject's 
parents,  two  of  whom  are  living  at  pres- 
ent. The  names  of  these  children  follow : 

Willis,  who  was  born  in  1860,  died  in 
1893;  Frank,  who  was  born  in  1862,  died  in 
infancy;  Charles  D..  whose  name  appears  at 
the  head  of  this  sketch ;  Fred,  whose  date  of 
birth  was  1865,  lives  in  Salem;  Harry,  de- 
ceased :  Omer,  who  is  also  deceased ;  Maude, 
who  was  born  in  1876,  died  in  1879.  These 
children  were  given  every  attention  and  ad- 
vantage possible  by  their  parents. 

Charles  D.  Merritt,  our  subject,  has  spent 


his  entire  life  in  Marion  county  and  he 
received  his  primary  education  in  Sa- 
lem, having  made  a  good  record  in  the  local 
cshools,  completing  the  prescribed  course. 

When  only  sixteen  years  old  he  took  a 
position  with  C.  R.  Rogers  as  a  delivery  boy 
and  drove  the  first  delivery  wagon  ever 
driven  in  Salem.  From  this  he  went  into  his 
father's  newspaper  office  in  1881  and  he  has 
been  identified  with  the  printing  business 
ever  since.  At  this  writing  he  is  conducting 
one  of  the  best,  most  extensive  and  modern 
job  printing  offices  in  this  part  of  the  state, 
having  established  this  plant  here  in  1897, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  doing  a  lucra- 
tive business. 

When  his  father  died  in  1888  our  sub- 
ject became  editor  and  proprietor  of  The 
Herald-Advocate,  which  he  successfully 
conducted  until  he  sold  out  in  1892  to 
Charles  E.  Hull,  the  present  proprietor. 
Mr.  Merritt  not  only  understands  the  minute 
and  great  art  of  wielding  the  printer's  ink, 
but  he  also  understands  handling  the  edi- 
torial end  of  a  paper,  although  his  work  has 
been  very  largely  in  the  mechanical  de- 
partment. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  on 
October  11,  1887,  to  Carrie  Hall,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  R.  Hall,  a  well  known  family 
of  Sandoval,  Illinois,  and  four  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union,  named  in  order  of 
birth  as  follows :  Dean,  who  was  born 
June  12,  1889;  Hall,  who  was  born  Octo- 
ber 4,  1891 ;  Fay,  who  was  born  November 
4,  1894;  Margaret,  whose  date  of  birth  oc- 
curred March  25,  1901.  These  children  are 


266 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


all  bright  and  give  every  promise  of  sucess- 
ful  futures. 

Mr.  Merritt  has  always  been  a  public- 
spirited  man  and  he  has  been  favored  with 
many  offices  of  public  trust,  having  filled  the 
office  of  City  Treasurer  of  Salem  for  one 
year  and  City  Alderman  for  two  years,  and 
while  in  these  capacities  he  rendered  the 
city  valuable  services,  discharging  his  du- 
ties with  the  same  care  and  detail  as  if  it 
had  been  private  affairs  and  he  secured 
many  things  that  were  beneficial  to  the  resi- 
dents of  this  place,  having  been  instrumental 
in  no  small  degree  in  securing  the  present 
splendid  and  up-to-date  electric  light  plant, 
in  fact,  it  will  be  remembered  that  Mr.  Mer- 
ritt was  the  Alderman  who  made  the  motion 
that  gave  to  Salem  its  present  lighting  fa- 
cilities. He  is  now  a  director  of  the  Salem 
School  Board  and  he  also  served  for  four 
years  as  a  school  director  some  years  ago. 
He  takes  an  active  interest  in  school  affairs, 
and  during  his  incumbency  in  these  offices 
he  did  much  to  strengthen  the  present  effici- 
ent system. 

Our  subject  belongs  to  the  following 
lodges,  in  which  he  takes  a  just  pride:  Free 
and  Accepted  Masons,  Blue  Lodge  and 
Chapter,  the  Salem  Eastern  Star;  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Subordinate 
and  Encampment,  also  the  Rebekahs,  the 
Improved  Order  of  Red  Men  at  Odin,  Illi- 
nois; also  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Salem 
and  the  Modern  Americans  at  Salem.  He 
served  as  assistant  grand  scribe  of  the  Grand 
Encampment  of  the  Odd  Fellows  of  the 
State  of  Illinois  for  two  years.  At  the 


annual  session  of  the  Grand  Encampment  at 
Springfield,  November  16,  1908,  he  was  ap- 
pointed for  another  term. 

Mr.  Merritt  is  an  active  Democrat  and 
has  always  done  what  he  could  in  furthering 
his  party's  principles.  His  name  is  indel- 
ably  associated  with  progress  in  the  county 
of  his  birth  and  among  those  in  whose  midst 
he  has  always  lived  he  is  held  in  highest  es- 
teem as  a  result  of  his  upright  life  and 
fidelity  to  right  principles. 


J.  R.  QUAYLE. 

The  subject  has  always  sought  to  in- 
culcate in  the  minds  of  the  young  the  higher 
things  of  life,  the  beauties  of  mind  and  soul 
known  only  to  those  who  are  willing  to  de- 
vote themselves  to  a  career  of  self-sacrifice, 
hospitality,  persistency  and  uprightness,  and 
during  the  long  years  of  his  professional 
life  Mr.  Quayle  succeeded  in  carrying  out 
the  principles  in  his  daily  life  that  he  sought 
to  impress  upon  others. 

J.  R.  Quayle  was  born  in  Peoria  county, 
Illinois,  December  5,  1859,  the  son  of  Rob- 
ert Quayle,  a  native  of  the  Isle  of  Man,  a 
full  blooded  Manxman.  He  was  an  influ- 
ential and  high  minded  man,  whose  sterling 
traits  are  somewhat  reflected  in  the  life  of 
his  son,  our  subject.  He  migrated  to 
America  about  1856,  locating  first  in  Henry 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  farmed.  After 
living  there  for  a  short  time  he  moved  to 
Peoria  county,  later  to  Marion  county  in 


BKIXKEKIIOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


267 


January,  1866.  He  was  a  hard  worker  and 
made  a  success  of  whatever  he  undertook. 
He  was  called  from  his  labors  in  Septem- 
ber, 1879,  while  living  in  Marion  county. 
He  was  a  great  Bible  student  and  he  read 
and  talked  the  Manx  language  fluently. 
James  Quayle,  grandfather  of  the  subject, 
was  born,  reared  and  spent  his  entire  life 
on  the  Isle  of  Man,  and  his  death  occurred 
there.  His  wife  was  a  Miss  Harrison,  who 
reached  the  remarkable  age  of  ninety-six 
years. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  Ellen 
(Corlett)  Quayle,  also  a  native  of  the  Isle 
of  Man,  where  she,  too,  was  reared,  and 
where  she  married  Robert  Quayle.  She 
was  a  woman  of  many  estimable  traits,  hav- 
ing led  a  wholesome  life  and  in  her  old  age 
was  the  recipient  of  many  kindnesses  at  the 
hands  of  her  many  friends  and  neighbors. 

She  made  her  home  on  the  old  homestead 
near  Vernon,  Marion  county,  until  her 
death,  September  6,  1908,  where  the  Quayle 
family  moved  in  1866.  This  family  con- 
sisted of  the  following  children,  named  in 
order  of  their  birth:  Elizabeth,  who  died 
in  1880;  J.  R.,  our  subject;  Anna,  the  wife 
of  Nathan  Roberts,  of  Patoka,  this  county; 
Thomas  E.,  who  lives  in  section  12,  this 
county,  on  a  farm;  James  C.,  also  a  farmer 
in  Patoka  township,  Marion  county;  Kate, 
who  is  the  wife  of  J.  C.  Bates,  of  Patoka 
township ;  Mollie,  who  makes  her  home  with 
her  mother;  Mona,  the  wife  of  G.  I.  Arnold, 
of  Foster  township,  Marion  county. 

These  children  are  all  comfortably  situ- 
ated in  life  and  received  good  common 


school  education.  They  are  all  highly  re- 
spected and  lead  such  well  regulated  lives  as 
their  parents  outlined  for  them  in  their 
childhood. 

J.  R.  Quayle,  our  subject,  attended  the 
country  schools  east  of  Vernon  until  1880, 
working  at  intervals  on  his  father's  farm. 
He  was  always  a  close  student  and  made  the 
most  of  his  opportunities.  After  complet- 
ing the  course  in  the  common  schools  he 
was  not  satisfied  with  the  knowledge  he  had 
gained  and  entered  school  in  the  University 
at  Valparaiso,  Indiana,  taking  the  teachers' 
course,  also  a  commercial  course.  He  made 
a  brilliant  record  at  this  institution  for 
scholarship  and  good  deportment. 

Believing  that  teaching  was  his  proper 
field  of  activity  Mr.  Quayle  began  his  first 
school  in  1878  and  he  taught  the  major  part 
of  the  time  up  to  1906  with  the  greatest 
success  attending  his  efforts,  during  which 
time  he  became  widely  known  not  only  in 
Marion  but  adjoining  counties  as  an  able 
instructor  and  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand. He  was  not  only  well  grounded  in 
the  text-books  employed  in  the  schools 
where  he  taught  but  his  pleasing  personality 
made  him  popular  with  his  pupils,  the  vari- 
ous phases  of  whose  natures  he  seemed  to 
understand  and  sympathize  with,  so  that  he 
inspired  each  one  to  do  his  best  in  the  work 
at  hand,  and  many  of  his  pupils  have  since 
won  distinction  in  various  lines  of  endeavor, 
all  freely  admitting  that  their  success  was 
due  in  a  large  measure  to  the  training  and 
influence  of  Mr.  Quayle.  The  teaching  of 
our  subject  was  confined  to  Marion  county 


268 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


with  the  exception  of  two  years  which  were 
spent  in  Fayette  county,  where  he  also  be- 
came popular. 

Mr.  Quayle  has  been  twice  married.  His 
first  wedding  occurred  January  8,  1889,  to 
Lyda  E.  Livesay,  the  accomplished  daughter 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Alfred  Livesay,  a  well 
known  family  of  Patoka  township,  Marion 
county,  and  to  this  union  four  children  were 
born  as  follows:  Guy,  born  in  1891,  died  at 
the  age  of  seven  years;  Gladys  E.,  born  in 
1892;  Fanny,  now  deceased,  who  was  born, 
in  1897;  Roberta,  who  was  born  in  1900. 

The  subject's  first  wife  was  called  to  her 
rest  in  June,  1906,  and  Mr.  Quayle  was 
married  December  15,  1907,  to  Ida  M. 
Quails,  daughter  of  Alfred  Quails.  She  is 
a  member  of  an  influential  family  of  Salem 
and  was  born  and  reared  there. 

Mr.  Quayle  has  been  an  influential  factor 
in  politics  in  his  county,  always  assisting  in 
placing  the  best  local  men  available  in  the 
county  offices  and  his  support  can  always 
be  depended  upon  in  furthering  any  worthy 
movement  looking  to  the  better  interest  of 
the  community  and  county.  In  1883,  1888 
and  1889  he  was  Tax  Collector  of  Patoka 
township,  having  been  easily  elected  to  this 
office  and  performed  the  duties  of  it  in  a 
most  satisfactory  manner.  He  was  chosen 
by  his  friends  to  the  responsible  position  of 
Supervisor  in  1901  and  1902  and  elected 
County  Clerk  on  the  Democratic  ticket  in 
1906,  and  is  now,  1908,  serving  his  first 
term.  He  is  said  to  be  one  of  the  ablest  men 
in  this  office  that  the  county  has  ever  had, 
being  careful  and  painstaking  as  well  as 


congenial  and  friendly  so  that  all  his  con- 
stituents are  very  highly  pleased  with  his 
record.  They  predict  that  he  will  become  a 
very  potent  factor  in  local  politics  in  the 
near  future. 

Mr.  Quayle  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Eastern  Star,  the  Rebekahs 
and  the  Woodmen.  He  takes  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  lodge  work  and  his  daily  life 
would  indicate  that  he  believes  in  carrying 
out  the  noble  precepts  of  these  commendable 
orders. 

Mr.  Quayle  is  not  only  a  public-spirited 
and  honorable  man  in  his  official  and  busi- 
ness life,  but  he  leads  a  most  wholesome 
home  life  and  sets  a  worthy  example  for  his 
children  and  others,  delighting  in  the  higher 
ideals  of  life  as  embraced  in  educational, 
civic  and  religious  matters.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  no  people  in  Marion 
county  are  the  recipients  of  higher  respect 
and  genuine  esteem  from  their  many  friends 
than  thev. 


BENJAMIN  M.  SMITH. 

In  studying  the  interesting  life  histories  of 
many  of  the  better  class  of  men,  and  the 
many  of  the  better  class  of  these,  and  the 
ones  of  unquestioned  merit  and  honor,  it 
will  be  found  that  they  have  been  compelled, 
very  largely,  to  map  out  their  own  career 
and  furnish  their  own  motive  force  in  scal- 
ing the  heights  of  success,  and  it  is  such  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


269 


one  that  the  biographer  is  pleased  to  write 
in  the  paragraphs  that  follow. 

Benjamin  M.  Smith,  the  well  known 
cashier  of  the  Salem  State  Bank,  was  born 
in  Central  City,  Illinois,  December  n,  1877, 
the  son  of  Samuel  J.  Smith,  a  native  of  St. 
Clair  county,  Illinois,  and  a  gentleman  of 
many  sterling  traits  who  became  a  man  of 
considerable  influence  in  his  community, 
some  of  whose  commendable  characteristics 
are  inherited  by  his  son,  our  subject.  Samuel 
J.  Smith  came  to  Marion  county  when  a 
young  man  and  was  engaged  in  the  milling 
business  of  which  he  made  pronounced  suc- 
cess, having  been  in  the  county  several  years 
when  the  Civil  war  began,  and  he  continued 
in  this  business  during  the  progress  of  the 
Rebellion.  He  took  much  interest  in  public 
affairs.  He  was  County  Treasurer  and 
County  Clerk  for  twenty  years  and  Deputy 
County  Treasurer  for  four  years.  During 
his  long  official  record  he  conducted  the  af- 
fairs that  were  entrusted  to  him  in  a  manner 
that  reflected  great  credit  upon  his  ability 
and  in  a  way  that  elicited  much  favorable 
comment  but  no  criticism  from  his  con- 
temporaries and  constituents.  He  was 
called  to  his  rest  April  5,  1906,  after  an  emi- 
nently successful  and  useful  life. 

The  subject's  grandfather,  Benjamin  J. 
Smith,  who  was  a  native  of  the  old  Pine 
Tree  state  (Maine),  is  remembered  as  a 
man  of  unusual  fortitude  and  courage,  hav- 
ing been  a  composite  of  the  usual  elements 
that  go  into  the  makeup  of  pioneers.  He 
came  west  in  early  life  and  was  one  of  the 
first  settlers  of  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  of 


which  county  he  was  at  one  time  Sheriff, 
one  of  the  best,  in  fact,  that  the  county  ever 
had.  He  was  an  active  business  man  all  his 
life,  having  been  in  the  commission  busi- 
ness in  Chicago  for  a  number  of  years, 
where  he  became  well  known  in  the  business 
circles  of  the  city  in  those  days.  He  was 
born  in  1801,  and  after  a  remarkably  active 
career,  reaching  a  venerable  age,  passed  to 
the  silent  land  when  in  his  ninetieth  year. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  in  her 
maidenhood  Mary  E.  Martin,  who  was  born 
in  Ohio  on  a  farm  near  Wellsville.  She  is 
in  many  respects  a  remarkable  character, 
benign,  affable  and  her  influence  has  always 
been  wholesome  and  uplifting,  so  that  even 
in  the  golden  evening  of  her  life  she  is  a 
blessing  to  those  with  whom  she  comes  in 
contact.  She  is  the  mother  of  three  chil- 
dren, namely:  Irene,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Irma,  a  woman  of  fine  traits;  and  Benja- 
min M.,  our  subject. 

Thus  after  a  resume  of  the  subject's 
worthy  ancestors  we  are  not  surprised  that 
he  has  achieved  unusual  distinction  in  his 
community,  and  to  him  the  future  evidently 
has  much  of  good  in  store. 

Benjamin  M.  Smith  attended  school  in 
Salem,  graduating  from  the  high  school 
where  he  had  made  a  splendid  record  for 
scholarship  and  deportment.  Feeling  that 
he  was  destined  for  a  business  career,  and 
following  in  the  footsteps  of  his  father  and 
grandfather,  he  early  began  preparations  to 
enter  the  industrial  field,  and  in  order  to 
prepare  himself  more  thoroughly  took  a 
course  in  the  Bryant  &  Stratton  Business 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


College  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  standing  in 
the  front  rank  of  his  class  when  he  gradu- 
ated in  1900.  Mr.  Smith  has  been  actively 
engaged  in  business  since  he  was  sixteen 
years  old  and  he  showed  at  that  early  age 
that  he  was  destined  to  the  highest  success. 
He  seems  to  be  best  fitted  to  the  manage- 
ment of  banking  institutions,  although  he 
turns  everything  into  success  that  he  under- 
takes. He  has  been  cashier  of  banks  for 
seven  years  in  1908.  He  was  cashier  of 
the  Haymond  State  Bank,  now  the  First 
National  Bank  at  Kinmundy,  Illinois,  for 
two  years,  during  which  time  the  business  of 
this  institution  greatly  increased.  Then  he 
came  to  Salem  and  became  associated  with 
the  Salem  State  Bank  of  which  he  is  a 
stockholder  and  director  and  one  of  the  or- 
ganizers, in  fact,  one  of  the  moving  spirits 
of  the  institution.  Mr.  Smith  was  also  a 
director  in  the  bank  at  Kinmundy  and  is 
still  a  stockholder  in  the  same.  Both  these 
institutions  recognize  his  unusual  industrial 
ability  and  peculiar  aptitude  for  managing 
the  affairs  of  a  banking  concern  and  the  of- 
ficials are  not  reluctant  to  give  him  all  due 
credit  for  the  great  work  he  has  done  in 
placing  these  banks  on  a  firm  foundation  and 
making  them  among  the  solid  and  well 
Icnown  institutions  of  their  kind  in  this  part 
of  the  state. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Smith  belongs  to  the 
Masonic  Order,  Knights  Templar;  also  the 
Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Woodmen  and  the 
Eagles,  and  one  would  judge  from  his  con- 
sistent daily  life  that  he  believes  in  carrying 


out  the  sublime  principles  and  doctrines  of 
these  worthy  orders.  In  politics  our  subject 
is  a  loyal  Democrat,  but  he  has  not  found 
time  to  take  an  active  part  in  political  af- 
fairs. However,  he  believes  in  placing  the 
best  men  possible  in  local  offices  and  his 
support  can  always  be  depended  upon  in 
the  advancement  of  any  cause  looking  to 
the  development  and  betterment  of  his  com- 
munity and  county. 

Mr.  Smith  has  preferred  single  blessed- 
ness and  has  never  assumed  the  responsi- 
bilities of  the  married  state. 

Our  subject  is  a  very  strong  character  in 
every  respect  and  although  he  is  yet  quite  a 
young  man  he  has  shown  by  his  past  excel- 
lent and  praiseworthy  record  that  he  is  a 
man  of  unusual  industrial  ability  and  the 
future  will  doubtless  be  replete  with  honors 
and  success  for  him. 


FRANK  A.  BOYNTON. 

Through  struggles  to  triumph  seems  to 
be  the  maxim  which  holds  sway  for  the  ma- 
jority of  our  citizens  and,  though  it  is  un- 
deniably true  that  many  a  one  falls  ex- 
hausted in  the  conflict,  a  few  by  their  in- 
herent force  of  character  and  strong  men- 
tality rise  above  their  environments  and  all 
which  seems  to  hinder  them  until  they 
reach  the  plane  of  affluence.  It  is  not  the 
weaklings  that  accomplish  worthy  ends  in 
the  face  of  opposition  but  those  with  nerve 
and  initiative  whose  motto  is,  "He  never 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


271 


fails  who  never  gives  up,"  and  with  this 
terse  aphorism  ever  in  view,  emblazoned  on 
the  pillar  of  clouds,  as  it  were,  before  them, 
they  forge  ahead  until  the  sunny  summits 
of  life  are  reached  and  they  can  breath  a 
breath  of  the  purer  air  that  inspires  the 
souls  of  men  in  respite.  Such  has  been  the 
history  of  Frank  A.  Boynton  and  in  his  life 
record  many  useful  lessons  may  be  gained. 

Mr.  Boynton  was  born  four  miles  east  of 
Salem  in  Stevenson  township,  April  18, 
1 86 1,  the  son  of  John  Boynton,  a  native  of 
Haverhill,  Scioto  county,  Ohio,  who  came  to 
Illinois  about  1859,  settling  on  the  farm  on 
which  his  widow  now  resides.  John  Boyn- 
ton was  a  prosperous  and  influential  farmer 
all  his  life.  He  ably  served  as  school  di- 
rector of  Stevenson  township  for  many 
years,  and  after  a  very  successful  and  useful 
life  he  passed  away  in  1900. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  on  his  pa- 
ternal side  was  Asa  Boynton,  who  was  a 
native  of  Haverhill,  Massachusetts,  who  mi- 
grated to  Ohio  in  an  early  day  and  settled 
on  the  French  "grant"  in  Ohio,  and  the 
place  where  he  settled  was  named  Haverhill, 
after  the  Massachusetts  town  from  whence 
he  came.  He  was,  like  many  of  the  early 
pioneers,  a  man  of  sterling  qualities,  brave 
and  a  hard  worker. 

The  subject's  mother  was  Eliza  Copen- 
hagen, born  near  Ironton,  Ohio,  on  the  land 
where  the  town  is  situated.  Her  people 
came  from  Virginia,  having  been  among 
the  fine  old  Southern  families  who  migrated 
from  that  state  to  Ohio  in  the  early  days. 
She  has  made  her  home  on  the  old  home- 


stead in  Stevenson  township  from  that  time 
to  the  present  day,  and  there  she  is  held  in 
highest  esteem  by  a  host  of  acquaintances 
and  friends.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Boynton,  six  of  whom 
are  living  at  this  writing  (1908).  Their 
names  are:  Asa  died  when  fourteen  years 
old;  Frank,  our  subject;  Elmer,  of  Salem, 
Illinois;  Lucy  who  passed  to  her  rest  in 
1905;  Loren  K.,  of  Ruleville,  Mississippi; 
John  Ellis,  who  lives  with  his  mother  in 
Stevenson  township;  Delmont,  who  lives  in 
Stevenson  township  on  a  farm  joining  the 
parental  homestead ;  Ida,  who  lives  with  her 
mother. 

Frank  A.  Boynton,  our  subject,  spent  his 
boyhood  under  the  parental  roof  and  re- 
ceived his  primary  education  in  the  Bru- 
baker  school  in  Stevenson  township.  He 
worked  on  the  farm  during  his  young  man- 
hood and  he  has  always  been  identified  with 
farming  interests ;  he  now  owns  a  fine  farm, 
highly  improved  and  very  productive,  lo- 
cated in  the  northern  part  of  Stevenson 
township.  It  consists  of  over  five  hundred 
acres,  and  no  more  choice  land  is  to  be 
found  in  this  locality.  He  went  to  Wheeler, 
Jasper  county,  Illinois,  in  1891,  and  was  a 
storekeeper  and  ganger  there  where  he  re- 
mained for  two  years,  making  a  success  of 
his  enterprise,  but  he  returned  to  his  farm 
in  Stevenson  township  and  in  about  1903 
came  to  Salem  and  is  now  engaged  in  the 
real  estate  and  loan  business  with  offices  in 
L.  M.  Kagy's  law  office.  He  helped  organ- 
ize the  Salem  State  Bank  of  which  he  is  a 
heavy  stockholder  and  director.  He  operated 


liKIXKKKIIOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  threshing  machine  for  twelve  years  with 
great  success  in  Stevenson  township,  and  he 
has  been  a  stock  shipper  the  greater  part  of 
his  life. 

Thus  we  see  that  Mr.  Boynton  has  been 
a  very  busy  man,  and  also  one  that  had 
unusual  executive  ability  else  he  could  not 
have  carried  to  successful  issue  so  many  ex- 
tensive enterprises. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  1892  to  Anna 
Stevenson,  daughter  of  Samuel  E.  Steven- 
son, a  well  known  family  of  Stevenson 
township.  One  winsome  child  was  born  to 
this  union,  Gladys.  At  the  time  of  his  mar- 
riage Mr.  Boynton  was  living  on  his  farm. 
His  first  wife  was  called  to  her  rest  Febru- 
ary 16,  1897,  and  our  subject  was  again 
married  May  17,  1906,  his  last  wife  being 
Ethel  Stevenson.  No  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union.  Mrs.  Boynton  presides 
over  their  modern,  commodious,  beautiful 
and  elegantly  furnished  home  on  South 
Broadway  with  rare  grace  and  dignity,  and 
she  is  frequently  hostess  to  numerous  ad- 
miring friends  of  the  family. 

Possessing  the  executive  skill  and  pleas- 
ing personality  that  our  subject  does,  it  is 
not  surprising  that  his  friends  should  have 
singled  him  out  for  political  preferment, 
consequently  he  has  been  honored  with  nu- 
merous local  offices,  all  of  which  he  has  ably 
and  creditably  filled  to  the  entire  satisfac- 
tion of  all  concerned.  He  has  served  as 
Clerk  of  Stevenson  township  and  later 
served  two  terms  as  Supervisor  of  that  town- 
ship. He  is  now  city  Alderman  from  the 
Second  ward  of  Salem.  Useless  to  say  our 
subject  is  a  loyal  Republican,  and  he  was  at 


one  time  the  nominee  of  his  party  for  Sher- 
iff, and  at  another  time  for  Treasurer,  but 
was  defeated.  He,  however,  made  a  most  ex- 
cellent race,  being  defeated  by  only  a  few 
votes,  although  the  county  is  strongly  Demo- 
cratic. He  is,  indeed,  a  public-spirited  citizen 
and  witholds  his  co-operation  from  no  move- 
ment which  is  intended  to  promote  public 
improvement.  What  he  has  achieved  in  life 
proves  the  force  of  his  character  and  illus- 
trates his  steadfastness  of  purpose.  He  is 
now  one  of  the  men  of  affluence  and  his 
advancement  to  a  position  of  credit  and 
honor  in  the  business  circles  of  Marion 
county  is  the  direct  outcome  of  his  own 
persistent  and  worthy  labors,  and  it  would 
be  hard  to  find  a  more  popular  or  congenial 
gentleman  in  this  section  of  the  state  than 
Mr.  Boynton. 


REV.  HAMILTON  N.  HAYS. 

In  giving  the  following  biographical 
memoir  of  the  gentleman  whose  name  ap- 
pears above,  the  writer  aims  to  avoid  ex- 
travagant praise,  but  his  life  was  so  full  of 
good  deeds  and  was  so  replete  with  honor 
and  success  that  it  will  be  necessary  to  em- 
ploy periods  that  are  somewhat  ornate  in 
dealing  with  the  same ;  for  although  the  seal 
has  been  set  on  the  final  chapter  in  his  inter- 
esting life  record  by  the  angel  that  summons 
us  all  from  this  terrestrial  sphere,  his  influ- 
ence still  pervades  the  lives  of  those  with 
whom  he  came  in  contact,  and  he  still  lives 
in  the  hearts  of  those  left  behind. 


MR.  AND  MRS.  HAMILTON  N.  HAYS. 


HUNTKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


273 


Rev.  Hamilton  N.  Hays  was  born  in  Rac- 
coon township,  Marion  county,  September 
28,  1848,  the  son  of  William  C.  and  Delilah 
(Crawford)  Hays,  both  natives  of  Tennes- 
see, who  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
1858,  and  lived  here  awhile  when  they  went 
to  Texas  where  they  died. 

The  subject  was  educated  in  the  home 
schools.  Being  an  ambitious  lad  he  applied 
himself  in  a  most  assiduous  manner  and  was 
enabled  to  teach  school  very  successfully  for 
several  years  in  Marion  and  Jefferson  coun- 
ties. He  also  read  law  and  learned  black- 
smithing  and  farmed  in  Raccoon  township. 
For  many  years  he  was  a  minister  in  the 
Christian  church,  and  never  failed  to  keep 
an  appointment  regardless  of  weather  con- 
ditions. 

On  March  6,  1871,  Mr.  Hays  was  happily 
married  to  Nancy  Jane  Bingaman,  the 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Elizabeth  (Hen- 
dricks)  Bingaman,  the  mother  a  native  of 
Tennessee  and  the  father  of  Pennsylvania. 
The  subject's  wife  was  born  May  4,  1842. 
Her  father  married  three  times,  first  to 
Mary  Cox,  by  whom  he  had  seven  children, 
namely:  Polly  Ann,  William  Cox,  Peter 
H.,  Henry  R.,  John  A.  J.,  Rosamond  and 
an  infant.  He  had  no  children  by  his  second 
wife.  The  children  by  his  third  wife,  Eliza- 
beth (Hendricks)  Bingaman,  who  first  mar- 
ried Samuel  Hays,  became  the  mother  of 
four  children,  namely:  Allen  K.,  Hen- 
dricks, William  J.  and  Mansel.  The  father 
and  mother  of  Mrs.  Hays  were  the  parents 
of  the  following  children :  Nancy  J.,  Adam 
L.,  David  S.,  and  Charles  P. 
18 


After  a  busy  and  well  ordered  life,  replete 
with  success  and  happiness,  Rev.  Hamilton 
N.  Hays  passed  to  his  rest,  December  26, 
1906. 

The  subject  and  wife  were  faithful  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  No  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Hamilton  N.  Hays,  but  they  out  of 
their  kindness  of  heart,  reared  a  daughter 
whom  they  gave  as  good  care  as  if  she  had 
been  their  own.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Adam  Bingaman,  now  the  wife  of  George 
Williams.  They  live  with  Mrs.  Hays  on 
the  old  homestead. 

Reverend  Hays  was  a  prominent  man, 
highly  respected  and  well  known.  He 
was  a  successful  business  man,  being 
regarded  as  one  of  the  leading  farm- 
ers of  Marion  county,  and  he  was 
admired  for  his  sterling  character, 
his  habits  of  industry  and  sobriety, 
kindness  and  generosity,  and  no  man  in  the 
county  had  more  friends  than  he.  Mrs. 
Hays  is  a  woman  of  many  estimable  traits 
and  stands  high  in  her  community,  being 
affable  and  possessing  rare  tact  and  judg- 
ment, so  that  it  is  with  no  little  degree  of 
pleasure  that  we  give  such  worthy  people 
representation  in  this  work. 


HENRY  WARREN. 

Prominent  among  the  energetic,  far- 
sighted  and  successful  business  men  of 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  the  subject  of  this 


274 


1WINKEK1IOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


sketch,  whose  life  history  most  happily  il- 
lustrates what  may  be  attained  by  faithful 
and  continued  effort  in  carrying  out  an  hon- 
est purpose.  Integrity,  activity  and  energy 
have  been  the  crowning  points  in  his  career 
and  have  led  to  desirable  and  creditable  suc- 
cess. His  connection  with  banking  institu- 
tions and  various  lines  of  business  has  been 
of  decided  advantage  to  the  entire  com- 
munity, promoting  its  welfare  along  various 
lines  in  no  uncertain  manner,  while  at  the 
same  time  he  has  made  an  untarnished  rec- 
ord and  unspotted  reputation  as  a  business 
man. 

Henry  Warren,  the  widely  known  bank 
president  and  gallant  Civil  war  veteran  of 
Kinmundy,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  was 
born  in  this  county  in  1845,  the  son  of  Asa 
Warren  and  his  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Sina  Howell.  Grandfather  Howell  was  sup- 
posed to  have  come  from  Virginia,  settling 
with  the  pioneers  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
in  a  very  early  day,  and  spending  his  life 
on  a  farm  doing  much  for  the  upbuilding 
of  the  community.  He  entered  land  from 
the  government  on  which  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life  and  on  which  he  reared 
his  family.  He  lived  to  be  more  than 
eighty  years  of  age.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  old  Hardshell  Baptist  church,  as  was 
also  his  wife.  One  of  the  first  log  churches 
built  in  this  community  was  erected  on  his 
farm,  of  which  he  was  one  of  the  principal 
supporters.  The  major  portion  of  his 
neighbors  were  Indians  when  he  first  came 
to  this  county,  and  the  woods  and  prairies 
teemed  with  wild  game  of  nearly  all  species 
and  varieties.  There  were  but  few  settle- 


ments in  the  county  at  that  time.  The 
green  flies  were  so  thick  and  aggressive  that 
people  could  not  cross  the  prairies  in  the 
day  time  during  part  of  the  year.  He  man- 
aged this  farm  until  his  death  which  then 
fell  to  his  heirs.  All  of  the  second  genera- 
tion of  Howells  have  passed  on  to  their 
rest. 

Asa  Warren,  father  of  our  subject,  came 
from  Tennessee  to  Illinois  when  a  young 
man  and  entered  land  from  the  government. 
He  sold  out  in  time  and  moved  to  Texas 
where  he  died  when  fifty-five  years  of  age, 
being  survived  by  four  children,  three  of 
whom  were  boys.  He  was  a  man  of  much 
influence,  integrity  and  force  of  character. 
He  was  a  gallant  soldier  in  the  Mexican 
war,  having  served  until  peace  was  declared 
after  which  he  returned  to  Illinois.  He  fol- 
lowed farming  all  his  life.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  belonged  to  the  old  school  Baptists. 
The  subject's  mother  was  called  to  her  rest 
at  about  the  age  of  forty  years.  She  was 
a  kindly  and  good  woman  in  every  respect. 

Henry  Warren,  our  subject,  was  reared  in 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  having  attended  the 
common  and  district  schools,  part  of  the 
time  in  old  log  school-houses  with  their 
primitive  furnishings.  He  worked  most  of 
the  year  on  his  father's  farm  during  his 
school  days.  He  was  about  twelve  years  old 
when  he  accompanied  his  father  to  Texas, 
and  he  returned  from  the  Lone  Star  state  to 
Illinois  one  year  after  his  father's  death, 
the  home  place  in  Texas  having  been  sold. 
Then  our  subject  worked  out  as  a  farm 
hand,  sometimes  receiving  only  eight  dol- 
lars a  month,  continuing  as  a  farm  hand  for 


BRIXKERHO 


i.RION    COUNTY. 


275 


twelve  years.  He  then  rented  land  for  two 
years.  Then  he  married  and  bought  eighty 
acres  of  land  which  he  improved  and  made 
into  a  good  farm  on  which  he  lived  for  about 
thirty-eight  years,  which  were  prosperous, 
in  the  main,  and  during  which  he  laid  up  a 
competency  for  the  future.  From  time  to 
time  he  added  to  his  original  eighty  until 
he  finally  had  eight  hundred  acres,  all  of 
which  was  in  cultivation  and  kept  in  a  high 
state  of  improvement  and  efficiency.  He 
drained  this  large  tract  of  land  and  securely 
fenced  it  with  wood  and  wire.  Substantial 
and  modern  buildings,  a  large  dwelling, 
two  barns  and  other  out  buildings  were 
erected,  and  the  place,  which  Mr.  Warren 
still  owns,  is  one  of  Marion  county's  model 
farms.  While  he  still  looks  after  the  farm 
he  keeps  it  rented.  When  our  subject  gave 
his  personal  attention  to  this  place  it  was 
in  somewhat  better  condition  and. he  devoted 
him  time  largely  to  grass  and  stock. 

Mr.  Warren  moved  to  Kinmundy  in  1896 
and  one  year  later  opened  under  the  most 
favorable  auspices  what  is  known  as  the 
Warren  Banking  Company's  establishment, 
which  met  with  instantaneous  success  and 
is  today  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  sub- 
stantial and  safest  institutions  of  its  kind 
in  this  part  of  the  state.  He  is  president 
of  the  same,  having  filled  this  position  with 
much  credit  to  his  ability  and  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  many  patrons  of  the  bank  since 
its  establishment.  His  son,  Henry  L.,  who 
was  made  cashier  at  the  organization  of 
the  concern,  is  still  ably  attending  to  these 
•duties.  Mr.  Warren  owns  the  substantial 
building  in  which  the  business  of  the  firm 


is  conducted.  He  also  owns  a  large,  com- 
fortable, modern  and  elegantly  furnished 
dwelling  house  besides  other  buildings  on 
the  same  street  where  he  lives  in  Kinmundy. 
He  deserves  much  credit  for  the  wealth  he 
has  amassed  partly  because  of  the  fact  that 
he  started  life  empty  handed  and  has  made 
it  unaided,  and  partly  because  he  has  not  a 
single  dishonest  dollar  in  his  possession,  hav- 
ing always  been  scrupulously  honest  in  his 
dealings  with  his  fellow  men.  During  the 
last  panic  and -bank  depression  his  was  the 
only  bank  that  kept  open  in  the  county. 

Mr.  Warren  was  first  married  in  1867  to 
Mary  C.  Nichols,  a  native  of  this  county, 
the  accomplished  daughter  of  Robert 
Nichols,  and  to  this  union  the  following 
children  were  born :  William,  born  October 
6,  1868,  now  a  farmer  and  minister  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  to  whom  two  chil- 
dren were  born;  Harry  L.,  born  September 
i,  1871,  is  living  in  Kinmundy  associated 
with  his  father  in  the  banking  business,  and 
who  is  married  and  the  father  of  one  child  ; 
Charley  W.,  born  March  21,  1874,  is  as- 
sistant cashier  in  the  bank,  being  married 
and  the  father  of  one  child,  Lowel  F.,  born 
October  27,  1897. 

Mr.  \Varren's  first  wife  passed  to  her  rest 
in  1903,  and  the  subject  was  again  married 
in  1906,  his  last  wife  being  Ida  Shriver, 
a  native  of  Marion  county  and  the  daughter 
of  William  Schriver,  who  was  a  native  of 
Ohio.  One  child  has  been  born  to  this 
union,  May  Margaret,  whose  date  of  birth 
fell  on  January  14,  1908. 

Mr.  Warren  was  one  of  the  patriotic  de- 
fenders of  the  flag  during  the  dark  days  of 


276 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  sixties  when  the  fierce  fires  of  rebellion 
were  undermining  the  pillars  of  our  national 
government,  and  he  enlisted  in  Company  E, 
One  Hundred  and  Thirty-sixth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  he  served  with 
credit  and  distinction  to  the  close  of  the  war 
and  was  honorably  discharged.  He  draws 
a  disability  pension  of  twelve  dollars.  One 
brother,  Larkin  A.  Warren,  was  also  a  sol- 
dier, having  been  a  member  of  Sixth  Mis- 
souri Cavalry.  He  died  at  New  Orleans 
while  in  the  army,  after  having  served  out 
his  first  enlistment  of  three  years,  and  it 
was  toward  the  close  of  the  struggle  when 
he  was  attacked  by  a  disease  while  in  line 
of  duty  from  which  he  did  not  recover. 

Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Republican  and  in 
religious  affiliations  is  a  liberal  subscriber 
and  supporter  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
Mr.  Warren's  methods  are  progressive  and 
he  is  quick  to  adopt  new  ideas  which  he  be- 
lieves will  prove  of  practical  value  in  his 
work.  Indolence  and  idleness  are  entirely 
foreign  to  his  nature  and  owing  to  his  close 
application  to  his  business  and  his  honorable 
methods  he  has  won  prosperity  that  is  richly 
merited,  while  he  enjoys  the  friendship  and 
esteem  of  the  people  of  Marion  county. 


JOHN  C.  MARTIN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  native  son 
of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  a  represen- 
tative of  one  of  its  sterling  and  honored 
families.  He  is  known  as  a  young  man  of 


fine  intellectuality  and  marked  business 
acumen.  He  is  cashier  of  the  Salem  Na- 
tional Bank,  one  of  the  most  substantial  in- 
stitutions of  its  kind  in  this  part  of  the 
state. 

John  C.  Martin  was  born  in  Salem  April 
29,  1880,  the  son  of  B.  E.  Martin,  Sr.,  a 
sketch  of  whom  appears  upon  another  page 
of  this  volume. 

Our  subject  attended  the  schools  of  Salem 
in  his  early  youth  where  he  applied  himself 
in  a  most  assiduous  manner,  having  made 
excellent  records  for  scholarship  and  general 
deportment,  and  as  a  result  of  his  well  ap- 
plied time  to  his  text-books  he  received  a 
good  education  which  has  subsequently  been 
broadened  and  deepened  by  contact  with  the 
world  and  systematic  home  study.  After 
finishing  the  prescribed  course  in  the  home 
schools  he  spent  two  years  at  Jacksonville, 
Illinois,  one  year  at  the  Jacksonville  College, 
and  one  at  Brown's  Business  College,  hav- 
ing stood  high  in  his  classes  in  each. 

At  the  early  age  of  twenty-eight  years,  a 
period  when  most  men  are  just  launching 
into  a  career  or  tentatively  investigating  the 
world  that  lies  before  them  in  order  to  test 
their  potential  powers,  Mr.  Martin  had  al- 
ready shown  that  he  is  a  man  of  marked  ex- 
ecutive and  business  ability.  He  assumed 
the  responsible  and  exacting  position  of 
cashier  of  the  Salem  National  Bank  in  April 
1907,  whose  duties  he  is  faithfully  perform- 
ing to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. He  is  a  stockholder  in  this  institu- 
tion, which  is  popular  with  all  classes  of 
business  men  in  Salem  and  throughout  Mar- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


277 


ion  county,  where  it  has  long  maintained  a 
firm  reputation  for  soundness  owing  to  its 
careful  management  and  the  unquestioned 
integrity  and  scrupulously  honest  characters 
of  the- gentlemen  who  have  it  under  control. 
Fraternally  Mr.  Martin  is  a  loyal  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  Order,  the  Woodmen  and 
the  Fraternal  Order  of  Eagles.  The  daily 
life  of  the  subject  would  indicate  that  he 
believes  in  carrying  out  the  noble  precepts 
of  these  praiseworthy  orders. 


JAMES  LLOYD  HALEY. 

Among  the  enterprising  and  successful 
members  of  the  legal  profession  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  who  deserve  especial  men- 
tion on  account  of  their  efficiency  and 
recognized  character  and  genuine  worth, 
none  more  deserve  to  be  given  just  represen- 
tation than  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who, 
while  yet  a  young  man,  scarcely  more  than 
one-third  of  the  years  alloted  to  human 
life,  having  passed  over  his  head,  has 
stamped  his  individuality  upon  his  commu- 
nity in  a  manner  that  will  be  permanent  and 
has  gained  for  him  wide  prestige  and  re- 
sulted in  splendid  success  attending  his  ef- 
forts, so  that  he  stands  today  as  one  of  the 
best  known  and  most  promising  of  the 
younger  professional  men  of  his  locality. 

James  Lloyd  Haley  was  born  in  Steven- 
son township,  this  county,  near  New  Bethel 
church,  September  27,  1880,  the  son  of  Rev. 
Alonzo  Haley,  a  native  of  Mississippi,  who 


came  to  Illinois  in  1857.  He  was  bom  in 
1836  at  Holly  Springs,  Mississippi.  He 
settled  in  Jefferson  county  after  coming 
here  and  he  passed  to  his  rest  in  1888  at 
Walshville,  Montgomery  county,  after  an 
active  and  very  useful  life  in  the  ministry 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  The  subject's 
mother  was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as 
Martha  Wolverton,  a  native  of  Tennessee. 
The  parents  of  the  subject  were  married  in 
1850,  and  soon  thereafter  began  ascending 
the  Mississippi  river  in  a  boat.  They  landed 
at  Cairo,  Illinois,  where  their  boat  sunk  and 
they  lost  all  except  the  clothes  which  they 
wore  at  the  time.  The  subject's  mother,  a 
woman  of  strong  personality  and  beautiful 
Christian  character,  passed  to  her  rest  in 
March  1881. 

Our  subject  is  the  youngest  of  a  family 
of  twelve  children,  only  five  of  whom  are 
living  at  the  time  of  this  writing,  1908. 
They  are:  Mrs.  Oscar  Marshall,  of  Salem; 
Mrs.  Charles  Barlow,  of  Walshville,  Illi- 
nois ;  Mrs.  D.  D.  Haynie,  of  Salem ;  Thomas 
F..  of  Patoka,  Illinois;  James  L.,  our  sub- 
ject. 

James  L.  Haley  was  reared  in  Salem  and 
attended  the  schools  there,  completing  the 
course  and  making  a  splendid  record  for 
scholarship.  He  soon  determined  that  his 
talent  and  calling  lay  along  the  lines  of  the 
legal  profession,  and  he  consequently  set 
about  preparing  himself  for  this  line  of  work 
at  which  he  has  so  admirably  succeeded.  He 
read  law  with  D.  D.  Haynie,  making  rapid 
progress  from  the  first  and  giving  unmis- 
takable evidence  of  rare  innate  ability  in 


278 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


this  work.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
Kentucky  on  April  20,  1906,  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar  in  Illinois  in  March,  1907, 
and  has  been  practicing  ever  since,  his  suc- 
cess having  been  instantaneous. 

Our  subject  learned  telegraphy  and 
worked  for  seven  years  in  nearly  every  sec- 
tion of  the  United  States,  covering  the  in- 
terval between  school  days  and  his  study  of 
law.  He  thus  became  well  acquainted  with 
the  outside  world  and  thereby  greatly 
strengthened  his  education.  He  was  a  can- 
didate for  state's  attorney  in  1908,  but  was 
defeated  at  the  primaries.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Anchor  Aerie  1828,  Fraternal  Order 
of  Eagles.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and 
he  still  holds  membership  in  the  Order  of 
Railway  Telegraphers,  Missouri  Pacific  Di- 
vision No.  31.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  at  Salem. 

Mr.  Haley  has  been  admitted  to  practice 
in  the  local,  state  and  federal  courts,  the 
name  of  the  firm  in  which  he  is  a  partner 
being  known  as  Haynie  &  Haley,  which  is 
regarded  as  a  particularly  strong  one. 

The  Haley  family  is  of  southern  stock. 
At  the  commencement  of  the  war  between 
the  states  the  family  divided  on  the  slavery 
question,  the  father  of  our  subject  sympa- 
thizing with  the  Federal  government,  while 
the  other  members  of  the  family  remained 
in  the  South  and  cast  their  lot  with  the  Con- 
federacy. No  communications  have  passed 
between  them  since  that  time. 

The  firm  of  Haynie  &  Haley  occupied 
a  handsome  suite  of  rooms  in  the  new  Salem 
National  Bank  the  latter  part  of  1908.  Their 


library  is  one  of  the  best,  most  complete  and 
up-to-date  in  Marion  county,  and  the  prac- 
tice of  this  firm  is  rapidly  growing,  so  that 
they  are  not  only  called  upon  to  take  all 
kinds  of  local  legal  matters,  but  are  often 
called  to  other  localities  to  handle  difficult 
and  important  cases. 

James  Lloyd  Haley  is  a  man  of  rare  busi- 
ness acumen,  foresight,  sagacity  and  persis- 
tence. Coupled  with  this  is  a  pleasing  per- 
sonality and  courtesy  of  manner  that  win 
him  friends  wherever  he  goes,  and  make 
him  popular  with  all  classes,  so  that  the  fu- 
ture to  such  a  man  is  unquestionably  bright. 


G.  H.  TRENARY. 

The  enterprise  of  the  subject  has  been 
crowned  by  success,  as  the  result  of  rightly 
applied  principles  which  never  fail  in  their 
ultimate  effect  when  coupled  with  integrity, 
uprightness  and  a  congenial  disposition,  as 
they  have  been  done  in  the  present  instance, 
judging  from  the  high  standing  of  Mr.  Tre- 
nary  among  his  fellow  citizens  whose  un- 
divided esteem  he  has  justly  won  and  re- 
tained. 

G.  H.  Trenary,  the  influential  and  popu- 
lar superintendent  of  the  Chicago  &  East- 
ern Illinois  Railroad  Company,  with  offices 
at  Salem,  Illinois,  was  born  February  9, 
1867,  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  the  son  of  Ran- 
dolph B.  Trenary,  a  native  of  Ohio  who 
came  to  Indiana  when  a  boy.  He  was  a  lo- 
comotive engineer,  having  run  an  engine 


HR1XKF.RIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


during-  the  Civil  war  and  he  followed  this 
profession  all  his  life,  becoming  one  of  the 
best  known  railroad  men  in  his  community. 
He  died  in  February,  1904,  at  Stone  Bluff, 
Indiana.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was 
known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Mollie  Nor- 
duft,  a  native  of  Williamsport,  Indiana,  and 
the  representative  of  a  well  known  and 
highly  respected  family  there.  She  passed 
to  her  rest  in  1873.  They  were  the  parents 
of  four  children,  three  boys  and  one  girl, 
namely:  Charles  W.,  of  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri; G.  H.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch; 
Evendar  H.,  who  died  in  1888;  Elizabeth, 
the  wife  of  Charles  Mallett,  of  Stone  Bluff, 
Indiana. 

Our  subject  attended  the  common  schools 
at  Urbana,  Illinois,  leaving  school  when  in 
the  eighth  grade  for  the  purpose  of  begin- 
ning the  study  of  telegraphy  at  Urbana. 
Becoming  an  exeprt  at  this  exacting  profes- 
sion he  followed  it  together  with  that  of 
agent  at  various  stations  for  thirteen  years 
with  great  satisfaction  to  his  employers  who 
regarded  him  as  one  of  the  most  efficient 
and  reliable  men  in  this  line  of  work  in 
their  employ.  He  spent  four  years  at  Og- 
den,  Illinois;  one  year  at  Urbana,  one  year 
at  Waynetown,  Indiana ;  one  year  at  Cham- 
paign, Illinois ;  two  years  at  LeRoy,  Illinois ; 
three  years  at  Veedersburg,  Indiana;  one 
year  at  Hoopestown,  Illinois.  From  1896 
to  1899  he  was  chief  clerk  to  the  general 
superintendent  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern 
Illinois  Railroad  Company  at  Chicago.  For 
five  years  our  subject  held  the  responsible 
position  of  superintendent  at  Brazil,  In- 


diana, from  1899  to  1904,  since  which  time 
he  has  been  superintendent  of  the  Illinois 
division  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
road,  with  headquarters  at  Salem.  The 
offices  of  this  road  were  located  here  in  De- 
cember, 1906,  having  been  removed  from 
St.  Elmo,  this  state.  This  road  employs 
about  five  hundred  people  in  all  departments. 
The  local  offices  occupy  the  entire  third 
floor  of  the  Salem  State  Bank  building  and 
is  the  busiest  place  in  Salem.  Mr.  Trenary's 
private  office  is  also  on  this  floor.  Every- 
thing is  under  a  splendid  system. 

Mr.  Trenary  has  jurisdiction  over  all 
transportation,  a  very  responsible  position, 
indeed,  and  one  that  not  only  requires  a 
superior  talent  along  executive  lines,  but  a 
clear  brain,  sound  judgment  and  steady  hab- 
its, but  he  has  performed  his  duties  so  well 
that  the  company  deems  his  services  indis- 
pensable. This  road  has  a  departmental  di- 
vision system. 

Our  subject  was  happily  married  in  De- 
cember, 1884,  to  Beulah  R.  Glascock,  the 
refined  and  accomplished  daughter  of  H.  J. 
Glascock,  an  influential  and  highly  respected 
citizen  of  Ogden,  Illinois. 

The  commodious,  modern,  cheerful  and 
model  home  of  the  subject  and  wife  has 
been  blessed  through  the  birth  of  the  six 
children  whose  names  and  dates  of  birth 
follow  in  consecutive  order:  G.  W.,  born 
April  12,  1886,  lives  in  Salem;  Nell,  born 
December  30,  1887;  Genevieve  F.,  born 
March  i,  1893;  Robert  F.,  born  October  22, 
1895;  H.  Kenneth,  born  January  29,  1901 ; 
Randolph  Bryant,  born  January  26,  1904. 


280 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


These  children  have  received  every  care 
and  attention,  been  given  good  educations 
and  each  gives  promise  of  bright  and  suc- 
cessful futures,  exemplifying  in  their  daily 
lives  what  a  wholesome  home  environment 
and  careful  parental  training  can  do  in  de- 
veloping well  rounded  and  highly  cultivated 
minds  and  bodies. 

Mr.  Trenary  moved  his  family  to  Salem 
in  December,  1906.  He  has  been  honored 
by  being  chosen  alderman  for  the  city  of 
Salem.  Although  a  loyal  Republican  and 
well  fortified  in  his  political  beliefs  and  anx- 
ious to  see  the  triumph  of  his  party's  prin- 
ciples, Mr.  Trenary  has  never  aspired  to 
positions  of  public  trust  at  the  hands  of  his 
fellow  voters.  However,  his  support  can  al- 
ways be  depended  upon  in  the  advancement 
of  all  movements  looking  to  the  public  weal 
in  his  community  whether  educational, 
moral  or  civic. 

In  his  fraternal  relations,  the  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  Order  and  the  Mod- 
ern Woodmen,  and  one  would  soon  conclude 
by  a  knowledge  of  his  consistent  and  gen- 
tlemanly daily  life  that  he  believed  in  carry- 
ing out  the  sublime  precepts  of  these 
commendable  organizations.  Both  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Trenary  are  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  They  are  pleasant  people  to  meet, 
and  their  cozy  home  is  often  the  mecca  for 
numerous  admiring  friends  who  seek  the 
cheerfulness  and  hospitality  so  freely  and 
unstintingly  dispensed  here.  No  better  or 
more  popular  people  are  to  be  found  in  Mar- 
ion county  and  they  justly  deserve  the  high 
esteem  in  which  they  are  held. 


G.  A.  IDLEMAN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of 
those  men  who  have  met  with  success  along 
the  line  of  his  chosen  calling  and  he  is  today 
one  of  the  prosperous  and  respected  mer- 
chants of  Salem,  Marion  county,  where  he 
conducts  a  modern  and  attractive  store,  hav- 
ing built  up  an  extensive  and  lucrative  busi- 
ness by  reason  of  his  peculiar  adaptability 
for  this  line  of  work,  his  honesty  of  business 
principles  and  his  courteous  and  kind  treat- 
ment of  customers  whom  he  numbers  by  the 
scores. 

G.  A.  Idleman  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Ohio,  in  1844,  the  son  of  Jacob  J. 
Idleman,  a  native  of  Virginia,  who  moved 
with  his  parents  to  Ohio  when  he  was  a 
small  boy.  He  devoted  his  life  principally 
to  agricultural  pursuits,  but  he  also  devoted 
much  time  and  labor  along  a  higher  plane 
of  action,  that  of  Methodist  minister,  becom- 
ing known  as  an  able  expounder  of  the  Gos- 
pel and  a  man  of  good  deeds  wherever  he 
went.  He  engaged  in  ministerial  work  for 
forty  years,  having  worked  hard  on  his 
farm  during  the  week  and  preached  on  Sun- 
day, and  to  show  that  he  was  an  extraor- 
dinarily sincere  men  and  desirous  to  do  good 
for  the  sake  of  being  true  to  the  higher  life 
as  outlined  by  the  lowly  Nazarene,  he  never 
accepted  a  cent  for  his  ministrial  labors  in 
all  those  forty  years,  merely  preaching  for 
the  love  of  the  work  and  the  good  he  could 
do,  which  was  an  incalculable  amount.  He 
was  called  to  his  reward  by  the  Good  Shep- 
herd whom  he  had  so  faithfully  followed,  in 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


281 


1887,  while  living  on  his  farm  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  moved  in  1865, 
settling  two  miles  south  of  Salem  where  he 
resided  the  remainder  of  his  life. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  was  Jacob 
Idleman,  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  also 
a  farmer  who  was  known  as  a  man  of  in- 
tegrity and  many  sterling  qualities.  He 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years, 
dying  in  Marion  county,  Ohio,  where  he  had 
removed  in  an  early  day  when  the  country 
was  wild  and  unsettled.  The  subject's 
mother  was  Hannah  Jones,  whose  people 
came  from  Pennsylvania.  Her  people  lived 
to  be  very  old,  her  mother  having  reached 
the  remarkable  age  of  ninety  years.  The 
subject's  mother,  a  woman  of  gracious  per- 
sonal qualities,  is  still  living  in  1908,  on  the 
old  farm  homestead  south  of  Salem  at  the 
still  more  remarkable  age  of  ninety-four 
years. 

Ten  children  constituted  the  family  of  the 
parents  of  our  subject,  four  having  died  in 
infancy  and  two  having  passed  away  after 
reaching  maturity.  Those  living  are:  G. 
A.,  our  subject;  Samantha,  the  widow  of  E. 
\V.  Thompson,  of  Columbus,  Ohio;  Mrs. 
Gallic  M.  Kell,  the  widow  of  William  Kell, 
living  in  Salem ;  Mrs.  Belle  Sipes,  who  lives 
on  a  farm  near  Omega,  Illinois. 

G.  A.  Idleman,  our  subject,  spent  his  boy- 
hood days  in  Marion  county,  Ohio,  where  he 
received  a  common  school  education  and 
where  he  remained  until  he  was  twenty  years 
old,  having  assisted  with  the  farm  work 
while  going  to  school.  He  came  to  Salem, 
Illinois,  in  1865  with  his  parents,  and  has 


continued  to  make  this  his  home.  He  fanned 
until  he  was  thirty  years  old,  thereby  getting 
a  good  start  in  life.  Since  that  time  he  has 
been  engaged  from  time  to  time  in  various 
lines  of  business.  He  has  been  in  the  mer- 
cantile business  here  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  most  of  the  time  in  business  for 
himself,  but  part  of  the  time  he  was  asso- 
ciated in  business  with  others.  He  has  been 
engaged  in  the  grocery  business  for  the  past 
eight  years,  since  1900,  and  which  he  still 
conducts,  having  built  up  an  excellent  and 
lucrative  trade  as  the  result  of  courteous 
treatment  to  customers  and  his  expert 
knowledge  of  the  mercantile  business,  hav- 
ing always  made  this  line  of  work  pay,  not 
only  yielding  him  a  comfortable  living,  but 
enabling  him  to  gradually  increase  his  busi- 
ness and  at  the  same  time  lay  up  an  ample 
competency  for  his  old  age.  His  customers 
are  not  confined  to  Salem  and  vicinity,  but 
he  is  well  known  throughout  Marion  county, 
having  always  given  his  customers  entire 
satisfaction  as  to  the  quality  of  goods  he 
handles  and  to  price,  consequently  he  seldom 
loses  a  customer.  Mr.  Idleman  built  his 
present  store  building  on  First  South  street, 
which  is  one  of  the  neatest  and  most  sub- 
stantial stores  in  Salem. 

Mr.  Idleman  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1870  to  Mattie  Clark,  the  representative  of 
one  of  Salem's  well  known  families.  To 
this  union  one  child  has  been  born,  Mrs. 
Lydia  M.  Hubbs,  of  Chicago.  The  subject 
was  married  again  May  14,  1902,  to  Agnes 
Ray,  the  daughter  of  Riley  Rose.  She  was 
born  and  reared  in  Salem.  They  have  no 


282 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


children.  Their  home  is  a  commodious 
and  nicely  furnished  one  in  the  most  de- 
sirable residence  district  of  Salem,  and  is 
frequently  the  gathering  place  for  numerous 
friends  of  the  family. 

Our  subject,  has  served  his  community  in 
a  most  efficient  and  commendable  manner  as 
assessor  of  Salem  township,  having  been 
the  first  Republican  assessor  ever  elected  in 
this  township.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he 
belongs  to  the  Red  Men,  of  Odin,  Illinois. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Our  subject 
has  ever  taken  an  active  interest  in  the  wel- 
fare of  the  community  and  gives  an  earnest 
support  to  every  movement  for  the  public 
welfare.  A  man  of  fine  personal  traits,  he 
is  highly  regarded  by  all  who  know  him, 
and  he  is  counted  one  of  Salem's  most  pro- 
gressive and  worthy  business  men. 


JOHN  F.  DONOVAN. 

The  gentleman  to  a  review  of  whose  life 
and  characteristics  the  reader's  attention  is 
herewith  respectfully  invited,  is  among  the 
most  progressive  professional  men  of  Mar- 
ion county,  Illinois,  who  by  energy  and  cor- 
rect methods  has  not  only  achieved  success 
for  himself,  but  has  also  contributed  in  a 
very  material  way  to  the  commercial,  indus- 
trial, civic  and  moral  advancement  of  his 
place  of  residence.  In  the  course  of  an 
honorable  career  he  has  established  himself 
in  a  liberally  remunerative  enterprise  and 


won  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  his  fellow 
citizens. 

John  F.  Donovan  was  bom  in  New  York 
City  November  i,  1847,  the  son  of  William 
and  Mary  Donovan.  The  lineage  of  this 
family,  as  the  name  implies,  is  traced  to 
Ireland,  the  father  of  the  subject  having 
been  born  there.  He  was  a  longshoreman, 
and  was  called  from  his  earthly  labors  when 
our  subject  was  young.  The  mother  of  the 
subject  was  also  born  in  the  Emerald  Isle, 
and  passed  away  comparatively  young  in 
life.  They  were  Roman  Catholics  and  peo- 
ple of  sterling  qualities  and  fine  traits.  They 
became  the  parents  of  two  children. 

John  F.  Donovan,  our  subject,  was  placed 
in  the  Juvenile  Asylum  in  New  York  City, 
where  he  remained  for  about  five  years,  or 
until  he  was  twelve  years  old.  He  was  then 
bound  to  a  farmer  in  Randolph  county,  Illi- 
nois. After  remaining  in  his  new  home  for 
about  eighteen  months  he  took  a  leave  of 
absence  and  never  returned. 

In  1862  our  subject,  feeling  that  he  could 
not  conscientiously  stand  idly  by  and  see  the 
nation  in  the  throes  of  rebellion,  enlisted  in 
1862  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and 
Tenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which 
he  served  for  six  months,  when,  greatly  to 
his  regret,  it  became  necessary  to  drop  his 
name  from  the  company's  roll  on  account  of 
physical  disability ;  but  he  later  re-enlisted  in 
Company  C,  Fifty-sixth  Illinois  Infantry,  at 
Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  and  served  with  dis- 
tinction until  the  close  of  the  war,  taking 
part  in  many  hot  engagements  and  famous 
battles.  He  was  honorably  discharged.  His 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


regiment  was  sent  to  Little  Rock,  Arkansas, 
after  the  grand  review  at  Washington,  and 
was  finally  mustered  out  at  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, in  August,  1865. 

After  his  career  in  the  army  Mr.  Donovan 
came  to  Centralia,  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  about  six  years,  then 
came  to  Kinmundy,  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided. He  was  always  a  close  observer  and 
a  diligent  student,  and  early  in  life  decided 
that  the  law  should  be  his  profession,  con- 
sequently he  began  the  study  of  the  same 
and  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in  1874,  since 
which  time  he  has  devoted  himself  almost 
exclusively  to  the  practice  of  law,  winning  a 
great  reputation  throughout  this  and  adjoin- 
ing counties  as  a  learned,  able  and  careful 
exponent  of  this  profession,  never  erring  in 
his  cool  calculating  manner  in  drawing  or 
presenting  a  case,  whether  criminal  or  civil, 
and  he  is  also  known  as  an  orator  of  no 
mean  ability.  His  success  was  instantane- 
ous and  his  office  has  always  been  filled  with 
clients. 

Our  subject  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
Kinmundy,  first  in  1877,  having  served  in  a 
most  acceptable  manner  for  eight  years  and 
was  removed  by  President  Cleveland.  He 
was  re-appointed  in  1902  and  is  still  ably 
serving  in  that  capacity.  He  has  been  mayor 
of  Kinmundy  at  different  times  for  fifteen 
years.  He  was  instrumental  in  organizing 
the  Marion  County  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public, being  at  the  head  of  the  Reunion  As- 
sociation. He  has  served  as  inspector 
general  of  Illinois  on  the  national  staff,  also 
on  the  department  staff,  also  chief  mustering 


officer  for  Illinois.  Mr.  Donovan  was  presi- 
dent of  the  Southern  Illinois  Emigration 
and  Improvement  Association,  also  officer 
of  the  day  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Reunion 
Association.  He  has  held  various  offices  in 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic. 

Mr.  Donovan  was  united  in  marriage  No- 
vember 3,  1880,  to  Ellen  King,  a  native  of 
Marion  county,  the  daughter  of  John  B. 
and  Rebecca  J.  (Evans)  King,  a  highly  re- 
spected and  influential  family  whose  people 
were  from  Ohio.  Her  father  was  a  soldier 
in  the  Civil  war,  from  Illinois,  having  been 
a  member  of  Company  A,  Eighty-eighth 
Chicago  Board  of  Trade  Regiment,  in  which 
he  served  throughout  the  war. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Donovan  have  no  children. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  our  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  and  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  having 
filled  all  the  chairs  in  the  local  lodges,  and 
he  has  been  representative  of  these  lodges  in 
the  grand  lodges. 

Mrs.  Donovan  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church. 

Mr.  Donovan  is  a  man  of  distinct  and 
forceful  individuality,  of  marked  sagacity, 
of  indomitable  enterprise,  and  always  up- 
right in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men, 
loyal  and  faithful  to  every  trust  imposed  in 
him,  public-spirited,  and  in  manners  courte- 
ous and  kindly,  easily  approachable.  His 
career  has  ever  been  such  as  to  warrant  the 
trust  and  confidence  of  the  business  world, 
and  his  activity  in  industrial,  professional 
and  civic  lines  and  financial  circles  forms  no 
unimportant  chapter  in  the  history  of  Mar- 
ion county. 


INKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


EARL  C.  HUGGINS. 

Coupled  with  Mr.  Muggins'  innate  ability 
as  an  attorney,  his  unusual  clearness  of  per- 
ception, analytical  tact  and  soundness  of 
theory  is  his  courteous  manners,  persistency 
and  unswerving  integrity,  rendering  him 
one  of  the  strong  young  attorneys  of 
this  locality  and  one  of  the  successful  prac- 
titioners of  this  county,  and  to  him  the  fu: 
ture  is  particularly  bright  owing  to  his  nat- 
ural ability  and  past  splendid  record. 

Earl  C.  Huggins,  whose  law  and  insur- 
ance office  is  located  in  Kinmundy,  Illinois, 
was  born  in  Marion  county,  this  state,  Sep- 
tember 9,  1877,  and,  unlike  many  of  his 
early  companions  and  contemporaries,  who 
sought  precarious  fortunes  in  other  fields, 
most  of  them  finding  merely  the  will-o'-the- 
wisp  of  success,  Mr.  Huggins  preferred  to 
remain  on  his  native  heath,  believing  that 
greater  things  awaited  him  right  here  at 
home  than  could  be  found  otherwhere,  and, 
judging  from  the  success  which  has  attended 
his  efforts,  such  a  decision  was  a  most  for- 
tunate one  not  only  for  himself,  but  also  for 
the  people  of  this  vicinity.  He  is  the  son  of 
Steven  D.  and  Lena  (Crundwell)  Huggins, 
well  known  and  influential  family  for  many 
years  in  this  county.  Grandfather  Huggins 
was  a  Kentuckian,  having  come  to  Illinois, 
settling  in  this  county  on  a  farm  which  he 
purchased,  and  on  which  he  remained  dur- 
ing the  rest  of  his  life,  dying  here  at  the  age 
of  seventy-five  years.  His  widow/ a  grand 
old  lady  of  beautiful  Christian  character,  is 
still  living  in  1908,  at  the  advanced  age  of 


ninety  years.  She  is  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church. 

Stephen  Huggins,  father  of  the  subject, 
was  born  in  Marion  county,  this  state,  at- 
tending the  public  schools  here,  working  on 
his  father's  farm  until  he  became  of  age, 
when  he  was  married,  after  which  he  farmed 
for  a  time  with  much  success,  then  moved  to 
Kinmundy  and  followed  teaming,  later  en- 
gaging in  the  coal  mining  business  in  this 
vicinity,  being  still  interested  in  mining. 
His  residence  is  in  Kinmundy. 

Mrs.  Lena  Huggins,  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  brought  to  America  from  England 
when  a  child,  and  her  people  eventually  set- 
tled at  Salem,  this  county,  where  her  parents 
died  when  she  was  young.  She  attended  the 
public  schools  in  Salem,  where  she  remained 
until  the  age  of  sixteen.  After  the  death  of 
her  parents  she  was  taken  into  the  family  of 
Wily  Cunningham,  who  was  a  soldier,  hav- 
ing been  killed  in  battle  during  the  Civil 
war.  After  the  death  of  Mr.  Cunningham 
his  widow  married  again,  her  second  hus- 
band having  been  Mr.  Samuel  Jones.  They 
moved  to  Stevenson  township,  Marion 
county,  where  our  subject's  mother  re- 
mained until  her  marriage. 

The  following  children  have  been  bom  to 
the  subject's  parents:  Roy,  whose  date 
of  birth  occurred  March  21,  1876,  is  a  pain- 
ter by  trade,  living  at  Granite  City,  Madi- 
son county.  Illinois;  and  Earl  C.,  our 
subject. 

Earl  C.  Huggins  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  Kinmundy,  graduating  from  the 
high  school  here  in  1897.  after  making  a 


E.  C.  HUGGINS. 


UNIVERSITY  W 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


brilliant  record  for  scholarship.  Following 
this  he  clerked  in  the  post-office  for  one 
year,  then  he  acted  as  clerk  in  a  grocery 
store  for  a  period  of  one  year,  being  an  effi- 
cient clerk  in  both,  but  believing  that  his 
true  calling  lay  along  more  worthy  planes, 
he  began  the  study  of  law  under  Judge  C. 
H.  Holt,  at  that  time  a  resident  of  Kin- 
mundy,  being  County  Judge  at  the  time.  He 
made  rapid  progress  in  his  studies  and  en- 
tered the  Illinois  Wesleyan  University,  Col- 
lege of  Law,  from  which  he  graduated  high 
in  his  class  in  1903,  having  won  a  record  as 
one  of  the  ablest  pupils  that  ever  passed 
through  this  well  known  institution.  After 
leaving  the  law  school,  Mr.  Huggins  formed 
a  partnership  with  his  former  instructor, 
Judge  Holt,  the  partnership  being  a  particu- 
larly strong  one,  and  continuing  in  a  most 
successful  manner  until  August,  1904,  when 
the  judge  moved  to  Salem,  the  county  seat. 
Since  that  time  our  subject  has  continued 
the  practice  of  law  with  his  office  in  Kin- 
mundy,  but  the  volume  of  business  has  been 
very  large  for  one  man  to  handle.  However, 
Mr.  Huggins  has  ably  dispensed  with  it  all 
and  is  keeping  his  usual  large  number  of 
clients,  his  business  extending  well  over 
Marion  county  and  invading  surrounding 
counties,  being  general  in  its  nature.  He  is 
known  as  a  very  careful  and  conscientious 
worker. 

Although  Mr.  Huggins  does  not  aspire 
to  positions  of  official  preferment,  he  is  at 
present  serving  very  efficiently  as  city  attor- 
ney of  Kinmundy,  being  in  his  second  term. 
In  politics  he  is  a  loyal  Republican,  and  his 


influence  can  always  be  depended  upon  in 
placing  the  best  men  in  the  county  offices 
and  in  support  of  all  movements  looking  to 
the  development  of  the  community  at  large, 
whether  political,  educational  or  moral. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  affiliated  with 
the  Masonic  Order  and  the  Knights  of  Pyth- 
ias, having  filled  the  chairs  in  the  latter,  and 
one  would  judge  from  a  study  of  his  daily 
life  that  he  advocates  the  sublime  principles 
of  these  praiseworthy  orders. 


A.  W.  SONGER. 

Our  subject  possesses  untiring  energy,  is 
quick  of  perception,  forms  his  plans  readily 
and  is  determined  in  their  execution;  his 
close  application  to  business  and  his  excel- 
lent management  have  brought  to  him  the 
high  degree  of  prosperity  which  is  today 
his.  •  Mr.  Songer  was  one  of  the  brave  sons 
of  the  North  who  offered  his  services  and 
his  life,  if  need  be,  in  the  suppression  of  the 
great  rebellion  during  the  dark  days  of  the 
sixties,  which  render  it  fitting  that  he  should 
be  given  conspicuous  notice  in  the  present 
historical  work. 

A.  W.  Songer,  the  well  known  and  popu- 
lar president  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Kinmundy,  Illinois,  was  bom  in  Clay 
county,  this  state,  November  2,  1832,  the 
son  of  Frederick  and  Jane  (Helms)  Songer,  • 
a  sterling  pioneer  family  of  that  locality. 
Grandfather  Songer  was  a  native  of  Vir- 
ginia, a  fine  old  southern  gentleman.  He 


286 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


devoted  his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits, 
eventually  moving  to  Indiana  where  he 
spent  the  balance  of  his  days.  His  marriage 
occurred  in  Virginia  and  most  of  his  family 
were  born  there.  He  was  called  from  his 
earthly  career  when  about  sixty  years  old. 
He  was  a  Lutheran  in  his  religious  affilia- 
tions. Eight  children  were  born  to  this 
family,  one  of  them  having  become  a  soldier 
in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  Grandmother 
Songer,  a  woman  of  many  strong  attributes, 
survived  her  husband  until  she  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty  years.  Grandfather 
Helms  was  also  a  native  of  Virginia,  who 
moved  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  and  from 
there  to  Tennessee,  where  he  worked  at  his 
trade  of  blacksmith.  Charles,  one  of  his 
sons,  moved  to  Indiana,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life,  having  lived  many 
years  near  Indianapolis.  The  balance  of 
the  family  were  early  settlers  in  Illinois  and 
from  here  scattered  to  the  western  states, 
principally  to  Nebraska  and  Texas.  One  of 
them  was  a  soldier  in  the  Black  Hawk  war 
and  another  fought  in  the  Mexican  war. 
The  Songer  family,  represented  by  the 
great-grandmother  of  our  subject,  was 
from  Germany.  The  great-great-grand- 
father of  the  subject  died  in  Germany,  his 
widow  coming  to  America  shortly  after  his 
death,  one  of  her  children  dying  on  the 
ocean  on  the  way  over.  She  settled  in 
Virginia. 

The  father  of  the  subject  remained  in 
Virginia  until  he  was  about  twenty-two 
years  old.  He  received  only  such  education 
as  the  public  schools  afforded  at  that  early 


day.  However,  he  became  a  well  informed 
man.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  builder  of 
considerable  note.  He  lived  for  some  time 
in  Indiana,  where  he  was  married,  later 
moving  to  Illinois  about  1821,  settling  in 
Clay  county,  where  he  remained  until  1835, 
when  he  moved  to  Marion  county,  entering 
about  two  hundred  acres  of  land  from  the 
government  which  he  transformed  into  a 
fine  farm  through  his  habits  of  industry  and 
skill  as  an  agriculturist,  living  on  this  until 
1872,  in  which  year  he  moved  to  Kinmundy, 
where  he  died  at  the  age  of  seventy-three 
years,  owning  an  excellent  farm  which  he 
left  as  an  estate.  He  became  a  man  of 
considerable  influence  in  his  community. 
He  was  an  active  and  loyal  member  of  the 
Methodist  church  as  was  also  his  wife. 
He  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a  num- 
ber of  years.  For  a  time  he  owned  and 
successfully  operated  a  saw  and  grist  mill. 
There  were  ten  children  in  this  family, 
seven  of  whom  lived  to  maturity.  A  brother 
of  our  subject,  Samuel  T.,  was  a  soldier  in 
the  Civil  war,  a  member  of  Company  G, 
Twenty-first  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
having  served  for  three  years,  engaging  in 
all  the  campaigns  and  battles  of  his  regi- 
ment up  to  the  date  of  his  discharge  which 
was  at  the  termination  of  his  enlistment. 
He  is  living  in  1908  and  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  in  which  he 
takes  a  just  pride.  William  F.,  brother  of 
the  subject,  was  also  a  soldier,  having  per- 
formed conspicuous  service  in  the  Mexican 
war.  He  was  at  one  time  State  Representa  • 
tive  in  Oregon,  in  which  state  he  stil.  re- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


287 


sides    as    also    does    Samuel    T.,    another 
brother  of  the  subject,  living  at  Ashland. 

A.  W.  Songer,  our  subject,  received  his 
early  education  in  the  common  schools  of 
Illinois.  Being  a  diligent  student  and  am- 
bitious from  the  start  he  has  become  well 
educated.  He  remained  on  the  home  farm 
assisting  his  father  with  the  work  about  the 
place  during  the  months  that  he  was  not  in 
school  until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old. 
Learning  the  carpenter's  trade,  he  followed 
this  for  three  years,  then  in  1861,  when  he 
felt  his  patriotic  zeal  inspired  as  the  result 
of  our  national  integrity  being  at  stake 
when  the  fierce  fires  of  rebellion  were  rag- 
ing in  the  Southland,  he  enlisted  in  Company 
G,  Twenty-first  Illinois  Volunteer  Regi- 
ment, having  been  mustered  in  as  second 
lieutenant  and  was  soon  promoted  to  first 
lieutenant  and  consequently  served  as  an 
officer  of  that  regiment  for  four  years  and 
five  days  when  he  was  honorably  discharged 
at  the  close  of  the  war  in  1865,  after  having 
taking  a  conspicuous  part  in  the  follow- 
ing engagements:  Perryville,  Kentucky; 
Stone  River,  Tennessee;  Chickamaugua, 
having  been  captured  at  this  battle  and  was 
taken  to  Libby  prison,  where  he  remained 
three  months,  when  he  was  sent  to  prison 
at  Macon,  Georgia,  later  to  Charleston, 
South  Carolina,  thence  to  Columbia,  South 
Carolina,  then  to  Wilmington,  North  Caro- 
lina, where  he  was  exchanged,  after  having 
been  a  prisoner  seventeen  months  and  eight 
days,  and  thirty  days  thereafter  he  was  mus- 
tered out  of  the  service  at  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. 


After  the  war  Mr.  Songer  returned  to  his 
home  in  Illinois  and  worked  at  his  trade  for 
a  time.  He  then  came  to  Kinmundy  and 
entered  into  the  milling  business  in  which  he 
continued  with  the  most  gratifying  results 
until  1907,  becoming  known  throughout  the 
locality  as  one  of  the  leading  men  in  this 
line  of  business.  He  sold  his  mill  and  de- 
voted his  attention  to  the  banking  business 
in  which  he  has  been  eminently  successful. 
He  had  been  connected  with  the  State  Bank 
of  Kinmundy  for  some  time,  becoming 
president  of  the  same.  It  was  consolidated 
with  the  First  National  Bank,  becoming  the 
First  National  on  August  26,  1906,  the  date 
of  the  consolidation,  since  which  time  Mr. 
Songer  has  been  president.  This  is  one  of 
the  solidest  and  most  popular  institutions 
of  its  kind  in  this  part  of  the  state  and  its 
prestige  was  greatly  strengthened  when  Mr. 
Songer  became  its  head  for  the  public  at 
once  realized  that  their  funds  would  be  en- 
tirely safe  in  his  hands  owing  to  his  con- 
servatism, coupled  with  his  peculiar  business 
sagacity,  and  since  then  the  business  of  the 
First  National  has  grown  steadily. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  dates 
from  1868,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Margaret  C.  Nelm,  of  Cairo,  Illinois, 
the  daughter  of  Norflett  and  Lydia  (Dick- 
ens) Nelm.  Her  paternal  ancestor,  Dick- 
ens, was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
which  rendered  the  wife  of  our  subject 
eligible  to  the  Order  of  Sons  and  Daughters 
of  the  American  Revolution.  The  grand- 
father of  the  subject's  wife  was  a  Bap- 
tist minister.  Her  father  was  a  soldier  in 


288 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS. 


the  Black  Hawk  war.  One  of  her  brothers, 
N.  B.  Nelm,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
having  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Three  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Mary  E.,  born 
December  25,  1871,  is  the  wife  of  J.  T. 
Brown,  ot  Marion  county;  Frederick  is 
married  and  living  in  Kinmundy.  Neither 
of  them  have  children  of  their  own.  The 
third  child  of  the  subject  and  wife  died  in 
infancy. 

Mrs.  Songer  was  called  to  her  rest  Sep- 
tember 9,  1907,  after  a  most  happy  and  har- 
monious married  life  and  one  that  was 
beautified  by  Christian  character  and  many 
kind  and  charitable  deeds  which  made  her 
beloved  by  all  who  knew  her.  She  was  a 
loyal  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
a  member  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution,  of  which  order  Mary  E. 
( Songer)  Brown  was  also  a  member. 

Mr.  Songer,  as  might  be  expected,  is  a 
consistent  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  Post  255,  known  as  the  Hix 
Post.  He  is  now  commander  of  the  same. 
In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  and  is  well 
grounded  in  his  political  beliefs,  his  influ- 
ence always  being  felt  for  the  good  of  his 
party  and  in  support  of  the  best  men  pos- 
sible for  local  offices.  He  has  never  aspired 
to  positions  of  trust  and  emolument  at  the 
hands  of  his  fellow  voters.  However,  he  has 
been  Alderman  of  the  city  of  Kinmundy 
several  times.  His  efforts  have  proven  of 
the  greatest  benefit  to  his  fellow  men  of 
Marion  county  as  well  as  to  himself. 


JAMES  F.  HOWELL. 

Examine  into  the  life  records  of  the  self- 
made  men  and  it  will  always  be  found  that 
indefatigable  industry  forms  the  basis  of 
their  success.  True  there  are  other  elements 
that  enter  in — perseverance  of  purpose  and 
keen  discrimination — which  enable  one  to 
recognize  business  opportunities,  but  the 
foundation  of  all  achievement  is  earnest,  per- 
sistest  labor.  This  fact  was  recognized  at 
the  outset  of  his  career  by  the  worthy  gen- 
tleman whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this 
article  and  he  did  not  seek  to  gain  any  short 
or  wondrous  method  to  the  goal  of  prosper- 
ity. He  began,  however,  to  work  earnestly 
and  diligently  in  order  to  advance  himself 
in  the  business  world,  at  the  same  time  do- 
ing what  he  could  for  the  welfare  of  the 
community  at  large,  and  as  a  result  of  his 
habits  of  industry,  public  spirit,  courteous 
demeanor  and  honorable  career  he  enjoys 
the  esteem  and  admiration  of  a  host  of 
friends  in  Marion  county,  where  he  has  long 
maintained  his  home  and  where  he  is  known 
as  one  of  the  representative  citizens  of  the 
great  state  of  Illinois. 

James  F.  Howell  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  this  state,  March  25,  1840,  and  he 
has  elected  to  spend  his  entire  life  on  his  na- 
tive heath,  believing  that  better  opportuni- 
ties were  to  be  found  at  home  than  in  other 
and  distant  fields  of  endeavor.  He  is  the 
son  of  Jackson  D.  and  Agnes  (Gray)  How- 
ell.  Grandfather  Howell  came  to  Illinois 
from  Tennessee  in  1825,  settling  in  this 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


289 


county,  having  taken  up  land  from  the  gov- 
ernment, eighty  acres  at  the  time  of  his  com- 
ing. He  afterward  bought  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  more  from  the  government,  a 
part  of  which  was  timbered  and  a  part  was 
on  the  prairie.  He  cleared  the  timber  land, 
this  being  the  part  he  first  purchased,  clear- 
ing and  farming  the  timbered  land  first. 
There  were  not  any  settlements  on  the  prai- 
rie at  that  time,  all  the  settlements  there 
were  then  being  in  the  timbered  lands.  The 
first  Monday  in  May  each  year  was  wolf 
day.  All  the  settlers  gathered  on  that  day 
and  made  a  general  drive,  often  taking  large 
numbers  of  prairie  wolves.  There  were  also 
large  numbers  of  deer  at  that  time  and  our 
subject  has  helped  kill  as  many  as  forty  or 
fifty  at  one  time.  Grandfather  Howell  lived 
on  the  land  he  secured  from  the  government 
during  the  rest  of  his  life,  being  known  as 
one  of  the  strongest  characters  of  those 
pioneer  times.  He  reached  the  age  of 
eighty-five  years,  his  wife  having  been  called 
to  rest  at  the  age  of  fifty.  There  were  ten 
children  in  this  family,  all  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity  and  reared  families  of  their  own. 
The  subject's  grandfather  was  the  fifth  in 
order  of  birth.  Two  of  these  children  lived 
to  be  over  eighty  years  of  age.  The  others 
lived  to  be  about  seventy. 

The  subject's  father  obtained  what  little 
education  he  could  in  the  district  schools  of 
this  county ;  however,  there  was  but  little  op- 
portunity for  schooling  at  that  time.  He 
worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  after  he 
reached  maturity,  then  he  pre-empted  land, 
and  lived  on  it,  finally  owning  three  hundred 
and  sixty  acres,  mostly  prairie  land,  on 
19 


which  he  carried  on  general  farming.  He 
made  his  home  on  this  land  during  the  rest 
of  his  life,  owning  it  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
He  died  while  on  the  road  home  from  Cali- 
fornia. His  remains  were  brought  to  Ki'i- 
mundy  and  laid  to  rest.  He  was  a  man  of 
fine  personal  traits  and  exercised  much  in- 
fluence in  the  upbuilding  of  his  community. 
There  were  ten  children  in  this  family,  six 
of  whom  lived  to  maturity.  Mr.  Howell's 
first  wife  was  called  to  her  rest  at  the  age  of 
forty-one,  and  he  was  again  married.  To 
this  union  two  children  were  bom,  one  liv- 
ing, in  1908.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was 
born  in  Tennessee  and  was  brought  to  Illi- 
nois by  her  parents  when  about  six  years 
old. 

James  F.  Howell,  our  subject,  was  born 
about  one  and  one-half  miles  from  where 
he  now  lives.  The  home  he  owns  and  oc- 
cupies is  the  fourth  one  in  which  he  has 
lived  since  leaving  his  father's  old  home- 
stead. Our  subject  now  owns  twenty-six 
acres  of  the  original  purchase  by  his  father 
from  the  government.  He  has  always  de- 
voted his  time  to  agricultural  pursuits,  own- 
ing at  this  writing  one  hundred  and  six 
acres  of  as  good  farming  land  as  may  be 
found  in  the  county,  being  kept  in  a  high 
state  of  productiveness,  general .  farming  be- 
ing carried  on  in  a  manner  that  stamps  the 
subject  as  one  of  the  foremost  farmers  in 
this  locality. 

Mr.  Howell  was  married  in  1858  to  Isabel 
J.  Robb,  who  was  born  in  the  township 
where  she  has  always  lived,  being  a  repre- 
sentative of  a  well  known  and  highly  re- 
spected people.  Her  people  came  from  Ten- 


290 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


nessee,  being  among  the  earliest  settlers  in 
this  county.  Mrs.  Howell  was  called  to  her 
reward  February  3,  1907,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-six  years,  after  a  harmonious  and 
beautiful  Christian  life. 

The  children  born  to  this  union  are  named 
in  order  of  birth  as  follows:  Arminda  H., 
born  June  18,  1859,  is  the  wife  of  H.  A. 
Brown,  and  the  mother  of  eight  children: 
Reufinia  E.,  born  February  24,  1861,  is  the 
wife  of  Benjamin  Garrett  and  the  mother  of 
five  children;  Leander,  bom  April  24,  1863, 
who  became  the  father  of  four  children,  is 
deceased;  Ida  M.  and  Nettie,  twins,  were 
born  September  23,  1866,  the  latter  dying 
when  four  years  old,  the  former  becoming 
the  wife  of  G.  C.  Warner;  Charles  H.,  born 
January  24,  1869,  is  married  and  has  three 
children  :  Samuel  E.,  born  January  12,  1871, 
is  married  and  has  one  child;  Ellis  M.,  born 
January  12,  1875,  is  married;  Eva  M.,  born 
November  14.  1877,  became  the  wife  of 
Lloyd  Perrill  and  is  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren: James  E.,  born  August  5,  1880,  is 
married  and  has  one  child.  He  now  lives 
in  Roumania,  in  the  employ  of  the  Standard 
Oil  Company. 

The  subject  has  been  twice  married,  hav- 
ing been  united  in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with 
his  second  wife  February  20,  1908,  his  last 
wife  being  Martha  Anglin,  a  native  of  this 
county,  her  people  having  come  from  Ten- 
nessee in  1839.  The  maternal  grandfather 
of  the  subject's  wife  came  from  Ireland  and 
her  father's  people  from  Scotland,  first  set- 
tling in  Alabama,  later  moving  to  Tennessee 
and  then  to  Illinois,  where  they  spent  the 
remainder  of  their  lives. 


Minerva  Howell,  an  aunt  of  the  subject 
by  marriage,  was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1829. 
Her  people  were  from  old  Virginia,  who  lat- 
er came  to  Illinois  when  she  was  one  year 
old,  her  father  settling  in  Marion  county, 
later  moving  to  Williamson  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  died  when  about  seventy  years  old. 
Mrs.  Howell  remarried.  She  became  the 
mother  of  eleven  children,  four  of  whom 
lived  to  maturity,  two  of  them  living  in 
1908.  Her  husband  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy-six.  He  was  also  born  in  Tennes- 
see. 

James  F.  Howell  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic fraternity  and  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  and  in  his  political  relations 
he  affiliates  with  the  Democratic  party.  The 
subject's  first  wife  was  a  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church. 

In  matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his 
township,  county  and  state,  Mr.  Howell  is 
deeply  interested,  and  his  efforts  in  behalf  of 
the  general  progress  have  been  far-reaching 
and  beneficial.  His  name  is  indelibly  asso- 
ciated with  progress  in  the  county  of  his 
birth,  and  among  those  in  whose  midst  he 
has  always  lived  he  is  held  in  the  highest 
esteem  by  reason  of  an  upright  life  and  of 
fidelity  to  principles  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  command  respect. 


WILFRED  W.  MERZ. 

The  career  of  the  subject  of  this  review 
has  been  varied  and  interesting,  and  the  his- 
tory of  Marion  county  will  be  more  interest- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


291 


ing  if  a  record  of  his  activities  and  achieve- 
ments are  given  prominence,  and  a  tribute 
to  his  worth  and  high  character  as  a  business 
man,  a  public-spirited  and  enterprising, 
broad-minded  citizen,  for  although  he  is  yet 
a  young  man  he  has  shown  by  his  persist- 
ency and  eminently  worthy  career  what  can 
t»e  accomplished  by  the  young  man  who  has 
thrift,  energy,  tact,  force  of  character  and 
honesty  of  purpose,  and  representing  as  he 
•does  one  of  the  best  and  most  highly  es- 
teemed families  of  the  country,  whose  an- 
cestors did  so  much  in  the  pioneer  days  to 
prepare  the  country  for  the  enjoyment  and 
success  of  succeeding  generations,  Mr.  Merz 
is  peculiarly  entitled  to  proper  mention  in 
this  work  along  with  other  leading  and  hon- 
orable citizens  of  Marion  county. 

Wilfred  \V.  Merz,  the  popular  and  effi- 
cient agent  of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railroad  Company,  also  of  the  Wells,  Fargo 
&  Company  Express,  at  Salem,  Marion 
•county,  was  born  at  this  place  February  13, 
1872,  being  the  eldest  child  of  Nicholas 
Merz,  who  is  a  member  of  the  Council  of  Al- 
dermen of  the  city  of  Salem,  and  an  influen- 
tial and  highly  respected  citizen  who  has 
lived  in  Salem  practically  all  his  life.  Nicho- 
las Merz's  parents  were  born  in  Germany 
and  migrated  to  America  in  early  life,  and 
•soon  established  comfortable  homes  in  the 
new  world  and  lived  to  a  ripe  old  age. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  known  in 
"her  maidenhood  as  Elizabeth  A.  Smith.  She 
was  born  at  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  died  at 
Huey.  Illinois. 

Sarah  S.    Ritchie,  the    maternal  grand- 


mother of  our  subject,  is  a  native  of  Giles 
county,  Virginia,  born  March  22,  1828,  and 
at  present  resides  near  Shattuc,  Illinois,  in 
her  eightieth  year.  Her  first  husband  was 
John  H.  Smith,  who  was  born  September 
i,  1831,  at  Chillicothe,  Ohio,  and  died  at 
Metropolis,  Illinois,  October  2,  1888.  He 
was  the  father  of  nine  children  (the  mother 
of  our  subject  being  the  eldest),  only  one  of 
whom  is  living,  John  Lewis  Smith,  of  Car- 
lyle,  Illinois. 

Nicholas  Merz  by  his  first  wife  is  the 
father  of  five  children,  of  whom  four  are  liv- 
ing in  1908,  and  whose  births  occurred  in 
the  following  order:  Wilfred  W.,  our  sub- 
ject; Nellie,  the  wife  of  Richard  Ellington, 
of  St.  Louis ;  John  L.  ,  living  in  Chicago ; 
Nona  died  in  Chicago,  July  8,  1905 ;  Orval 
Nicholas  living  in  Salem,  Illinois.  To  Nicho- 
las Merz  and  his  second  wife  one  child  was 
born,  Mabel,  who  is  living  with  her  parents 
in  Salem. 

These  children  received  a  fairly  good 
education  and  are  comfortably  located,  each 
giving  promise  of  successful  careers. 

Wilfred  W.  Merz  was  reared  in  Salem, 
having  attended  the  city  schools  where  he 
applied  himself  in  a  most  assiduous  manner, 
outstripping  many  less  ambitious  plodders 
until  he  graduated  from  the  high  school  as 
salutarian  with  the  class  of  1900,  having 
made  an  excellent  record  for  scholarship. 

After  leaving  school  Mr.  Merz  farmed  on 
his  father's  place  for  two  years,  making 
agriculture  a  success.  He  then  left  the  farm 
and  accepted  a  clerkship  with  the  mercantile 
firm  of  Cutler  &  Hays  in  Salem  in  whose 


292 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


employ  he  remained  for  one  and  one-half 
years,  giving  entire  satisfaction  as  a  sales- 
man and  by  reason  of  his  adaptability  for 
this  line  of  work  and  his  courteous  treat- 
ment of  customers  did  much  to  increase  the 
firm's  popularity  and  trade. 

In  1893  Mr.  Merz  entered  the  railroad 
business  with  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio,  and  was 
assistant  agent  at  Salem  during  1893  and 
1894.  On.  January  16,  1895,  he  was  ap- 
pointed agent  for  the  Chicago,  Paducah  & 
Memphis  Railroad  Company  at  Kell,  Illi- 
nois. This  road  later  passed  into  the  control 
of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  in  1907, 
and  after  about  eight  months  of  acceptable 
service  at  Kell,  Mr.  Merz  was  promoted  to 
the  position  of  agent  at  Salem  for  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  road,  and  he  has 
since  been  their  faithful  employe  at  this  im- 
portant post,  with  the  exception  of  five 
months  as  agent  at  Tuscola,  Illinois,  from 
January  to  June,  1904,  and  as  assistant  cash- 
ier of  the  Salem  State  Bank  from  October, 
1904,  to  October,  1905,  which  position  he 
held  with  honor  and  resigned  the  same  to 
re-enter  the  railroad  service.  He  is  regarded 
by  the  company  as  one  of 'the  most  conscien- 
tious and  reliable  agents  in  their  service. 
Since  the  division  was  established  at  Salem 
in  1905,  this  office  has  become  one  of  the 
most  important  along  the  company's  line. 

Mr.  Merz  was  happily  married  August 
24,  1897,  to  Nettie  Kell,  daughter  of  J.  M. 
Kell  and  wife,  a  well  known  family  of  old 
Foxville.  Mrs.  Merz  is  a  representative  of 
one  of  the  oldest  families  of  Marion  county, 
and  one  of  a  family 'of  nine  children,  seven 


of  whom  are  yet  living,  Maudie  and  Robert 
dying  in  infancy.  Her  father  and  mother 
are  still  living  at  the  time  of  this 
writing,  the  mother  being  one  of  ten 
sisters  all  of  whom,  are  living  in  1908, 
a  most  remarkable  record.  Her  father, 
John  M.  Kell,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union 
ranks  during  the  war  between  the  states 
and  was  one  of  a  family  of  twelve  children, 
one  of  his  brothers  being  killed  in  the  last 
skirmish  of  the  Civil  war  after  a  service  of 
three  years.  Mrs.  Merz's  grandfather,  on 
her  maternal  side,  was  Robert  Wham,  a 
well-to-do  pioneer  of  Marion  county  who 
rendered  distinguished  services  as  a  soldier 
in  the  Mexican  war.  He  had  a  brother, 
French  L.,  who  died  in  Andersonville 
prison.  Mr.  Wham  passed  away  January 
10,  1905,  at  a  very  old  age. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merz  are  the  parents  of 
three  bright  and  interesting  children  who 
have  added  cheer  to  the  cozy,  modern  and 
nicely  furnished  home  which  is  so  graciously 
presided  over  with  rare  dignity  and  grace 
by  the  subject's  wife,  the  names  of  their  chil- 
dren being  as  follows:  Robert  W.,  born 
July  6,  1898;  Helen  Louise,  born  February 
6,  1900;  Gladys  Roberta,  born  June  6,  1902. 
The  fact  that  the  birth  of  these  children  all 
occurred  on  the  sixth  of  the  month  is  a 
singular  coincidence. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Merz  own  their  own  beauti- 
ful home  on  East  Main  street.  Both  are 
members  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  and  are  known  as  among  the  best 
members  of  the  congregation  with  which 
they  have  always  been  popular.  The  subject 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


293 


has  spent  his  entire  life  in  Salem  where  he 
is  well  and  favorably  known,  having  gained 
and  retained  undivided  respect  of  all  as  a 
result  of  his  sober,  industrious  and  honor- 
able career.  He  is  always  to  be  found  on  the 
right  side  of  all  questions  looking  to  the 
betterment  of  his  community  and  may  well 
be  said  to  represent  Marion  county's  best 
citizenship  in  every  particular. 


JAMES  HENRY  KIMBERLIN. 

Upon  the  roll  of  representative  citizens 
and  prominent  and  influential  business  men 
of  Marion  county  consistently  appears  the 
name  which  initiates  this  paragraph.  He 
has  been  a  resident  of  Salem  for  many  years, 
during  which  time  he  has  gradually  won  his 
way  into  the  affections  of  the  people,  for 
he  possesses  those  sterling  qualities  of  char- 
acter which  commend  themselves  to  persons 
of  intelligence  and  the  highest  morality,  so 
it  is  no  cause  for  wonder  that  he  has 
achieved  so  high  a  position  in  the  general 
estimation  of  all  who  have  come  in  touch 
with  him.  For  many  years  he  was  a  pro- 
fessional man,  gaining  wide  popularity  in 
this  manner,  but  he  is  now  rendering  effici- 
ent service  at  the  Salem  post-office. 

James  Henry  Kimberlin  was  born  in 
Richland  county,  Illinois,  January  18,  1860, 
the  son  of  W.  O.  Kimberlin,  a  native  of  In- 
diana, having  been  born  February  2.  1826, 
near  Scottsburg,  Scott  county.  He  left  In- 
diana and  came  to  Richland  county,  Illinois, 
in  1856,  settling  on  a  farm  where  he  be- 


came known  as  one  of  the  progressive  agri- 
culturists of  that  community  and  made  a 
comfortable  living  until  the  year  1884, 
when  he  was  called  from  his  earthly  labors 
by  the  "grim  reaper".  His  widow,  who  was 
Hannah  E.  Reed,  born  near  Salem,  Wash- 
ington county,  Indiana,  October  31,  1825, 
a  woman  of  many  praiseworthy  traits,  is 
living  on  the  old  homestead  there  at  this 
writing  (1908),  being  eighty-three  years 
old,  yet  able  to  do  her  own  house  work. 
Her  long  life  has  been  one  of  self-sacrifice 
for  the  good  of  her  family  and  others  so  that 
now  in  her  serene  old  age  she  can  look  back 
over  the  years  without  cause  for  regret.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Union  ranks  during  the  great  Civil  war, 
having  been  a  member  of  Company  F, 
Forty-sixth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
was  with  Grant  at  Vicksburg  and  was  in 
many  other  important  battles.  He  was  in 
the  hospital  service  for  some  time,  also  did 
general  duty  at  New  Orleans,  having  re- 
mained in  the  service  up  to  January  12, 
1866,  when  he  was  discharged  at  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana,  and  arrived  home  Febru- 
ary 2d,  following  which  was  his  fortieth 
birthday.  He  had  two  brothers  killed  in 
battle  during  this  war.  Their  names  were 
Daniel  and  Jacob.  Another  brother,  Isaac 
M.,  went  through  the  service  in  the  Seventh 
and  Eleventh  Missouri  Volunteer  Infantry, 
having  been  a  member  of  Company  G.  Dr. 
H.  L.  Kimberlin,  another  brother  of  the 
subject's  father,  who  is  now  living  at 
Mitchell,  Indiana,  was  a  Government  Re- 
porter on  Governor  Morton's  staff. 


294 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


The  paternal  grandfather  of  the  subject 
was  Jacob  Kimberlin,  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  came  to  Indiana  when  a  young 
man.  He  devoted  his  life  to  farming  and 
died  about  1871.  He  was  well  known  about 
Greenfield,  where  he  operated  a  toll  gate, 
subsequent  to  the  war.  The  subject's  ma- 
ternal grandfather  was  Joseph  Reed,  of 
Scotch-English  ancestry. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  the  parents 
of  the  subject,  only  two  of  whom  are  now 
living.  George  W.,  the  subject's  only  living 
brother,  is  living  at  Noble,  Richland  county, 
with  his  mother  on  the  old  farm.  Among 
the  papers  held  by  the  Kimberlins  is  the 
original  land  grant  by  the  government  for 
their  old  homestead  made  to  Joseph  Reed 
and  signed  by  President  Franklin  Pierce. 

James  Henry  Kimberlin,  our  subject, 
spent  his  boyhood  on  the  parental  farm  in 
Richland  county  where  he  performed  his 
part  of  the  work  about  the  place  from  year 
to  year  after  he  reached  the  age  when  he 
could  be  of  valuable  sen-ice  to  his  father. 
He  attended  the  neighboring  schools  in  the 
meantime  where  he  applied  himself  in  a 
manner  which  insured  a  good  education. 
After  leaving  school  and  working  at  vari- 
ous minor  employments  for  several  years 
he  finally  accepted  a  position  as  commercial 
traveler  which  he  followed  with  marked 
success  for  three  and  one-half  years,  giving 
entire  satisfaction  to  his  employers,  when, 
much  to  their  regret  he  was  compelled  to 
tender  his  resignation  on  account  of  tem- 
porary ill  health.  After  this  our  subject 
took  up  the  study  of  ophthalmology,  which 


he  decided  should  be  his  life  work,  conse- 
quently he  made  rapid  progress  in  this  work, 
having  attended  the  Northern  Illinois  Col- 
lege of  Ophthalmology  at  Chicago,  from 
which  institution  he  graduated  with  high 
honors  with  the  degree  of  Fellow  of  Optics 
in  1892.  He  at  once  began  practice  and 
his  success  was  instantaneous,  having  prac- 
ticed at  Olney,  Shelbyville  and  Salem,  hav- 
ing established  his  business  in  the  last  named 
city  in  1900,  since  which  time  he  has  been  a 
resident  of  this  city.  His  work  in  this  line 
was  always  considered  first  class  and  he 
achieved  wide  popularity  in  the  same. 

Mr.  Kimberlin  was,  however,  induced  to 
give  up  his  profession  to  become  deputy 
post-master  of  this  city,  which  position  he  is 
filling  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned, showing  that  he  has  rare  executive 
as  well  professional  ability. 

Mr.  Kimberlin  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Eva  Myers,  November  19,  1903,  the  daugh- 
ter of  the  late  Theodore  Myers,  of  luka,  Illi- 
nois, and  the  accomplished  representative  of 
a  well  known  family.  One  child,  a  bright 
and  interesting  lad,  bearing  the  name  of 
James  Henry  Kimberlin,  Jr.,  was  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife  May  4,  1905. 

Mrs.  Kimberlin  is  one  of  a  family  of  five 
children.  One  child  died  after  reaching  ma- 
turity. Theodore  Myers  was  a  farmer,  and 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war. 

In  his  political  affiliations  our  subject  is  a 
strong  Republican,  and  he  is  a  well  informed 
man  on  political  and  all  current  questions. 
He  is  a  Protestant  in  his  religious  belief.  He 
is  recognized  as  a  man  of  sterling  integrity 


?RINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


295 


and  of  strong  convictions  as  to  all  matters 
affecting  the  best  interests  of  the  community 
and  is  always  found  on  the  right  side  of 
every  moral  issue. 


GEORGE  COX. 

In  the  field  of  political  life,  teaching  and 
the  railroad  business  in  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, the  subject  of  this  sketch  has  won  dis- 
tinction, and  today  is  numbered  among  the 
leading,  influential  and  honored  citizens  of 
Salem.  He  has  figured  prominently  in  pub- 
lic affairs,  ever  lending  his  influence  in  the 
development  of  all  worthy  causes  looking  to 
the  development  of  the  locality  at  large,  be- 
ing an  advocate  of  progressive  measures. 
He  is  now  filling  the  position  of  Deputy 
County  Clerk  and  the  promptness  and 
fidelity  with  which  he  discharges  his  duties 
have  won  for  him  the  favorable  criticism  of 
leading  representatives  of  both  political 
parties. 

George  Cox  was  born  in  Parke  county, 
Indiana,  July  n,  1848,  and  came  to  luka, 
Illinois,  September  4,  1868.  His  father  was 
Alfred  Cox,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  migrated 
to  Indiana  when  a  very  small  boy.  Joshua 
Cox,  grandfather  of  George  Cox,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Hamilton  county,  Ohio,  who  mi- 
grated to  Indiana  at  a  very  early  date  and 
entered  land  when  the  United  States  land 
office  was  at  Vincennes,  he  being  compelled 
to  go  to  Vincennes  to  make  his  payments, 
making  the  trip  on  horseback,  and  it  was  his 
custom  to  camp  and  hunt  on  the  way. 


Grandfather  Cox  was  a  farmer  of  great 
ability  for  those  early  times.  His  widow 
survived  him  several  years.  George  W. 
Overpeck,  grandfather  of  the  subject  on 
his  mother's  .side,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania. 
His  father  and  mother  having  died  in  early 
life  he  drifted  to  Hamilton  county,  Ohio, 
and  died  in  the  spring  of  1867,  having  been 
survived  several  years  by  his  widow.  They 
spent  their  lives  on  a  farm. 

The  father  of  the  subject  is  now  a  resi- 
dent of  Illinois  and  makes  his  home  among 
his  children  here  and  at  Shattuc,  this  state. 
The  mother  of  the  subject  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Mary  Overpeck,  a  native  of 
Ohio.  She  passed  to  her  rest  in  April,  1902, 
at  Shattuc,  Illinois,  at  the  home  of  her 
daughter.  Both  the  father  and  the  mother 
of  our  subject  were  the  oldest  representa- 
tives of  their  respective  families.  Following 
children  were  born  to  them,  seven  of  whom 
are  living  at  this  writing,  1908,  named  in 
order  of  birth  as  follows  r  George,  our  sub- 
ject; Mary  Jane,  wife  of  P.  B.  Anderson, 
of  Shattuc,  Illinois ;  Sally  Ann,  wife  of  H. 
C.  Brown,  of  Vandalia,  Illinois;  John,  of 
Clinton  county,  near  Huey,  Illinois ; 
Amanda,  deceased ;  Perry,  of  luka  township, 
this  county;  Warner,  of  Decatur,  Illinois; 
Eva,  deceased:  Julia  is  the  wife  of  Milton 
Andrews,  of  Ouray,  Colorado;  Libby  is  de- 
ceased as  are  also  the  last  two  children  born 
to  this  couple. 

George  Cox  was  reared  on  the  parental 
farm  in  Parke  county,  Indiana,  and  attended 
the  common  schools  there,  also  the  graded 
schools  by  working  mornings  and  evenings 


296 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


to  pay  his  tuition,  as  his  parents  were  poor 
and  could  not  defray  the  expenses  of  an  edu- 
cation for  our  subject,  but  he  was  possessed 
of  an  indomitable  will  and  forged  ahead 
despite  obstacles  winning  definite  success  in 
after  life  as  a  result  of  his  energy  and  per- 
sistency. After  completing  the  course  of 
study  laid  down  in  the  graded  schools  he  at- 
tended school  at  Rockville  for  a  time,  after 
which  he  taught  school  with  great  success 
for  several  years,  becoming  known  as  one 
of  the  able  educators  of  the  county  and  his 
services  were  in  great  demand.  He  con- 
tinued teaching  until  his  health  failed.  He 
then  went  to  railroading,  locating  in  luka 
September  4,  1868,  as  indicated  before.  He 
attended  school  that  winter  at  Xenia,  Illi- 
nois, passing  the  examination  for  teacher's 
license.  He  then  took  a  course  in  the  Wa- 
bash  Commercial  College  at  Vincennes,  In- 
diana, after  which  he  returned  to  railroading 
first  as  brakeman,  then  a  freight  conductor, 
later  as  passenger  conductor  on  the  old  Ohio 
&  Mississippi  Railroad,  now  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio,  Southwestern  Railroad.  During 
all  these  years  of  railroad  service  he  would 
at  times  return  to  teaching  school  in  both 
Indiana  and  Illinois.  In  1880  our  subject 
moved  on  a  farm  in  luka  township  and  for 
twenty-one  consecutive  years  taught  school 
during  the  winter  months,  farming  the  re- 
mainder of  the  year.  He  made  a  success  of 
whatever  he  undertook  whether  it  was  farm- 
ing, teaching  or  railroading.  In  the  latter 
he  won  the  confidence  of  his  employers  who 
regarded  him  as  one  of  their  most  valuable 
employes. 


In  April,  1908,  Mr.  Cox  became  Deputy 
County  Clerk,  which  position  he  is  holding 
with  much  credit  to  his  innate  ability  and 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 

When  teaching  school  our  subject  was 
principal  of  the  luka  schools.  He  was  of- 
fered many  important  positions  as  a  teacher 
but  declined  as  he  desired  to  teach  near 
home  and  live  at  home. 

Mr.  Cox  was  united  in  marriage  in  1879 
to  Mary  E.  Young,  the  talented  and  accom- 
plished daughter  of  W.  J.  Young,  of  luka 
township, .  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Marion 
county.  Mr.  Young  was  an  influential  citi- 
zen and  served  as  a  lieutenant  during  the 
Civil  war. 

One  child  was  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife  who  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Cox  still  owns  a  valuable  farm  of 
eighty  acres  in  which  he  takes  a  great  inter- 
est, having  improved  it  up  to  a  high  stand- 
ard of  Marion  county's  valuable  farms,  it 
ranking  with  the  best  of  them.  It  is  located 
four  and  one-half  miles  southeast  of  luka. 
An  excellent  residence  and  several  substan- 
tial out  buildings  stand  on  the  place. 

Mr.  Cox  has  been  a  candidate  for  County 
Superintendent  of  Schools  at  different  times 
but  was  defeated  by  a  few  votes.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  Democrat.  In  his  fraternal  re- 
lations he  is  affiliated  with  the  Masons  at 
luka  and  is  an  honorary  member  of  the 
Modern  Woodmen.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Cox  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church  and  both  belong  to  the  Eastern 
Star. 


WEST  HOME. 
Kinmundy,  Illinois. 


C.  H.  WEST. 


^bftftt 


'f-UNOJj, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


297 


CHARLES  H.  WEST. 

The  early  pioneers  of  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  have  about  all  "crossed  the  great 
divide."  Year  by  year  their  numbers  have 
continued  to  diminish,  until  of  the  hundreds 
who  settled  here  in  the  twenties  and  thirties 
only  a  few  of  them  remain.  There  are,  how- 
ever, many  men  and  women  now  living  in 
the  county,  who,  though  coming  here  in 
what  might  be  properly  termed  the  second 
period  after  the  pioneers,  have  borne  well 
their  part  in  making  this  a  prosperous  re- 
gion. They  are  no  less  worthy  of  praise  in 
the  part  they  bore  in  the  labors  and  priva- 
tions of  this  early  period  than  are  their  par- 
ents. Among  these  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  has  spent  the  major  part  of  his 
mature  years  in  the  county  where  he  has 
become  widely  known  and  where  his  labors 
have  benefited  alike  himself  and  the  commu- 
nity at  large. 

Charles  H.  West  was  born  in  Delaware 
county,  Indiana,  October  27,  1845,  the  son 
of  George  and  Elizabeth  (Brammer)  West. 

The  father  of  the  subject  left  Pennsyl- 
vania when  a  young  man,  and  settled  in 
Delaware  county,  Indiana,  and  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1865,  in  Jo  Daviess  county  and  in 
1869  came  to  Marion  county  where  he  re- 
mained the  balance  of  his  life,  having 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-three 
years,  after  a  life  of  hard  work  in  agri- 
cultural pursuits.  The  subject's  mother,  a 
woman  of  many  fine  qualities  and  a  worthy 
companion  of  her  noble  husband,  lived  to 
be  seventy-three  years  old,  and  was  in  her 


religious  belief  a  member  of  the  old  school 
Baptists.  There  were  seven  children  in  this 
family,  six  living  to  maturity.  Samuel,  the 
oldest  brother  of  the  subject,  was  a  soldier 
from  Indiana  in  the  Union  lines  and  was 
killed  at  Marietta,  Georgia,  where  he  was 
buried.  A  brother  of  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject had  a  son,  John  T.  West,  who  was  also 
a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  having  been  in 
a  Pennsylvania  regiment. 

Charles  H.  West,  our  subject,  came  with 
his  father  to  Marion  county  in  1869.  He 
attended  the  public  schools  in  Delaware 
county,  Indiana,  where  he  worked  on  his 
father's  farm  during  the  summer  season, 
having  remained  a  member  of  the  family 
circle  until  he  was  thirty-one  years  of  age. 
He  then  leased  his  father's  farm  in  this 
county  for  a  number  of  years,  and  after  his 
father  returned  to  Illinois  he  purchased 
the  same  which  he  has  managed  with 
the  greatest  success  for  a  period  of  twenty- 
five  years,  developing  it  into  one  of  the  lead- 
ing farms  of  the  community  and  gathering 
from  its  fertile  fields  from  year  to  year 
bounteous  harvests. 

Mr.  West  owns  at  this  writing,  1908, 
twelve  and  one-half  acres  in  Kinmundy  in 
one  section  of  the  city  and  also  a  ten-acre 
orchard  in  another  section  of  the  city,  also 
forty  acres  one-half  mile  east  of  the  town, 
containing  a  fine  orchard,  all  well  located 
and  good  land.  He  also  has  excellent  prop- 
erty in  the  central  part  of  the  town,  and 
fifty  acres  of  horticultural  land,  which  is 
very  valuable  owing  to  the  large  and  choice 
varieties  of  trees  on  it.  This  property 


298 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


claims  much  of  his  attention  since  Mr.  West 
delights  in  horticultural  work,  being  well 
versed  in  its  various  phases.  He  owns  a 
modern,  large,  nicely  furnished  and  alto- 
gether one  of  the  most  desirable  residences 
in  Kinmundy  or  vicinity.  All  this  he  has 
made  himself  practically  unaided  as  a  result 
of  his  genuine  business  sagacity,  persistency 
and  honesty. 

Mr.  West  was  united  in  marriage  in  1877 
to  Rose  X.  Dillon,  a  native  of  Marion 
county,  whose  father  was  from  Kentucky; 
her  mother's  people  being  from  Ohio. 
Three  children  have  been  born  to  this  union, 
named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows :  Harry 
T.,  who  was  born  in  1878,  is  married  and 
has  two  children;  Maud  L.  is  the  wife  of 
A.  G.  Porter  and  the  mother  of  one  child ; 
the  third  child  died  in  infancy. 

Mr.  West  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  their  auxiliaries.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Republican  and  is  an  Alderman  in  the 
City  Council  of  Kinmundy,  which  position 
he  fills  with  great  credit. 

In  township  and  county  affairs  Mr.  West 
takes  an  active  interest  and  when  his  judg- 
ment approves  of  any  measure  that  is  ad- 
vanced he  is  not  hesitant  in  giving  his  ap- 
proval and  active  aid.  In  many  ways  he  has 
given  his  time  and  service  for  the  general 
good.  He  has  a  wide  acquaintance  and  the 
favorable  judgment  the  public  passed  upon 
him  in  the  early  days  of  his  residence  here 
has  been  in  no  degree  set  aside  or  modified 
as  the  years  have  gone  by. 


WILLIAM  C.  IXGRAM. 

Standing  in  an  eminent  position  among 
the  industrial  representatives  of  Marion 
county  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who 
is  recognized  as  one  of  Kinmundy's  lead- 
ing citizens,  having  for  many  years  been 
interested  in  the  local  flouring  mill  the  repu- 
tation of  which  has  spread  all  over  this  lo- 
cality as  a  result  of  his  able  management. 
In  this  regard  he  is  controlling  an  exten- 
sive and  important  industry,  for  the  product 
of  his  mill  is  large  and  the  annual  shipment 
of  flour  made  to  the  city  markets  bring  in 
return  a  very  desirable  income  to  the  stock- 
holders of  the  company.  His  success  has 
been  won  entirely  along  old  and  time-tried 
maxims,  such  as  "honesty  is  the  best  policy" 
and  "there  is  no  excellence  without  labor." 

William  C.  Ingram  was  born  in  Indiana 
in  1848,  the  son  of  Samuel  and  Minerva  A. 
(Powers)  Ingram.  Grandfather  Ingram  is 
supposed  to  have  been  born  in  Kentucky  and 
moved  to  Warrick  county,  Indiana,  where 
he  engaged  in  farming  and  where  he  spent 
the  balance  of  his  days  in  honest  and  use- 
ful toil ;  there  raising  his  family  and  passing 
from  his  labors  into  the  great  beyond,  after 
reaching  a  very  advanced  age.  His  faithful 
life  companion  also  lived  to  an  advanced 
age.  They  reared  a  large  family,  all  but  one 
of  whom  lived  to  be  men  and  women  and 
reared  families  of  their  own.  A  number  of 
their  sons  were  gallant  infantrymen  in  the 
Union  ranks  during  the  war  between  the 
states.  The  Ingram  lineage  is  from  Eng- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


299 


land,  and  were  early  settlers  in  Kentucky, 
having  come  there  in  the  brave  days  of 
Daniel  Boone  when  the  principal  tasks  of 
the  pioneers  were  the  clearing  of  the  pri- 
meval forests  and  the  banishment  of  the 
wary  red  men. 

Samuel  Ingram,  the  father  of  the  subject, 
was  reared  in  Indiana,  and  was  almost 
wholly  without  educational  advantages.  His 
date  of  birth  is  recorded  as  1824,  conse- 
quently'his  boyhood  was  during  a  time  when 
schools  had  scarcely  been  established  in  the 
Hoosier  state.  He  devoted  his  life  to  agri- 
cultural pursuits  of  which  he  made  a  suc- 
cess being  a  hard  worker.  He  left  Indiana 
in  1854  and  moved  to  Edwards  county, 
Illinois,  but  came  on  to  Marion  county,  land- 
ing here  April  6,  1857,  and  bought  a  farm 
on  which  he  remained  and  greatly  improved, 
living  there  in  comfort  until  1866,  when  he 
moved  to  Kinmundy,  still  working  his  farm ; 
continuing  this  for  ten  years  when  he  sold 
out  and  retired  from  active  work.  He  is 
still  hale  and  active  at  this  writing  (1908), 
having  attained  the  ripe  age  of  eighty-four. 
As  a  result  of  his  well  spent  life  his  old 
age  is  happy,  for  it  is  free  from  want  and 
worry  and  pervaded  with  no  unpleasant 
memories  or  regrets  and  compunctions  over 
a  misspent  past,  for  his  life  has  been  one 
of  honor  and  industry,  most  worthily  lived. 
There  were  eight  children  in  his  family,  six 
of  whom  are  now  living  and  have  families 
of  their  own.  The  mother  of  the  subject, 
a  woman  of  beautiful  Christian  character, 
passed  to  her  rest  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
eight  years.  This  fine  old  couple  were  al- 
ways devout  Methodists. 


The  great-grandfather  Powers  of  the 
subject  spent  most  of  his  life  in  Indiana, 
living  to  an  old  age.  He  was  a  Democrat 
and  a  Baptist.  Grandmother  Powers  died 
in  middle  age.  One  of  Mrs.  Ingram's 
brothers,  John  Powers,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war. 

William  C.  Ingram,  our  subject,  was 
brought  to  Illinois  by  his  parents  when  six 
years  old  and  to  Marion  county  three  years 
later,  having  been  placed  at  once  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  here  where  he  received  his  edu- 
cation, and  in  other  similar  "schools  of 
this  state.  He  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
and  for  others  as  a  farm  hand  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old,  when  he  rented  a  farm 
and  worked  it  on  his  own  account  for  two 
years,  making  a  good  start  in  this  way.  He 
then  purchased  a  farm  of  one  hundred  and 
fifty  acres  in  this  county  on  which  he  re- 
mained for  a  few  years  when  he  went  to 
carpentry  and  farming,  later  purchasing 
a  saw  mill  which  he  successfully  operated  for 
twenty-five  years,  which  he  recently  sold. 
He  has  also  owned  two  other  saw  mills,  and 
has  been  known  as  one  of  the  leading  mill 
men  of  this  locality  for  many  years  Some 
time  ago  he  came  to  Kinmundy  and  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  Songer  flouring  mill 
which  has  been  in  operation  for  forty  years, 
the  subject  now  owning  forty  shares  in  this 
mill  and  is  a  director  in  the  same,  which  has 
a  wide  reputation  for  the  excellency  of  its 
products,  customers  not  only  coming  in  per- 
son from  all  parts  of  the  county,  but  many 
orders  are  constantly  pouring  in  from  ad- 
joining counties  and  distant  cities.  The  sub- 
ject's son  is  also  a  part  owner  in  the  mill. 


3oo 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


He  also  owns  and  controls  thirty  shares 
of  the  capital  stock. 

Our  subject  has  also  been  a  merchant, 
and  owing  to  his  honesty  in  business,  his 
natural  ability  and  his  discriminating  fore- 
sight, he  has  always  made  a  success  at  what- 
ever he  undertook,  so  that  today  he  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  financially  substantial 
men  of  the  county,  every  dollar  in  his  pos- 
session having  been  honestly  earned  by  hard 
work. 

Mr.  Ingram  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1869  to  Mary  R.  Gray,  a  native  of  this 
county,  daughter  of  James  H,  and  Susanna 
Jane  (Hannah)  Gray.  They  were  from 
Tennessee  and  lived  on  a  farm.  Her  father 
was  president  of  the  Farmers  &  Merchants 
Bank  of  Kinmundy  at  the  time  of  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
years.  In  their  family  were  ten  children, 
seven  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  but  were 
short-lived  people. 

Six  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife  as  follows :  Jane  who  was  born  in 
1871,  died  when  two  and  one-half  years  old; 
Charles  H.,  who  was  born  in  1874,  is  now 
living  in  Oklahoma  and  is  the  father  of  six 
children :  Nellie  A.,  who  was  born  in  1876, 
is  the  wife  of  M.  E.  Huston,  who  lives  at 
Maroa,  Illinois,  and  is  the  mother  of  one 
child;  Isaac  D.  was  born  in  1879  and  is  now 
associated  with  his  father  in  the  mill,  is  mar- 
ried and  has  three  children ;  Robert  L.,  who 
was  born  in  1880,  is  living  in  the  state  of 
Washington,  is  married  and  has  one  child; 
William  G.,  born  in  1882,  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years. 


The  subject's  first  wife  passed  away  in 
1883.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  South.  Mr.  Ingram  was 
married  a  second  time,  the  date  of  his  last 
wedding  occurring  in  1888.  Nancy  I.  Gray 
(nee  Booth),  who  was  then  the  mother  of 
two  children,  was  his  second  choice.  W.  H. 
Gray,  a  sketch  of  whose  life  appears  in  this 
work,  is  her  son.  Her  other  child  is  dead. 
There  has  been  no  issue  by  the  subject's  last 
union.  Mr.  Ingram  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic Fraternity  and  he  attends  the  Metho- 
dist church,  of  which  his  wife  is  a  faithful 
member.  In  politics  he  supports  the  Re- 
publican ticket  and  he  takes  a  keen  interest 
in  public  affairs,  though  he  has  no  ambition 
for  the  honors  or  emoluments  of  public  of- 
fice, preferring  to  give  his  attention  to  his 
own  business  affairs. 


W.  S.  CONANT. 

Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  characterized 
by  her  full  share  of  the  honored  and  faith- 
ful element  who  have  done  so  much  for  the 
development  and  upbuilding  of  the  state  and 
the  establishment  of  the  institutions  of  civ- 
ilization in  this  fertile  and  well  favored  sec- 
tion. Among  these  worthy  native  sons  the 
name  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is 
properly  installed. 

W.  S.  Conant  was  born  in  this  county, 
September  22,  1854,  the  son  of  William  R., 
and  Fannie  (Swift)  Conant.  Grandfather 
Conant  was  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  who 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


3OI 


moved  from  that  state  to  Georgia  and  then 
to  Illinois,  settling  in  Marion  county,  com- 
ing here  in  an  early  day  and  being  the  first 
school  teacher  in  the  county.  He  entered 
land  here  and  farmed  for  some  time,  having 
passed  to  his  rest  about  1840,  at  the  age  of 
about  fifty  years.  His  wife  died  within  one 
week  of  her  husband.  Grandfather  Swift 
was  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  moved  to 
this  county  about  1830,  entering  land  here 
which  he  developed  into  a  farm  and  where 
he  reared  his  family.  He  died  a  short  dis- 
tance from  where  he  first  located,  having 
moved  to  the  former  place,  his  death  occur- 
ring about  1870,  when  he  was  about  sev- 
enty years  old.  His  widow  survived  him 
about  ten  years.  She  was  a  Presbyterian. 
There  were  five  children  in  this  family,  all 
of  them  living  to  maturity. 

The  father  of  the  subject  was  born  in 
Georgia  and  came  to  Illinois  with  his  par- 
ents when  he  was  but  a  boy.  His  father 
being  a  teacher,  he  received  some  education, 
but  the  father  of  the  subject  was  a  hard- 
working man  and  did  not  take  time  to  prop- 
erly improve  his  education.  He  was  always 
a  farmer.  He  entered  land  which  he  later 
added  to  by  purchase  Until  he  had  a  valu- 
able farm  of  two  hundred  acres,  which  he 
left  at  his  death.  The  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject died  when  she  was  two  years  old,  in 
1856,  his  father  having  died  at  the  age  of 
forty.  He  was  a  Democrat  in  political  be- 
lief.' 

W.  S.  Conant,  our  subject,  had  the  ad- 
vantage of  a  common  school  education,  and 
having  applied  himself  in  a  diligent  manner 
he  became  fairly  well  educated,  not  leaving 


the  school  room  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
old.  He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until 
he  was  twenty,  when  he  went  to  work  on  his 
own  account.  He  farmed  with  his  brother- 
in-law,  then  rented  a  farm  and  so  continued 
for  four  years.  He  then  bought  a  farm  in 
1 88 1  of  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres. 
It  was  unimproved  prairie  land,  but  the  sub- 
ject devoted  seven  years  of  hard  work  on 
the  place  and  developed  a  fine  and  well  im- 
proved farm.  He  still  owns  this  place.  He 
then  bought  a  residence  property,  and  in 
time  sold  that  and  purchased  the  farm 
where  he  has  since  resided,  which  consists 
of  twenty-four  acres  on  which  there  is  a 
modern  and  substantial  residence  together 
with  convenient  out-buildings.  The  subject 
carries  on  general  farming  in  a  most  suc- 
cessful manner,  skillfully  rotating  his  crops 
so  as  to  keep  the  soil  in  good  productive 
condition.  He  also  devoted  much  time  to 
stock-raising,  being  a  good  judge  of  all 
kinds  of  live  stock,  especially  cattle  and 
horses.  He  frequently  feeds  for  the  mar- 
ket, but  is  now  selling  his  stock  for  other 
purposes.  He  raises  a  good  class  of  horses. 
For  six  years  he  engaged  in  buying  and  sel- 
ling live  stock  in  connection  with  his  farm- 
ing and  made  this  business  a  success  in 
every  particular. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
November,  1877,  to  Agnes  I.  Morgan, 
daughter  of  J.  B.  and  Martha  (Doolen) 
Morgan,  who  came  to  this  county  at  an 
early  day.  There  were  two  of  the  Doolen 
brothers  who  went  through  the  Civil  war, 
and  are  living  in  1908. 

Six  children  have  been  bom  to  the  sub- 


302 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ject  and  wife,  as  follows :  Alartha,  born  in 
1880.  who  died  in  infancy;  Gracie;  Flor- 
ence, who  was  bom  in  1881,  died  when 
three  years  old ;  William,  who  was  bom 
September  22,  1885,  died  when  six  years 
old;  George,  who  was  born  July  8,  1887, 
is  a  farmer,  married  and  has  one  child; 
Clarence  C.  was  born  July  14,  1894;  Lewis 
was  born  in  1897,  is  single  and  living  at 
home. 

The  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  in  his  fraternal 
relations,  and  also  a  Modern  Woodman,  be- 
longing also  to  the  Royal  Neighbors,  having 
filled  all  the  chairs  in  an  able  manner  in 
the  Woodmen.  In  his  religious  affiliations 
he  subscribes  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  South,  as  does  also  his  wife.  Mr. 
Conant  is  a  loyal  Democrat  although  he 
does  not  find  much  time  to  devote  to  polit- 
ical matters. 


SAMUEL  D.  GRAHAM. 

The  enterprising  citizen  whose  name 
heads  this  article  needs  no  introduction  to 
the  people  of  Marion  county.  He  has  been 
for  some  time  prominently  identified  with 
the  financial  and  industrial  interests  of  the 
community  where  he  resides  and  always 
manifesting  an  active  interest  in  the  pub- 
lic welfare.  His  long  life  has  been  a  most 
active  and  useful  one  in  every  respect,  and 
has  resulted  in  the  accumulation  of  an 
ample  competence  for  his  closing  years  as 
well  as  in  much  good  to  his  fellow  men  and 


the  community  at  large,  where  he  has  many 
warm  friends. 

Samuel  D.  Graham  was  born  in  Rush 
county,  Indiana,  in  April,  1836,  the  son  of 
Hezekiah  and  Sarah  (Smith)  Graham. 
Grandfather  Graham  was  bom  in  Scotland 
and  came  to  Pennsylvania  in  the  seven- 
teenth century.  Both  he  and  his  brother, 
Isaac,  came  from  Scotland  and  both  fought 
in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Grandfather 
was  a  captain  and  he  had  his  eyes  burned  by 
the  explosion  of  a  gun  in  the  hands  of  one 
of  his  own  soldiers  and  'eventually  lost  his 
eyesight  from  the  effects  of  it,  having  been 
blind  for  twenty  years  before  his  death.  He 
never  drew  his  pension  although  it  was  al- 
lowed. It  is  in  the  hands  of  the  govern- 
ment yet.  He  was  about  eighty  years  old 
when  he  died,  leaving  eight  children  living 
out  of  a  family  of  nine,  all  of  whom  lived 
to  maturity,  five  of  whom  moved  to  Ohio, 
where  they  made  homes  and  reared  families 
and  where  they  died.  Grandfather  was  dea- 
con in  the  Baptist  church  for  forty  years, 
and  he  and  Grandmother  Graham  were 
Baptists  and  always  lived  the  Christian  life. 

Grandfather  Smith  was  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, who  moved  from  there  to  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  after  the  death  of  his  first 
wife.  He  and  our  subject's  father  were 
married  by  the  same  minister  and  with  the 
same  ceremony.  In  Grandfather  Smith's 
family  there  were  seven  children,  who  lived 
to  maturity.  The  youngest  daughter  by 
this  marriage,  Rebecca  McClelland,  was  the 
mother  of  Gen.  George  B.  McClelland. 
There  was  no  issue  from  the  second  mar- 


BRIXKKKHOFF  S     HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


303 


riage.  Grandfather  Smith  lived  to  be  well 
advanced  in  years.  After  his  remains  had 
been  buried  twelve  years,  they  wfere  taken 
up  for  removal  and  it  was  found  that  his 
body  was  petrified.  Grandfather  Smith  was 
a  Revolutionary  soldier  and  one  of  his  sons- 
in-law,  Oren  Davis,  was  with  him  as  a  sol- 
dier, and  his  son,  Charles  was  in  the  Black 
Hawk  wrar. 

The  father  of  the  subject  left  Pennsyl- 
vania when  twenty  years  old.  He  did  not 
have  early  school  advantages,  but  in  time 
became  educated  and  a  well  read  man 
through  his  own  persistent  efforts,  being 
particularly  well  informed  on  historical  mat- 
ters and  events.  He  settled  in  Butler 
county,  Ohio,  buying  timbered  land  which 
he  cleared  and  developed  into  a  good  farm, 
living  there  for  about  twelve  years,  when  he 
moved  to  Rush  county,  Indiana,  in  1831, 
remaining  there  until  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years,  his 
date  of  birth  having  occurred  on  August  6, 
1799.  His  wife  was  born  in  October,  1800. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  first  wife  being 
the  mother  of  our  subject.  She  died  at  the 
age  of  thirty-seven  years,  having  given 
birth  to  eleven  children,  seven  of  whom 
lived  to  maturity.  The  father  was  married 
again,  there  being  born  to  the  last  union 
ten  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 
The  father  and  mother  were  Baptists.  The 
former  spent  his  entire  life  on  a  farm, 
leaving  a  farm  and  a  goodly  share  of  money 
to  his  heirs,  and  also  left  land  in  Iowa,  all 
of  which  shows  that  he  was  a  thrifty  and 
prudent  man  of  affairs. 


Hezekiah  Graham,  father  of  the  subject, 
in  addition  to  his  own  family  of  eighteen 
children  took  four  orphan  boys  and  one 
girl  and  kept  them  until  they  reached  ma- 
turity and  in  addition  to  these  he  was  al- 
ways hunting  and  finding  homes  for  other 
orphan  children,  and  his  own  smoke-house 
and  granary  were  always  open  to  the  poor 
and  needy.  He  believed  with  the  great 
philosopher,  Henry  Drummond,  that  "The 
greatest  thing  a  man  can  do  for  his 
Heavenly  Father  is  to  be  kind  to  some  of 
His  children." 

Samuel  D.  Graham,  our  subject,  had  but 
little  opportunity  to  attend  school,  having 
spent  altogether  less  than  six  months  in  the 
school  room.  He  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  was  twenty-six  years  old,  then 
hired  out  as  a  farm  hand  for  ten  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  saved  his  earnings  and 
bought  a  farm  in  Fayette  county,  Indiana. 
He  lived  there  for  ten  years,  then  sold  out 
and  bought  another  farm  in  Union  county, 
Indiana,  and  sold  this  at  the  end  of  two 
years,  when  he  moved  to  Illinois,  settling 
in  Marion  county,  buying  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  acres  of  improved 
land,  near  Kinmundy  in  iex>  In  1903  he 
bought  his  splendid  modern  residence  and 
two  acres  of  ground  in  Kinmundy,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  sold  his 
farm  here  and  bought  a  farm  in 
Butler  county,  Missouri,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  improved  bottom 
land  on  which  his  son  resides  and  success- 
fully manages.  Since  coming  to  Kinmundy 
our  subject  has  lived  in  peaceful  and  hon- 


304 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


orable  retirement,  conscious  of  a  well  spent 
life,  which  has  been  a  very  active  one  and 
has  resulted  in  success  in  an  eminent 
degree.  He  always  benefited  himself  in 
his  land  deals  and  was  an  unusually  good 
fanner,  keeping  his  farms  well  improved 
and  in  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  1870  to  Mrs. 
Rhoda  E.  Prichard,  nee  Patterson,  a  native 
of  Union  county,  Indiana.  Her  father, 
Alexander  Patterson,  was  born  December 
7,  1815,  and  came  to  Ohio  when  fifteen 
years  of  age,  later  to  Union  county,  Indiana, 
where  his  father  had  purchased  an  eighty- 
acre  farm.  He  lived  and  died  on  that  farm. 
Mrs.  Graham  became  the  mother  of  three 
children  by  her  first  marriage,  all  of  whom 
are  deceased.  One  of  the  oldest  brothers, 
James  M.  Patterson,  was  a  soldier  during 
the  Civil  war  from  Indiana,  and  was  killed 
at  Winchester,  Virginia,  in  the  battle  of 
September  19,  1864.  Her  people  were  of 
Scotch-German  descent.  Her  grandparents 
on  her  father's  side  were  married  Septem- 
ber 6,  1798.  Grandfather  Patterson  was 
born  April  14,  1769,  and  Grandmother  Pat- 
terson was  born  July  29,  1776. 

The  following:  children  have  been  born 
to  MrrafiarHire.  Graham:  Harvey  McClel- 
land, born  August  23,  1871,  was  accident- 
ally killed  in  1904;  William  H.,  was  born 
in  1873,  is  living  on  a  farm  in  Missouri,  is 
married,  but  has  no  children  living:  Tillie 
Alma,  who  was  born  December  15,  1878, 
died  January  28,  1879;  Katie  L.,  born  May 
6.  1880,  is  the  wife  of  Melvin  Hamilton, 
and  is  living  in  Indiana.  They  have  two 
children  living. 


Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Graham  are  active 
members  of  the  Baptist  church.  Our  sub- 
ject is  a  loyal  Democrat,  but  seldom  takes 
much  interest  in  political  affairs,  however, 
his  support  is  always  for  the  good  of  the 
community  in  all  questions. 

Our  subject  has  been  a  great  reader,  hav- 
ing read  the  Bible  through  not  less  than  six 
or  seven  times,  besides  scores  of  other  good 
books  and  much  pure  literary  matter.  He 
relates  that  he  has  been  acquainted  with 
not  less  than  five  hundred  of  the  Grahams 
and  that  he  never  knew  or  heard  of 
one  of  them  who  ever  used  intoxicants  of 
any  kind  or  character,  and  but  few  of  them 
who  ever  used  tobacco.,  and  about  one-half 
of  them  are  church  people. 


WILLIAM  R.  KELL. 

The  subject  of  this  life  record  is  one  of 
the  oldest  pioneer  farmers  of  Marion  coun- 
ty, having  spent  his  long  and  useful  life 
within  the  borders  of  the  same  and  assisted 
in  its  development  is  every  way  possible,  for 
while  seeking  to  advance  his  own  interests 
he  never  lost  sight  of  his  obligations  to  his 
neighbors  and  fellow  citizens.  His  life  rec- 
ord should  be  an  inspiration  to  the  younger 
generation,  for  it  has  been  one  of  sterling 
worth  and  led  along  high  planes  of  honor. 

William  R.  Kell  was  born  in  Haines  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  October  30. 
1835,  the  son  of  Thomas  and  Mary  L.  (Lit- 
tle) Kell,  both  natives  of  South  Carolina. 
Thomas  Kell  came  to  Illinois  in  1822  with 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


3°5 


his  parents  and  they  settled  first  in  Rome 
township,  Jefferson  county.  Thomas  Kell 
was  the  name  of  the  subject's  grandfather, 
who  was  also  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  in 
which  state  he  married  Margaret  Gaston.  He 
got  government  land  is  Rome  township,  Jef- 
ferson county,  this  state,  about  four  hundred 
acres  in  all,  in  prairie  and  timber  land.  He- 
died  there,  but  his  wife  died  in  Haines  town 
ship,  Marion  county.  Twelve  children,  all 
of  whom  are  deceased,  were  born  to  the 
grandparents  of  our  subject,  namely :  Wil- 
liam, Jane,  John,  Samuel  G.,  Martha,  Alex- 
ander, Thomas,  father  of  our  subject ;  James 
died  in  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois;  Eliza,  Riley. 
Martha,  and  Matthew  Cannon. 

Mary  L.  Little,  mother  of  our  subject, 
was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  Little,  of  South 
Carolina.  He  first  married  Mary  Luke  and 
his  second  marriage  was  to  a  Miss  Ervin. 
Two  children  were  born  to  Samuel  Little 
and  his  first  wife,  and  eleven  children  by  the 
second  wife,  all  deceased  except  one.  Thorn 
as  Kell,  father  of  our  subject,  was  reared  on 
the  old  home  place,  remaining  at  home  un- 
til he  was  about  twenty  years  of  age.  He 
received  a  meagre  education  in  subscription 
schools.  After  his  marriage  he  located  in 
Haines  township,  Marion  county,  becoming 
well-to-do,  owning  about  eight  hundred 
acres  of  land.  He  handled  much  stock,  espe- 
cially horses  and  mules.  In  politics  he  was 
a  Whig,  later  a  Republican.  He  held  some 
of  the  minor  township  offices.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church.  He  died 
July  26,  1892.  Twelve  children  were  born 
to  the  parents  of  our  subject,  namely:  Wil- 
liam. <iur  subject ;  Mary  A.  lived  in  Haines 
20 


township  and  was  the  wife  of  William  Tel- 
ford;  Margaret  J.,  who  married  James  Mor- 
ton, is  deceased;  Samuel  W.,  who  was  a  sol- 
dier in  Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Elev- 
enth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  was  killed 
during  a  skirmish  February  12,  1865,  in 
North  Carolina ;  John  was  a  soldier  in  Com- 
pany E,  One  Hundred  and  Thirty-Sixth  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry,  having  enlisted 
for  three  months ;  Thomas  C.  died  at  the  age 
of  four  years ;  Martha,  who  married  W.  J. 
Shook,  is  deceased ;  James  C.  is  deceased ; 
Alexander  P.  lives  in  Mexico;  Charles  T. 
lives  in  Haines  township;  Mathew  C.  lives 
in  Haines  township;  Esther  E.  is  the  wife 
of  John  Little,  who  lives  in  Monmouth,  Illi- 
nois. 

William  R.  Kell,  our  subject,  received 
only  a  limited  schooling,  but  he  was 
ambitious  and  by  home  study  and  close  ap- 
plication he  fitted  himself  for  a  teacher,  and 
taught  school  while  a  young  man  for  twen- 
ty-two months,  teaching  one  term  after  his 
marriage.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
married,  when  he  came  to  his  present  home 
is  Haines  township  in  section  29,  which  was 
a  new  place,  but  the  subject  has  always  been 
a  man  of  thrift  and  he  soon  had  the  wild 
land  transformed  into  an  excellent  farm, 
having  brought  it  up  in  all  modern  improve- 
ments until  it  is  now  equal  to  any  in  the 
township  in  this  respect.  It  is  highly  pro- 
ductive and  has  made  the  subject  a  comfort- 
able living.  He  has  a  very  substantial 
dwelling,  an  excellent  barn,  and  his  place 
not  only  shows  prosperity,  but  excellent 
management. 

Mr.  Kell  married  Sarah  Keeney  on  April 


3o6 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


i,  1858.  She  was  born  in  Haines  township, 
the  daughter  of  A.  W.  and  Martha  (Farris) 
Keeney.  Her  father  was  a  native  of  In- 
diana aod  her  mother  of  Tennessee.  They 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  at  an  early 
day  and  farmed  in  Haines  township,  later 
moving  to  Salem,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Kee- 
ney engaged  in  the  milling  business  and 
where  he  and  his  wife  both  died. 

Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  his  first  wife,  namely:  Mary,  the 
wife  of  W.  F.  McNeiley,  living  in  Raccoon 
township;  Sarah  Jane,  the  wife  of  Finis 
Gaston,  lives  in  Haines  township,  this  coun- 
ty ;  Edward  E.  lives  in  Kell  and  married  Ella 
McMeans ;  Margaret  E.  is  the  wife  of  John 
F.  Gaskill,  living  in  Kell;  Lena  Ann  is  the 
wife  of  Valandingham  Brownfield,  living  in 
Kell;  George  lives  in  Haines  township; 
Thomas  F.  died  in  infancy;  James  H.  is  a 
carpenter  living  in  Haines  township;  Boyd 
R.  married  Maud  Williamson  and  they  live 
in  East  St.  Louis:  William  N.  died  when 
ten  years  old;  Arthur  W.,  who  married 
Mary  Jones,  is  a  carpenter  living  in  Cen- 
tralia.  Mrs.  Kell  died  August  14,  1883.  Mr. 
Kell  chose  as  his  second  wife  Mary  E.  Pur- 
due, a  native  of  Haines  township  and  the 
daughter  of  William  C. and  Martha  (Keele) 
Purdue,  natives  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to 
Marion  county  in  1838.  They  first  settled 
in  Raccoon  township  and  later  moved  to 
Haines  township.  Three  children  have  been 
born  to  our  subject  as  a  result  of  his  second 
marriage,  as  follows :  The  first  child  died 
in  infancy ;  John  C.  is  living  at  home ;  Eliza- 
beth L.  is  also  living  at  home.  The  above 


named  children  were  educated  in  the  home 
schools. 

Mr.  Kell  is  a  loyal  Republican,  having 
first  voted  for  John  C.  Fremont.  He  has  been 
Highway  Commissioner  and  also  a  member 
of  the  School  Board.  He  is  a  faithful  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations  he  belongs  to  the  Independ- 
ent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Romine  Lodge, 
No.  663,  at  Kell.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  Camp 
No.  5284,  at  Kell. 

Mr.  Kell  has  been  prosperous  owing  to 
the  fact  that  he  has  led  a  busy  life  and  has 
been  honest  in  his  dealings  with  his  fellow 
men.  He  is  held  in  high  favor  by  all  who 
know  him  and  has  always  been  influential  in 
his  communitv. 


FRED  O.  GRISSOM. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  public-spirited  and  representative 
citizens  of  Kinmundy  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  who  has  ever  upheld  high 
trusts  in  a  most  worthy  manner.  He  is 
essentially  a  man  of  the  people,  a  true 
American  of  the  period  in  which  he  lives 
and  possessing  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens, it  is  but  just  that  on  the  roster  of 
Marion  county's  men  of  ability  and  worth 
his  name  be  given  due  prominence. 

Fred  O.  Grissom  was  born  March  9,  1876, 
in  Meacham  township,  Marion  county,  the 
son  of  J.  W.  and  M.  J.  Grissom,  natives  of 
Ohio  and  Illinois,  respectively. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


307 


The  father  of  our  subject  is  a  Civil  war 
veteran  who  at  this  writing,  1908,  is  sixty- 
four  years  old.  He  located  in  this  county 
in  the  early  sixties,  residing  on  a  farm  for 
many  years,  having  improved  the  same  and 
made  a  comfortable  living  by  habits  of  in- 
dustry and  economy.  About  twenty-seven 
years  ago  he  moved  to  Farina,  this  state, 
and  engaged  in  business.  The  subject's 
mother  was  born  in  Marion  county,  the 
daughter  of  Silas  Parrill,  who  was  one  of 
the  earliest  settlers  here.  He  used  to  do  all 
"his  marketing  at  St.  Louis.  He  lived  to  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-eight  years,  having 
•died  on  the  farm  which  he  settled  when 
•quite  a  young  man.  The  subject's  parents 
-were  married  December  20,  1867,  and  three 
•children  were  born  to  this  union,  namely: 
Charles  R,  Fred  O.  and  Louis  E.  The 
first  born  died  when  six  years  old. 

Fred  O.  Grissom  remained  a  member  of 
the  family  circle  until  he  reached  maturity, 
"having  attended  the  common  schools  at 
Farina,  Illinois,  where  he  diligently  applied 
himself  and  received  a  fairly  good  education. 
The  business  career  of  Mr.  Grissom  began 
January  i,  1894.  He  learned  the  printing 
business  in  the  office  of  The  Farina  News, 
where  he  worked  until  August  23,  1898, 
when  he  located  in  Kinmundy,  having  pur- 
chased The  Kinmundy  Express,  and  he  has 
been  engaged  in  active  newspaper  work  ever 
since.  Although  he  met  with  misfortune 
twice,  his  newspaper  plant  having  been  des- 
troyed by  fire  on  two  different  occasions, 
nothing  daunted,  he  has  forged  ahead  and  is 
enjoying  a  liberal  patronage. 


Mr.  Grissom  was  married  on  January  19, 
1899,  to  Jennie  A.  Bascom,  the  refined  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  Rev.  S.  B.  and 
C.  M.  Bascom.  She  was  born  in  Ramsey, 
Illinois,  November  25,  1875.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Grissom's  home  has  not  been  blessed  with 
any  children. 

Mrs.  Grissom  is  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  and  in  his  fraternal  relations, 
•our  subject  is  a  member  of  Clipper  Lodge 
No.  413,  Knights  of  Pythias.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat,  but  he  has  never  held  public 
office,  being  contented  to  lead  a  quiet  life 
and  do  what  he  can  towards  placing  right 
men  in  the  local  offices,  but  he  has  never 
aspired  to  positions  of  honor  or  emolument 
at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  voters.  However, 
he  has  the  interest  of  the  public  at  heart  and 
is  known  as  a  man  of  industry,  honesty  and 
loyalty  to  right  principles. 


LEANDER  C.  MATTHEWS. 

The  subject  has  spent  his  entire  life  in  this 
county  and  he  has  always  had  deeply  at 
heart  the  well-being  and  improvement  of  the 
county,  using  his  influence  whenever  pos- 
sible for  the  promotion  of  enterprises  cal- 
culated to  be  of  lasting  benefit  to  his  fellow 
men,  besides  taking  a  leading  part  in  all 
movements  for  the  advancement  of  the  com- 
munity along  social,  intellectual  and  moral 
lines. 

Leander  C.  Matthews  was  bom  South  of 
Salem,  in  the  edge  of  Jefferson  county,  May 


3o8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


25,  1848,  the  son  of  Andrew  J.  and  Hulda 
(Swafford)  Matthews,  natives  of  Tennessee 
and  Illinois,  respectively,  and  both  repre- 
sentatives of  honorable  and  well  known 
families  in  their  own  communities. 

Our  subject  remained  under  his  parental 
roof  until  he  reached  man's  estate  and  at- 
tended the  district  schools  in  his  native  com- 
munity and  in  Centralia,  where  he  applied 
himself  in  a  careful  manner  and  received  a 
good  education. 

Mr.  Matthews  early  decided  to  devote  his 
life  to  a  business  career  and  he  has  bent 
every  effort  to  this  end  with  gratifying  re- 
sults. 

He  commenced  a  general  business  in  1883 
at  Fairman,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  remained  ten  years  with  much  success  at- 
tending his  efforts.  He  is  at  this  writing 
engaged  in  the  hay,  grain  and  implement 
business  in  Kinmundy,  this  county,  and  is 
conducting  a  thriving  business,  his  trade 
extending  to  all  parts  of  the  county  and 
penetrating  to  adjoining  counties,  in 
fact  he  is  one  of  the  best  known 
dealers  in  these  lines  in  this  part  of  the  state 
and  the  able  manner  in  which  he  conducts 
his  business  and  his  courteous  treatment 
with  those  with  whom  he  deals  insure  him 
a  liberal  income  from  year  to  year. 

Mr.  Matthews  was  united  in  marriage  Oc- 
tober 8,  1873,  to  S.  Elizabeth  Lydick,  who 
was  born  near  Odin,  this  county,  December 
24,  1854,  the  refined  and  affable  daughter 
of  Isaac  and  Sarah  (Sugg)  Lydick,  a  well 
known  family  of  that  locality. 

The  following  family  has  been  born  to 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Matthews:  Lillian,  Baby, 
Hallie,  Hulda,  Carl.  They  have  all  gone  to 
their  rest  except  Hulda,  who  is  the  wife  of 
Albert  C.  Dunlap,  of  Champaign,  Illinois. 
In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Matthews  is 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  of  Kinmundy,  also  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias  of  this  place.  In  politics  he  is  a 
loyal  Democrat  and  takes  a  vital  interest  in 
his  party's  affairs,  however,  he  has  never 
aspired  to  positions  of  public  trust.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church,  and  our  subject  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  substantial  church  workers  of 
Kinmundy,  and  he  has  long  taken  an  active 
part  in  all  religious  affairs.  He  is  a  man 
of  large  public  spirit  and  enterprise,  and  per- 
sonally is  of  the  genial  and  sunny  type, 
pleasant  to  meet  and  makes  friends  readily. 
He  likes  a  good  story  and  enjoys  a  good 
joke,  and  because  of  these  qualities  of  com- 
mendation and  genuine  worth  Mr.  Mat- 
thews has  won  a  host  of  warm  friends  which 
he  retains,  being  popular  with  all  classes  in 
his  community  where  he  maintains  a  home 
that  is  comfortable,  substantial  and  pleasant 
in  all  its  appointments  and  which  is  regarded 
as  a  place  of  generous  hospitality  and  good 
cheer. 


JOSEPH  T.  ARNOLD. 

The  subject  of  this,  review,  who  is  the 
owner  of  a  fine  landed  estate  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  his  successful  career  as  a 
husbandman  must  have  clearly  demon- 


3RINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


309 


strated  what  an  enteqirising  and  industri- 
ous man  can  accomplish  when  he  has  good 
common  sense  and  honesty  of  purpose  to 
control  his  energy,  and  as  a  result  of  these 
praiseworthy  qualities  he  stands  today  as 
one  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  the  vicinity 
of  Kinmundy,  where  he  is  well  known. 

Joseph  T.  Arnold  is  a  native  of  this  coun- 
ty and  he  has  preferred  to  spend  his  life 
here.  The  date  on  which  our  subject 
first  saw  the  light  of  day  was  May  12, 
1857.  He  is  the  son  of  John  W.  and  Nancy 
(Jones)  Arnold.  His  grandfather,  John 
Arnold,  was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1795 
of  English  stock.  Great-grandfather  Ar- 
nold was  a  Methodist  Episcopalian,  who 
preached  the  gospel  in  a  most  able  manner 
for  a  period  of  forty-five  years.  His 
mother  was  a  very  pious  woman  and  from 
her  the  subject's  grandfather  was  taught 
Christianity.  He  was  brought  to  Georgia 
by  his  parents  when  six  years  old,  where 
he  remained  until  he  was  ten  years  of  age. 
When  about  twelve  years  old  he  was  taken 
by  his  parents  to  Tennessee.  In  two  years 
they  moved  to  Alabama.  He  saw  General 
Jackson  with  his  army  of  some  two  thou- 
sand men  pass  by  his  door  in  1812  when 
living  in  Huntsville,  Alabama.  He  was  in 
the  army  himself  for  a  short  time.  When 
twenty  years  old  he  went  to  school  for  the 
first-time  for  one  month  only,  but  he  learned 
to  read  and  write;  that  was  the  extent  of 
his  school  days.  When  twenty-one  years 
old  he  married  Elizabeth  Webb  and  moved 
to  Illinois  and  after  two  years  here  moved 
back  to  Alabama  and  from  there  to  Louisi- 


ana; then  returned  to  Alabama  where  he 
remained  for  a  period  of  twelve  years,  after 
which  he  moved  to  Illinois  again.  He 
reached  the  remarkable  age  of  ninety-three 
years.  There  were  five  of  his  sons  in  the 
Civil  war,  all  in  Illinois  regiments;  one  of 
these  was  killed  in  battle,  the  others  served 
their  time  out  and  were  honorably  dis- 
charged; one  of  them  was  wounded  in  bat- 
tle and  was  crippled  as  a  result  during  the 
balance  of  his  days.  Grandmother  Arnold 
lived  to  be  about  eighty. 

Grandfather  Jones  was  a  native  of  Geor- 
gia, who  came  north  and  settled  in  Illinois. 
Two  of  his  sons,  Eli  and  Machak,  were  sol- 
diers in  the  war  between  the  states  in  Illi- 
nois regiments.  Eli  Jones  had  a  leg  shot 
off.  Both  the  Jones  and  the  Arnold  fami- 
lies settled  in  Marion  county  upon  their  ar- 
rival in  this  state,  where  they  took  up  land 
and  developed  farms,  both  being  known  as 
people  of  thrift  and  sterling  qualities.  Grand- 
father Jones  died  in  this  county  at  the  age 
of  seventy-eight  years  and  his  good  wife 
lived  to  be  up  in  eighty.  These  worthy  peo- 
ple reared  a  large  family,  all  of  whom  inher- 
ited longevity  to  a  marked  degree. 

John  W.  Arnold,  father  of  our  subject, 
was  reared  largely  in  Illinois.  He  had  but 
scant  educational  advantages,  but  he  be- 
came a  well  read  man,  and  having  devoted 
his  life  to  fanning,  became  one  of  the  lead- 
ing agriculturists  in  his  community,  having 
remained  in  Marion  county,  where  he 
owned  five  hundred  acres  of  very  produc- 
tive and  valuable  land,  most  of  which  was 
prairie.  There  were  nine  children  in  his 


3io 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


family,  seven  of  whom  are  living  in  1908, 
all  but  one  of  them  living  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, and  all  have  families  of  their  own.  These 
children  were  given  every  advantage  possi- 
ble by  their  parents,  and  as  a  result  of  the 
fine  home  training  which  they  received  they 
are  all  well  established  in  the  affairs  of  life 
and  have  the  best  reputations  possible.  The 
parents  of  the  subject  were  faithful  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church.  The  father 
was  a  loyal  Republican  and  his  influence  was 
always  in  support  of  the  principles  of  this 
party.  He  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-one years,  and  his  faithful  life  com- 
panion lived  to  be  seventy-six,  when  she, 
too,  joined  the  "innumerable  caravan". 

Joseph  T.  Arnold,  our  subject,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools  of  his  native  com- 
munity, where  he  applied  himself  in  a  most 
diligent  manner  and  received  a  fairly  good 
text-book  education,  which  has  since  been 
very  greatly  supplemented  by  coming  in 
contact  with  the  world  and  by  home  read- 
ing. He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  dur- 
ing the  crop  season  until  he  was  twenty 
years  old,  when  he  went  to  farming  on  his 
own  account,  at  which  he  was  very  success- 
ful, having  rented  a  part  of  the  land,  the 
balance  being  given  to  him  by  his  father,  and 
with  the  exception  of  two  years  he  has  been 
engaged  in  active  farming  ever  since.  For  a 
period  of  two  years  he  was  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business,  owning  one-half  inter- 
est in  a  general  store,  which  he  disposed  of 
in  1803.  One  brother  and  a  nephew  now 
own  the  old  farm  on  which  the  family  was 


reared,  it  never  having  passed  out  of  the 
hands  of  the  Arnolds. 

Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  highly  improved  land,  on 
which  he  carries  on  general  farming  with 
the  most  gratifying  results.  It  is  located 
about  seven  miles  out  fr.om  Kinmundy.  Al- 
though he  now  resides  in  Kinmundy,  he 
oversees  the  management  of  his  farm,  which 
has  been  developed  until  it  is  equal  to  any 
in  the  township,  being  well  fenced  and  well 
drained  and  otherwise  up  to  the  standard  of 
modem  farm  properties.  A  substantial  and 
commodious  residence  and  several  good  out- 
buildings are  to  be  found  on  the  place. 

Mr.  Arnold  owns  a  beautiful  residence 
property  in  Kinmundy,  where  he  makes  his 
home. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  the 
first  time  in  1877,  to  Lizzie  Chance,  the 
daughter  of  a  well  known  family  in  Marion 
county,  and  three  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  the  first,  Emery  L.,  having  been  born 
in  1880  and  died  in  Alaska  in  1903.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Signal  Corps  and  is 
supposed  to  have  been  drowned  while  in  ac- 
tive service.  He  was  highly  commended  by 
Brigadier  General  Sully,  the  commander  of 
the  corps.  The  second  child  of  the  subject 
is  now  living  on  his  farm  in  Marion  and 
has  one  child,  Daniel.  The  third,  Edson, 
died  when  four  years  old.  The  subject's 
first  wife  was  called  to  her  reward  in  1897, 
and  Mr.  Arnold  was  again  married,  in  1900, 
his  second  wife  being  Mrs.  Hattie  Green 
(nee  Robb),  a  native  of  this  county,  whose 


3RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


parents  were  also  natives  of  Marion  coun- 
ty. One  child  has  been  born  to  this  union, 
Vivian  Helen,  having  been  born  in  1902. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  the  Woodmen  and  the  Rebekahs, 
as  is  also  Mrs.  Arnoldy.  She  is  a  member 
of  the  Eastern  Star.  He  has  been  Junior 
Deacon  in  the  first  named  order.  Mrs.  Ar- 
nold is  an  active  -worker  both  in  the  Eastern 
Star  and  the  Rebekahs.  They  are  both 
faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
Our  subject  has  been  steward  of  the  same, 
also  Sunday  school  superintendent,  and  both 
the  church  and  Sunday  school  have  been 
greatly  benefited  by  his  able  and  faithful 
services. 

Mr.  Arnold  is  a  Republican  in  his  po- 
litical beliefs  and  never  loses  an  opportunity 
to  aid  his  party  in  any  way  possible.  He 
held  the  office  of  Supervisor  of  the  town- 
ship two  years,  being  elected  in  1904.  The 
township  that  he  was  elected  in  produces  a 
strong  Democratic  majority,  which  was 
overcome  by  the  popular  estimate  of  his  fel- 
low citizens,  and  he  could  have  held  the  of- 
fice longer,  but  declined  further  honor  in 
that  line. 


ERASTUS  D.  TELFORD. 

Only  those  who  come  in  personal  con- 
tact with  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears 
above,  the  popular  and  well  known  City  At- 
torney of  Salem,  Illinois,  can  understand 
how  thoroughly  nature  and  training,  habits 
of  thought  and  action,  have  enabled  him  to 


accomplish  his  life  work  and  made  him  a  fit 
representative  of  the  enterprising  class  of 
professional  people  to  which  he  belongs.  He 
is  a  fine  type  of  the  sturdy,  conscientious 
American  of  today — a  man  who  unites  a 
high  order  of  ability  with  courage,  pa- 
triotism, clean  morality  and  sound  common 
sense,  doing  thoroughly  and  well  the  work 
that  he  finds  to  do  and  asking  praise  of  no 
man  for  the  performance  of  what  he  con- 
ceives to  be  his  simple  duty. 

Erastus  D.  Telford  was  born  in  Raccoon 
township,  Marion  county,  April  23,  1874. 
J.  D.  Telford,  whose  life  history  is  embod- 
ied in  another  part  of  this  volume,  who  has 
long  been  a  well  known  and  influential  char- 
acter about  Salem,  is  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject. Samuel  G.  Telford,  who  lives  in 
Haines  township,  and  who  was  born  in  1827 
in  this  county,  and  who  is  still  making  his 
home  two  and  one-half  miles  west  of  where 
he  was  born,  is  the  subject's  grandfather. 
His  great-grandfather  was  James  Telford, 
a  native  of  South  Carolina,  who  settled  in 
Marion  county  in  1822,  died  in  1856.  Our 
subject's  father  was  the  first  Republican 
Sheriff  of  Marion  county,  having  been 
elected  in  1882.  The  mother  of  the  subject 
was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Ann 
Wyatt,  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  rep- 
resentative of  a  fine  old  southern  family. 
Her  father  sold  all  his  possessions  in  that 
state  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1860,  settling 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  J.  D.  Telford, 
father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  to  whom 
and  his  worthy  and  faithful  life  companion 
seven  children  were  born,  all  living  at  this 


3I2 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


writing,  named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows : 
Dr.  A.  T.,  of  Olney,  Illinois;  Erastus  D., 
our  subject ;  Ula,  of  the  United  States  Life 
Saving  Station  of  Chicago ;  Omer.  who  lives 
on  a  farm  three  miles  west  of  Salem ;  Oran 
is  living  at  home;  Erma,  who  is  still  a 
member  of  the  family  circle;  J.  D.,  Jr. 
These  children  were  reared  in  a  wholesome 
home  atmosphere  and  were  given  every  ad- 
vantage possible  by  their  parents. 

E.  D.  Telford  has  lived  in  Salem  for 
twenty-six  years,  or  since  his  father  moved 
here.  He  worked  on  the  parental  farm  un- 
til he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  where  he 
received  valuable  training  in  the  out  door 
life  of  the  country,  not  the  least  advantage 
of  which  was  the  acquisition  of  a  robust  con- 
stitution which  is  a  necessary  prerequisite 
for  the  battle  of  life  in  any  field  of  endeavor. 
He  attended  the  public  schools  in  his  neigh- 
borhood and  later  graduated  in  1890  from 
the  Salem  high  schools  where  he  made  a 
splendid  record,  for  our  subject  early  de- 
termined to  secure  a  good  education  and  fit 
himself  as  best  he  possibly  could  for  life's 
ardent  duties. 

After  leaving  school  he  decided  to  teach 
and  consequently  followed  this  line  of  work 
with  marked  success  for  a  few  years,  during 
which  time  he  became  widely  known 
throughout  the  county  as  an  able  instructor. 
But  not  being  satisfied  with  the  education 
he  already  possessed,  and  with  the  routine 
and  somewhat  obscure  work  of  the  teacher, 
he  gave  up  his  work  and  entered  McKen- 
dree  College,  a  denominational  school  at 
Lebanon,  Illinois,  from  which  institution  he 


graduated  with  high  honors  in  1897,  with 
the  degree  Bachelor  of  Science.  Having 
decided  to  make  the  profession  of  law  his 
life  work,  Mr.  Telford  in  the  fall  of  1898 
went  to  Washington  City  and  entered  the 
law  department  of  Georgetown  University, 
where  he  made  a  brilliant  record  and  from 
which  institution  he  graduated.in  1900.  In 
the  meantime  he  had  been  appointed  to  a  po- 
sition in  the  United  States  Treasury  depart- 
ment, his  unusual  talents  having  attracted 
the  attention  of  authorities  in  this  depart- 
ment. Mr.  Telford  remained  in  the  Treas- 
ury department,  where  he  gave  the  greatest 
satisfaction  to  the  higher  officials  and  where 
his  work  was  very  creditably  and  faithfully 
performed  until  April  i,  1906,  when  he  re- 
signed and  returned  to  Salem,  Illinois,  for 
the  purpose  of  engaging  in  the  practice  of 
law,  and,  useless  to  say  that  his  success  was 
instantaneous,  and  he  at  once  had  a  large 
clientele,  his  office  being  sought  by  clients 
with  a  wide  range  of  cases,  and  his  fame 
soon  overspread  Marion  county,  extending 
to  other  fields,  consequently  he  was  fre- 
quently called  to  other  localities  on  import- 
ant cases  and  his  cool,  careful,  determined 
manner  in  presenting  his  arguments  before 
a  jury  seldom  failed  in  bringing  a  verdict  in 
his  favor. 

Mr.  Telford  was  soon  slated  for  political 
preferment,  leaders  in  his  party  being  quick 
to  detect  unusual  ability  as  a  public  official 
in  him,  consequently  in  April,  1907,  he  was 
elected  City  Attorney  of  Salem,  which  posi- 
tion he  now  very  creditably  fills  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  entire  community.  At  the 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


313 


primaries  in  August,  1908,  he  was  nomi- 
nated by  the  Republicans  for  State  Attorney 
for  Marion  county. 

Mr.  Telford's  domestic  life  dates  from 
November  i,  1900,  when  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Coral  M.  Wright,  the  accom- 
plished daughter  of  William  Wright,  a  well 
known  and  influential  citizen  of  Lincoln, 
Nebraska.  The  following  bright  and  inter- 
esting children  have  come  into  the  cozy  and 
pleasant  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Telford, 
bringing  additional  sunshine:  Elbridge 
Wright  Telford,  whose  day  of  birth  oc- 
curred September  29,  1901 ;  Dorothy  Mar- 
garet, who  first  saw  the  light  of  day  on 
August  1 8,  1905. 

Mr.  Telford  has  been  a  careful  business 
man  as  well  as  a  successful  attorney,  and  he 
has  accumulated  rapidly,  now  being  a  stock- 
holder in  the  Salem  National  Bank,  also  the 
Salem  Building  and  Loan  Association.  He 
is  the  owner  of  a  modem,  substantial  and 
beautiful  residence  on  North  Broadway. 

In  his  fraternal  relations,  our  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  ancient  and  honorable  order 
of  Masons,  the  Blue  Lodge  and  the  Royal 
Arch  Chapter;  also  a  Modem  Woodman. 
And  both  he  and  his  wife  are  consistent  and 
faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  Mr.  Telford  is  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial and  popular  men  of  Marion  county, 
and  his  home  which  is  presided  over  with 
rare  grace  and  dignity  by  Mrs.  Telford,  is 
the  center  of  a  genial  hospitality.  He  is 
liberal  in  his  support  of  all  religious  and 
charitable  movements,  and  no  one  takes  a 


greater  pride  in  the  progress  of  his  commu- 
nity. 


GEORGE  B.  SIMCOX. 

The  subject  stands  as  the  exponent  of  one 
of  the  extensive  noteworthy  enterprises 
of  the  city,  where  he  maintains  a  real 
estate  business,  which  is  pre-eminent  in  the 
honorable  bearing  and  careful  methods  em- 
ployed, and  in  the  discriminating  delicacy  of 
treatment  which  the  nature  of  the  business 
renders  expedient,  and  he  has  thus  retained 
as  his  own  the  respect  and  confidence  of  the 
community,  even  as  has  his  noble  father,  the 
latter  having  likewise  assumed  a  position  of 
priority  in  the  business  and  social  life  of 
Marion  county,  where  he  still  resides  at  an 
advanced  age. 

George  B.  Simcox  was  born  in  Kentucky 
in  1864,  the  son  of  W.  K.  Simcox,  now 
living  at  Patoka,  Illinois,  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania, who  migrated  from  the  old  Key- 
stone state  to  Illinois  in  1866,  locating  at 
Patoka,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He  was 
in  the  mercantile  business  of  which  he  made 
a  success,  but  he  is  now  living  retired,  hav- 
ing reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty- 
three,  and  his  good  wife  that  of 
seventy-eight.  They  are  held  in  high  esteem 
in  their  neighborhood  where  their  latter 
years  have  been  so  honorably  and  happily 
spent.  Twelve  children  were  born  to  them, 
seven  of  whom  are  still  living.  They  are: 
Anna  M.,  the  widow  of  Dr.  T.  N.  Livesay, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


and  she  makes  her  home  near  Patoka ;  Rob- 
ert A.,  of  Patoka;  John  L.,  also  of  Patoka; 
Bettie,  the  wife  of  Dr.  W.  W.  Murfin,  of 
Patoka;  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  A.  T.  Eaglin, 
of  Henton,  Oklahoma;  Joseph  W.,  of  Pa- 
toka; George  B.,  whose  name  appears  at  the 
head  of  this  review. 

Mr.  Simcox  spent  his  boyhood  in  Patoka, 
Illinois,  where  he  received  a  common  school 
education,  having  applied  himself  closely  to 
his  books.  When  about  eighteen  years  old 
lie  went  to  railroading  and  was  subsequently 
in  the  employ  of  various  roads.  Longing 
for  more  varied  experiences  than  could  be 
gained  at  home,  lie  went  to  the  Southwest 
and  his  rise  in  the  railroad  business  was 
rapid  there  owing  to  his  natural  ability, 
carefulness  and  personal  address,  conse- 
quently he  soon  became  conductor  on  the 
Mexican  National  Railroad  in  Old  Mexico, 
holding  this  responsible  position  to  the  satis- 
faction of  the  superior  officials  when  only 
twenty-one  years  old. 

After  following  the  railroad  business  for 
ten  years  he  returned  to  Salem,  Illinois,  in 
1895,  ar>d  nas  been  in  Marion  county  ever 
since.  He  first  launched  in  the  mercantile 
business  in  Patoka,  where  he  was  doing 
nicely  and  building  up  an  excellent  trade, 
when  he  lost  heavily  by  fire  after  two  years 
in  this  line.  Then  he  went  into  the  real 
estate  and  newspaper  business  at  Patoka,  in 
which  he  made  a  success  and  became  known 
as  the  moulder  of  public  thought  and  opin- 
ion. Being  thus  able  and  popular  with  his 
fellow  voters,  he  was  soon  slated  for  local 
political  offices,  and  held  every  township 


office  in  that  township.  He  was  appointed 
Deputy  Sheriff  in  1902  and  served  with 
great  credit  for  a  period  of  four  years.  In- 
deed, all  his  duties  in  an  official  capacity 
were  attended  to  with  the  greatest  alacrity 
and  good  judgment.  He  was  nominated  by 
the  Democrats  in  1906  as  a  candidate  for 
sheriff,  but  was  defeated. 

In  1906  Mr.  Simcox  went  into  the  hard- 
ware business  in  Salem,  in  which  he  re- 
mained for  eight  months,  when  he  sold  out 
to  C.  W.  Vensell,  and  since  then  he  has 
been  interested  in  the  real  estate  business, 
making  a  specialty  of  city  lots  and  booming 
special  sales,  and  his  efforts  have  been 
crowned  with  gratifying  success,  for  he  has 
the  confidence  of  the  public  and  conducts 
his  business  along  safe  and  conservative 
lines. 

Mr.  Simcox  was  united  in  marriage  May 
24,  1896,  to  Florence  Wasem,  of  Patoka, 
the  cultured  and  refined  daughter  of  Jacob 
E.  Wasem,  a  well  known  citizen  of  Patoka. 
Two  bright  and  interesting  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Maude 
Ellen,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  August 
13,  1897,  an(l  Minnie  May,  who  was  born 
November  24,  1903. 

Our  subject  in  his  fraternal  relations  be- 
longs to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  at  Centralia  Lodge  No.  493 ; 
also  the  Marion  Lodge  No.  525,  Knights  of 
Pythias;  also  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  No.  761,  of  Patoka.  He  also  be- 
longs to  the  Order  of  Railway  Telegraphers. 

Our  subject  has  always  taken  a  great  in- 
terest in  political  matters  and  public  affairs, 


iRIXKERHOFF's    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


315 


and  he  was  chairman  of  the  Democratic 
Central  Committee  during  two  campaigns, 
and  he  is  now  a  member  of  the  County  Ex- 
ecutive Democratic  Committee  of  Marion 
county.  In  public  office  he  has  been  found 
most  loyal  to  the  public  good,  and  in  his 
business  affairs  he  is  ever  straight- forward 
and  trustworthy. 


S.  A.  STORMENT. 

The  horologe  of  eternity  has  marked  off 
sixty-eight  years  since  the  birth  of  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  appears  above,  who  has 
chosen  to  remain  in  his  native  county  of 
Marion;  where  his  life  has  been  blessed  with 
success  and  reasonable  comfort.  While  our 
subject  has  lived  to  see  great  changes,  dur- 
ing which  he  was  not  slow  to  take  advan- 
tage of  the  many  and  varied  opportunities 
offered  in  a  business  way,  thereby  laying  up 
an  ample  competence  through  his  relations 
with  agricultural  interests,  he  was  always 
ready  to  do  what  he  could  in  advancing  the 
general  good  of  the  county,  whose  welfare 
he  had  at  heart,  and  his  life  has  been  un- 
selfish, honorable  and  worthily  crowned  by 
success  and  the  esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

S.  A.  Storment  was  bom  near  Kell,  Mar- 
ion county,  Illinois,  January  26,  1840,  the 
son  of  John  and  Margaret  ( Kell)  Storment, 
whose  people  were  natives  of  South  Caro- 
lina. John  Storment  was  a  farmer  and 
country  merchant,  having  made  a  success  of 
both  and  won  the  undivided  respect  of  his 


neighbors.  He  was  called  from  his  earthly 
career  June  I,  1849,  and  his  faithful  life 
companion  has  been  at  rest  some  forty 
years  at  this  writing. 

Our  subject  remembers  when  there  were 
only  three  houses  on  the  great  Romine  Prai- 
rie from  Carter  to  Kell.  It  was  in  such 
times  that  the  father  of  the  subject  settled 
here,  being  one  of  the  pioneers  of  the  coun- 
ty. He  bought  land  for  one  dollar  and  twen- 
ty-five cents  per  acre  from  the  government 
and  he  entered  two  hundred  acres,  which  he 
developed  by  hard  work  and  careful  man- 
agement into  a  very  valuable  farm,  on 
which  he  established  a  comfortable  home. 
Ten  children  were  born  to  the  subject's  par- 
ents, five  of  whom  lived  to  maturity,  the 
others  having  died  in  infancy;  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  being  now  the  only  survivor. 

S.  A.  Storment  spent  his  boyhood  and 
early  manhood  on  the  parental  homestead, 
which  he  worked  during  the  summer  months 
and  attended  the  country  schools  during  the 
bad  weather  of  the  winter,  when  farm  work 
could  not  be  carried  on,  until  he  received  a 
fairly  good  education,  considering  the  prim- 
itive methods  of  schooling  in  those  days. 
When  twenty  years  old  he  began  to  farm 
for  himself  and  bought  a  farm  near  Kell 
consisting  of  eighty  acres,  and  later  pur- 
chased eighty  acres  more,  on  which  he  lived 
for  more  than  twenty  years  and  tilled  the 
same  with  the  greatest  success  attending  his 
efforts.  He  then  sold  his  farm  and  bought 
three  hundred  acres  in  Stevenson  township 
and  resided  upon  the  same  about  twenty-five 
years. 


3i6 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  Storment,  after  laying  up  consider- 
able money  from  his  skillful  farming  opera- 
tions, moved  to  Salem  October  15,  1907, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  leading  an  in- 
active life  and  spending  his  old  age  in  com- 
fort as  the  result  of  his  earlier  years  of  fru- 
gal and  economic  living.  He  still  owns 
eighty  acres  in  Stevenson  township,  having 
sold  the  balance  of  his  land,  a  portion  of 
which  is  now  owned  by  his  children. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  Jan- 
uary 26,  1860,  to  Emily  Harriet  Mount,  a 
daughter  of  William  Mount,  who  came  to 
this  county  from  Wilson  county,  Tennessee. 

The  subject  has  a  family  of  which  any 
one  might  justly  be  proud.  It  consisted  of 
thirteen  in  number,  only  one  of  wThom  is 
now  in  the  silent  land.  They  are  all  com- 
fortably situated  in  reference  to  this  world's 
affairs,  and  all  honorable,  and  have  been 
given  every-  advantage  possible  by  their  fond 
parents,  who  reared  them  in  a  most  whole- 
some home  atmosphere  and  uplifting  influ- 
ences, so  that  they  have  gone  out  to  bless 
humanity  by  their  worthy  and  useful  lives. 
Their  names,  in  order  of  birth  are:  Abigal 
E.  is  the  wife  of  Preston  Watson,  living 
near  Carter,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the  par- 
ents of  these  children,  Albert,  Estell,  John, 
Lawrence,  Lulu,  all  living,  and  Charley, 
Walter  and  Myrtle,  all  deceased:  John  C. 
Storment  lives  in  Pomona,  California,  hav- 
ing married  Mattie  Jeffries,  of  Rockford, 
Illinois,  and  their  family  consists  of  Bertha, 
Frank,  Arthur,  Robert,  all  living,  and  Edna 
and  Harold,  both  deceased ;  W.  S.  Storment 
is  a  successful  real  estate  man  in  Salem,  he 


married  Mollie  Young  and  they  have  the 
following  children :  Hershell,  Irene.  Charles 
M.  Storment,  the  fourth  child,  married  Hat- 
tie  Easley  and  is  living  in  Salem.  Their 
children  are  Otis,  deceased;  Paul  and  Edith, 
living.  Charles  M.  is  proprietor  of  the  East 
Main  Street  Hotel.  .  Mary,  the  fifth  child 
of  the  subject,  is  the  wife  of  John  W.  Har- 
rington, of  Slapout,  Marion  county,  and  the 
mother  of  these  children:  Elmer,  deceased, 
and  May,  living;  Albert  C.  Storment,  who 
married  Maggie  Wade,  has  one  child,  Lov- 
ell,  and  is  living  at  Salem;  Fred  A.  Stor- 
ment, who  married  Carrie  Verner,  is  living 
at  Salem.  They  have  one  child  dead,  Fred 
V.,  and  one  living,  Louise;  Robert  R.  Stor- 
ment is  deceased ;  B.  F.  Storment,  who  mar- 
ried Maggie  Kagy,  has  two  children,  Lo- 
rene  and  Lucille,  is  living  in  St.  Louis.  Ida 
Belle  is  the  wife  of  L.  J.'  Bell,  living  at  Til- 
den,  Illinois,  and  the  mother  of  two  chil- 
dren, Grover  and  Ernest  Bell;  L.  J. 
Storment,  who  married  Jessie  Glick,  has  one 
child,  Eugene  G.,  and  is  living  in  Chicago: 
Nona  is  the  wife  of  Frank  Gaskell,  living 
near  Salem,  Illinois,  and  the  mother  of  these 
children,  Gladys,  Glen,  Fern  and  Roscoe 
Earl ;  Orville  Storment,  who  married  Ma- 
bel Harper  and  is  the  father  of  one  infant 
child,  is  living  at  Tuscola,  this  state. 

Our  subject  was  a  school  director  for  fif- 
teen years  at  Old  Hickory  Hill  school  near 
his  farm  and  of  his  district  in  Stevenson 
township,  and  he  took  an  active  interest  in 
educational  affairs.  He  is  not  a  member  of 
any  lodge  or  church,  but  is  liberal  in  his 
views  and  no  more  honest  or  upright  man 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


317 


than  he  could  be  found  within  the  borders 
of  Marion  county,  where  he  has  spent  his 
long  and  useful  life. 


ROBERT  MARTIN. 

It  is  signally  consonant  that  in  this  work 
be  incorporated  at  least  a  brief  resume  of 
the  life  and  labors  of  Mr.  Martin,  who  has 
long  been  one  of  the  influential  citizens  of 
Marion  county,  and  through  whose  loyal 
efforts  the  city  of  Salem  and  surrounding 
locality  have  reaped  lasting  benefits,  for  his 
exceptional  administrative  capacity  has  been 
directed  along  lines  calculated  to  be  for  the 
general  good.  A  man  of  forceful  individu- 
ality and  marked  initiative  power,  he  has 
been  well  equipped  for  leadership,  while  his 
probity  of  character  and  his  genial  personal- 
ity have  gained  for  him  uniform  esteem  and 
friendship  in  the  city  where  he  has  so  long 
made  his  home,  and  of  which  he  is  regarded 
by  all  classes  as  one  of  its  most  distinguished 
citizens  in  connection  with  the  business 
world. 

Robert  Martin  was  born  in  Estilville,  now 
known  as  Gate  City,  Scott  county,  Virginia, 
April  u,  1839,  the  son  of  John  S.  Martin, 
also  a  native  of  Virginia,  and  a  man  of  rec- 
ognized ability,  being  the  representative  of 
a  fine  old  Southern  family,  noted  for  its 
high  ideals  and  unqualified  hospitality,  his 
ancestry  being  Scotch-Irish.  John  S.  Mar- 
tin was  County  Clerk  for  a  period  of  twenty 
years  or  more,  and  he  held  many  other 


county  offices,  including  a  judgeship,  and  he 
won  universal  praise  for  the  able  manner  in 
which  he  discharged  his  every  duty  to  the 
public.  He  was  called  from  his  earthly 
labors  in  1865  while  living  at  Alma,  this 
county.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was  a 
Stewart  before  her  marriage,  a  woman  of 
rare  mental  equipoise  and  culture;  she 
passed  to  her  rest  soon  after  the  family 
came  to  Illinois  in  1846. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  boyhood  on 
his  parental  farm  at  Alma,  having  been  only 
five  years  old  when  the  family  came  here. 
He  attended  school  at  Alma  and  Salem.  He 
also  attended  the  Southern  Illinois  Female 
College  at  Salem,  which  institution  ceased 
to  exist  soon  after  the  war.  He  gained  a 
liberal  education  which  has  stood  him  in 
such  good  hand  during  his  long  and  emi- 
nently active  and  successful  business  career. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  those  loyal  sons 
of  the  North,  who,  when  the  tocsin  of  war 
sounded  calling  loyal  sons  to  defend  the 
old  flag,  offered  his  services,  enlisting  in 
Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  one  of  the  fa- 
mous regiments  of  the  state,  which  was  or- 
ganized at  Salem.  Mr.  Martin  was  then 
twenty-one  years  old.  The  company  left 
Salem  and  went  to  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
and  from  there  to  Paducah,  that  state,  later 
to  Pulaski,  Tennessee,  and  from  there 
marched  to  Chattanooga,  where  it  united 
with  Sherman's  army  and  remained  with  the 
same  through  its  historic  march  to  the  sea, 
and  also  its  strenuous  campaigns,  having 
participated  in  the  battles  at  Atlanta  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


many  other  notable  engagements.  After  re- 
maining with  him  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
he  took  part  in  the  grand  review  at  Wash- 
ington City,  after  a  very  commendable  ser- 
vice of  three  years.  He  was  mustered  out 
at  Springfield,  Illinois,  where  he  came  soon 
after  the  review  in  Washington. 

After  his  career  in  the  army,  Mr.  Martin 
launched  in  the  grocery  business  at  Salem, 
in  which  he  remained  for  one  year,  when  he 
sold  out  and  went  into  the  more  lucrative 
grain  and  lumber  business,  in  which  he  has 
been  engaged  for  a  period  of  forty-one  years 
during  which  time  an  enormous  volume  of 
business  has  passed  through  his  hands,  and 
he  has  become  widely  known  as  one  of  the 
leading  men  in  these  lines  in  Southern  Illi- 
nois, being  recognized  by  the  leading  dealers 
throughout  this  and  adjoining  states  as  well 
as  remote  parts  of  the  country  as  a  man  of 
the  highest  business  integrity  and  acumen. 
He  is  still  conducting  a  large  lumber  yard, 
and  carries  on  a  very  extensive  and  thriving 
business,  numbering  his  customers  by  the 
thousands,  not  only  from  Salem  and  vicin- 
ity, but  throughout  the  county  and  to  remote 
parts  of  the  country.  He  owns  a  beautiful, 
modern  and  well  furnished  residence  in  one 
of  the  most  desirable  portions  of  Salem. 

Our  subject  was  happily  married  in  1867 
to  Alice  Scott,  a  native  of  Vincennes,  In- 
diana, a  woman  of  affable  personality  and 
rare  refinement,  the  daughter  of  a  highly 
respected  and  influential  family.  Three 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  one 
of  whom  has  passed  away.  They  are: 
Mabel  Dora,  the  wife  of  W.  H.  Farsons,  of 


Salem;  C.  C.  Martin,  of  Salem,  and  John 
Lewis  Martin,  formerly  of  Salem,  now  de- 
ceased. 

These  children  received  every  possible  at- 
tention from  their  parents,  being  given  good 
educations  and  careful  home  training. 

Mr.  Martin  assisted  in  the  organization 
and  became  one  of  the  first  directors  and 
stockholders  in  the  Salem  State  Bank.  He 
is  also  a  director  of  the  Salem  Building  and 
Loan  Association,  and  his  sound  judgment 
and  able  advice  is  always  carefully  weighed 
by  the  other  members  of  these  organizations 
in  their  deliberations,  for  Mr.  Martin  has  a 
reputation  among  local  business  men  for 
remarkable  foresight  into  all  business  propo- 
sitions. Having  always  been  interested  in 
educational  affairs,  he  served  as  a  member 
and  also  as  president  of  the  School  Board 
of  Salem  for  several  years,  but  he  is  not  at 
present  connected  with  the  board,  but  during 
the  time  that  he  was  the  schools  of  Salem 
were  greatly  strengthened. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Martin  is  a 
member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Woodmen.  He  has  been  a  faithful  and 
consistent  member  of  the  Methodist  church 
since  he  was  thirteen  vears  old. 


GEORGE  S.  RAINEY,  M.  D. 

Good  intellectual  training,  thorough  pro- 
fessional knowledge  and  the  possession  and 
utilization  of  the  qualities  and  attributes  es- 
sential to  success,  have  made  the  subject  of 


JRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


319 


this  review  eminent  in  his  chosen  calling, 
and  he  stands  today  among  the  enterprising 
and  successful  physicians  in  a  community 
noted  for  its  high  order  of  medical  talent, 
while  at  the  same  time  he  has  won  the  con- 
fidence and  esteem  of  the  people  of  Marion 
and  adjoining  counties  for  his  upright  life 
and  genial  disposition. 

Dr.  George  S.  Rainey  was  born  in  Salem, 
Illinois,  May  18,  1849,  and  he  is  the 
son  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robert  Rainey, 
Scotch-Irish  people  of  the  best  ancestry  as 
far  back  as  it  can  be  traced.  The  father  was 
a  Kentuckian,  who  came  to  Illinois  as  early 
as  1832,  settling  in  Marion  county  on  a  farm 
which  he  transformed  from  a  practically 
wild  tract  to  a  highly  improved  and  produc- 
tive farm.  When  the  doctor  was  two  years 
old,  his  father  moved  on  a  farm  near  Wal- 
nut Hill,  Marion  county.  He  was  a  man  of 
many  sterling  qualities,  like  those  of  most 
pioneers,  and  he  became  a  man  of  consider- 
able influence  in  this  county,  being  known 
as  an  honest  and  worthy  citizen  in  every 
respect.  He  was  called  from  his  earthly 
labors  in  1868.  The  subject's  mother,  a 
woman  of  praiseworthy  character,  was 
known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Margaret 
Cunningham,  and  was  also  a  native  of  Ken- 
tucky; her  father,  a  man  of  unusual  forti- 
tude and  sterling  character,  moved  to  Illi- 
nois in  1824.  Seven  children  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Robert  Rainey  died  in  infancy.  Their 
other  children  are:  Dr.  J.  K.  Rainey,  the 
oldest  child,  died  in  Florida;  Matthew  was 
a  surgeon  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  in  the  Union 


Army,  and  was  the  first  soldier  from  Marion 
county  to  fall  in  the  Civil  war,  having  lost 
his  life  at  the  battle  of  Bellmont  while  a 
member  of  the  Twenty-second  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry;  Dr.  A.  H.  Rainey,  of  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  was  a  mere  lad  during  the 
war  between  the  states,  but  he  felt  it  his 
duty  to  sever  home  ties  and  offer  his  services 
in  defense  of  the  flag,  consequently  he  en- 
listed in  the  Thirty-ninth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  when  he  lacked  two  months  of 
being  sixteen  years  old,  but  his  bravery  and 
gallantry  were  equal  to  that  of  the  oldest 
veteran  in  the  regiment.  He  served  in  the 
campaign  around  Petersburg,  Richmond, 
and  was  at  the  surrender  of  Lee  at  Appa- 
mattox,  thus  being  in  some  of  the  bloodiest 
engagements  of  the  war.  After  receiving 
an  honorable  discharge  he  returned  home 
and  assisted  his  father  with  the  farm. work, 
attending  the  neighboring  schools,  complet- 
ing the  high  school  course  at  Salem,  stand- 
ing in  the  front  rank  of  his  class,  for  he 
was  a  diligent  student  and  made  the  best  use 
possible  of  his  time.  Believing  that  his  tal- 
ents lay  along  medical  lines  he  began  study- 
ing for  a  career  as  a  physician.  He 
graduated  in  medicine  in  1875  at  the  Louis- 
ville Medical  College.  He  at  once  began 
practice  in  Salem,  his  success  being  instan- 
taneous, and  he  has  been  here  ever  since, 
having  always  had  a  very  large  practice  in 
this  vicinity  and  throughout  the  county. 

Dr.  Rainey  has  taken  a  post-graduate 
course  in  the  New  York  Polyclinic  Institute 
of  Physicians  and  Surgeons,  having  spent 


320 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  winter  of  1888  in  the  school  just  men- 
tioned. Dr.  Rainey  has  also  taken  special 
courses  in  medical  colleges  in  St.  Louis  and 
Chicago,  consequently  he  is  today  and  has 
been  for  many  years  at  the  head  of  his  pro- 
fession, being  so  recognized  by  the  eminent 
practitioners  of  medicine  in  other  parts  of 
Illinois.  He  has  also  been  connected  with 
the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  and  Chicago  &  East- 
ern Illinois  railroads  as  surgeon  ever  since 
he  has  been  in  practice. 

The  subject  has  been  a  member  of  the 
United  States  Pension  Board  of  Salem  for 
twenty-five  years.  The  doctor  is  at  all 
times  patriotic  and  ever  ready  to  serve  his 
country,  consequently  when  the  war  with 
Spain  broke  out  he  offered  his  services  and 
was  commissioned  a  surgeon  in  the  United 
States  army,  but  the  war  terminated  before 
he  saw  active  service. 

Doctor  Rainey's  happy  and  tranquil  do- 
mestic life  dates  from  1878,  when  he  was 
married  to  May  McMackin,  the  cultured 
and  accomplished  daughter  of  Col.  W. 
E.  McMackin  of  the  Twenty-first  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  Colonel  McMackin 
was  for  many  years  one  of  the  best  known 
and  most  influential  men  in  his  community. 

To  doctor  and  Mrs.  Rainey  one  son  has 
been  born,  Warren  R.,  who,  in  1908,  is  a 
student  in  the  medical  department  of  the 
Northwestern  University  at  Chicago,  where 
he  is  making  an  excellent  record. 

Doctor  Rainey  is  the  owner  of  a  large  and 
fine  fruit  farm  which  is  very  valuable,  and 
he  takes  a  great  interest  in  it  and  horticul- 
tural subjects,  devoting  considerable  time 


to  the  culture  of  fine  fruits.  He  has  been  in 
general  practice  ever  since  his  graduation, 
and  as  indicated  above,  not  only  stands  high 
in  his  immediate  community  but  also  with 
his  fellow  practitioners  at  large,  being  a 
member  of  the  County,  State  and  National 
Medical  Association,  also  of  the  American 
Railway  Surgeons  of  America. 

Fraternally  he  is  a  loyal  member  of  the 
Masonic  Order  and  carries  out  its  sublime 
doctrines  in  his  relations  with  his  fellow 
men.  He  is  a  Presbyterian  in  his  religious 
faith,  and  in  politics  he  is  a  stanch  advocate 
of  the  principles  and  policies  of  the  Repub- 
lican party,  with  which  he  has  always  been 
affiliated.  Though  never  animated  with 
ambition  for  political  preferment  he  has  ever 
lent  his  aid  in  furthering  the  party  cause, 
and  is  well  fortified  in  his  political  convic- 
tions, while  he  is  at  all  times  public-spirited 
to  an  extent  of  loyalty. 


JOHN  B.  CONANT. 

This  venerable  pioneer  and  representative 
agriculturist  of  Kinmundy  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  has  lived  on  the  farm 
which  is  now  his  home  practically  all  his  life, 
and  thus  he  has  witnessed  and  taken  part  in 
the  development  of  this  section  of  the  state 
from  a  sylvan  wild  to  its  present  status  as 
an  opulent  agricultural  and  industrial  com- 
munity. He  early  began  to  contribute  to  the 
work  of  clearing  and  improving  the  land  of 
its  primitive  forests,  later  assisted  in  estab- 


MR.  AND  MRS.  J.  B.  CONANT. 


Of  THE 

0<   . 


'NOIS, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


321 


lishing  schools  and  better  public  improve- 
ments and  facilities,  while  his  course  has 
been  so  directed  as  to  retain  for  him  the  un- 
qualified approval  and  esteem  of  the  com- 
munity in  which  he  has  so  long  made  his 
home,  until  today  he  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  substantial  and  influential  citizens 
of  the  township,  deserving  of  the  greatest 
credit  from  the  fact  that  he  began  life  un- 
aided and  without  the  tender  guidance  of 
parents,  being  compelled  to  go  it  alone  from 
early  childhood,  but  such  stern  discipline, 
somewhat  unpleasant  and  regrettable,  was 
not  without  its  value,  for  it  fostered  in  the 
lad  an  independent  spirit  and  gave  him  that 
fortitude  and  courage  that  has  made  for  sub- 
sequent success. 

John  B.  Conant  is  a  native  of  this  county, 
having  been  born  here  February  17,  1839, 
the  son  of  Airs  Conant,  who  came  to  Mas- 
sachusetts from  England,  there  being  three 
brothers  of  the  Conant  family  on  the  ship, 
one  of  whom  settled  in  Baltimore,  another 
in  the  North  and  one,  Airs  Conant,  went  to 
Georgia  and  joined  the  United  States  army 
for  the  purpose  of  taking  part  in  the  War  of 
1812,  having  fought  faithfully  throughout 
the  struggle,  being  wounded  in  the  hand. 
After  the  war  he  returned  to  Georgia,  where 
he  settled,  and  married  Polly  Pepper,  to 
which  union  eleven  children  were  born,  John 
B.  Conant  being  the  youngest  son.  Airs  Co- 
nant and  wife  moved  to  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois in  an  early  day  while  the  country  was 
still  a  wilderness.  He  partly  improved  sev- 
en different  farms,  selling  each  and  moved 
to  Missouri,  pre-empting  all  the  land  he  had 
21 


from  the  government.  All  the  members  of 
this  pioneer  family  have  passed  away  with 
the  exception  of  our  subject. 

The  father  of  our  subject  also  taught 
school  in  Marion  county,  having  been  hired 
to  teach  a  subscription  school  four  miles 
from  home,  the  first  term  lasting  three 
months,  the  second  term  being  of  the  same 
duration;  however,  he  taught  only  one 
month  on  the  second  term,  when  he  stopped 
to  put  out  a  crop  of  corn.  He  worked  too 
hard  and  drank  too  much  water  while  over- 
heated, which  caused  his  death  in  less  than 
a  week,  leaving  a  large  famaily  to  struggle 
with  the  wilderness  and  the  clearing  of  a 
new  country.  The  mother  of  our  subject 
also  passed  away  one  week  after  her  hus- 
band's death,  leaving  John  B.,  then  eight 
years  old,  to  live  with  his  older  brother,  Wil- 
liam, with  whom  he  remained  until  he  was 
fourteen  years  old,  at  which  time  he  chose 
his  own  guardian,  Mark  Cole,  who  cared 
for  our  subject  in  a  manly  and  fatherly  man- 
ner and  procured  a  land  warrant  for  him, 
but  the  land  was  afterward  sold  for  the  lack 
of  payment  of  one  hundred  dollars. 

Our  subject's  early  education  was  limited 
to  the  district  schools,  his  first  school  having 
been  taught  by  his  father,  but  he  is  well  ed- 
ucated and  he  has  always  been  a  most  suc- 
cessful farmer,  beginning  life  with  nothing, 
as  before  stated,  he  wisely  applied  his  energy 
and  managed  his  affairs  with  that  foresight 
and  discrimination  that  always  brings  suc- 
cess, and  his  farm  properly  consists  of  sev- 
en hundred  acres  of  as  fine  land  as  is  to  be 
found  in  this  locality.  However,  it  has  been 


322 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


divided  up  and  apportioned  among  his  chil- 
dren, there  now  being  ( 1908)  one  hundred 
and  ninety-three  acres  in  the  home  place, 
which  are  kept  in  a  high  state  of  cultiva- 
tion and  well  improved,  showing  that  a  man 
of  thrift  and  excellent  executive  ability  has 
had  the  management  of  it.  He  lives  in  a 
modern,  substantial  and  very  comfortable 
dwelling,  surrounded  by  convenient  out- 
buildings, and  everything  denotes  prosperity 
about  the  place. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  Atkins  on  April  n,  1861,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Atkins,  natives  of 
Georgia  and  Tennessee,  respectively,  and  to 
this  union  the  following  children  have  been 
born,  named  in  order  of  birth :  Fannie,  who 
married  Isem  Lansford  and  had  four  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  is  living;  Ayers  married 
Maggie  Door  and  has  four  children,  all  liv- 
ing; Polly  married  Noble  Neeper  and  is  the 
mother  of  eight  children,  all  living ;  Mar- 
garette  married  Guy  Neeper  and  has  one  liv- 
ing child ;  EH  married  Vinda  Owens  and  has 
six  living  children;  Ida  married  Mel  Gray 
and  has  three  living  children,  one  having 
died;  Martha  married  Francis  Reese  and 
has  one  child ;  May,  Emmet,  Hulda  and 
Ruhe  are  all  deceased;  Ira  is  married  to 
Hattie  Hoovey  and  has  one  child. 

Politically  Mr.  Conant  is  a  Democrat  and 
he  has  been  School  Director  in  his  township, 
also  Road  Overseer.  In  religious  matters  he 
subscribes  to  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
faith,  although  he  was  reared  a  Methodist, 
to  which  creed  his  father  adhered. 

Our  subject  is  at  this  writing  sixty-nine 


years  old  and  is  well  preserved,  being  in 
fairly  good  health.  As  the  architect  of  his 
own  fortunes  he  has  builded  wisely  and  well 
and  the  success  that  crowns  his  efforts  is 
well  merited.  He  is  broad-minded,  liberal, 
progressive,  public  spirited  and  is  well 
known  and  highly  respected  in  the  commu- 
nity which  has  been  his  home  for  so  many 
years  and  where  he  has  done  so  much  faith- 
ful work,  which  has  resulted  in  good  not 
only  to  himself  and  family,  but  also  to  his 
neighbors  and  the  community  at  large. 


WILLIAM  JASPER  YOUNG. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  review 
is  among  the  pioneer  farmers  of  luka  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  where  he  has  long 
maintained  his  home,  being  one  of  the  na- 
tive sons  of  the  county  who  have  done  so 
much  to  develop  Marion  in  all  her  phases 
until  she  ranks  with  the  leading  counties 
of  the  great  Prairie  state,  and  now  in  the 
golden  evening  of  his  life  this  venerable 
citizen  is  enjoying  the  fruits  of  a  well  spent 
life  and  the  esteem  of  a  wide  circle  of 
friends. 

William  Jasper  Young  was  born  in  Mar- 
ion county,  Illinois,  June  21,  1826,  in  Cen- 
tralia  township,  the  son  of  Edward  and 
Sarah  C.  (Duncan)  Young,  the  former  a 
native  of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Ten- 
nessee. Edward  Young  grew  up  in  Vir- 
ginia, and  when  he  reached  maturity  he 
moved  to  Kentuckv.  later  came  to  Indiana 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


323 


and  prior  to  1826  settled  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois.  He  was  a  plasterer  and  bricklayer, 
and  he  made  his  home  in  several  different 
places  after  coming  to  Illinois,  among  them 
being  Alton,  St.  Louis,  Belleville,  Centralia 
and  Salem.  Later  in  life  he  settled  on  the 
farm.  Edward  Young  was  born  June  8, 
1803,  and  died  June  9,  1876.  He  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Black  Hawk  war.  He  was, 
early  in  life,  a  Democrat,  and  he  cut  down 
the  first  Whig  pole  ever  erected  in  Salem. 
However,  he  later  became  a  Republican. 
These  children  were  bom  to  Edward  Young 
and  wife,  as  follows:  Lysander  Franklin, 
William  Jasper,  our  subject;  Julia  Ann,  de- 
ceased; Letta  Jane,  deceased;  James,  de- 
ceased; Harriet,  deceased;  Edward,  living 
in  Minnesota ;  Sarah  also  lives  in  Minnesota. 

Sarah  C.  Duncan,  mother  of  the  subject, 
was  born  July  22,  1808,  and  died  November 
9,  1886.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  beau- 
tiful traits  of  character. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  worked  on  his 
father's  farm  from  the  time  he  was  old 
enough  to  work,  and  he  has  followed  farm- 
ing all  his  life.  In  1852  he  came  to  his 
present  farm  in  luka  township,  Marion 
county,  having  bought  a  part  of  it  from  the 
government  or  state.  At  that  time  the  for- 
ests abounded  in  much  wild  game,  such  as 
deer,  wolves,  wild  turkey.  He  has  seen 
many  a  herd  of  deer  from  his  cabin  door. 
He  cleared  up  the  land  and  now  has  a  model 
farm  and  modern  farm  buildings,  all  well 
kept,  and  his  home  is  nicely  and  comfort- 
ably furnished.  A  glance  over  his  well 


tilled  and  well  fenced  fields  is  sufficient  to 
show  that  he  is  a  man  of  thrift  and  rare 
soundness  of  judgment.  He  has  in  all  about 
three  hundred  acres,  but  he  now  rents  out 
the  land  and  is  practically  retired.  He  han- 
dles some  good  stock  of  various  varieties. 

April  13,  1847,  Mr.  Young  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Sarah  J.  Songer,  who  was 
born  in  Washington  county,  Indiana,  Au- 
gust 7,  1828,  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Jane  (Helm)  Songer,  natives  of  Virginia, 
but  they  came  to  Washington  county,  In- 
diana, when  young  and  married  there,  and 
in  1828  came  to  Clay  county,  Illinois,  where 
they  lived  for  a  time.  In  1835  they  came 
to  Marion  county,  settling  in  Omega  town- 
ship, where  they  farmed  and  where  they 
died.  They  were  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church. 

Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  namely:  Amanda  Elmira 
died  in  childhood;  Marcus  D.  married 
Sarah  Bobbett  and  they  have  two  children. 
Franklin  and  Ada;  Mary  E.  is  the  wife  of 
George  Cox,  of  Salem,  Illinois;  Emily  El- 
vina  is  the  wife  of  William  Robinson,  a 
farmer  living  in  luka  township,  and  she  is 
the  mother  of  two  children,  Ernest  Roy  and 
Flo;  Eliza  Alice,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of 
Perry  Cox  and  she  left  two  children.  Wil- 
liam Jasper  and  George;  Jennie  is  the  wife 
of  Grant  Bumgarner,  who  lives  in  Texas; 
Douglas  married  Irena  Buffington  and  they 
have  two  children,  Charles  and  Ruth ;  Paul 
married  Martha  Criffield ;  Fred  married 
Elva  Wooden  and  thev  have  three  children, 


324 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Pearl.  Winafred  and  Verl :  the  tenth  and 
eleventh  children  of  the  subject  died  un- 
named. 

Our  subject  has  three  great-grandchil- 
dren. He  and  his  good  wife  are  now  both 
more  than  eighty  years  old  and  are  remark- 
ably bright  and  active  people  for  their  years 
and  considering  the  long  years  of  hard  work 
they  both  have  done.  Their  happy,  pros- 
perous and  harmonious  wedded  life  extends 
over  sixty  years  of  time  and  they  have  cele- 
brated their  golden  wedding  anniversary. 
They  are  among  the  highly  respected  and 
prominent  citizens  of  the  county  and  greatly 
admired  and  beloved  by  everyone  who 
knows  them.  Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Demo- 
crat. He  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  at  luka.  They 
have  always  contributed  liberally  to  church 
work,  also  have  helped  out  school  work  and 
all  kinds  of  public  enterprises.  Fraternally 
Mr.  Young  has  belonged  to  the  Masons 
since  1863. 

Mr.  Young  was  one  of  the  brave  and 
patriotic  supporters  of  the  Union  who  of- 
fered his  services  and  his  life  in  its 
defense  during  the  War  of  the  Re- 
bellion, having  enlisted  in  Company 
E,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  August  8,  1862, 
and  served  in  a  most  gallant  manner  until 
the  close  of  the  war.  He  was  mustered  in 
at  Salem,  Illinois,  and  mustered  out  in 
Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  and  dis- 
charged at  Springfield,  Illinois.  He  was  in 
the  Second  Brigade, .  Second  Division,  Fif- 
teenth Army  Corps,  under  General  John  A. 


Logan.  He  first  did  post  duty  at  Columbus, 
Ohio,  awhile,  and  then,  in  1864,  joined 
Sherman  in  his  campaign  about  Atlanta, 
and  wasi  in  the  first  battle  of  Resaca  and  in 
the  last  battle  of  Shiloh.  He  also  fought  at 
Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain  and  Atlanta;  in 
fact,  he  was  in  all  the  fighting  around  At- 
lanta. The  last  hard  fight  he  was  in  was  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia.  He  was  taken  prisoner 
in  front  of  Atlanta  July  22,  1864,  and  after 
being  transferred  to  various  prisons  in  the 
South  for  a  period  of  seven  months,  was 
finally  paroled  and  later  exchanged  at  Wil- 
mington, North  Carolina. 

Mr.  Young  has  always  been  a  man  of  in- 
dustry and  he  has  honestly  made  what  he 
has,  having  been  a  hard  worker  and  a  good 
manager.  He  has  led  a  life  of  which  no  one 
might  be  ashamed  in  any  way,  for  it  has 
been  one  of  sobriety  and  filled  with  good 
deeds. 


JUDGE  JOHN  S.  STONECIPHER. 

No  history  of  Marion  county  could  be 
consistent  with  itself  were  there  failure  to 
make  specific  mention  of  the  honored  pio- 
neer family  of  which  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  a  worthy  scion,  and  no  better  or 
rnqre  significant  evidence  as  to  the  long 
identification  of  the  name  with  the  annals  of 
this  section  of  the  state  can  be  offered  than 
implied  in  the  simple  statement  that  the  rec- 
ord of  this  interesting  and  representative 
family  has  been  one  of  highest  honor  for  a 
period  of  sixty-five  years  to  the  time  of  this 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


325 


writing.  The  subject  has  passed  his  entire 
life  in  Marion  county,  and  has  ably  upheld 
the  high  prestige  of  the  honored  name  which 
he  bears.  He  is  one  of  the  prominent  and 
influential  representatives  of  the  legal  and 
industrial  world  of  the  county,  and  it  is  with 
much  satisfaction  that  we  offer  in  this  work 
a  review  of  his  genealogical  and  personal 
history. 

Judge  John  S.  Stonecipher,  like  scores  of 
our  best  citizens  in  every  line  of  endeavor, 
was  born  on  a  farm,  the  old  homestead  be- 
ing located  about  ten  miles  southeast  of 
Salem,  his  birth  occurring  on  July  7,  1868. 
His  father  was  Samuel  Stonecipher,  a  Ten- 
nesseean  who  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, about  1843,  having  successfully  fol- 
lowed agricultural  pursuits  and  became  a 
man  of  considerable  influence  in  his  com- 
munity. He  here  erected  a  primitive  dwell- 
ing which  was  the  family  domicile  for  a 
number  of  years.  The  tales  of  the  pioneer 
days  have  been  often  told,  and  it  is  needless 
to  here  recapitulate  the  same,  for  privations, 
vicissitudes  and  strenuous  labors  of  the  early 
settlers  have  been  so  recorded  as  to  make 
special  mention  superfluous,  though  it  is  well 
in  such  connection  to  refer  to  those  who 
lived  and  labored  so  earnestly  in  laying  the 
foundation  for  the  opulent  prosperity  which 
marks  this  favored  section  of  the  state  at 
the  present  time.  Samuel  Stonecipher  was 
called  from  his  earthly  labors  in  1898.  while 
living  on  a  farm  in  Haines  township,  two 
and  one-half  miles  east  of  old  Foxville.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  Susan  (Ross) 
Stonecipher,  also  a  native  of  Tennessee  who 


passed  to  her  rest  when  Judge  Stonecipher 
was  one  and  one-half  years  old.  Eight  chil- 
dren were  born  to  the  union  of  Samuel  and 
Susan  Stonecipher,  four  of  whom  are  living 
in  1908.  These  are,  besides  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  Alexander,  a  farmer  in  Haines 
township,  Marion  county;  Joseph  C,  a  far- 
mer in  southeastern  Kansas;  M.  C.,  a  Pres- 
byterian minister  at  Troy  Grove,  Illinois. 
Samuel  Stonecipher,  father  of  the  subject, 
was  three  times  married.  His  first  wife  was 
a  Miss  Henderson ;  the  second  a  Miss  Ross, 
mother  of  the  subject;  and  the  third  was 
Mary  Chance,  who  died  three  months  after 
her  husband's  death. 

Grandfather  Stonecipher  reached  almost 
the  unprecedented  age  of  one  hundred  and 
ten  years.  He  was  reared  in  Knox  county, 
Tennessee. 

Judge  Stonecipher  was  reared  on  the 
parental  farm,  and  after  attending  the 
country  schools  he  entered  Ewing  College 
in  Franklin  county,  Illinois,  where  he  made 
a  brilliant  record  for  both  scholarship  and 
deportment,  taking  a  two  years'  general 
course.  He  then  attended  the  Southern  Illi- 
nois Normal  School  for  two  years,  and  be- 
gan teaching  school,  which  he  continued  for 
three  successful  terms,  but  believing  that  his 
true  life  work  lay  in  another  channel  he  be- 
gan reading  law  with  Judge  John  B.  Kagy, 
of  Salem.  After  reading  law  for  one  year 
he  attended  the  Valparaiso  University,  law 
department,  for  one  year,  in  which  he  made 
rapid  progress.  He  was  admitted  to  the 
bar  at  Salem  in  1891  and  began  practice 
soon  afterward.  His  success  was  instanta- 


326 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


neous,  and  his  friends  were  not  mistaken  in 
their  prediction  that  the  future  held  many 
honors  in  store  for  him.  He  was  early  in 
life  singled  out  for  political  preferment  and 
served  as  Deputy  Sheriff  from  1889  to  1890, 
while  reading  law.  He  has  ably  served  two 
terms  as  City  Attorney  of  Salem,  and  was 
Master  in  Chancery  for  four  years,  from 
1896  to  1900,  having  first  been  appointed 
by  Judge  Burroughs,  and  later  by  Judge 
Dwight.  In  1906  our  subject  had  attained 
such  general  popularity  in  the  legal  world 
that  he  was  elected  Judge  of  Marion  county 
on  the  Democratic  ticket  in  which  capacity 
he  is  still  serving  in  1908,  with  entire  satis- 
faction to  his  constituents  and  all  concerned. 
He  was  chairman  of  the  Democratic  County 
Central  Committee  at  the  time  of  his  elec- 
tion to  the  judgeship.  He  was  selected  as 
alternate  to  the  Democratic  national  conven- 
tion held  in  St.  Louis  in  1904.  Having 
become  so  well  known  in  the  political  arena 
of  his  native  community  the  judge  will 
doubtless  be  honored  by  many  other  offices 
of  public  trust  by  his  party  in  the  future. 

Judge  Stonecipher  has  been  equally  suc- 
cessful in  industrial  affairs,  being  something 
of  a  wizard  in  organizing,  promoting  and 
carrying  to  successful  issues  various  lines  of 
business,  and  it  is  due  to  his  clear  brain, 
well  grounded  judgment  and  indomitable 
energy  that  many  of  Marion  county's  suc- 
cessful industrial  institutions  owe  their  ex- 
istence. At  present  he  is  vice-president  of 
the  Salem  State  Bank,  president  of  the 
Salem  Box  Company,  the  leading  manufac- 
turing enterprise  of  Salem;  he  is  also  trus- 


tee of  the  Sandoval  Coal  and  Mining  Com- 
pany, now  bankrupt,  a  large  and  important 
trusteeship.  He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the 
Salem  National  Bank  and  a  director  of  the 
Salem  Building  and  Loan  Association.  He 
was  chairman  of  the  building  committee  that 
built  the  new  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
in  Salem,  one  of  the  finest  in  Illinois,  and  it 
was  largely  due  to  his  energy  and  keen  busi- 
ness sagacity  that  this  handsome  structure, 
which  will  ever  be  a  monument  to  his  mem- 
ory as  well  as  a  pride  and  splendid  adver- 
tisement to  the  city  of  Salem,  assumed 
definite  form. 

Fraternally  Judge  Stonecipher  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the 
Woodmen.  He  has  occupied  the  chairs  in 
the  Odd  Fellows,  and  his  daily  life  would 
indicate  that  he  believes  in  carrying  out  the 
noble  precepts  advocated  by  these  praise- 
worthy orders. 

Judge  Stonecipher's  domestic  life  dates 
from  August  17,  1904,  when  he  was  hap- 
pily married  to  Amy  Bachman,  the  refined 
and  cultured  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  A. 
H.  Bachman,  the  latter  the  well  known  and 
influential  president  of  the  Salem  National 
Bank.  Mrs.  Stonecipher  received  a  good 
education,  having  applied  herself  diligently 
to  her  educational  work  and  the  success  of 
her  worthy  life  companion  is  due  in  no  small 
measure  to  the  encouragement  and  sympa- 
thy of  this  most  estimable  woman,  who  pre- 
sides over  her  model  and  harmonious 
household  with  grace  and  dignity. 

Two  bright  and  interesting  children  have 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


327 


blessed  the  home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stone- 
cipher  with  cheer  and  sunshine.  They  are: 
Frank  G.,  born  July  8,  1905,  and  Maude 
Louise,  born  July  24,  1907. 

Judge  Stonecipher  has  been  very  success- 
ful in  both  his  business  and  political  life.  He 
is  regarded  as  a  man  of  exceptional  sound- 
ness of  judgment,  and  when  his  name  is 
connected  with  any  business  institution  the 
public  knows  that  the  same  is  sound  and 
does  not  hesitate  to  place  its  funds  at  his 
disposal,  whether  it  be  in  a  banking  institu- 
tion or  manufacturing  enterprise. 


J.  E.  CASTLE. 

Those  who  belong  to  the  respectable  mid- 
dle classes  of  society,  being  early  taught  the 
necessity  of  relying  upon  their  own  exer- 
tions, will  be  more  apt  to  acquire  that 
information  and  those  business  habits  which 
alone  can  fit  them  for  the  discharge  of  life's 
duties,  and,  indeed,  it  has  long  been  a  no- 
ticeable fact  that  our  great  men  in  nearly 
all  walks  of  life  in  America  spring  from 
this  class.  The  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose 
life  history  we  herewith  delineate  is  a  worthy 
representative  of  the  class  from  which  the 
true  noblemen  of  the  Republic  spring. 

J.  E.  Castle  was  born  in  Gallipolis,  Ohio, 
in  1845,  the  son  of  George  W.  Castle,  also 
a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  where  he  was 
born  in  Zanesville  in  that  conspicuous  year 
in  American  history,  1812.  He  came  to 
Illinois  with  his  family  in  1861,  settling  at 
Salem.  By  profession  he  was  a  contractor 


and  builder,  but  he  was  in  the  drug  business 
while  in  Salem,  and  was  also  interested  in 
farming,  however,  he  did  some  contracting 
here,  and  in  all  made  a  success,  for  he  was 
a  man  of  much  business  ability.  While  a 
resident  of  Ohio  he  was  for  some  time  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  having  always  taken 
considerable  interest  in  political  and  public 
affairs.  He  was  called  from  his  earthly  la- 
bors in  1872  after  an  active  and  useful  life. 

George  Washington  Castle  was  the  sub- 
ject's grandfather,  of  Irish  ancestry.  He 
was  loyal  to  the  American  government  and 
was  a  captain  of  a  company  in  the  War  of 
1812,  having  met  his  death  while  gallantly 
leading  a  battalion  of  volunteers  at  Fort 
Erie  in  1812,  the  same  year  the  father  of 
our  subject  was  born,  as  already  indicated. 
The  original  Castle  family  is  related  to  the 
Newtons,  a  prominent  and  influential  family 
of  Cincinnati,  Ohio.  Grandfather  Castle's 
family  consisted  of  three  children,  two  sons 
and  one  daughter. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  known  in 
her  maidenhood  as  Eliza  Bing,  a  native  of 
Gallia  county,  Ohio,  her  people  being  natives 
of  the  Buckeye  state.  She  was  a  woman  of 
many  praiseworthy  traits,  and  she  was 
united  in  marriage  with  George  W.  Castle 
about  1832.  She  was  called  to  her  rest  in 
1858  while  living  at  Gallipolis,  Ohio.  Six 
children  constituted  the  family  of  this 
couple;  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  only  sur- 
vivor. The  names  of  these  children  follow 
in  order  of  their  birth :  Dr.  W.  H.,  who 
died  in  St.  Louis  in  1882;  Captain  George 
E.,  who  died  in  Salem,  Illinois,  in  1887; 


328 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Eva  M.,  who  died  at  Tonti,  Marion  county, 
June  30,  1903 ;  Dr.  Charles  E.,  who  died  at 
Great  Bend,  Kansas,  in  1897;  John  E.  died 
at  Gallipolis,  Ohio,  in  1859,  when  eight 
years  old;  J.  E.,  our  subject,  was  the  fourth 
in  order  of  birth. 

J.  E.  Castle  spent  his  boyhood  in  Gal- 
lipolis, Ohio,  where  he  attended  the  public 
schools  and  received  in  part  a  good  educa- 
tion, for  he  was  always  an  ambitious  lad  and 
applied  himself  in  a  commendable  manner  to 
his  text-books.  He  came  to  Salem,  Illinois, 
in  1 86 1,  and  in  the  spring  of  1862,  immedi- 
ately after  the  battle  of  Shiloh,  he  enlisted 
in  the  Union  army,  believing  that  it  was  the 
duty  of  loyal  citizens  of  the  Republic  to 
sever  home  ties  and  do  what  they  could  in 
saving  the  nation's  integrity.  He  was  in 
the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps  under  John  A. 
Logan,  with  General  James  Stewart  Martin 
in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  having  been 
sergeant  of  the  company  of  which  his 
brother,  George  E.  Castle,  was  captain.  He 
served  with  distinction  in  this  regiment,  the 
operations  of  which  is  given  in  detail  in  the 
sketch  of  General  Martin  in  this  work,  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  he  passed  in  the 
grand  review  in  Washington  City  before 
the  President  and  all  the  generals  of  the 
army.  He  brought  home  a  Confederate 
flag. 

On  June  27,  1864,  the  subject  was  in  the 
battle  of  Kenesaw  Mountain  when  the  whole 
of  Sherman's  army  charged  the  forces  of 
General  Johnson  entrenched  on  the  moun- 
tain. 


He  took  part  in  two  months  of  continuous 
fighting  about  Atlanta,  July  22  and  28, 
1864,  being  memorable  dates  in  that  city's 
history.  On  the  first  mentioned  date,  Gen- 
eral McPherson  was  killed  and  on  this  date, 
General  James  S.  Martin,  of  Salem,  was 
made  a  brigadier  general.  On  July  28th 
was  fought  a  desperate  battle  lasting  all  day, 
on  which  day  General  Martin's  line  received 
seven  terrific  charges  and  never  moved  a 
foot.  On  August  3d  another  hard  battle 
was  fought  in  the  siege  of  Atlanta,  when 
Sherman's  army  escaped  from  Hood. 

On  August  3  ist  the  subject  was  in  the 
capture  of  Atlanta,  after  which  he  went  with 
Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea.  On  De- 
cember 1 4th,  following  the  battle  at  Fort 
McAllister  was  fought  and  captured  by 
Hazen's  division,  which  meant  virtually  the 
capture  of  Savannah,  as  Johnson  then  evacu- 
ated this  place.  The  army  then  went  on  to 
Hitton  Head,  South  Carolina,  and  then  Co- 
lumbia, Couth  Carolina,  was  captured.  At 
Fort  McAllister  our  subject  and  his  brother 
captured  a  Confederate  flag  and  many  other 
relics  which  they  brought  home. 

After  his  career  in  the  army  Mr.  Castle 
returned  to  Salem  and  took  a  course  in  the 
high  school,  after  which  he  went  to  Wes- 
leyan  University  at  Delaware,  Ohio,  taking 
a  three  years'  course  in  the  sciences  and 
making  a  brilliant  record  in  the  same.  Upon 
his  return  to  Salem  he  went  into  the  hard- 
ware business  in  which  he  remained  until 
1878,  building  up  an  excellent  trade  in  the 
meantime.  He  then  traveled  for  ten  years 
for  the  Champion  Harvesting  Machine 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


329 


Company,  giving  entire  satisfaction  to  this 
company,  the  patronage  of  which  he  caused 
to  be  greatly  increased.  Then,  much  to  the 
regret  of  his  employers,  he  severed  his  con- 
nection with  the  Champion  people  and  en- 
gaged with  his  brother,  Captain  George  E. 
Castle,  in  the  cattle  business  in  Southwest 
Kansas,  which  enterprise  was  continued 
with  the  most  gratifying  results  up  to  the 
time  of  the  latter's  death.  Since  then  our 
subject  has  been  farming.  He  has  an  excel- 
lent farm  property  which  is  kept  in  a  high 
state  of  improvement,  and  which  yields  a 
comfortable  income  from  year  to  year 
through  the  skillful  management  of  the  sub- 
ject. On  this  farm  is  to  be  found  an  ex- 
cellent orchard  of  thirty  acres,  Mr.  Castle 
having  been  an  enthusiastic  horticulturist 
for  several  years.  He  has  a  substantial 
dwelling  house  and  many  convenient  out 
buildings  on  his  farm  which  he  oversees,  but 
does  not  live  on. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Castle  dates 
from  1897  when  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Arabella  Whittaker,  the  refined  and 
affable  daughter  of  R.  H.  Whittaker.  The 
parents  of  Mrs.  Castle  were  both  born  in 
Ireland.  They  came  to  Salem,  Illinois,  in 
1852,  the  father  of  our  subject's  wife  hav- 
ing' been  one  of  the  civil  engineers  that  sur- 
veyed the  route  for  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio 
Southwestern  Railroad,  at  that  time  known 
as  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad.  R.  H. 
Whittaker  passed  away  in  June,  1889,  at 
Salem,  his  life  companion  having  preceded 
him  to  the  silent  land  in  1881. 

The  subject's  wife  was  the  only  child  of 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  R.  H.  Whittaker.  She  is  a 
highly  accomplished  woman,  well  educated 
and  talented.  She  is  an  able  and  noted 
teacher  of  both  music  and  painting,  being 
the  only  art  teacher  in  Salem.  She  is  re- 
garded by  every  one  who  has  seen  her  work 
as  being  a  finished  and  accomplished  artist 
and  she  has  a  beautiful  studio  in  connection 
with  her  home.  She  reveres  the  memory  of 
her  parents  and  likes  to  tell  of  the  happy 
days  when  R.  H.  Whittaker  was  station 
agent  for  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwest- 
ern road  at  Salem,  which  position  he  held 
for  several  years.  He  was  also  fuel  agent 
for  many  years  and  had  a  wide  acquaint- 
ance among  railroad  men.  He  quit  railroad 
business  several  years  before  he  died,  and 
engaged  in  the  lumber  business  in  Salem, 
which  he  was  engaged  in  at  the  time  of  his 
death. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Castle  have  no  children. 

Mr.  Castle  is  a  member  of  the  ancient  and 
honorable  order  of  Masons,  also  the  Knights 
Templar  and  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Re- 
public. And  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Castle  are  both 
ardent  members  of  the  Episcopal  church. 
Our  subject  was  a  member  of  the  building 
committee  that  erected  the  handsome  new 
edifice  in  Salem,  and  he  takes  a  special  in- 
terest in  all  the  affairs  of  this  church. 

In  the  modern,  substantial  and  beautiful 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Castle  which  stands 
on  Whittaker  street  in  Salem,  is  to  be  found 
many  curios  and  relics,  especially  of  the 
Civil  war.  The  beautiful  art  treasures  of 
Mrs.  Castle  are  numerous,  the  walls  being 
hung  with  many  excellent  pictures,  the  han- 


33° 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTS,  ILLINOIS. 


divvork  of  Mrs.  Castle,  and  their  elegantly 
furnished  home  is  regarded  as  a  place  where 
hospitality  is  always  unstintingly  dispensed. 


WILLIAM  L.  DRAPAR. 

Mr.  Drapar  has  for  many  years  been  an 
honored  resident  of  Marion  county,  whose 
interests  he  has  ever  had  at  heart,  and  who 
has,  while  advancing'  his  own  welfare  done 
much  toward  promulgating  the  civic,  in- 
dustrial and  moral  tone  of  the  vicinity.  His 
career  has  been  one  of  hard  work  and  in- 
tegrity, consequently  he  is  deserving  of  the 
respect  in,  which  he  is  held  by  everyone. 

\yilliam  L.  Drapar  was  bom  in  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  October  29,  1850,  the  son 
of  John  B.  Drapar,  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
who  came  to  Illinois  when  a  mere  lad,  in 
the  days  when  the  inhabitants  wore  buck- 
skin breeches  and  when  the  forests  abounded 
in  wild  game  and  the  hills  and  prairies  were 
overrun  by  the  red  men.  Grandfather  Dra- 
par was  also  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who 
brought  his  son.  father  of  our  subject,  to 
this  state,  settling  in  Fayette  county.  Grand- 
father was  a  well  known  lawyer  in  his  day 
and  served  as  Judge  of  Lafayette  county. 
Vandalia,  the  county  seat,  was  then  the 
state  capital.  Judge  Drapar,  like  most  pio- 
neer men,  was  the  father  of  a  large  family, 
he  and  his  faithful  life  companion  becoming 
the  parents  of  fifteen  children,  three  pairs 
of  twins.  He  was  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat 
and  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  war.  He  sub- 


sequently moved  to  Salem  where  he  was 
called  from  his  earthly  labors  at  the  age  of 
fifty-six  years,  and  he  was  buried  at  Xenia, 
Clay  county. 

John  B.  Drapar  moved  to  Salem  in  1856. 
He  was1  a  blacksmith  of  extraordinary  skill, 
and  for  some  time  drove  a  stage-coach  on 
the  old  Vandalia  line.  He  enlisted  in  the 
Union  army  during  the  Civil  war,  but  never 
saw  service.  He  died  about  1896. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Jeanette 
Abel,  who  was  born  in  Bowling  Green, 
Kentucky,  the  representative  of  a  South- 
ern family  of  honorable  repute.  The 
date  of  her  birth  occurred  February  16, 
1828,  and  she  was  summoned  to  join  the 
"choir  invisible"  in  1904,  while  living  at 
the  home  of  our  subject  in  Salem  and  she 
is  buried  in  the  cemetery  here.  The  follow- 
ing children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  B.  Drapar:  Margaret,  widow  of  Eli- 
sha  Ledgerwood,  who  is  living  in  the  state 
of  Washington ;  William  L.,  our  subject ; 
Edwin,  who  died  when  four  years  old ;  an 
infant  girl,  deceased. 

William  L.  Drapar,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  reared  in  Salem  where  he  re- 
ceived the  customary  common  school  edu- 
cation. At  an  early  age  he  assisted  his 
father  in  a  blacksmith  shop.  When  twenty- 
one  he  was  thrown  on  his  own-  resources,  but 
l>eing  a  youth  of  indomitable  energy  and 
courage,  he  went  to  work  with  a  will  and 
has  prospered  all  his  subsequent  life.  He 
went  into  the  milling  business  in  1872  at 
Salem  and  has  been  thus  engaged  since  that 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


time,  becoming  known  as  one  of  the  leading 
milling  men  in  this  part  of  the  state,  having 
been  eminently  successful  in  this  enterprise 
from  the  first.  He  worked  for  E.  Hull, 
father  of  Senator  C.  E.  Hull,  for  eighteen 
years.  Since  January,  1890,  he  has  been 
associated  with  Senator  Hull  in  business,  op- 
erating the  Salem  Brick  Mill,  the  style  of 
the  firm  being  Hull  &  Drapar.  The  present 
building  which  this  firm  occupies  was 
erected  in  1860,  but  has  since  been  remod- 
eled into  a  modem  and  substantial  build- 
ing. They  do  a  general  milling  business 
and  their  products  are  known  not  only 
throughout  Marion  county  where  they  have 
a  very  extensive  trade,  but  all  over  this 
part  of  the  state  and  to  remote  sections  of 
this  and  other  states. 

Mr.  Drapar  was  united  in  marriage  first 
in  1872  with  Sarah  J.  Fair,  whose  parents 
died  when  she  was  two  years  old  and  she 
was  reared  by  a  family  named  Castle  who 
came  to  Salem  from  Ohio  at  the  close  of 
the  war.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  com- 
mendable traits  of  character,  and  to  this 
union  the  following  interesting  family  was 
born:  Ira  and  Louie,  twins,  born  July  u, 
1874.  The  first  named  is  living  in  Holden- 
ville,  Oklahoma,  where  he  is  Assistant 
Cashier  of  the  Second  National  Bank.  He 
is  also  City  Recorder  of  Holdenville.  He  is 
a  graduate  of  the  Salem  high  school  in 
which  he  made  a  splendid  record,  and  he 
is  also  a  graduate  of  the  Flora  Business 
College.  For  three  years  he  was  manager 
of  a  large  lumber  company  in  Oklahoma 
in  which  state  he  is  very  popular.  Louie 


lives  in  Chicago  where  he  has  a  responsible 
position  with  the  Santa  Fe  Railroad  Com- 
pany, which  regards  him  as  one  of  their 
most  faithful  and  trusted  employes.  Leslie, 
the  third  child,  was  born  July  28,  1878. 
He  is  also  a  graduate  of  the  Salem  high 
school.  He  is  now  living  in  New  Mexico 
in  the  employ  of  the  Harvey  Dining  Service 
Company.  He  has  been  a  dining  car  con- 
ductor for  years.  He  had  the  distinction  of 
serving  for  one  year  as  superintendent  of 
the  dining  service  at  Yale  University.  He 
is  an  expert  at  this  line  of  business  and 
has  gained  wide  notoriety  among  the  peo- 
ple of  this  business.  George,  the  fourth 
child,  was  born  November  12,  1882.  He 
holds  the  responsible  position  as  cashier 
and  bookkeeper  of  the  Sherman  House  in 
Chicago.  Babel,  the  winsome  and  accom- 
plished daughter  of  the  subject  and  wife, 
was  born  March  5,  1890,  and  she  is  yet  a 
member  of  the  family  circle,  keeping  house 
for  her  father. 

Mrs.  Drapar  passed  to  her  eternal  rest 
on  August  15.  1894,  after  a  useful  and 
beautiful  life.  Mr.  Drapar  was  again  mar- 
ried on  June  14,  1899,  to  Isabel  Bell,  daugh- 
ter of  Philo  Bell,  of  Sumner.  Illinois.  Mr. 
Bell  was  a  stage  driver  on  the  old  Vin- 
cennes  &  St.  Louis  line  before  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  Railroad  was  built.  This  wife  died 
without  issue  May  3,  1907,  of  a  paralytic 
stroke.  She  was  a  woman  of  strong  char- 
acter and  had  many  faithful  friends. 

Mr.  Drapar  has  always  taken  consider- 
able interest  in  political  affairs.  He  served 
as  City  Alderman  for  six  years  in  a  most 


332 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


creditable  manner.  He  was  school  director 
for  five  years,  during  which  time  the  local 
schools  felt  a  great  impetus.  He  was  tax 
collector  for  one  year,  refusing  to  serve 
longer,  much  to  the  regret  of  every  one  con- 
cerned. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  Drapar  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows since  1874,  occupying  all  the  chairs, 
both  Subordinate  and  Encampment.  He 
has  attended  the  Grand  Lodges  regularly 
for  twenty-two  years.  He  met  with  the 
Sovereign  Grand  Lodge  at  St.  Louis  several 
years  ago.  Mr.  Drapar  has  been  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Presbyterian  church  since  a  boy. 
He  belongs  to  that  class  of  citizens  who 
by  their  support  of  the  moral,  political  and 
social  status  for  the  general  good,  promote 
the  real  welfare  of  their  respective  commu- 
nities. 


HIRAM  ORR. 

Now  that  the  summertime  of  life  has 
ended  and  the  autumn  winds  of  old  age 
have  come,  the  subject  of  this  review  can 
look  backward  over  a  career  that  has  been 
well  spent,  resulting  in  good  to  those  whom 
it  touched  and  has  brought  comfort  to  him- 
self. 

Hiram  Orr  was  bom  in  Licking  county. 
Ohio,  December  16,  1828,  the  son  of  Zach- 
ariah  and  Mary  (Dusthimer)  Orr,  early 
settlers  of  the  Buckeye  state,  where  it  is 
supposed  they  were  bom.  Zachariah  was  a 
farmer,  a  Democrat,  and  a  member  of  the 


Baptist  church.  He  passed  away  in  Lick- 
ing county,  Ohio,  in  1891,  his  wife  having 
died  there  at  an  earlier  date.  Six  children 
were  born  to  them,  namely:  Robert,  living 
in  Licking  county,  Ohio;  Hiram,  our  sub- 
ject; Sarah,  deceased;  John,  who  is  living 
in  Kansas,  a  retired  farmer;  Cyrus,  de- 
ceased; Eliza,  also  deceased.  Zachariah 
was  married  a  second  time.  When  he  died 
he  had  accumulated  quite  a  competency, 
having  been  a  very  successful  farmer. 

Our  subject  remained  at  his  parental 
home,  assisting  with  the  work  about  the 
place  and  attending  the  old  pioneer  schools 
in  cabins  with  puncheon  floors  and  seats 
and  windows  where  greased  paper  was  used 
for  panes,  until  he  was  twenty-one  years 
old.  He  has  since  added  very  much  to  the 
rudiments  of  education  he  gained  there  by 
systematic  home  reading  and  study,  and 
close  observation.  When  of  age  Mr.  Orr 
decided  to  devote  his  life  work  to  farming 
and  consequently  bought  a  farm  in  his  na- 
tive county,  having  managed  it  in  a  most 
successful  manner  until  October  i,  1868, 
when  he  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
believing  that  still  greater  advantages  ex- 
isted here  on  the  less  crowded  western 
prairies  than  in  the  East  and  where  land 
was  much  cheaper,  having  sold  his  Ohio 
farm  at  good  figures. 

Mr.  Orr  purchased  two  hundred  and  sev- 
enty-four acres  of  land  in  Stevenson  town- 
ship on  which  he  continuously  lived,  bring- 
ing it  up  to  a  high  state  of  improvement,  in 
fact,  making  it  one  of  the  "show"  farms  of 
this  locality,  the  fields  being  well  fenced 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


333 


and  well  drained  and  kept  in  first  class  pro- 
ductive condition  through  the  careful  rota- 
tion of  crops  and  the  application  of  home 
fertilizers,  and  on  this  place  may  always  be 
found  large  numbers  of  all  kinds  of  live 
stock  of  the  best  grade,  Mr.  Orr  having 
ever  taken  a  great  interest  in  stock  of  vari- 
ous kinds.  A  modern,  substantial  and  nice- 
ly furnished  residence  is  owned  by  Mr.  Orr 
and  good  bams  and  outbuildings  in  gen- 
eral are  found  about  the  place.  Mr.  Orr  at 
present  rents  most  of  his  land,  but  still  over- 
sees it,  keeping  it  up  to  the  high  standard 
of  former  years. 

In  1849  our  subject  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Mary  Basom,  who  was  born  in 
Perry  county,  Ohio,  about  1830,  the 
daughter  of  Joshua  and  Elizabeth  Emery, 
natives  of  New  England.  Three  children 
were  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Frances, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Peter  M.  Mechling,  a 
farmer  living  in  Perry  county,  Ohio.  They 
are  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely: 
Hiram  Orvil,  Bertha,  Frank  and  Fred,  the 
last  two  twins;  Martha,  the  second  child  of 
our  subject,  is  the  wife  of  Marion  Tolliver 
Stevenson,  who  is  living  in  Alma  township, 
Marion  county,  this  state,  and  are  the  par- 
ents of  these  children,  Edgar,  Mabel,  Orin, 
Roy,  Edna,  Claud  and  Lloyd.  Edith,  the 
subject's  third  child,  is  the  wife  of  John  P. 
Brubaker,  who  is  also  living  in  Alma  town- 
ship, being  the  mother  of  two  children,  Ha- 
zel and  Ada. 

These  children  received  all  the  home 
training  possible  and  were  given  good  edu- 
cations, each  being  well  situated  in  life. 


Mr.  Orr  is  a  staunch  Democrat  in  his 
political  affiliation,  although  he  has  never 
taken  a  very  active  part  in  public  affairs. 
He  ably  filled  the  position  of  School  Director 
and  his  support  is  always  to  be  depended 
upon  in  any  issue  having  for  its  object 
the  betterment  of  the  community  in  any 
way.  The  subject  and  wife  are  kind,  hos- 
pitable and  good  natured,  making  all  who 
enter  their  home  feel  like  they  were  among 
friends. 


JAMES  B.  PIGG. 

Among  the  early  representative  farmers 
and  stock  growers  of  Stevenson  township, 
Marion  county,  is  the  subject  of  this  review, 
who  is  the  owner  of  a  highly  productive 
farm  and  who  is  carrying  on  his  business 
with  that  discretion  and  energy  which  al- 
ways make  for  definite  success.  He  has 
been  a  hard  worker  and  has  gained  a  sub- 
stantial foothold  in  life  not  because  of  help 
or  influence  of  others  but  because  he  has 
worked  for  it  in  a  most  diligent  manner, 
having  overcome  many  obstacles  that  lie  in 
his  life  path  that  would  have  discouraged 
the  less  courageous. 

James  B.  Pigg  was  born  in  Lincoln 
county,  Tennessee,  in  February,  1835,  the 
son  of  James  and  Eliza  (Brent)  Pigg,  who 
were  both  natives  of  Virginia,  however,  they 
lived  the  major  portion  of  their  lives  in  Ten- 
nessee where  they  both  died. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  a  farm  in  the 
last  named  state  and  there  received  a  meager 


334 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


education  in  the  public  schools,  however,  he 
has  since  become  a  well  informed  man  being 
well  read  on  current  topics.  In  1860  he 
came  to  Illinois,  not  caring  to  take  part  in 
the  forthcoming  conflict  between  the  states 
and  desiring  to  avoid  it,  consequently  he 
came  north,  away  from  the  scene  of  active 
hostilities.  He  first  settled  in  Stevenson 
township,  and  liking  the  locality  so  well  he 
decided  to  remain  here,  buying  the  farm 
which  he  still  owns. 

His  farm  consists  of  forty  acres  of  good 
land  which  he  has  kept  very  productive  and 
well  improved.  It  is  well  fenced  and  other- 
wise presents  the  appearance  of  a  well  man- 
aged place  in  every  particular.  He  has  a 
good  house,  barn  and  out  buildings  and  en- 
joys a  comfortable  living,  the  place  pro- 
ducing excellent  returns  for  the  labor  ex- 
pended on  it. 

During  the  latter  fifties  our  subject  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Martha  J.  Morton, 
who  is  now  deceased.  Twelve  children  were 
born  to  this  union,  namely :  Eliza  J.,  Mar- 
garet, Robert,  William,  Henderson,  who  is 
now  superintendent  of  the  Marion  county 
poor  farm.  He  is  single,  a  Democrat  and 
a  prominent  young  man,  bearing  an  excel- 
lent reputation,  as,  indeed,  does  the  rest  of 
the  family.  Elizabeth  is  the  sixth  child  of 
the  subject.  Thomas,  Joseph,  Nettie,  John, 
the  other  children  dying  in  infancy. 

Mr.  Pigg  was  married  a  second  time,  his 
last  wife  being  Mary  Stephens,  who  was 
born  in  Missouri. 

This  is  a  happy  family  and  all  work  to 
each  other's  interest.  They  are  fairly  well 


situated  in  reference  to  this  world's  affairs 
and  all  give  promise  of  happy  and  successful 
futures.  They  have  received  fairly  good 
common  school  educations  in  their  native 
community. 

Mr.  Pigg  is  a  loyal  Democrat  and  he  has 
always  been  interested  in  his  party's  affairs, 
giving  his  time  and  influence  to  promote 
the  welfare  of  his  community  in  political, 
educational  and  moral  affairs.  He  has 
served  very  acceptably  as  school  director  of 
his  district.  Our  subject  was  at  one  time 
a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  but  now  affiliates  with  no  lodge. 


NATHANIEL  G.  HUFF. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  long 
been  identified  with  the  progress  and  ad- 
vancement of  this  favored  section  of  the 
great  Prairie  state,  where  he  has  maintained 
his  home  for  more,  than  the  Psalmist's  al- 
lotted three  score  years,  having  been  born 
within  her  borders,  having  spent  his  long, 
active  and  useful  life  here  and  where  he 
has  attained  gratifying  success  in  connection 
with  the  development  of  its  resources,  being 
one  of  the  representative  farmers  and  stock 
growers  in  Stevenson  township  and  having 
one  of  the  most  productive  landed  estates  in 
this  part  of  the  county. 

Nathaniel  G.  Huff  was  born  in  Stevenson 
township,  this  county,  February  6,  1841,  the 
son  of  William  H.,  Sr.,  and  Mary  A. 
(Crane)  Huff,  the  former  a  native  of  Vir- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


335 


ginia  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  The  sub- 
ject's grandfather  was  Samuel  Huff,  also 
a  native  of  Virginia  who  later  removed  to 
Tennessee  and  finally  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  settling  among  the  pioneers 
on  government  land  on  what  is  now  Rac- 
coon township.  He  later  moved  to  Haines 
township,  where  he  cleared  land  and  made 
a  comfortable  home,  spending  the  rest  of 
his  days  there.  Leonard  Huff  was  the 
great-grandfather  of  the  subject.  He  was 
born  in  Germany  and  came  to  America  in  a 
very  early  day,  settling  in  Pennsylvania 
where  he  spent  his  life  and  where  he  died. 
Mary  A.  Crane,  our  subject's  mother,  was 
the  daughter  of  William  Crane,  who  was  a 
native  of  Virginia,  having  lived  and  died  in 
Kentucky.  William  Huff,  father  of  oufl 
subject,  was  raised  in  Tennessee  and  spent 
several  years  in  Mississippi  and  Alabama. 
About  April  22,  1840,  he  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  married  and 
where  he  purchased  four  hundred  acres  of 
wild  land  in  what  is  now  Stevenson  town- 
ship, spending  the  remainder  of  his  useful 
and  very  busy  life  here,  dying  March  10, 
1863.  His  widow,  a  much  beloved  old  lady 
of  fine  Christian  character,  is  still  living. 
William  Huff  was  regarded  as  a  successful 
farmer.  He  joined  the  Christian  church 
sometime  prior  to  his  death.  He  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife  having  been  Nancy 
Dukes,  whom  he  married  in  Mississippi. 
She  died  leaving  one  child,  William  H.,  Jr. 
He  married  Mary  Crane  April  22,  1840. 
Eleven  children  were  born  to  this  union, 
namely:  Nathaniel  G.,  our  subject;  Benja- 


min F.,  deceased;  Andrew  J.,  deceased; 
James  K.  and  George  M.  Dallis,  twins,  are 
both  living;  Joshua  is  living  in  this  state 
at  Jacksonville;  Marj  J.  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Brasel;  Henderson  P.  lives  in  Steven- 
son township;  Harriet  C.  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Porter  Gaston ;  Virginia  is  the  wife  of 
John  B.  Brasel ;  Steven  A.  is  deceased. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  spent  his  youth 
on  his  father's  farm,  having  remained  under 
the  parental  roof-tree  until  he  reached  man- 
hood. He  was  educated  in  the  old  subscrip- 
tion schools  and  having  applied  himself  in  a 
diligent  manner  received  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation. His  father  gave  him  a  piece  of  land 
in  this  township  which  he  at  once  set  about 
improving,  but  which  he  sold  in  1868  and 
bought  his  present  fine  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  seventy-eight  acres,  which  lies  in 
section  30,  Stevenson  township,  and  section 
25,  Salem  township.  It  was  almost  all  in 
the  woods  when  he  took  possession  of  it, 
but  he  has  been  a  hard  worker  and  has  im- 
proved the  place  up  to  its  present  high  state 
of  efficiency,  having  been  enabled  from  year 
to  year  to  reap  bounteous  harvests  from  the 
same  through  his  skillful  manipulation  of 
crops.  He  did  most  of  the  work  in  con- 
nection with  his  place  himself,  and  also  on 
his  buildings,  having  an  excellent  and  well 
furnished  house  and  a  good  barn.  Every 
thing  about  the  place  shows  thrift  and  pros- 
perity and  his  farm  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  most  desirable  in  Stevenson  township. 

Our  subject's  first  marriage  was  in  1862 
to  Julia  A.  Hill,  a  native  of  Marion  county, 
and  eight  children  were  born  to  this  union. 


336 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


namely:  Thomas,  who  lives  in  Stevenson 
township,  married  Orela  Cutchin;  Viola  is 
living  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois ;  William  mar- 
ried Frankie  Evans  and  resides  in  Salem 
township;  Seymour,  who  is  living  in  .Salem 
township,  married  Elizabeth  Guth ;  Mary  A. 
is  deceased;  Laura  is  single  and  resides  in 
Jacksonville;  Osceola,  who  is  living  in 
Flora,  this  state,  married  Maggie  Babb ;  Au- 
gustus L.  married  May  Stone  and  lives  in 
Eureka,  Illinois,  being  a  minister  of  the 
Christian  church. 

The  subject's  second  marriage  was 
solemnized  November  8,  1885,  to  Martha 
E.  Mercer,  a  native  of  Marion  county  and 
the  daughter  of  Silas  and  Rebecca  Mercer, 
early  settlers  in  Marion  county.  The  sub- 
ject has  sixteen  grandchildren  and  five  chil- 
dren dead.  He  has  two  great-grandchil- 
dren. The  subject  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church  at  old  Mt.  Maria,  the 
first  church  organized  in  Marion  county. 
The  subject  is  a  Jeffersonian  Democrat,  but 
is  not  a  Bryan  Democrat,  believing  that  the 
old  school  democracy  is  preferable  to  the 
new.  He  filled  the  office  of  Justice  of  the 
Peace  in  a  most  able  manner  for  a  period 
of  eighteen  years. 

Mr.  Huff  has  in  his  possession  an  old 
squirrel  rifle  over  one  hundred  years  old 
which  belonged  to  his  father.  It  has  killed 
over  one  hundred  deer  and  bear.  He  also 
has  the  old  powder-horn  and  shot  pouch 
which  his  father  carried.  Mr.  Huff  has  a 
note  made  in  payment  for  a  clock  which 
was  given  him  by  his  father-in-law.  He 
also  still  has  the  clock.  He  has  among  other 


relics  of  the  past  a  spinning-wheel  and  a 
Southern  dagger,  which  was  discovered  in 
a  layer  of  cane. 


WILLIAM  GILLHAM  WILSON. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  occupies  today 
a  prominent  position  in  the  professional 
world  of  Marion  and  adjoining  counties  and 
he  deserves  all  the  more  credit  for  this  from 
the  fact  that  he  started  out  in  life  practically 
empty  handed,  therefore  has  been  the  archi- 
tect of  his  own  fortunes,  relying  almost  sole- 
ly upon  his  own  resources  for  the  start 
which  he  had  and  for  the  success  which  he 
has  achieved.  In  an  analyzation  of  his  char- 
acter we  find  many  elements  worthy  of  com  - 
mendation  and  emulation.  He  did  not  seek 
for  fortune's  favors,  but  set  out  to  win  them 
by  honest  work,  and  the  success  which  ever 
crowns  earnest,  honest  toil  is  today  his,  and 
he  easily  stands  in  the  front  rank  of  attor- 
neys in  this  locality,  which  has  long  been 
noted  for  its  high  legal  talent,  and  while  yet 
a  young  man,  vigorous  and  in  the  zenith  of 
his  mental  and  physical  powers,  he  is  rap- 
idly winning  his  way  to  a  position  of  much 
credit  and  significance  in  the  great  common- 
wealth which  he  can  claim  as  his  native  land , 
and  while  winning  his  way  gradually  up 
the  steeps  to  individual  success  he  has  not 
neglected  his  duties  to  his  fellow  citizens, 
but  has  benefited  very  materially  the  com- 
munity is  which  he  lives  in  many  ways, 
thereby  winning  and  retaining  the  well  mer- 
ited esteem  of  all  classes. 


''UNO/ 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


337 


William  G.  Wilson  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Illinois,  in  1872,  the  son  of  John  C. 
and  Elizabeth  (Gillham)  Wilson.  The  Wil- 
son family  has  long  been  prominent  and  in- 
fluential in  that  part  of  the  state.  Grand- 
father John  Wilson  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, but  came  to  Pike  county,  Ohio,  set- 
tling on  a  farm,  later  coming  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1846,  taking  up  one  thou- 
sand and  eight  hundred  acres  of  land  on  the 
prairie,  which  he  developed  until  it  became 
very  valuable,  still  holding  it  at  the  time  of 
his  death,  which  occurred  when  he  had 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-nine. 
Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John  Wilson  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The 
latter  is  supposed  to  have  come  from  Ken- 
tucky. They  were  the  parents  of  a  large 
family.  Mr.  Wilson  was  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  some  time. 

John  C.  Wilson,  father  of  the  subject,  was 
born  in  Pike  county,  Ohio,  and  there  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  a  log  school- 
house  of  pioneer  days.  Leaving  the  Buck- 
eye state  he  came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Ma- 
rion county  in  1852,  entering  land  from  the 
government.  He  had  about  seven  hundred 
acres  of  good  prairie  land,  which  he  devel- 
oped into  a  valuable  farm  and  which  is  now 
known  as  the  John  C.  Wilson  farm.  Here 
our  subject's  father  lived  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven 
years.  He  was  a  man  of  many  sterling  traits 
of  character  and  bore  an  excellent  reputa- 
tion. Both  he  and  his  faithful  life  companion 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

22 


Grandfather  Gillham  came  from  the  At- 
lantic coast  country  and  settled  in  Madison 
county,  Illinois,  during  the  earliest  epoch  of 
the  pioneer  days,  before  the  state  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  Union,  and  when  wild  beasts 
and  red  men  roamed  the  hills  and  prairies. 
He  remained  there  until  his  death.  In  that 
locality  the  subject's  mother  was  reared  and 
was  married  there  in  the  early  sixties.  She 
came  to  Marion  county.  The  father  was 
twice  married,  the  name  of  his  first  wife 
being  Hults.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
this  union.  She  passed  to  her  rest  in  the 
fifties.  The  subject's  mother  was  John  C. 
Wilson's  second  wife,  who  bore  him  seven 
children,  four  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 
The  mother  is  living  in  1908,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-four  years.  She  is  a  woman  of  many 
fine  personal  traits  and  beautiful  Christian 
character. 

William  G.  Wilson,  our  subject,  first  at- 
tended the  district  schools  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, working  on  his  father's  farm  in  the  mean- 
time. Being  ambitious  and  a  diligent  stu- 
dent, he  received  a  good  common  school  ed- 
ucation. Leaving  the  public  schools  when 
nineteen  years  old  he  entered  Austin  College 
at  Effingham,  Illinois,  where  he  made  a  bril- 
liant record  for  scholarship,  standing  high 
in  his  class. 

After  leaving  school  he  taught  school  for 
five  years,  devoting  five  years  also  to  teach- 
ing in  Champaign  county,  this  state,  where 
he  became  widely  known  as  an  able  instruc- 
tor and  where  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand. But,  believing  that  his  true  life  work 
lay  along  other  channels,  he  began  the  study 


338 


iiKIXKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


of  law  with  Schaefer  £  Rhodes,  of  Cham- 
paign, under  whose  instruction  he  made 
rapid  progress.  He  was  then  admitted  to 
practice  at  Alt.  Vernon,  Illinois.  Mr.  Wil- 
son then  began  practice  at  Kinmundy,  be- 
ing remarkably  successful  from  the  first,  and 
it  was  plain  to  be  seen  that  an  attorney  of 
unusual  sagacity  and  innate  ability  had  risen 
to  command  the  attention  of  that  part  of  the 
state.  He  has  remained  in  practice  at  this 
place  since  that  time  with  the  most  gratify- 
ing results,  having  frequently  been  called  to 
other  localities  on  important  cases.  He  is 
cool  and  calculating,  never  erring  in  his  le- 
gal proceedings,  whether  handling  a  civil  or 
criminal  suit,  and  he  stands  high  in  the  esti- 
mation not  only  of  the  public  but  the  legal 
profession  throughout  this  part  of  Illinois. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  happily  married  April  7, 
1896,  to  Mollie  Poole,  a  native  of  this 
county  and  the  representative  of  a  prominent 
and  influential  family,  being  the  daughter  of 
Abraham  and  Martha  (Malone)  Poole.  Mr. 
Poole  was  born  and  reared  in  Marion  coun- 
ty. He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  being 
a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  receiving  an 
honorable  discharge  after  serving  for  three 
years. 

Four  bright  and  interesting  children  have 
been  born  to  our  subject  and  wife  as  fol- 
lows: Basil,  born  August  7,  1897,  who  is  at- 
tending the  public  schools  in  1908;  Russell 
was  born  October  22,  1899;  Ruth  was  born 
June  14,  1904:  Byron  first  saw  the  light 
January  n,  1906. 

The  beautiful  and  nicely  furnished 
home  of  the  subject  is  presided  over  with 


rare  grace  and  dignity  by  Mrs.  Wilson,  a 
woman  of  many  commendable  attributes, 
who  delights  in  giving  her  children  every 
care  and  attention. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  affiliated  with 
the  Masonic  Order  and  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  having  passed  through 
the  chairs  of  the  latter  lodge.  In  politics  he 
is  a  loyal  Republican,  and  he  at  one  time  per- 
formed the  duties  of  Police  Magistrate,  with 
much  credit  to  himself  and  with  much  satis- 
faction to  all  concerned.  He  was  also  Tax 
Collector. 

Mr.  Wilson  belongs  to  the  class  of  citi- 
zens whose  lives  do  not  show  any  meteoric 
effects,  but  who  by  their  support  of  the  mor- 
al, political  and  social  status  for  the  general 
good,  promote  the  real  welfare  of  their  re- 
spective communities  and  are  therefore  de- 
serving of  honorable  mention  on  the  pages 
of  history. 


HAZEL  G.  GAINES. 

Hazel  G.  Gaines  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
January  12,  1830,  the  son  of  Henry  and 
Mariah  (Bigers)  Gaines,  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee, who  came  to  Illinois,  locating  in 
Marion  county  in  1852,  where  he  purchased 
new  land  and  made  a  home  and  where  he 
died.  The  subject's  mother  was  a  member 
of  the  Christian  church.  In  their  family 
were  eight  children,  all  now  deceased  with 
the  exception  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
one  brother  and  two  sisters,  namely :  Henri- 
etta, Anna  and  Zachariah. 

Our  subject   received   a   common   school 


5RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


339 


education  in  Tennessee  and  Illinois.  He 
rented  land  at  home  and  began  farming 
early  in  life,  having  been  a  young  man  when 
he  came  to  Marion  county.  He  was  soon 
practically  the  head  of  the  family,  his  father 
having  passed  away  soon  after  establishing 
himself  in  the  new  country,  and  the  subject's 
mother  did  not  long  survive  him;  but  our 
subject  early  evinced  those  sterling  qualities 
of  heart  and  head  that  always  make  for 
success,  and  he  did  well  whatever  duty  fell 
to  his  lot,  never  complaining  at  the  obstacles 
and  hardships. 

In  1859  Mr.  Gaines  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Chamila  Tracy,  the  representative 
of  an  excellent  family.  After  a  harmonious 
married  life  of  over  forty  years  she  passed 
to  her  rest  in  the  nineties,  after  having  be- 
come the  mother  of  four  children,  named 
in  order  of  birth  as  follows :  Henry,  John, 
Alice  and  Mary,  all  deceased. 

Our  subject  owned  the  homestead,  having 
purchased  it  himself,  and  he  still  owns  it. 
having  at  present  a  splendid  farm  of  over 
one  hundred  acres,  which  he  has  improved 
until  it  is  in  fine  productive  condition.  The 
fields  are  well  fenced  and  well  drained,  and 
a  comfortable  dwelling,  surrounded  by  con- 
venient outbuildings  are  to  be  found  on  the 
place.  The  subject  handles  some  good  stock 
from  time  to  time,  preparing  them  for  the 
market,  feeding  much  of  his  corn  on  the 
place  and  carrying  on  a  general  farming 
business.  He  delights  to  tell  of  the  develop- 
ment he  has  noted  in  this  community  since 
his  family  made  the  trip  from  Tennessee 
here,  coming  overland  by  wagon  to  a  coun- 


try new  and  open.  He  still  lives  on  the  old 
place,  keeping  someone  there  to  look  after 
the  household  and  other  affairs. 

Mr.  Gaines  has  done  much  for  the  public 
and  the  general  development  of  the  com- 
munity, ever  being  ready  to  aid  in  any  way 
he  could  all  causes  looking  to  the  county's 
development  whether  in  a  material,  civic, 
educational  or  moral  way.  Although  he  has 
always  been  a  loyal  Democrat,  he  has  never 
aspired  to  offices  of  trust  and  emolument  at 
the  hands  of  the  public,  and  now  he  is  spend- 
ing the  evening  of  his  life  in  quiet  and 
plenty,  having,  by  habits  of  economy  and 
industry  laid  up  an  ample  competency  for 
his  old  age.  His  family  have  all  gone  to 
the  other  shore  and  left  him  alone,  but  not 
necessarily  lonely,  for  he  can  look  forward 
to  a  time  of  reuniting  beyond  the  grave  and 
he  can  look  backward  on  a  life  well  and  hon- 
orably spent,  in  which  there  was  no  evil  or 
wanton  wickedness,  a  life  of  much  hard 
work,  but  not  by  any  means  devoid  of  com- 
fort and  pleasure. 


DANIEL  S.  HOLSTLAW. 

It  is  with  a  degree  of  satisfaction  that  the 
biographer  has  an  opportunity  at  this  junc- 
ture to  write  the  following  biographical 
memoir  of  the  well  remembered  citizen, 
whose  name  appears  above,  now  deceased, 
who  was  for  many  years  prominent  in  the 
affairs  of  Marion  county,  for  the  readers  of 
this  book  will  doubtless  gain  inspiration 


340 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


from  perusing  these  paragraphs  to  lead 
more  industrious,  kindlier  and  worthier 
lives,  seeing  what  the  life  of  the  subject  ac- 
complished not  only  individually  but  gen- 
erically,  affecting  the  whole  community  in 
an  uplifting  manner.  He  came  to  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state  in  pioneer  times  and  he 
assisted  in  bringing  about  the  transforma- 
tion of  the  county  in  the  wild  condition  in 
which  it  was  found  at  the  time  of  his  ar- 
rival to  its  later-day  progress  and  improve- 
ment. 

Daniel  S.  Holstlaw  was  born  in  Barren 
county,  Kentucky,  November  15,  1813,  the 
son  of  Richard  and  Mary  (Smith)  Hoist- 
law,  the  former  a  native  of  Virginia,  who 
came  in  an  early  day  to  Indiana,  settling 
in  Orange  county  and  later  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1830.  Richard  Holtslaw 
took  up  government  land  and  set  about 
making  a  farm  of  his  holdings  with  very 
flattering  prospects  ahead  of  him,  but  his 
life  was  brought  to  a  close  August  18,  1834, 
at  the  age  of  forty-six  years.  Mary,  his  wife, 
continued  to  live  on  the  farm  where  she 
reared  the  children  and  made  a  comfortable 
living,  being  a  woman  of  many  sterling 
traits  and  of  indomitable  courage.  Their 
children  were  eight  in  number,  seven  of 
whom  grew  to  maturity  and  named  in  order 
of  birth  as  follows :  Henry  E.,  Daniel  S.,  our 
subject;  Lucinda,  John  Andrew,  Elizabeth 
Ann,  Malinda  H.,  and  Richard  V.  All  of 
these  children  have  now  joined  their  parents 
in  the  eternal  sleep  of  the  just. 

Daniel  S.  Holstlaw  was  sixteen  years  of 
age  when  he  came  to  Illinois  and  located  in 


what  is  now  known  as  Stevenson  township, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  long, 
busy  and  useful  life,  having  been  called  to 
his  reward  by  the  Shepherd  who  giveth  his 
beloved  sleep,  on  December  2,  1905,  con- 
scious of  the  fact  that  his  life  had  not  been 
lived  in  vain ;  that  he  had  fought  a  good 
fight  and  kept  the  faith,  as  did  the  great 
Apostle,  Saint  Paul,  in  the  days  of  our 
Saviour,  and  that  there  was  laid  up  for  him 
a  reward  in  the  Father's  house  which  was 
not  made  with  hands.  • 

Mr.  Holstlaw  upon  coming  to  this  county 
bought  a  claim,  having  that  rare  foresight 
and  sagacity  that  penetrated  into  the  future 
years,  bringing  them  within  his  horoscope, 
and  which  enabled  him  to  see  the  great  pos- 
sibilities that  lie  ahead.  This  first  pur- 
chase was  added  to  from  time  to  time  until 
he  owned  a  large  tract  of  land,  which,  un- 
der his  able  management  was  developed  into 
one  of  the  best,  most  productive  and  most 
highly  improved  farms  in  'this  locality.  He 
was  a  hard  worker,  and,  believing  that  it 
was  his  duty  as  well  as  his  privilege  to  eat 
his  bread  by  the  sweat  of  his  brow,  never 
ignored  any  task  that  he  found  awaiting 
disposition  at  his  hands.  He  split  the  rails 
that  fenced  his  land  and  also  put  up  a  log 
house,  and,  infact,  did  the  usual  work  of  the 
pioneer.  But  having  prospered  by  reason 
of  his  indomitable  energy  and  good  man- 
agement he  was  soon  enabled  to  erect  a 
more  substantial  nine  room  house,  which 
was  comfortable,  cozy  and  well  arranged, 
and  in  which  the  family  now  resides. 

The  subject  was  a   faithful  member  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


34i 


the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  a  lib- 
eral supporter  of  the  same ;  he  and  his 
worthy  life  companion  both  having-  pro- 
fessed religion  the  same  night  at  a  camp 
meeting  held  on  Tennessee  Prairie.  In  1862, 
when  the  local  Methodist  church  with 
which  they  were  affiliated  was  divided  up- 
on the  question  which  precipitated  the 
Civil  war  this  intensely  religious  couple 
united  with  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church  in  which  the  subject  remained  an  ac- 
tive and  faithful  member  until  his  death. 

Our  subject  was  a  staunch  Democrat  and 
took  considerable  interest  in  political  af- 
fairs, having  had  the  interest  of  his  commu- 
nity at  heart  and  lending  his  support  at  all 
times  to  whatever  proposition  that  present- 
ed itself  looking  to  the  betterment  of  the 
community  whether  in  a  political,  educa- 
tional, religious  or  moral  sense.  He  was 
school  director  at  one  time  and  materially 
aided  the  local  public  school  through  his 
advice,  counsel  and  influence. 

Mr.  Holstlaw  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Ruth  W.  Middleton  on  June  9,  1836. 
She  was  a  native  of  what  later  became 
Campbell  county,  Tennessee,  and  the  rep- 
resentative of  an  influential  old  family, 
the  date  of  her  birth  falling  on  Janu- 
ary 23,  1819,  the  daughter  of  Wil- 
liam and  Sarah  J.  (Harris)  Middleton, 
the  former  a  native  of  Virginia  and  the 
latter  of  South  Carolina.  After  their  mar- 
riage they  moved  to  Tennessee  and  in  1831 
came  to  Marion  county.  Illinois,  locating 
three  miles  east  of  Itika,  in  what  is  now 
luka  township.  They  were  sterling  pio- 


neers and  made  a  most  comfortable  living 
in  the  new  country  where  they  became 
known  as  honest,  hard-working-  people. 
Their  family  consisted  of  fourteen  children, 
named  in  order  of  birth,  as  follows: 
Thomas  L.,  Lydia  P.,  Harvey,  William  H., 
Elizabeth,  John  B.,  Joel,  Martha,  Jane,  Sa- 
rah, James  A.,  Josephus  W.,  Ruth  W.,  the 
wife  of  our  subject;  Lucy  and  Dicy  E. 

Mr.  Middleton  was  a  local  preacher  in 
the  Methodist  Episcopal. church,  having  be- 
come well  known  as  an  able  expounder  of 
the  Gospel  and  doing  a  vast  amount  of  good 
in  his  work  here.  His  wife  was  also  a 
faithful  worker  in  this  church. 

To  our  subject  and  wife  eleven  children 
were  born,  six  sons  and  five  daughters, 
named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows  :  Richard 
J.,  who  was  first  married  to  Mary  A.  Jag- 
ger,  and  later  to  Rachel  Berry;  John  H., 
who  married  Lucy  Downing ;  Thomas,  who 
married  Aleatha  E.  Kite;  Hattie,  who  is 
living  at  home;  Mary  is  also  a  member  of 
the  home  circle  at  this  writing,  1908; 
Sarah  became  the  wife  of  Omer  Squibb; 
Daniel  W.,  married  Clara  Stevenson;  Joel 
W.,  married  Lucretia  Stevenson;  Ruth 
Emma  is  the  wife  of  Daniel  Crayton  Ste- 
venson; Marion  C.  married  Lelian  Bru- 
baker;  Martha  A.  is  single  and  living  at 
home:  the  last  two  children  named  are 
twins. 

The  widow  of  our  subject,  a  gracious  old 
lady  of  beautiful  Christian  character  and 
praiseworthy  attributes,  is  living  011  the  old 
homestead,  being  idolized  by  her  children, 
and  much  admired  and  loved  bv  a  host  of 


342 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


friends.  Many  are  the  homes  in  the  sur- 
rounding country  where  she  has  nursed  the 
sick  and  brought  sunshine  and  happiness. 
She  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  lives  of  her 
children,  her  eighteen  grandchildren  and 
eighteen  great-grandchildren.  On  the  old 
home  place,  which  is  still  well  kept  and  in 
an  excellent  productive  state,  live  three  of 
the  daughters  with  their  beloved  mother, 
the  family  being  well  known  in  Stevenson 
township  and  highly  respected  by  all.  In 
this  home  are  to  be  found  many  old  and  in- 
teresting relics  of  the  pioneer  days,  such  as 
spinning  wheels  and  machines  for  spinning 
flax,  and  many  similar  things. 


MILTON  CUTCHIN. 

The  memory  of  the  worthy  subject  of 
this  memorial  biography  is  revered  by  a 
host  of  friends  and  acquaintances  among 
whom  he  labored  and  who  had  occasion  to 
know  of  his  personal  excellencies  of  char- 
acter, having  spent  his  energies  through  a 
long  life  of  endeavor  not  alone  for  his  own 
aggrandizement,  but  for  the  good  of  those 
with  whom  he  came  in  contact  as  well,  oft- 
en striving  to  make  people  better  and  hap- 
pier even  at  the  neglect  of  his  own  com- 
forts and  well-being.  Such  a  life  as  that 
of  our  subject  is  not  met  with  every  day, 
and  it  is  therefore  eminently  worthy  of  em- 
ulation, having  been  singularly  free  from 
all  that  is  deteriorating  or  paltry. 

Milton  Cutchin  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
June  i,  1828,  the  son  of  Lemuel  R.,  and 


Jane  (Drenen)  Cutchin,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  about  1832,  being  among 
the  pioneers  of  that  period  who  have  done 
so  much  for  subsequent  civilization.  His 
mother  died  in  Tennessee  before  her  hus- 
band, Lemuel  R.  Cutchin,  started  for  Il- 
linois. 

The  subject's  father  took  up  government 
land  in  Marion  county  which  he  developed 
into  a  good  farm,  making  a  comfortable 
living  on  the  same.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church,  and  a  Democrat  in 
his  political  belief.  He  was  the  father  of 
three  children  by  his  first  wife,  namely : 
Milton,  our  subject ;  Leander,  Susan,  all 
three  now  deceased.  The  second  wife  of 
Lemuel  R.  Cutchin  was  Mary  Waldron,  by 
whom  the  following  children  were  born : 
William,  Jackson,  Martin,  Mary  and  Ann. 

Milton  Cutchin,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  only  four  years  of  age  when  the  family 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois.  The  trip 
from  Tennessee  was  made  in  wagons  and 
there  was  much  difficulty  in  fording  the 
unbridged  streams  and  passing  through  the 
woods  and  along  the  poorly  constructed 
roads.  Our  subject  was  reared  on  a  farm 
where  he  did  his  share  of  the  work,  in  the 
meantime  attending  the  district  schools, 
such  as  those  early  times  afforded,  but  he 
applied  himself  in  a  diligent  manner  and  re- 
ceived a  fairly  good  education.  He  de- 
voted his  life  work  to  farming  at  which  he 
was  reasonably  successful,  making  a  good 
living  for  his  family  and  leaving  a  valuable 
farm  as  an  estate. 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


343 


In  1849  Milton  Cutchin  was  married  to 
Ruth  M.  Jones,  who  was  born  in  Bloom- 
ington,  Indiana,  in  1832,  the  daughter  of 
Jeremiah  S.  and  Savilla  (Marshall)  Jones, 
the  father  having  been  born  in  North  Caro- 
lina, and  the  mother  in  Kentucky.  They 
were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Greene 
county,  Indiana,  who  came  on  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1840,  and  here  the  par- 
ents of  the  subject's  wife  spent  the  remain- 
der of  their  lives,  rearing  seven  children, 
whose  names  are  herewith  appended :  John, 
Susan,  David.  Elizabeth.  Ruth.  Sarah  and 
Hubbard.  The  Jones  family  belong  to  the 
Methodist  church. 

Thirteen  children  were  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  six  of  whom  died  in  infancy. 
Those  who  survived  are  William,  Emmett, 
Florida,  Florence,  Orella,  Frank  and  Fred. 
They  received  fairly  good  common  school 
educations  and  are  well  started  on  the  high- 
way of  success  and  happiness,  following  as 
nearly  as  they  can  the  worthy  example  of 
the  father,  who  was  scrupulously  honest,  a 
man  of  integrity,  industry  and  kindness  in 
all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men,  there- 
by winning  their  loyal  friendship. 

The  widow  of  Milton  Cutchin  resides  on 
the  old  home  farm  which  consists  of  eighty 
acres  of  valuable  and  well  tilled  land,  lo- 
cated in  Stevenson  township.  The  house, 
barn  and  other  buildings  on  the  place  are 
kept  in  good  condition  and  are  convenient 
and  comfortable.  Our  subject  was  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Christian  church,  of 
which  denomination  Mrs.  Cutchin  is  also  a 
member,  being  a  good  Christian  woman  and 


highly  esteemed  in  her  community  for  her 
many  praiseworthy  traits  of  character  and 
her  kindness  and  hospitality. 

Mr.  Cutchin  was  one  of  the  loyal  de- 
fenders of  the  Union  during  the  Mexican 
war,  having  been  a  gallant  soldier  and 
never  flinched  from  his  duties  on  the  battle- 
field, having  made  a  splendid  record. 


JACOB  BRUBAKER. 

It  is  not  the  intention  of  the  biographer 
to  give  in  this  connection  a  detailed  history 
of  the  subject's  life,  but  rather  to  note  inci- 
dentally his  connection  with  the  various 
enterprises  with  which  his  name  has  been 
linked  and  to  show  the  marked  influence  he 
wielded  in  advancing  the  interests  of  Ste- 
venson township,  Marion  county. 

Jacob  Brubaker  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  in  1825,  the  son  of  Abraham 
Brubaker,  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state  as 
was  also  his  wife  who  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Elizabeth  Myers.  They 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1842 
and  took  up  government  land  and  remained 
here  the  balance  of  their  lives.  Abraham 
was  a  man  of  influence  in  his  community. 
He  passed  away  March  10.  1854,  and  his 
faithful  life  companion  joined  him  Febru- 
ary 3,  1867.  The  number  of  children  born 
to  them  was  six. 

Jacob  Brubaker,  our  subject,  came  to  Illi- 
nois with  his  parents  when  he  was  sixteen 


344 


BRINKERHOFF  S   HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


years  of  age  and  received  his  education  in 
the  pioneer  schools  where  the  advantages 
were  very  limited  and  the  terms  lasted  only 
a  few  months  out  of  each  year,  but  he  ap- 
plied himself  as  best  he  could  and  laid  the 
foundation  for  a  good  mental  development 
which  he  later  received  by  home  reading  and 
personal  observation. 

Mr.  Brubaker  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Jane  Davis,  who  was  born  in  Virginia. 
She  was  taken  to  Pennsylvania  when  two 
years  of  age  and  reared  there,  later  coming 
to  Illinois  when  she  had  reached  maturity, 
remaining  in  this  state  until  her  earthly  la- 
bors closed  in  1895.  She  was  a  good 
woman,  kind  and  gentle  of  disposition,  and 
in  her  religious  affiliations  was  a  member 
of  the  Presbyterian  church.  Ten  children 
were  born  to  Jacob  and  Jane  Brubaker, 
named  in  order  of  their  birth  as  follows: 
Clifford,  who  lives  in  Stevenson  township 
on  a  farm ;  Lillie  is  the  wife  of  M.  C.  Hoist- 
law,  a  farmer  of  Stevenson  township;  Ella 
is  single;  John  is  a  farmer  living  in  Alma 
township,  this  county;  Walter,  who  was 
born  February  7,  1864,  lives  on  a  farm  in 
Stevenson  township.  He  was  reared  on  a 
farm  and  in  1887  went  to  Colorado,  but 
returned  to  this  county  and  married  Laura 
Rodgers,  a  native  of  Marion  county.  He 
has  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  of  good 
land  and  he  is  regarded  as  an  excellent 
farmer  and  neighbor.  He  is  the  father  of 
one  child,  Blanche.  Frank  is  the  name  of 
the  sixth  child  of  our  subject,  who  is  liv- 
ing on  a  farm  in  Stevenson  township;  Anna 
is  the  wife  of  Charles  Craig,  a  farmer  on 


the  old  Brubaker  homestead;  Herman  is  a 
farmer  in  luka  township;  the  ninth  and 
tenth  child  died  in  infancy. 

Jacob  Brubaker,  after  an  eminently  use- 
ful and  active  life,  passed  to  his  rest  on  June 
30,  1908,  lamented  by  a  host  of  friends  who 
regarded  him  as  one  of  the  leading  men  of 
the  community  and  who  will  greatly  miss 
him.  In  politics  he  was  a  Democrat  and 
he  served  as  school  director  of  Stevenson 
township.  He  was  known  as  a  loyal  citizen 
and  a  good  man. 


NOAH  BRUBAKER. 

We  now  take  under  review  one  of  the 
sterling  citizens  of  Stevenson  township, 
Marion  county,  where  he  has  resided  for 
over  a  half  a  century  and  where  his  life  has 
been  spent  in  such  a  manner  as  to  gain  him 
an  ample  competence.  Mr.  Brubaker  is  one 
of  the  successful  farmers  in  this  community, 
where  he  owns  an  attractive  farm,  having  so 
conducted  his  business  affairs  as  to  bring 
success  to  himself,  comfort  to  his  family  and 
good  to  the  community. 

Noah  Brubaker  was  born  in  Fairneld 
county,  Ohio,  June  26,  1824,  the  son  of 
Abraham  and  Elizabeth  (Myers)  Brubaker, 
the  latter  a  native  of  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania,  the  former  a  native  of  Rock- 
ingham  county,  Virginia.  They  both  went 
to  Ohio  early  in  life,  were  married  there  and 
in  1842  came  to  .Marion  county,  Illinois, 
and  took  up  government  land,  about  seven 


BRINKERHOFFS   HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


345 


eighties  in  all,  and  at  once  set  about  trans- 
forming a  part  of  this  land  into  a  home. 
Useless  to  say  that  it  gradually  grew  to  be 
very  valuable  property.  He  was  able  to 
give  all  his  children  a  farm  and  a  good 
home.  He  passed  away  in  1854,  his  widow 
having  survived  him  until  1867.  She  was  a 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church.  Abraham  was  a  stanch  Democrat 
and  a  well  known  and  influential  man  in  his 
community.  In  his  family  were  the  follow- 
ing six  children :  Eli,  deceased ;  Lydia,  de- 
ceased; Noah,  our  subject;  Jacob,  deceased; 
Susan,  deceased ;  Amy,  deceased ;  our  sub- 
ject being  the  only  one  of  the  six  children 
now  alive. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  eighteen 
years  old  when  the  family  came  to  Illinois, 
and  he  well  remembers  making  the  trip  in 
wagons,  having  camped  out  a  part  of  the 
way,  having  difficulty  in  crossing  some  of 
the  streams  and  passing  some  of  the  roads. 
They  erected  a  log  house  after  locating  here 
and  began  life  as  the  pioneers  who  had  pre- 
ceded them  to  other  parts  of  this  locality. 

Noah  Brubaker  was  educated  in  the  pio- 
neer schools  of  that  time,  which  he  attended 
in  Ohio  and  received  what  education  he 
could  under  the  primitive  conditions.  After 
coming  to  Illinois  he  helped  clear  up  the 
land  upon  which  the  family  settled,  having 
done  a  great  deal  of  hard  work.  He  has 
spent  his  entire  life  on  the  farm  and  has 
therefore  mastered  the  modern  methods  of 
agriculture.  He  has  been  thrifty  and  always 
worked  hard,  consequently  he  accumulated 
enough  to  purchase  the  excellent  farm  where 


lie  new  resides,  which  consists  of  three  hun- 
dred and  ten  acres.  It  is  under  a  high  state 
of  cultivation  and  has  been  highly  improved 
in  every  respect,  the  crops  having  been  so 
rotated  as  to  preserve  the  original  strength 
of  the  soil  and  as  a  result  great  harvests  are 
reaped  from  the  fields  year  after  year  with 
no  appreciable  weakening  of  the  soil. 

He  has  a  good  residence,  barns  and  out 
buildings,  a  fine  orchard  and  keeps  good 
stock  of  various  kinds  which  form  no  small 
part  of  his  yearly  income. 

Our  subject's  married  life  dates  from 
1848,  when  he  was  united  in  the  bonds  of 
wedlock  with  Catherine  Hite,  who  was  born 
in  1829,  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  the 
daughter  of  Andrew  and  Catherine  Hite. 
Thirteen  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  three  of  whom  died  unnamed. 
The  others  are:  Oliver,  a  farmer  living  in 
Kansas,  who  married  Millie  Burris;  Alice, 
who  has  been  twice  married,  first  to  Alfred 
Brainard  and  second  to  H.  A.  Whitney,  and 
she  is  living  at  Carbondale,  Illinois;  Lee 
married  Malinda  Vangelder,  living  in  Ste- 
venson township;  Leslie,  a  farmer  living  in 
Florida,  married  Helen  Boyton;  Ross,  a 
farmer  living  in  Oklahoma,  married  Ida  Mc- 
Ilwayne;  Noah  V.,  a  farmer,  also  living  in 
Oklahoma,  married  Stella  Crippin;  Min- 
nie is  the  wife  of  W.  A.  Kniseley, 
and  is  living  in  Omega  township  on 
a  farm;  Ruth  is  the  wife  of  O.  D. 
Fulton,  a  salesman,  who  lives  in  Phoenix, 
Arizona;  Arthur,  who  is  living  on  the  old 
home  farm,  married  Delia  Garner;  Andrew, 
who  is  also  living  on  the  home  farm,  mar- 


346 


3RINKERHOFF'S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ried  Ella  \Yhite.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  has  forty-six  grandchildren  and  sev- 
enteen great-grandchildren.  Following  are 
subject's  grandchildren :  Those  born  to 
Minnie  (Mrs.  Kniseley)  are.  Noah,  LeRoy, 
Scott,  Ethel.  Those  born  to  Ruth  (Mrs. 
Fulton)  are,  Lucile  and  Eugene.  Those 
born  to  Arthur  and  wife  are,  Opal.  Doug- 
las. Eli  Guy,  Grace  E.  Denby,  Lloyd.  Those 
born  to  Andrew  and  wife  are,  Merl,  Cath- 
erine. Ernest,  Lawrence,  Paul  and  Donald. 
Oliver's — Fred  Brubaker,  Roy  Brubaker, 
Alice  Brubaker;  Alice's — E.  A.  Brainard,  S. 
L.  Brainard,  Alice  Brainard-Bowman,  Jessie 
Brainard-Burkhart ;  Lee's  children — Clar- 
ence Brubaker,  Grace  Brubaker,  Noah  Bru- 
baker, Maud  Brubaker-Garges,  Bryan  Bru- 
baker, Nellie  Brubaker;  Leslie's — Oren 
Brubaker,  Eva  Brubaker-Sheahan,  Carl 
Brubaker,  Ona  Brubaker,  Emma  Brubaker, 
Emil  Brubaker,  Carmen  Brubaker,  Pearl 
Brubaker,  Ouention  Brubaker;  Ross'  chil- 
dren— Merl  Brubaker,  Ralph  Brubaker,  Or- 
ville  Brubaker  and  Charlie  Brubaker;  Van's 
— Bruce  Brubaker.  Pearl  B.  Brubaker,  Bon- 
nie Laura  Brubaker. 

The  great-grandchildren  are :  Roy  has  one 
child;  Ernest's — Alfred  Brainard,  Lillian 
Brainard,  Louise  Brainard  and  Herschel 
Brainard  ;  Pearl's — Brainard  Bowman, 
Alice  E.  Bowman;  Stewart's — Alice  E. 
Brainard ;  Clarence's — Pauline  Brubaker 
and  Max  Brubaker ;  Eva's — Helen  Shea- 
han;  Bruce's — Nellie  May  Brubaker. 

The  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  church,  while  his  wife  is 
a  member  of  the  Baptist  church.  The  for- 


mer is  a  Democrat  and  was  an  efficient 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years,  and  served  in  a  most  faithful  man- 
ner as  Supervisor  for  one  year,  also  school 
Director  and  School  Trustee.  He  has  always 
been  anxious  to  see  his  county  develop  along 
all  lines  of  improvements. 


NOAH  R.  STEVENSON. 

In  taking  up  the  review  of  the  life  of  the 
gentleman  whose  name  appears  above,  who 
is  one  of  the  honored  pioneer  farmers  of 
Stevenson  township,  Marion  county,  the 
biographer  calls  attention  to  one  who  has 
by  a  life  of  earnest  and  consecutive  en- 
deavor won  for  himself  the  respect  of  all 
who  have  come  in  contact  with  him.  While 
there  are  no  startling  incidents  in  the  life 
story  of  Mr.  Stevenson  as  here  outlined,  it 
is  the  record  of  a  life  true  to  its  highest 
ideals. 

Noah  R.  Stevenson  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  April  21,  1835,  the  son  of 
Mordica  and  Elner  (Combs)  Stevenson, 
both  natives  of  Maryland,  the  former  be- 
ing the  son  of  Daniel  A.  Stevenson,  a  native 
of  Maryland  and  a  pioneer  settler  of  Fair- 
field  county.  Ohio,  where  he  entered  gov- 
ernment land  comprising  two  sections. 
Elner  Combs  was  the  daughter  of  John  A. 
Combs,  a  native  of  Maryland  who  settled 
in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  among  the  pio- 
neers. Mordica  Stevenson  first  married  Re- 
becca Comer,  who  was  the  mother  of  six 
children,  namely:  Daniel,  Samuel,  Joseph, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


347 


Elizabeth,  Belle,  Ruth,  all  now  deceased. 
The  following  children  were  bom  to  Mor- 
dica's  union  with  Elner  Combs:  Noah,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch :  William,  deceased : 
Rebecca,  deceased ;  David,  a  minister  in  the 
United  Brethren  church ;  Franklin,  who  is 
still  living.  Prior  to  her  marriage  with  Mr. 
Stevenson,  Elner  Combs  married  John 
Henthorn,  becoming  the  mother  of  one  son, 
John,  who  is  deceased.  The  parents  of  the 
subject  in  their  religious  affiliations  were 
members  of  the  Hard-Shell  Baptist  church. 
Mordica  Stevenson  was  a  Democrat  and 
took  an  active  interest  in  political  affairs. 
He  was  a  man  of  much  native  ability  and 
became  well  known  in  his  community. 

Xoah  R.  Stevenson,  our  subject,  was 
reared  on  the  home  farm,  where  he  re- 
mained until  nineteen  years  old,  having  re- 
ceived a  limited  education  in  the  pioneer 
schools  of  the  early  days.  In  1854  he 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  pur- 
chased new  and  unimproved  land  in  Steven- 
son township  and  developed  a  farm  on 
which  he  has  lived  continuously  ever  since. 
He  now  owns  eighty  acres  of  as  highly  im- 
proved and  productive  land  as  can  be  found 
in  this  county.  It  shows  that  a  man  of 
modern  farming  methods  and  industry  has 
managed  it.  The  fields  are  kept  clean,  well 
drained  and  well  fenced,  and  the  dwelling 
on  the  place  is  modern,  substantial  and 
well  furnished.  Numerous  convenient  out- 
buildings of  a  substantial  nature  are  lo- 
cated on  the  place.  General  fanning  is  car- 
ried on  and  much  good  stock  of  all  kinds 
is  kept  on  the  farm. 


Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1857  with  Hannah  Kagy,  who  was  bom  in 
Fairfield  county,  Ohio,  the  daughter  of 
Christian  and  Anna  Kagy,  a  well  known  and 
influential  family,  who  came  to  Marion 
county  in  1847,  and  wno  are  now  deceased. 

Twelve  children  have  been  bom  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  ten  of  whom  are  living, 
named  in  order  of  their  birth  as  follows : 
Ida.  the  wife  of  Joseph  Dozier,  of  St. 
Louis;  Eva  is  single  and  living  at  home; 
Carrie  is  the  wife  of  Perry  Warner;  Mor- 
dica lives  in  Stevenson  township,  and  he 
was  first  married  to  Catherine  Harmon,  and 
second  to  Belle  Camp;  Ethel  is  the  wife  of 
Frank  Boynton ;  James,  the  twin  of  Ethel, 
is  now  deceased ;  Morris  is  deceased ;  Otis 
is  a  teacher,  living  in  Bloomington,  Illinois; 
Omer  is  living  at  home ;  Dorothy  is  the 
wife  of  Lincoln  Kell ;  Lena  is  married  to 
Monta  Boynton :  Grace  is  the  wife  of  E. 
Steward,  living  in  Hudson,  Illinois. 

The  wife  of  our  subject,  who  was  a 
woman  of  pleasing  address  and  kind  dis- 
position, passed  to  her  rest  October  9,  1904. 

Mr.  Stevenson  carries  out  the  traditions 
of  his  family  in  adhering  to  the  policies  of 
the  Democratic  party,  having  been  more  or 
less  active  in  the  same  since  maturity.  He 
has  held  the  office  of  Assessor  of  Steven- 
son township,  also  treasurer  of  the  same, 
discharging  the  duties  of  each  with  rare 
business  ability  and  in  a  manner  that  re- 
flected much  credit  upon  himself  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 

Mr.  Stevenson  comes  from  a  highly  re- 
spected and  influential  old  family,  and  he 


348 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


is  a  pleasant  man  to  meet,  honest  and  always 
ready  to  aid  in  any  cause  which  has  for  its 
object  the  betterment  of  his  community. 


JOHN  F.  EDDIXGS. 

The  climate,  soil  and  general  conditions 
prevalent  in  southern  Illinois  are  well 
adapted  to  the  purposes  of  general  farming 
and  stock  raising.  One  of  the  men  who  has 
shown  by  their  success  that  they  were  mas- 
ters of  the  art  of  farming  in  luka  town- 
ship. Marion  county,  is  the  subject  of  this 
biography.  However,  he  is  at  present  en- 
gaged in  other  business,  having  given  up 
his  former  life  work. 

John  F.  Eddings  was  born  in  luka  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  Feburary  22, 
1844.  the  son  of  James  B.  and  Rhoda  Ann 
(West)  Eddings,  both  natives  of  North 
Carolina.  They  emigrated  to  Kentucky 
and  Tennessee  when  very  young,  arriving 
in  the  latter  state  in  1842.  They  later 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  set- 
tled in  luka  township,  where  they  remained 
a  short  time  and  then  returned  to  Tennes- 
see, but  returned  to  Marion  county  in  1855, 
settling  again  in  luka  township,  where  they 
remained  during  the  rest  of  their  lives  on  a 
farm.  The  death  of  the  subject's  father  oc- 
curred February  28,  1901,  and  his  wife 
died  January  19,  1902.  The  former  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  after  the  Civil  war  he  voted  the  Re- 
publican ticket.  He  was  justice  of  the 


peace  for  two  terms.  There  were  nine 
children  in  the  family  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
James  Eddings,  namely:  Nancy,  who  lives 
in  luka,  is  the  wife  of  William  Nicks ;  John 
F.,  our  subject,  was  second  in  order  of 
birth;  Mary  E.,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of 
L.  L.  Jones;  Minerva  H.  is  the  wife  of 
William  Milburn,  living  in  luka;  James  T. 
is  a  farmer  living  in  luka  township;  Jesse 
J.  lives  in  St.  Louis;  Martha  Ann  is  the 
wife  of  William  Morgan,  living  in  Alma; 
William  L.  is  deceased;  Sarah,  step- 
daughter of  the  subject's  father,  is  de- 
ceased. 

John  F.  Eddings  was  reared  on  the  home 
farm  and  educated  in  the  common  schools 
of  the  county,  remaining  under  the  pa- 
rental roof  until  he  was  seventeen  years  of 
age,  when  he  showed  his  patriotism  by  en- 
listing in  Company  I,  Fortieth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  serving  four  years  in  a 
most  gallant  manner.  So  efficient  was  his 
service  that  he  was  promoted  to  corporal, 
and  then  to  first  lieutenant.  He  served 
with  Sherman's  army,  having  been  in  all 
his  campaigns,  with  the  exception  of 
when  he  was  wounded  at  Shiloh,  hav- 
ing been  shot  through  the  shoulder 
in  that  great  battle.  His  throat  was 
also  pierced  by  a  bullet.  He  remained 
in  the  general  hospital  for  one  and  one-half 
months,  after  which  he  received  a  furlough 
home  of  from  forty  to  fifty  days  at  the  ex- 
piration of  which  he  rejoined  his  regiment 
and  served  until  the  end  of  the  war.  After 
his  return  from  the  army,  he  fanned  a 
while.  Selling  out,  he  came  to  luka  and 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


349 


engaged  in  the  real  estate  and  insurance 
business,  also  as  pension  attorney  which  he 
has  since  been  following  with  marked  suc- 
cess. 

Mr.  Eddings  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  Picket  Post,  hav- 
ing been  commander,  adjutant  and  quarter- 
master of  the  same. 

Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  having 
passed  all  the  chairs  and  he  has  attended  the 
grand  lodge  four  times.  He  has  been  sec- 
retary of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  lodge  No.  694,  for  eighteen  years. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

Useless  to  add  that  in  politics  Mr.  Ed- 
dings  is  a  loyal  Republican.  He  is  in  1908 
Supervisor  of  luka  township,  having  been 
first  appointed  in  December,  1903,  to  fill  out 
an  expired  term,  taking  the  place  made  va- 
cant by  the  death  of  William  Gray.  Mr. 
Eddings  was  elected  in  1907  for  a  period 
of  two  years.  Our  subject  has  long  been 
interested  in  public  affairs  and  always  did 
his  part  in  furthering  the  interests  of  his 
community  in  any  way  he  could. 


SALLIE  OWENS. 

A  resume  of  the  noble  work  and  beauti- 
ful life  record  of  the  estimable  lady  whose 
name  initiates  this  paragraph,  is  herewith 
appended  together  with  a  brief  outline  of 
the  life  of  her  honored  father  who  has 
joined  the  great  phantom  army.  Our  sub- 


ject is  known  as  a  woman  of  rare  tact  and 
foresight,  having  been  for  many  years  one 
of  the  leading  educators  of  Marion  county 
and  at  present  a  teacher  in  the  Salem 
schools  where  she  is  held  in  high  favor,  in 
fact,  her  services  have  long  been  in  great 
demand  and  her  life  has  been  one  which 
should  serve  to  inspire  young  women  to 
make  efforts  to  accomplish  something  worth 
while. 

Sallie  Owens,  one  of  the  best  known  edu- 
cators of  Salem,  Illinois,  was  born  in  Logan 
county.  Kentucky,  on  January  16,  1851. 
She  is  the  daughter  of  William  and  Martha 
(Baldridge)  Owens,  the  latter  a  native  of 
Sumner  county,  Tennessee,  and  the  former 
a  native  of  Logan  county,  Kentucky.  Wil- 
liam Owens  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  he  later  took  a  collegiate  course 
graduating  from  Center  College  in  Dan- 
ville, Kentucky.  He  studied  law  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  however  he  never  prac- 
ticed. He  became  a  well  known  business 
man,  a  capitalist,  banker  and  land  owner. 
He  was  the  cashier  of  a  bank  in  Columbus, 
Kentucky.  Shortly  after  the  Civil  war,  he 
removed  to  Louisville,  Kentucky,  where  he 
remained  until  his  death,  August  24,  1869. 
He  was  born  August  27,  1820.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Baptist  church,  but  affiliated 
with  his  wife's  church,  the  Presbyterian. 
He  was  a  Royal  Arch  Mason.  Mr.  Owens 
owned  much  land,  among  which  was  quite 
a  large  tract  near  Salem,  Illinois,  which 
his  daughter,  our  subject,  now  controls.  He 
was  a  business  man  of  unusual  foresight 
and  breadth  of  view,  always  honest  in  his 


35° 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


dealings  with  his  fellow  men,  liberal  and 
did  much  for  charity  and  the  furthering  of 
all  worthy  movements  looking  to  the  pub- 
lic good.  He  owned  an  elegant  and  well- 
furnished  home,  where  free  hospitality  and 
good  cheer  ever  reigned.  He  had  an  ex- 
cellent and  well  selected  library  for  he  was 
a  great  student  and  was  a  man  of  letters. 
He  numbered  his  friends  by  the  thousands. 
His  wife,  Martha  B.  Baldridge,  was  born 
October  12,  1826,  and  died  October  27, 
1907.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  estimable 
traits  and  beautiful  character.  She  was 
the  mother  of  three  children,  namely :  Cora, 
who  is  the  widow  of  William  Garvan 
Hume,  living  in  Louisville,  Kentucky ;  Sal- 
lie,  our  subject;  Letitia  died  in  infancy. 

Sallie  Owens,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
was  educated  in  the  common  schools,  and 
the  high  school  of  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
also  in  a  small  select  school  of  that  city, 
which  was  conducted  on  a  plot  of  ground 
donated  by  her  father  for  a  select  school. 
Later  she  attended  Bellewood  Normal 
School  in  Kentucky,  from  which  she  gradu- 
ated. Then  she  entered  the  National 
School  of  Elocution  and  Oratory  at  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania,  from  which  she  grad- 
uated with  high  honors.  Being  ambitious, 
and  a  great  student  all  her  life,  she  made 
rapid  progress  in  all  the  schools  she  at- 
tended. 

After  leaving  school  she  went  to  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  and  taught  in  a  private 
school  for  some  time.  Then  Miss  Owens 
went  to  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  where  she 
was  principal  of  the  high  school  for  several 


years.  She  also  had  charge  of  the  under 
graduates  in  Orange  county,  Florida. 

In  1891  Miss  Owens  came  north  with 
her  mother,  locating  at  Salem,  Illinois,  and 
here  started  a  private  school,  the  various 
branches  in  addition  to  a  complete  literary 
course,  including  music,  art,  oratory  and  el- 
ocution which  she  conducted  with  great 
success  from  the  first,  covering  a  period  of 
sixteen  years.  Finally  failing  health  caused 
her  to  give  up  the  work  here,  much  to  the 
regret  of  her  numerous  patrons  and 
friends. 

In  all  her  work  as  teacher  Miss  Owens 
has  shown  that  she  is  not  only  a  very  highly 
educated  woman,  but  also  possessing  all  the 
other  attributes  that  constitute  the  success- 
ful teacher.  Her  services  were  always  in 
great  demand  and  she  became  widely  known 
as  an  able  educator.  She  is  highly  accom- 
plished, a  fluent  and  charming  conversa- 
tionalist, and  there  is  no  more  popular  or 
highly  esteemed  lady  in  Salem  or  this  local- 
ity than  she.  The  good  work  that  she  has 
done  in  educational  work  cannot  be  ade- 
quately measured. 

Miss  Owens  is  a  business  woman  of  un- 
usual ability.  She  oversees  quite  a  large 
farm  that  lays  just  on  the  outskirts  of  Sa- 
lem, managing  it  with  great  skill  and  suc- 
cess in  every  particular.  General  farming 
is  carried  on  and  much  fine  stock  is  to  be 
found  in  her  barns  and  fields.  Her. home 
on  west  Main  street,  Salem,  is  a  beautiful 
one  and  tastefully  kept,  being  well  fur- 
nished and  a  place  where  good  cheer  and 
hospitality  reign. 


1!RIXKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


351 


Miss  Owens  was  baptized  in  her  infancy 
in  the  Presbyterian  church,  but  she  has  af- 
filiated with  the  Episcopal  church  for  many 
years.  She  is  regarded  as  a  woman  of 
many  commendable  traits  and  praiseworthy 
attributes  and  her  friends  are  limited  only 
by  the  circle  of  her  acquaintance. 


ALEXANDER  HAMILTON. 

In  Marion  county,  Illinois,  are  found 
many  men  of  brawn  and  brain,  who,  with 
firm  resolves  and  well  defined  purposes, 
have  worked  their  way  from  lowly  begin- 
nings to  places  of  prominence  and  command- 
ing influence  in  their  respective  communi- 
ties. They  have  not  been  fortune's  favor- 
ites, but  have  gradually  forged  to  the  front, 
overcoming  every  obstacle  calculated  to  hin- 
der or  impede  their  progress  by  the  sheer 
power  of  personal  force  backed  by  a  laud- 
able ambition  to  succeed. 

Among  this  worthy  class  may  be  men- 
tioned the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  at 
the  head  of  this  article,  Alexander  Hamil- 
ton, Ex-Surveyor  of  Marion  county,  who 
was  born  in  Columbiana  county,  Ohio, 
September  14,  1843,  tne  son  of  Thomas  S. 
and  Anna  (Dildine)  Hamilton,  who  were 
natives  respectively  of  Pennsylvania  and 
Ohio,  the  father  emigrating  to  Columbiana 
county,  Ohio,  in  1828.  The  father  of  the 
subject  was  a  farmer  and  carpenter.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 
There  were  three  children  in  this  family,  the 
first  of  whom  was  Alexander,  our  subject; 


C.  W.,  who  lives  in  Ohio  on  the  old  home 
farm,  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth,  and 
Aretae  C.,  the  youngest  child,  is  deceased. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on 
a  farm  in  Ohio  where  he  remained  at  home 
until  eighteen  years  of  age,  assisting  with 
the  farm  work  and  attending  the  neighbor- 
hood schools  in  the  meantime.  He  later  at- 
tended the  high  school  of  that  place  and 
took  a  course  in  Summet  College.  Thrist- 
ing  for  more  and  higher  knowledge,  he  went 
to  Glasgow,  Scotland,  and  took  a  university 
course,  remaining  there  for  a  period  of  three 
years,  a  part  of  that  time,  however,  was 
spent  away  from  that  city.  In  1870,  Mr. 
Hamilton  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
after  he  had  received  an  excellent  education 
and  gained  a  knowledge  of  the  outside  world 
through  travel,  and  bought  a  tract  of  land 
and  has  since  been  farming  with  marked 
success,  being  known  as  one  of  the  model 
farmers  of  Marion  county.  He  made  his 
home  in  Salem  for  about  eight  years.  His 
farm  is  highly  improved,  under  a  fine  state 
of  cultivation,  well  fenced  and  well  stocked. 
He  was  also  engaged  in  the  milling  business 
at  one  time. 

In  1884  he  was  elected  and  served  four 
years  as  Surveyor  of  Marion  county.  He 
was  elected  again  to  this  important  position 
in  1892  and  re-elected  in  1900  and  in  1904, 
ably  serving  the  citizens  of  this  county  in 
the  capacity  of  Surveyor  sixteen  years.  He 
served  as  Road  Commissioner  in  1877  and 
served  one  term  of  three  years.  Mr.  Hamil- 
ton is  a  Democrat  and  has  ever  taken  a 
lively  interest  in  politics. 


352 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  Hamilton's  happy  domestic  life  dates 
fram  1873,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Margaret  Jane  Shanafelt,  who  was 
born  in  Seneca  county,  Ohio,  the  daughter 
of  Adam  and  Anna  O.  (Bower)  Shanafelt, 
the  former  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  the 
latter  born  in  Ohio.  Adam  Shanafelt  and 
family  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
1850  and  bought  government  land  and 
spent  their  lives  on  a  large  farm 
which  they  developed.  The  mother  of 
the  subject's  wife  passed  to  her  rest 
in  1907,  at  an  advanced  age  of  ninety- 
four  years,  having  been  preceded  to  the 
spirit  land  by  her  husband  in  1878.  Mrs. 
Shanafelt  was  a  member  of  the  Dunkard 
church.  There  were  eight  children  in  that 
family,  named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows : 
Sarah,  Jonas,  Susannah,  the  fourth  died  in 
infancy,  Jacob,  Martin,  Margaret  Jane,  our 
subject's  wife;  and  Martha  A.  Two  chil- 
dren have  brightened  the  home  of  our  sub- 
ject and  wife,  Albert  D.,  who  married  Jessie 
Flanigan.  He  lives  in  Little  Rock,  Arkan- 
sas, and  is  a  railway  mail  clerk.  Three  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  them:  Helen  F., 
Margaret  M.,  and  Ruth,  the  second  child, 
Margaret  M.,  is  deceased.  Aretae,  the  sec- 
ond child  of  our  subject  and  wife,  married 
Paul  Wallace  and  is  living  in  Salem,  Illi- 
nois. They  have  no  children. 

Mr.  Hamilton  has  a  good  farm  of  eighty 
acres,  but  he  rents  most  of  his  land.  He  has 
built  an  excellent,  comfortable  and  modern 
house  and  a  good  barn. 

Mr.  Hamilton  studied  law  and  was  ad- 
mitted to  the  bar,  but  he  never  practiced. 


He  is  one  of  the  highly  educated  men  of 

the   county,    is   well   posted   on   all  current 

topics   and   is    a    very    charming  conver- 
sationalist. 


PHILLIP  GREEN. 

In  giving  the  following  facts  of  this  bio- 
graphical memoir,  the  publishers  believe  that 
it  will  be  an  incentive  to  the  young  who  may 
peruse  it  to  lead  nobler  lives,  have  higher 
ambitions  and  accomplish  more  for  them- 
selves and  their  fellow  men,  for  the  life  of 
Mr.  Green,  which  has  been  closed  on  earth, 
but  the  influence  of  which  still  permeates  the 
lives  of  those  who  came  in  contact  with  him, 
was  led  along  high  planes  and  in  such  a 
manner  as  to  gain  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  everyone. 

Phillip  Green  was  born  in  Roane  county, 
Tennessee,  April  14,  1849,  the  son  of  Thom- 
as and  Vienna  ( Smaley)  Green,  the  former 
having  died  when  our  subject  was  eighteen 
months  old,  and  his  widow  married  a  second 
time,  her  last  husband  being  Thomas  Nipper, 
a  native  of  Tennessee.  They  came  to  Fay- 
ette  county,  Illinois,  locating  near  Loogoo- 
tee,  where  they  died  of  smallpox,  six  mem- 
bers of  the  family  having  died  of  this  dis- 
ease within  nine  months. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  only  a 
limited  education  in  the  district  schools. 
After  his  parents  died  he  lived  with  Michael 
Murphy  for  seven  years. 

He  first  married  Sarah  Peters,  a  native  of 
Ohio.  She  died  in  the  spring  of  1876  and  he 


MR.  AND  MRS.  PHILLIP  GREEN. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


353 


married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being 
Nancy  Peters,  of  Fayette  county,  Illinois. 
Two  children  were  born  by  his  first  wife, 
namely:  Mary  Etta,  the  wife  of  Thomas 
Jones,  of  Foster  township ;  Katie  is  the  wife 
of  Samuel  Howe,  of  Meacham  township, 
Marion  county,  Illinois.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  the  subject  by  his  second  wife,  named 
as  follows:  Thomas  and  Frank,  twins; 
William,  Forrest,  Bertha,  May,  Myrtle,  Le- 
cian,  Anna  and  Jonathan  F.,  the  last  named 
being  a  fine  draftsman  and  artist,  having 
many  excellent  drawings.  He  and  Frank 
are  living  at  home.  William  married  a  Miss 
Slater,  of  Foster  township,  and  they  live  on 
a  farm. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  first  started  to 
farming  for  himself  in  Fayette  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  in  1884  located  where  he  now  lives 
in  Foster  township,  where  he  has  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres,  having  made  all  the 
improvements  on  the  place  himself  and 
brought  it  up  to  a  high  standard  of  excel- 
lency. He  was  always  a  hard  worker  and  a 
most  excellent  manager,  always  keeping  his 
farm  in  first  class  condition  and  earning  a 
comfortable  living,  besides  saving  a  compe- 
tency all  the  while  for  his  children.  After  a 
life  of  usefulness  and  honor  he  was  called  to 
his  reward  February  2,  1908.  Mrs.  Green 
also  owns  forty  acres  of  land  where  her  son 
lives  in  Foster  township.  She  is  a  woman 
of  rare  business  ability  and  she  is  admired 
by  a  wide  circle  of  friends  for  her  many 
praiseworthy  traits. 

Mr.  Green  was  a  Democrat  and  he  took 
considerable  interest  in  local  political  affairs. 
23 


He  ably  served  as  Highway  Commissioner 
and  School  Director.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Loyal  American  lodge  of  Kinmundy,  Il- 
linois, also  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  He  was  truly  a  good  and  use- 
ful man  and  his  memory  is  held  in  reverence 
by  all  who  knew  him,  for  he  was  public 
spirited,  honest  and  a  true  friend,  husband 
and  father. 


JAMES  B.  HANNA. 

Every  county,  township  and  community 
can  boast  of  natural  leaders  of  men  among 
its  populace,  leaders  in  the  common  work 
and  everyday  affairs  of  life,  as  well  as  in 
the  domain  of  thought.  Such  a  one  is  found 
in  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who,  though 
well  advanced  in  age,  is  still  a  man  of  phys- 
ical and  mental  vigor,  almost  as  capable  of 
bearing  his  part  in  the  affairs  of  his  neigh- 
borhood as  he  was  in  former  days  before 
time  began  undermining  his  natural  forces. 

James  B.  Hanna  was  born  in  Seneca 
county,  Ohio,  October  7,  1837,  the  son  of 
James  and  Sarah  (McClelland)  Hanna, 
both  natives  of  Pennsylvania.  Both  came 
early  in  life  to  Wayne  county,  Ohio,  where 
they  were  married,  later  moving  to  Seneca 
county,  that  state,  where  they  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  their  lives.  James  Hanna  was 
the  son  of  Hugh  Hanna,  a  native  of  Ireland, 
who  came  to  America  and  settled  in  Penn- 
sylvania where  he  died.  There  were  ten 
children  in  the  family  of  the  subject's  par- 
ents, namely:  Hugh,  deceased;  Samuel, 


354 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


William,  James,  our  subject;  Thomas,  John, 
Martha,  Sarah  Jane  and  Mary  E.  The  par- 
ents of  these  children  settled  in  Seneca 
county,  Ohio,  in  an  early  day  on  a  piece 
of  wild  woodland,  which  they  cleared  up, 
improved  and  made  into  a  good  farm.  They 
were  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church 
and  Mr.  Hanna  supported  the  Democratic 
party.  He  took  a  great  interest  in  pub- 
lic affairs  and  contributed  liberally  to  the 
church. 

James  B.  Hanna  remained  at  home  on  the 
farm,  assisting  with  the  work  about  the 
place  and  attending  the  public  schools  and 
three  terms  in  the  Seneca  County  Academy 
and  one  term  at  Oberlin  College. 

After  receiving  a  good  education  he  be- 
gan teaching  and  farming  during  the  sum- 
mer months.  He  became  known  as  a  very 
capable  teacher  and  his  services  were  in 
great  demand. 

William  Hanna,  brother  of  the  subject, 
came  to  Illinois  in  1860,  and  the  subject  fol- 
lowed in  1 86 1  and  went  to  farming  on  his 
brother's  farm.  In  the  same  year  James 
bought  a  farm  of  forty  acres  in  Salem  town- 
ship, and  in  1862  purchased  his  present  farm 
of  eighty-five  acres,  which  was  then  only 
partly  improved,  but  he  has  brought  it  up 
to  a  high  standard  of  modern  farms,  being 
carefully  tilled  and  managed  in  such  a  man- 
ner that  a  comfortable  living  has  been  made 
from  the  same  and  a  liberal  competency  laid 
up  for  his  old  age.  He  has  a  substantial 
and  comfortable  dwelling,  and  a  good  barn 
and  other  out  buildings. 

In  1865  Mr.  Hanna  married  Martha  A. 


Young,  a  native  of  Marion  county,  the 
daughter  of  Mathew  and  Sarah  Young. 
After  becoming  the  mother  of  one  child, 
Walter  L.,  who  is  deceased,  she  passed  to 
her  rest,  December  20,  1897.  The  second 
marriage  of  our  subject  was  solemnized  in 
1901  to  Rachel  Chance,  a  native  of  Iowa, 
and  she  is  still  living  on  the  old  home  place. 
Her  parents  are  both  deceased. 

The  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church  in  Salem  township.  Mr. 
Hanna  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  been  School 
Trustee,  also  Assessor  and  Collector  of  his 
township,  serving  in  a  most  efficient  man- 
ner in  all  these  capacities.  Because  of  his 
honesty,  industry  and  friendly  manner  he  is 
popular  and  held  in  high  esteem  by  the  peo- 
ple of  Salem  township,  where  he  is  well 
known. 


SAMUEL  A.  SCHANAFELT. 

It  is  always  interesting  to  watch  the 
growth  and  development  of  a  locality,  to 
note  the  lines  along  which  advancement  has 
been  made  and  to  ascertain  who  have  taken 
part  in  the  advancement,  the  work  in  estab- 
lishing a  prosperous  community.  The  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  is  one  who  has  been  of 
much  material  benefit  to  the  community  of 
which  this  book  treats  and  his  worthy  life 
record  is  well  worth  consideration. 

Samuel  A.  Schanafelt,  a  prominent 
farmer  of  Salem  township,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  who  makes  his  home  one  and  one- 
half  miles  west  of  Salem,  was  born  in  Craw- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


355 


ford  county,  Ohio,  February  19,  1844,  the 
son  of  David  and  Sarah  (Orr)  Schanafelt. 
They  were  both  natives  of  Ohio,  and  were 
married  in  Licking  county,  that  state.  They 
farmed  in  Crawford  county,  the  Buckeye 
state,  until  1846,  when  they  came  to  Illi- 
nois, settling  in  Marion  county.  They  made 
the  trip  overland  and  camped  out  at  night. 
David  bought  a  large  tract  of  land  in  what 
is  now  Salem  township.  He  was  a  good 
farmer,  neighbor  and  citizen,  gaining  the 
respect  of  all  who  knew  him.  His  death 
occurred  May  15,  1897.  Both  he  and  his 
faithful  life  companion  were  members  of  the 
Dunkard  church,  sometimes  known  as  the 
German  Baptist  church.  Peter  Schanafelt, 
the  paternal  grandfather  of  the  subject,  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  who  came  to  Ohio 
in  an  early  day,  where  he  farmed  and  spent 
the  remainder  of  his  life.  The  subject's 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  James  and 
Charity  Orr,  who  emigrated  to  Ohio  from 
Kentucky  at  an  early  day.  They  were  farm- 
ers and  died  in  the  Buckeye  state. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Schanafelt's  family 
consisted  of  the  following  children:  Cath- 
arine, Jacob,  Susan,  David,  Samuel,  our 
subject;  Sarah,  John,  Louisa  and  George, 
five  of  whom  are  deceased.  The  father  of 
these  children  was  a  Democrat  and  held 
several  township  offices. 

Samuel  A.  Schanafelt,  our  subject,  was 
two  years  of  age  when  the  family  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  here  he  has 
constantly  remained  since  that  time.  He  has 
prospered  by  reason  of  his  habits  of  in- 
dustry and  economy,  now  owning  a  very 


valuable  farm  consisting  of  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres,  which  includes  a  portion  of 
the  old  home  farm.  He  also  owns  another 
fine  farm  in  Salem  township.  He  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and 
stock  raisers  of  Marion  county,  keeping  his 
land  in  excellent  condition,  reaping  bounte- 
ous harvests  from  year  to  year  by  reason 
of  his  skillful  management.  His  farms  are 
well  fenced  and  drained.  He  has  an  ex- 
cellent dwelling  and  numerous  out  buildings. 
He  is  an  interesting  conversationalist,  hav- 
ing become  well  educated,  attending  in  his 
boyhood  days  the  common  schools  and  later 
a  select  school  in  Salem,  and  later  in  life 
doing  much  home  study. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
December,  1878,  to  Anna  Hershberger,  the 
refined  and  affable  daughter  of  Henry  and 
Catharine  (Suavely)  Hershberger.  She 
was  born  of  a  well  known  and  influential 
family  of  Crawford  county,  Ohio. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Schanafelt  the  follow- 
ing children  have  been  born,  all  educated 
and  well  situated  in  life:  Carrie  Mabel, 
who  is  the  wife  of  Lemuel  Branch,  who  lives 
in  Salem  and  who  are  the  parents  of  three 
children,  Lawrence  J.,  Samuel  E.,  and 
Claud.  Lillie,  the  second  child  of  the  sub- 
ject, is  the  wife  of  Emery  Jeffers  and  the 
mother  of  three  children,  Clara  B.,  Ruth 
Angeline  and  Minnie.  The  third  child  of 
the  subject  and  wife  is  David  Elston,  who 
is  single  and  living  at  home. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  Church  at  Young's  Chapel.  Mr. 
Schanafelt  is  a  loyal  Democrat  and  always 


356 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


takes-considerable  interest  in  whatever  tends 
to  promote  the  affairs  of  his  county  along 
political,  material  and  moral  lines.  He  has 
been  Highway  Commissioner  and  School 
Director,  ably  serving  the  people  of  this 
township  in  both  capacities.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Masonic  lodge  and  one  would 
judge  from  his  daily  life  that  he  believes 
in  carrying  out  the  sublime  precepts  of  this 
organization.  He  is  a  capable,  energetic 
man,  thoroughly  content  with  his  environ- 
ment, and  the  exemplary  life  he  has  led  has 
given  him  a  very  extensive  acquaintance 
and  wherever  he  is  known  he  is  highly  re- 
spected and  esteemed. 


LEWIS  HAHN. 

No  class  of  people  of  foreign  birth  have 
done  so  much  for  the  development  of  Amer- 
ica as  the  Germans,  who  are  always  thrifty, 
honest  and  hard  working  wherever  found, 
and  the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one 
of  that  number,  being  a  prosperous  fanner 
in  luka  township,  Marion  county,  where  he 
has  a  fine  farm,  well  kept  and  managed 
with  such  skill  as  to  stamp  him  one  of  the 
modem  twentieth  century  fanners  of  the 
state. 

Lewis  Hahn  was  bom  in  Prussia,  Ger- 
many, September  22,  1837,  the  son  of  Lewis 
and  Mary  (Burned)  Hahn.  The  subject's 
parents  both  died  in  Marion  county.  Our 
subject  was  reared  in  Germany  on  his 
father's  farm,  where  he  received  a  common 


school  education.  He  came  to  America  in 
1864,  first  stopping  in  Chicago,  where  lie 
worked  as  a  laborer  for  five  years.  In  1870 
he  came  to  Marion  county  and  settled  in 
luka  township  on  a  tract  of  wild  wood- 
land, which  he  transformed  into  a  good 
farm  by  dint  of  hard  work.  His  place  con- 
sists of  two  hundred  acres.  It  was  one  of 
the  best  farms  in  the  community  after  the 
subject  improved  it. 

In  1863  Mr.  Hahn  married,  while  still  in 
Germany  to  Wilhelmina  Burned,  who  made 
an  excellent  helpmeet  and  who  passed  to 
her  rest  in  1904  in  luka  township.  She 
was  the  mother  of  the  following  children : 
Charles,  Mary,  Fred,  Minnie,  Ida,  Otto, 
Lewis,  Fred,  Lizzie,  John.  The  last  four 
named  are  deceased. 

Our  subject  was  married  a  second  time, 
his  last  wife  being  Millie  (Fisher)  Gragert, 
whom  he  married  in  1906.  She  was  the 
widow  of  Henry  Gragert,  who  died  in 
1902.  The  subject's  second  wife  was  bom 
in  Germany  in  1862,  the  daughter  of  Julius 
and  Millie  (Heinz)  Fisher,  both  natives  of 
Germany.  Both  are  now  deceased.  The  sub- 
ject and  his  present  wife  have  one  little 
daughter,  one  year  old,  named  Louisa.  Mrs. 
Hahn  came  to  America  in  1881  and  settled 
first  in  Chicago,  where  she  lived  for  several 
years. 

Mr.  Hahn  is  a  Republican.  He  and  his 
family  are  members  of  the  German  Luther- 
an church.  The  subject  is  a  good  farmer 
and  neighbor,  and  is  highly  respected  by  all 
who  know  him,  being  honest  in  his  deal- 
ings with  his  fellow  men,  industrious,  in- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


357 


terested  in  whatever  tends  to  promote  the 
good  of  his  community. 


HENRY  GRAGERT. 

Although  the  chapter  of  the  interesting- 
life  history  of  the  subject  has  been  closed 
by  the  hand  of  death,  the  influence  of  such 
a  life,  replete  with  kindness,  industry  and 
honorable  deeds  still  lives  and  is  felt  by 
his  neighbors,  friends  and  relatives,  for  Mr. 
Gragert  was  a  man  whom  no  one  could  find 
any  fault  with,  his  life  having  been  one 
worth  emulating. 

Henry  Gragert,  another  of  the  sterling 
citizens  who  came  to  America  from  Ger- 
many, was  born  in  Prussia,  May  30,  1836, 
having  been  reared  and  educated  in  that 
country.  He  came  to  America  in  1870  and 
settled  first  in  Chicago,  where  he  worked 
for  several  years.  He  thai  came  to  luka 
township,  Marion  county  in  1872  and  set- 
tled on  a  piece  of  unimproved  land,  which 
by  hard  work  and  careful  management  he 
developed  into  a  good  farm  which  yielded 
a  comfortable  income.  After  a  life  of  in- 
dustry and  usefulness  he  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  in  1902.  his  death  having 
resulted  from  injuries  received  by  a  fall 
from  a  stack  of  straw.  He  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  German  Lutheran  church, 
and  he  was  known  as  a  good,  religious  man 
to  everybody. 

Mr.  Gragert  was  first  married  to  Minnie 
Timm,  a  native  of  Germany,  who  died 


leaving  him  four  children,  as  follows :  Fred, 
John,  who  died  a  soldier  in  the  Philippine 
islands;  Lena  is  the  wife  of  Emil  Fisher; 
Lewis  is  the  youngest. 

After  the  death  of  the  subject's  wife,  he 
married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being 
Millie  Fisher,  daughter  of  Julius  and  Millie 
(Heinz)  Fisher,  natives  of  Germany,  who 
are  now  deceased. 

Nine  children  were  born  to  the  subject 
and  his  second  wife  as  follows:  William, 
who  is  living  at  home;  Minnie  is  the  wife 
of  Harry  Mullen;  Emil  is  single  and  living 
at  home:  Clara  is  the  wife  of  Harry  Bry- 
ant: Anna,  Charles,  Henry,  Ernest  and  Al- 
bert are  all  living  at  home. 

After  the  accident  which  caused  the 
death  of  Mr.  Gragert,  his  widow  remained 
on  the  farm  and  by  heroic  work  has  man- 
aged it  and  reared  her  children  in  a  most 
commendable  manner.  Besides  rearing  her 
own  nine  children  she  has  had  the  care  of 
four  children  of  her  husband  by  his  first 
wife.  She  is  a  woman  of  many  sterling 
traits  of  character,  possessing  rare  business 
and  executive  ability,  soundness  of  judg- 
ment and  at  the  same  time  is  very  kind, 
gentle  and  pleasant.  She  is  now  the  sec- 
ond wife  of  Lewis  Hahn,  whose  sketch  ap- 
pears in  full  in  another  part  of  this  volume. 


PERRY  W.  WARNER. 

The  entire  busy  and  useful  life  of  the 
subject  has  been  spent  in  Marion  county, 
having  been  born  on  the  farm  where  he  now 


358 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


resides,  and  he  has  ever  used  his  influence 
wherever  possible  for  the  promotion  of  en- 
terprises calculated  to  be  of  lasting  benefit 
to  his  fellow  men,  besides  taking  a  leading 
part  in  all  movements  for  the  advancement 
of  the  social,  intellectual  and  moral  life  of 
the  county. 

Perry  W.  Warner,  who  was  Democratic 
nominee  for  Surveyor  of  Marion  county  in 
1908,  was  born  April  2,  1861,  the  son  of 
Israel  and  Abigail  (Holmes)  Warner,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  Fairfield 
count)',  Ohio,  the  son  of  Jonas  Warner,  a 
native  of  Virginia,  who  came  to  Ohio  in 
an  early  day  and  later  moved  to  Iowa  where 
he  farmed  and  where  he  spent  the  remaining 
years  of  his  life.  Israel  Warner  was 
reared  on  a  farm  in  Ohio  in  which  state  he 
received  a  meager  education  in  the  public 
schools.  He  was  first  married  to  Lydia  Bru- 
baker  in  Ohio,  and  in  1843  came  to  Illinois. 
They  were  the  parents  of  two  children, 
Jonas  and  Elizabeth,  both  deceased.  The 
wife  of  Israel  Warner  died  soon  after  they 
came  to  Illinois  and  he  married  a  second 
time,  his  last  wife  being  Abigail  Holmes, 
who  was  born  in  Indiana.  She  passed  to 
her  rest  in  1877.  She  was  the  mother  of 
five  children,  namely :  Lewis,  George,  Ella, 
Levina,  Perry  W.,  our  subject,  being  the 
youngest. 

Israel,  father  of  the  subject,  died  in  1899. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Pres- 
byterian church.  He  was  first  a  Republican 
and  later  a  Democrat.  When  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois he  bought  the  farm  now  owned  by  our 
subject,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 


thirty-five  acres  of  good  land,  highly  im- 
proved, located  in  Stevenson  township. 

Perry  W.  Warner,  our  subject,  was  born 
and  reared  on  this  farm,  and  was  educated 
in  the  district  schools  and  the  Northern  Illi- 
nois Normal  College.  He  first  taught 
school  for  some  time  after  he  left  college. 
He  taught  in  Marion  and  other  counties  in 
Illinois  with  great  success,  having  become 
widely  known  as  an  able  instructor  and  his 
services  were  in  great  demand. 

In  1889  Mr.  Warner  was  married  to  Car- 
rie B.  Stevenson,  who  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  this  state,  the  accomplished  daugh- 
ter of  Noah  and  Hannah  Stevenson.  The 
reader  is  referred  to  the  sketch  of  Noah 
Stevenson  appearing  in  another  part  of  this 
volume  for  a  full  history  of  the  Stevenson 
family.  The  wife  of  the  subject  also  attended 
the  Northern  Illinois  Normal  College  for 
some  time,  and  she  taught  school  for  several 
terms  prior  to  her  marriage  with  our  sub- 
ject. She  is  a  woman  of  many  estimable 
traits  and  pleasing  personality.  Both  she 
and  her  husband  are  faithful  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  at  New  Bethel  in  Ste- 
venson township.  They  are  both  active  in 
church  work. 

Our  subject  has  a  modern  home  and 
numerous  convenient  out  buildings  on  his 
farm  which  is  always  kept  in  a  high  state 
of  improvement  and  on  which  rich  harvests 
are  reaped  from  year  to  year  as  a  result  of 
his  skillful  management.  He  handles  a 
good  grade  of  stock  and  is  regarded  as  a 
good  judge  of  all  kinds  of  live  stock, 
especially  horses  and  cattle. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


359 


Mr.  Warner  is  a  loyal  Democrat  and  has 
long  taken  an  active  part  in  his  party's  af- 
fairs. He  ably  served  his  township  as  High- 
way Commissioner,  also  was  Township 
Clerk  and  was  County  Surveyor  from  1888 
to  1892,  and  he  has  been  Surveyor  from 
time  to  time  since  1899  and  was  nominated 
for  this  office  again  in  1908,  and  was  elected 
at  the  ensuing  election  for  a  term  of  four 
years.  In  all  his  public  positions  he  gave 
entire  satisfaction,  performing  his  duties 
with  that  rare  foresight  and  careful  discre- 
tion that  has  always  characterized  his  per- 
sonal business.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  at  Salem. 


RODEN  ROBINSON. 

One  of  the  most  prominent  stockmen  and 
farmers  of  luka  township,  Marion  county. 
is  Roden  Robinson,  who  was  bom  in  this 
county  and  township  near  where  he  now 
lives,  December  19,  1860,  the  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Ellen  (Proctor)  Robinson. 

The  subject's  father  was  a  native  of 
Sheffield,  England,  where  he  was  reared. 
He  came  to  America  in  an  early  day  and 
first  settled  in  Ohio,  and  after  a  residence 
there  of  several  years,  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  here  engaged  in  farm- 
ing1 until  his  death,  August  25,  1894,  at 
the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years.  His  good 
life  companion  survived  him  ten  years,  pas- 
sing to  her  rest  in  1904.  Four  children 


were  born  to  them,  namely :  Elizabeth,  the 
widow  of  Marion  C.  Nicholson;  William, 
a  prominent  farmer  and  stock  dealer  of 
luka  township,  this  county;  Roden,  the 
subject  of  this  sketch ;  John,  deceased.  The 
subject's  mother  was  a  member  of  the  Cath- 
olic church.  His  father  was  a  Republican 
but  never  held  office.  He  was  a  good  citi- 
zen and  a  substantial  farmer.  The  parents 
of  the  subject  came  to  America  in  an  old- 
fashioned  sailing  vessel.  William  Robinson 
owned  at  the  time  of  his  death  about  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  good  land. 
He  was  a  type  of  the  sterling  pioneer,  rug- 
ged, honest  and  a  brave  and  good  man  of 
whom  the  subject  is  a  worthy  descendant. 

Roden  Robinson  was  reared  on  his 
father's  farm  and  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  He  now  owns  and  lives  on  a  part 
of  the  old  homestead.  He  has  a  most  ex- 
cellent farm  of  two  hundred  and  eighty-six 
acres,  two  miles  northeast  of  the  village  of 
luka.  It  is  highly  improved  and  raises  ex- 
cellent crops.  He  has  a  modem,  comfort- 
able and  nicely  furnished  dwelling  and 
many  convenient  out-buildings. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1888  to  Rose  Claggett,  who  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  the  affable  and  genial 
daughter  of  J.  J.  and  Amanda  C.  (Robey) 
Claggett,  both  early  settlers  of  Marion 
county,  having  come  here  in  the  early  six- 
ties and  farmed  in  luka  township.  The 
mother  is  now  deceased  and  the  father  lives 
with  his  son-in-law,  our  subject.  Five  chil- 
dren were  born  to  J.  J.  Robey  and  wife, 
namely:  Emma,  the  wife  of  W.  C.  Jarvis; 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


Wallace  R.  lives  in  luka  township;  Rose, 
the  wife  of  our  subject;  Fay,  who  married 
F.  G.  Gill,  is  deceased;  Mamie,  the  young- 
est child,  married  J.  H.  Wimbush. 

Our  subject  settled  on  the  farm  he  now 
manages  about  1888.  He  has  greatly  im- 
proved the  same,  having  erected  new  build- 
ings and  in  fact,  made  all  the  improvements. 
He  handles  a  great  number  of  cattle,  hogs 
and  sheep,  and  often  ships  stock  to  the  mar- 
ket. He  also  raises  a  great  many  mules. 
He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best  judges 
of  live  stock  in  the  county  and  no  better 
farmer  is  to  be  found  than  he.  He  is  re- 
garded by  all  to  be  strictly  honest  in  all  his 
dealings  with  his  fellow  men.  Mrs.  Rob- 
inson is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church  at  luka.  Mr.  Robinson  is  a  Repub- 
lican and  has  ably  served  as  highway  com- 
missioner. He  and  his  wife  are  very  pleas- 
ant people  to  meet  and  are  held  in  high  es- 
teem throughout  the  county. 


M.  V.  B.  SW ALLEY. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  appears 
above  is  a  pioneer  farmer  of  luka  township 
and  one  of  the  highly  respected  men  of 
Marion  county,  where  his  active,  useful  and 
honorable  life  has  been  spent,  at  least,  the 
major  part  of  it,  consequently  he  is  not  only 
well,  but  favorably  known  throughout  this 
locality. 

M.  V.  B.  Swalley  was  born  in  Crawford 
county,  Ohio,  November  2,  1834.  the  son  of 


William  and  Catherine  Swalley,  both  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania,  where  they  were 
reared  and  where  they  married.  In  the 
spring  of  1834,  they  came  to  Crawford 
county,  Ohio,  and  there  bought  govern- 
ment land  which  they  improved  and  on 
which  they  resided  until  their  death.  They 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  namely: 
M.  V.  B.,  our  subject;  David,  Cornelius, 
Abel,  Anna  Eliza,  LaFayette,  Vilvenus, 
Sarah,  Frank.  The  parents  of  these  chil- 
dren gave  them  every  possible  advantage. 
They  were  members  of  the  Free  Will  Bap- 
tist church. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  received  a  common  school  edu- 
cation. He  was  compelled  to  help  clear  the 
land  on  which  his  parents  settled  and  did 
not  get  to  attend  school  a  great  deal,  only 
about  forty  days  during  the  winter  months. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1856,  Nov.  30,  to  Lydia  A.  Holt,  a  native 
of  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  and  the  daugh- 
ter of  Nelson  and  Ann  (Black)  Holt.  The 
wife  of  the  subject  was  born  in  1838,  and 
after  a  long  and  noble  life,  passed  away  in 
1908.  She  was  the  mother  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, named  as  follows:  William,  who  lives 
in  Montana ;  the  second  child  in  order  of 
birth  was  Rassellas  and  is  deceased ;  Samuel 
lives  in  Omega  township;  Julia  Ann  is  the 
wife  of  James  Rodgers;  Lewis  lives  in  Cal- 
ifornia; John  lives  in  Carlyle,  Illinois; 
Charles  lives  in  luka,  this  county ;  Jay  and 
Mar)-,  twins;  Lola  is  deceased;  Rosa  lives 
at  home,  keeping  house  for  her  father:  the 
first  in  order  of  birth  died  unnamed. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  Swalley  came  to  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois, in  1863  and  has  since  bought  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  land  in  luka 
township,  which  he  has  divided  among  his 
children.  The  homestead  is  located  two 
miles  northeast  of  luka.  He  has  cleared 
and  drained  the  land,  and  it  yields  a  com- 
fortable living  from  year  to  year.  He  has 
a  good  dwelling  and  convenient  out-build- 
ings, everything  about  the  place  indicating 
comfort  and  good  management. 

The  subject  is  a  good  Democrat  and  has 
served  as  highway  commissioner  in  a  very 
creditable  manner.  The  subject  has  done 
his  share  in  promoting  and  building  roads 
and  to  help  along  all  kinds  of  public  en- 
terprises, and  as  a  result  of  his  honesty  in 
business  and  kind  disposition,  he  is  well 
thought  of  by  his  neighbors  and  all  who 
know  him.  He  still  works  his  farm  and  his 
daughter  keeps  house  for  him. 


REV.  JOHN  BUENGER. 

The  mission  of  a  great  soul  in  this  world 
is  one  that  is  calculated  to  inspire  a  multi- 
tude of  others  to  better  and  grander  things, 
and  its  subsequent  influence  cannot  be  meas- 
ured in  meets  and  bounds,  for  it  affects  the 
lives  of  those  with  whom  it  comes  in  con- 
tact, broading  and  enriching  them  for  all 
time  to  come.  He  who  spends  his  life  inter- 
pretating  the  Divine  Word  has  one  of  the 
greatest  missions  to  perform  vouchsafed  to 
man.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of 


that  number  and  worthily  wears  the  honor 
in  proper  meekness  and  reserve. 

Rev.  John  Buenger,  minister  of  the  Ger- 
man Lutheran  church  in  luka  township, 
Marion  county,  was  born  at  Burg,  near 
Magdeburg,  Germany,  April  17,  1869,  the 
son  of  Otto  and  Antonie  (Ruehlmaun) 
Buenger,  both  natives  of  Germany,  having 
spent  their  lives  in  that  country.  The  sub- 
ject's father,  who  was  a  minister,  is  de- 
ceased. He  did  a  great  work  in  the  Evan- 
gelical church  in  Germany.  The  mother  of 
our  subject  is  still  living  in  the  fatherland. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
namely :  Max,  Werner,  Sophia,  Emil ; 
Adolph  and  John,  our  subject,  are  twins; 
Eliza  and  Erich,  who  is  also  a  minister.  He 
and  the  subject  are  the  only  ones  who  ever 
came  to  America.  The  above  named  chil- 
dren are  all  living. 

The  early  education  of  Rev.  John 
Buenger  was  obtained  in  Germany.  He 
came  to  America  in  1891  and  attended  Con- 
cordia  College  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  for 
two  years.  He  then  went  to  Madison 
county,  Texas,  in  1893,  where  he  took 
charge  of  a  church.  He  remained  in  Texas 
for  ten  years.  He  had  very  difficult  charges 
in  Madison,  Fayette  and  Fannin  counties, 
that  state,  but  he  did  much  good  there  in 
strengthening  the  congregations  of  his  dif- 
ferent charges.  In  1903  he  came  to  his 
present  pastorate  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
the  German  Lutheran  Trinity  church.  He 
has  done  a  great  work  here,  having  com- 
pleted in  1908  a  beautiful  and  substantial 
church  edifice,  costing  two  thousand  seven 


362 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


hundred  dollars.  He  also  conducts  the  pa- 
rochial school  near  the  church,  ably  assisted 
by  his  wife,  whom  he  married  in  1894,  her 
maiden  name  having  been  Louisa  Franke, 
who  was  born  in  Barmen,  Germany,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Jane  Menkhoff ,  both 
of  whom  died  in  Germany.  Henry  Menk- 
hoff was  a  teacher  in  the  old  country. 

Six  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Ruth,  Gertrude, 
Hans,  Antonett,  Frieda  and  Paul.  Our 
subject  is  well  liked  by  his  congregation  and 
by  everyone  who  has  had  the  fortune  to 
know  him.  He  is  an  earnest  and  able  ex- 
pounder of  the  Gospel. 


ROLAND  W.  MATTINLY. 

Mr.  Mattinly  is  one  of  the  old  and  highly 
honored  citizens  of  Marion  county,  the  de- 
velopment of  which  he  has  assisted  in,  hav- 
ing lived  his  long  and  active  life  within  her 
borders,  having  been  born  three  miles  of 
where  Salem  now  stands,  February  5,  1836, 
the  son  of  Roland  and  Nancy  (Little)  Mat- 
tinly, the  former  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  After  their 
marriage  they  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
noise,  in  1828.  The  subject's  father  was  a 
hatter  by  trade.  He  lived  for  some  time  in 
Tennessee  and  Alabama,  before  coming  to 
Illinois.  He  settled  on  a  claim  in  section 
24,  in  luka  township,  Marion  county, 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  September  15,  1866,  his  wife  having 


survived  him  until  1880.  She  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church.  Her  husband 
was  a  Universalist  and  was  well  posted  in 
the  Bible.  He  volunteered  as  a  soldier  in 
the  War  of  1812,  but  on  account  of  failing 
health  he  could  not  go.  Thirteen  children 
were  born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject  as 
follows:  Jenkins,  Mary,  Richard,  Sylves- 
ter, Caroline,  Brazile,  Abigail,  Anna,  John, 
Martha  Jane;  Roland,  our  subject;  Michael, 
who  died  in  infancy ;  Leroy. 

Our  subject  received  only  about  nine 
months'  schooling  during  his  youth,  but  he 
has  been  a  close  observer  and  is  a  well  in- 
formed man. 

Mr.  Mattinly  was  united  in  marriage  on 
September  17,  1857,  to  Mary  Ann  Hankinsr 
daughter  of  John  B.  and  Nancy  (Pippins) 
Hankins,  natives  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to 
Illinois  in  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Van- 
dalia.  Three  children  have  been  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife  as  follows :  Illinois 
Arabella,  born  October  13,  1858,  is  now 
deceased;  Alice  E.  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Illinois;  Nina  is  the  wife  of  Frank 
Huggins,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  nine 
children  as  follows:  Charles  L.,  William 
E.,  Frederick,  Bessie,  Hallie.  Tames,  Vernie, 
Blanch  and  Cle. 

Our  subject  and  his  good  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Mattinly 
is  a  Republican.  He  is  known  to  every- 
one in  this  locality,  being  one  of  the  first 
white  children  born  in  this  region.  He  has 
a  good  farm  of  forty  acres  which  he  suc- 
cessfully cultivates.  His  place  is  kept  in 
good  condition  and  shows  that  our  subject 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


363 


has  been  a  careful  farmer.  He  and  his  wife 
are  highly  respected  citizens  and  are  especi- 
ally liked  by  the  young  people  of  the  com- 
munity to  whom  they  are  always  kindly  dis- 
posed, and  their  influence  on  the  community 
has  always  been  for  its  good  and  this  vener- 
able couple  is  worthy  the  high  respect  which 
thev  receive. 


WILLIAM  J.   MARTIN. 

A  list  of  Marion  county's  prominent  fami- 
lies would  certainly  be  incomplete  were  there 
failure  to  make  specific  mention  of  the  well 
known  farmer  and  representative  citizen, 
and  his  relatives,  whose  name  introduces 
this  sketch,  for  his  life  has  been  one  of  use- 
fulness and  honor,  resulting  in  good  to 
everyone  with  whom  he  has  had  dealings 
whether  in  business  or  social  life. 

William  J.  Martin  was  born  in  Gibson 
county,  Tennessee,  January  15,  1859,  the 
son  of  Caleb  and  Martha  J.  (McHaney) 
Martin,  the  latter  a  native  of  middle  Ten- 
nessee and  the  former  of  South  Carolina. 
Jacob  Martin,  the  subject's  paternal  grand- 
father, came  to  Tennessee  from  South  Caro- 
lina in  an  early  day  and  farmed  there  until 
his  death.  The  parents  of  the  subject  mar- 
ried in  Tennessee.  Martha  McHaney  was 
the  daughter  of  William  McHaney,  a  native 
of  Tennessee.  She  first  married  David 
Young,  who  died  and  left  two  children, 
Frances,  the  wife  of  Atlas  Hammond.  The 
second  child  died  in  infancy.  Caleb  Martin 


first  married  Miss  Susan  Bade,  who  died 
leaving  the  following  children:  Jacob, 
George,  Amos,  America,  Jane,  Parthene, 
Martha  and  Mary  Susan. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  married  in 
Tennessee  and  in  November,  1862,  settled  in 
Salem  township,  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
Caleb  Martin  was  a  strong  Union  man  and 
left  the  South  on  account  of  the  war.  His 
wife,  a  noble  old  lady,  is  still  living  with 
her  son,  our  subject.  The  subject's  father 
farmed  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  until  his 
death,  July  n,  1888.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Christian  church.  He  was 
a  strong  Republican.  Six  children  were 
born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Caleb  Martin,  as  fol- 
lows: William  J.,  our  subject;  Monroe. 
Houston,  Benjamin  Van  Buren,  John  A. 
Logan,  Sarah  Ida. 

Our  subject  was  about  three  years  old 
when  the  family  came  to  Illinois.  They 
made  the  trip  from  Tennessee  with  ox  teams 
and  camped  out  on  the  way,  having  all  ox 
teams  with  the  exception  of  one  team  of 
horses.  William  J.  Martin  was  reared  on 
his  father's  farm  and  educated  in  the  com- 
mon district  schools  of  this  county.  On 
his  farm  now  stands  the  little  old  school 
house  in  which  he  was  educated.  He  pur- 
chased it  and  moved  it  on  this  place,  which 
he  now  uses  for  a  store  house  and  granary. 
It  was  built  about  1850.  Mr.  Martin  re- 
mained at  home  and  worked  on  the  farm 
until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old.  This 
was  in  1884,  in  which  year  his  happy  and 
harmonious  domestic  life  began,  having  then 
married  Elizabeth  Hershberger,  who  was 


364 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


born  in  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Henry  and  Catherine  (Snavely) 
Hershberger.  (For  a  full  history  of  this 
family  the  reader  is  directed  to  the  sketch 
of  David  Hershberger  in  this  work.) 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  namely:  Minnie,  born  Oc- 
tober 3,  1886,  is  a  member  of  the  home 
circle;  Claude  was  born  in  April,  1888,  and 
died  in  January,  1895;  William  Franklin 
was  born  December  26,  1890,  and  died 
January  16,  1891 ;  Nellie  Zada,  born  August 
14,  1892,  is  at  home  attending  school. 

Mr.  Martin's  highly  improved  and  pro- 
ductive farm  consists  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  He  has  a  beautiful  country- 
home,  substantial,  comfortable  and  nicely 
furnished,  and  a  good  barn  and  other  con- 
venient out  buildings,  everything  about  the 
place  showing  thrift,  good  management  and 
industry.  He  keeps  an  excellent  grade  of 
cattle  and  other  live  stock,  and  is  regarded 
as  a  good  judge  of  stock  and  one  of  the 
leading  farmers  of  Salem  township.  His 
hogs  are  of  good  breed  and  he  raises  some 
fine  horses.  Mr.  Martin  also  owns  two  hun- 
dred acres  of  his  father's  old  farm  in  this 
township,  which  he  keeps  well  improved  and 
the  soil  in  good  productive  condition. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church  at  Young's  chapel.  Mr. 
Martin  is  a  trustee  in  the  church  and  a 
liberal  subscriber  to  the  same.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican.  In  the  social  and  pri- 
vate walks  of  life  no  man  bears  a  more 
enviable  reputation  for  sterling  worth.  In 
short,  Mr.  Martin  is  an  honorable,  upright 


citizen,  belonging  to  the  somewhat  rare  class 
that  direct  and  control  public  sentiment 
without  pushing  himself  forward  and  with- 
out incurring  the  ill  will  of  those  with 
whom  they  come  in  contact  and'  leave  the 
impress  of  their  strong  personality  indelibly 
stamped  upon  the  community,  winning  the 
friendship  of  all  classes. 


FRANCIS  M.  PURCELL. 

The  subject  is  a  representative  business 
man  and  citizen  of  Marion  county,  man- 
aging one  of  the  largest  lumber  establish- 
ments in  the  county,  the  well  known  firm 
being  F.  M.  Purcell  &  Company,  doing 
business  at  Kell.  Our  subject  was  born  in 
Wilson  county,  Tennessee,  July  2,  1843, 
the  son  of  Hiram  and  Parthena  (Williams) 
Purcell,  natives  of  Tennessee,  and  a  fine  old 
Southern  family.  Hiram  was  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  lived  and  died  in  Tennessee. 
He  and  his  faithful  life  companion  were 
members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist  church. 
The  subject's  father  was  a  gallant  soldier 
in  the  Seminole  Indian  war  in  Florida.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hiram  Purcell  five  children 
were  born,  namely :  Lavina,  Ella :  Frances 
M.,  our  subject;  L.  B.  and  Hiram. 

The  subject's  father  first  married  a  Miss 
Jones  and  they  became  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Eliza  and  Henry. 

Our  subject  grew  up  in  Tennessee  on  a 
farm.  He  remained  in  that  state  on  a  farm 
until  he  was  twentv-seven  vears  old.  In 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


365 


1870  lie  came  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
and  engaged  in  farming,  also  the  lumber 
business,  making  a  success  of  each.  In  the 
fall  of  1904,  he  came  to  Kell,  Illinois, 
where  he  is  now  located  and  where  he  has 
built  up  an  extensive  business  by  means  of 
his  industry,  his  careful  methods  and  fail- 
treatment  of  customers.  He  is  in  partner- 
ship with  Omer  V.  Cummings  in  the  lum- 
ber business.  They  supply  a  large  scope  of 
country  with  lumber  and  all  kinds  of  build- 
ing material  as  well  as  much  hardware. 
They  also  handle  paints,  cement,  lime,  nails, 
in  fact,  everything  that  a  builder  uses  in  a 
house,  barn  or  other  structure.  They  al- 
ways handle  a  good  line  of  material  and 
their  prices  are  always  right,  according  to 
the  statement  of  many  of  their  customers. 
They  have  extensive  sheds  and  their  office 
is  a  nice  place  and  is  always  a  busy  place. 

Our  subject's  happy  domestic  life  began 
in  1866,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  America  Penuel,  who  was  born  in 
Tennessee,  the  daughter  of  Frederick  and 
Lucinda  (Jennings)  Penuel,  natives  of  that 
state. 

Eight  children  have  been  bom  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Amanda,  the  wife 
of  W.  W.  Hay,  who  lives  in  Jefferson 
county,  this  state;  Samuel  married  Dora  Ri- 
ley  and  they  live  in  Carrier  Mills,  Illinois; 
Lucinda  is  the  wife  of  George  Snyder,  liv- 
ing in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois;  Robert 
married  Anna  McCormick,  and  they  also 
live  in  Jefferson  county:  Otis  J.  married 
Josie  Hawkins;  William  Edgar  is  single; 
Nora  is  the  wife  of  Adolphus  Caldwell,  also 
of  Jefferson  county;  Fred  is  single. 


Mr.  and  Mrs.  Purcell  are  members  of 
the  Missionary  Baptist  church.  The  former 
is  a  loyal  Democrat.  He  very  ably  served 
for  six  years  as  Supervisor  of  Rome  town- 
ship, Jefferson  county,  this  state.  He  was 
chairman  of  the  Board  of  Supervisors  for 
one  year.  He  takes  considerable  interest  in 
political  matters  and  his  advice  is  often 
sought  in  the  local  affairs  of  his  county. 
In  his  fraternal  relations  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Order,  the  Knights  Templar. 

Mr.  Purcell  owns  a  valuable  and  well 
improved  farm,  near  Kell,  on  which  he 
lives,  having  a  modem,  substantial  and  nice- 
ly furnished  dwelling,  an  excellent  barn  and 
convenient  out-buildings.  He  is  a  very 
busy  man,  for  he  successfully  conducts  the 
affairs  of  his  lumber  establishment  in  town 
and  at  the  same  time  superintends  the  work 
on  the  place,  being  an  excellent  judge  of  live 
stock  of  all  kinds,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  leading  business  men  of  Haines 
township.  He  deserves  much  credit  for 
what  he  has  accomplished,  having  started 
in  life  under  none  too  favorable  circum- 
stances, but  he  has  been  a  hard  worker  and 
a  good  manager  and  success  has  attended 
his  efforts  from  the  first.  He  is  a  gentle- 
man of  pleasing  demeanor,  easily  ap- 
proached, and  while  not  an  aspirant  for 
high  political  favors,  he  has  done  much  in 
a  quiet  way,  as  already  intimated,  to  pro- 
mote the  good  of  the  community  where  he 
lives.  He  occupies  a  commendable  stand- 
ing*  among  his  fellow  citizens  and  has  a 
large  circle  of  friends  who  have  learned  to 
esteem  him  for  his  industry  and  many 
manly  qualities. 


366 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


SHANNON  KAGY. 

The  memory  of  the  worthy  subject  of  this 
memorial  biography  is  revered  by  a  host  of 
friends  and  acquaintances  among  whom  he 
labored,  having  spent  his  energies  through 
a  long  life  of  strenuous  endeavor  to  make 
the  most  of  his  opportunities  as  well  as  to 
assist  as  best  he  could  his  neighbors  to  im- 
prove their  condition. 

Shannon  Kagy  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  May  26,  1844,  and  he  was 
called  from  his  earthly  labors  in  1889,  after 
a  life  of  usefulness  and  success  in  every 
particular.  He  was  the  son  of  Christian 
and  Anna  (Hite)  Kagy,  natives  of  Ohio, 
and  early  settlers  in  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois. 

The  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  in  Omega  township,  and  was  edu- 
cated in  the  common  schools  of  Marion 
county.  He  married  Anna  E.  Brubaker, 
born  in  Stevenson  township,  this  county, 
daughter  of  Eli  and  Ann  (Warner)  Bru- 
baker. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kagy  were  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  namely :  Myrtle,  single 
and  living  at  home,  is  one  of  the  popular 
teachers  of  Marion  county;  Corvvin,  who 
lives  in  Oregon,  married  Pearl  Crippen : 
Clark  lives  in  Salem,  this  county,  and  mar- 
ried Quette  Leckrone,  and  has  two  children, 
Donald  and  Harvey ;  Frank  married  Nellie 
Boring,  living  in  New  Mexico  and  they 
have  one  child,  Fay ;  Ellis  married  Ora  Dru- 
endike.  He  is  a  farmer  and  has  two  chil- 
dren, Keith  and  Rex. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  moved  to 


Nebraska,  where  he  remained  for  three 
years,  then  returned  to  Marion  county  and 
went  to  farming  in  1882,  on  the  place  where 
his  widow  is  still  living  in  Stevenson  town- 
ship, three  miles  east  of  Salem.  Our  sub- 
ject remained  on  this  place  until  his  death. 
He  was  a  most  excellent  farmer  and  always 
managed  his  fields  to  best  advantage,  reap- 
ing rich  harvests  from  year  to  year,  making 
a  comfortable  living  and  laying  by  an 
ample  competence  for  his  family.  He 
raised  good  stock  and  the  buildings  on  his 
place  were  comfortable  and  convenient.  • 

Mr.  Kagy  was  one  of  the  patriotic  sons 
of  the  great  Prairie  state  who  offered  their 
lives  on  the  field  of  battle  to  save  the 
Union,  having  enlisted  in  Company  K,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  and  served  three  years.  He  saw 
much  hard  service,  but  was  never  wounded 
nor  taken  prisoner. 

Mr.  Kagy  was  a  loyal  Democrat  and 
held  some  of  the  minor  public  offices  of 
Stevenson  township.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  and  was 
a  faithful  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  He  was  regarded  by  everyone  as  a 
good  man,  honest  and  upright  at  all  times 
and  always  interested  in-  the  welfare  of  his 
community,  lending  what  aid  he  could  in  its 
development  at  all  times. 

Mrs.  Kagy,  the  widow  of  our  subject, 
lives  on  the  home  farm  with  her  daughter. 
She  manages  the  entire  farm  with  skill  and 
profit,  being  a  women  of  rare  business  abil- 
ity and  force  of  character.  She  understands 
the  proper  rotation  of  crops  so  as  to  get  the 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


367 


best  harvests  and  the  maintenance  of  the 
soil  to  its  original  fertility.  She  also  under- 
stands the  proper  handling  of  live  stock. 
Her  farm  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
in  Stevenson  township.  The  buildings  are 
modem,  and  always  kept  in  good  order. 
She  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  her  neighbors 
and  many  friends  for  her  many  admirable 
traits  of  character  and  her  kind  heart  and 
cheerful  disposition,  being  a  pleasant  woman 
to  meet,  as  is  also  her  daughter. 


JOHN  R.  FRENCH. 

The  subject  is  the  obliging  and  well 
known  hotel  proprietor,  insurance  and  real 
estate  dealer  of  Kell,  Haines  township, 
Marion  county,  who  has  spent  his  life  with- 
in the  borders  of  the  same,  having  been 
identified  with  the  growth  and  taken  no 
small  part  in  the  same.  He  was  born  Au- 
gust 4,  1861,  the  son  of  Gilbert  W.  and 
Louisa  (O'Bryant)  French.  John  R. 
French's  father,  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1835. 
He  was  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  son 
of  John  P.  and  —  —  (Hartman)  French. 
John  P.  French  was  a  native  of  Pennsyl- 
vania, who  moved  to  Tennessee  in  an  early 
day  and  in  1835  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  locating  in  Tonti  township,  where 
he  devoted  his  life  to  farming,  having  died 
in  the  town  of  Alma.  The  subject's  grand- 
father was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812. 
Gilbert  French  and  his  first  wife  were  the 


parents  of  four  children,  namely :  Angie,  the 
wife  of  Mathew  Organ ;  Louisa,  who  was 
the  wife  of  J.  N.  Jones,  is  deceased;  John 
R.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Amanda  is 
the  wife  of  J.  W.  Ross,  of  Centralia,  this 
county.  The  subject's  father  married  Mary 
Howard,  and  three  children  were  born  to 
this  union,  Thomas,  living  in  Kinmundy, 
this  county;  Harry  B.,  of  Odin,  Illinois; 
Rachel  is  the  wife  of  E.  W.  Wilson,  of 
Alma,  Illinois. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on 
a  farm  near  Alma  and  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools.  After  farming  for  a 
while,  he  learned  the  plasterer's  and  brick 
layer's  trade.  In  1891  he  clerked  in  a  store 
at  Alma,  this  county,  and  in  1894  he  en- 
tered business  in  a  general  store  in  Alma 
which  he  successfully  conducted  for  a  peri- 
od of  eight  years,  when  he  sold  out  aiad 
went  back  to  farming,  which  he  followed 
for  a  while,  then  he  moved  to  Newton,  Il- 
linois, and  bought  a  furniture  factory  and  a 
restaurant,  ice  cream  parlor  and  bakery,  all 
of  which  he  conducted  with  great  success 
until  in  May,  1907,  when  he  came  to  Kell 
and  bought  the  hotel  here,  which  he 
has  since  conducted  in  such  an  able  manner 
that  it  has  become  known  to  the  traveling 
public  as  a  comfortable  and  well  conducted 
hostelry,  where  no  pains  are  spared  to  make 
guests  feel  at  home  and  comfortable.  He 
has  built  up  a  good  business  which  is  con- 
stantly growing.  He  also  finds  time  to  do 
considerable  business  in  insurance  and  real 
estate. 

Mr.   French  was  united  in  marriage  in 


368 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


December,  1886,  to  Etta  Sweet,  who  was 
bom  in  Alma  township,  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Sarah  (Carnes)  Sweet,  a  well 
known  family  of  their  community. 

The  subject  and  his  wife  are  the  parents 
of  the  following  children :  Edward  is 
single  and  living  at  home  and  is  engaged  in 
the  restaurant  and  bakery  business.  He  has 
a  modern  and  fully  equipped  bakery  and 
does  an  extensive  business,  shipping  bread 
to  many  outside  towns;  Cora,  the  second 
child,  is  living  at  home;  Bessie  is  the  wife 
of  Wesley  Howard ;  Gladys,  who  is  living 
at  home  attending  school;  Clara  is  living 
at  home;  Clifford  is  a  baby  at  this  writing, 
(1908.) 

Mr.  French  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  ably 
served  as  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  eight 
years  in  Alma  township  and  he  was  School 
Treasurer  for  four  terms  of  two  years  each. 
In  1892  he  made  the  race  for  the  nomina- 
tion on  the  Democratic  ticket  for  County 
Clerk,  but  was  defeated,  however,  the  re- 
sults showed  that  our  subject  was  a  popu- 
lar man  in  the  convention.  Mr.  French 
helped  incorporate  the  village  of  Alma.  He 
was  also  a  member  of  the  first  board  that 
organized  the  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion at  Alma,  Illinois.  Our  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  Amer- 
ica, being  a  charter  member  at  Alma.  His 
son,  Edward,  is  also  a  member  of  the  Mod- 
em Woodmen  of  America  at  Kell.  Mr. 
French  is  known  to  be  a  man  of  strictly 
honest  business  principles,  industrious, 
pleasant  and  agreeable,  making  both  friends 
and  visitors  feel  at  home. 


CHARLES  T.   KELL. 

This  enterprising  farmer  and  representa- 
tive citizen  is  a  native  of  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  belongs  to  one  of  the  old  and  high- 
ly esteemed  pioneer  families  of  Haines  town- 
ship, where  his  parents,  Thomas  and  Mary 
(Luke)  Kell,  settled  in  an  early  day  and  bore 
an  active  and  influential  part  in  the  devel- 
opment and  growth  of  the  community  (see 
sketch  of  William  Kell).  Charles  T.  was 
born  a  short  distance  west  of  the  village  of 
Kell,  September  18,  1854,  from  which  date 
to  the  present  time  his  life  has  been  very 
closely  identified  with  Haines  township,  and 
as  stated  above,  he  now  holds  worthy  pres- 
tige among  the  leading  agriculturists  and 
public  spirited  men  of  the  section  of  country 
honored  by  his  citizenship. 

Reared  in  close  touch  with  nature  in  the 
healthful  outdoor  life  of  the  farm,  he  earlv 
acquired  a  vigorous  physique  and  an  inde- 
pendence of  mind  characteristic  of  the  sturdy 
son  of  the  soil,  and  while  still  quite  young 
he  became  familiar  with  the  varied  duties  of 
agriculture  and  learned  to  appreciate  the 
honor  and  dignity  which  belong  to  those  who 
earn  their  bread  by  the  sweat  of  the  brow. 
At  the  proper  age  he  entered  the  schools  of 
the  neighborhood,  which  he  attended  at  in- 
tervals until  acquiring  a  practical  knowledge 
of  the  subjects  taught,  the  meanwhile  assist- 
ing his  father  on  the  family  homestead  and 
contributing  his  full  share  to  its  cultivation. 

After  remaining  with  his  parents  until  at- 
taining his  majority,  Charles  T.  entered  into 
partnership  with  his  brother,  John  M.  Kell. 


MR  AND  MRS.  C.  T.  KELL. 


<H  THE 

UNIVERSITY  <»  '.UINOIS. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


369 


by  purchasing  a  half  interest  in  a  saw  and 
grist  mill  at  Foxville,  and  during  the  ensu- 
ing ten  years  devoted  his  attention  to  the 
manufacture  of  flour  and  lumber,  meeting 
with  encouraging  success  in  the  enterprise 
and  becoming  widely  known  as  a  wide- 
awake and  thoroughly  honorable  and  reli- 
able business  man.  Disposing  of  his  interest 
in  the  mill  at  the  expiration  of  the  period  in- 
dicated, he  located  on  his  present  home  farm 
in  Haines  township,  adjoining  the  town  of 
Kell  on  the  south,  having  previously  become 
the  possessor  of  another  tract  consisting  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  in  another 
part  of  the  same  township,  both  of  which 
places  he  has  brought  to  a  high  state  of  cul- 
tivation and  otherwise  improved.  At  the 
time  the  railroad  was  constructed  he  sold 
twenty  acres,  which  is  now  a  part  of  the 
village  of  Kell. 

As  a  farmer,.  Mr.  Kell  easily  ranks  with 
the  most  enterprising  and  successful  men  of 
his  calling  in  Marion  county,  being  progres- 
sive in  his  methods  and  using  the  latest  mod- 
ern implements  and  machinery  and  by  judi- 
cious 'rotation  of  crops  he  seldom  fails  to 
realize  abundant  returns  from  the  time  and 
labor  devoted  to  his  fields.  He  also  pays 
considerable  attention  to  the  raising  of  live 
stock,  which  he  finds  quite  profitable,  and  his 
domestic  animals,  including  horses,  mules, 
cattle,  sheep  and  hogs,  are  among  the  finest 
breeds  obtainable,  and  from  their  sale  no 
small  share  of  his  liberal  income  is  derived. 

Mr.  Kell  has  not  been  sparing  of  his 
means  in  the  matter  of  improvement,  and  the 
beautifying  and  rendering  attractive  his 
24 


home,  the  large  two-story  house,  with  its 
many  modern  conveniences,  being  among 
the  most  desirable  country  residences  in  the 
township,  while  his  commodious  barn,  out- 
buildings, wells,  fences  and  other  evidences 
of  prosperity  compare  favorably  with  the 
best  in  his  part  of  the  country.  He  keeps 
in  close  touch  with  the  advancement  in  agri- 
cultural science,  and  fully  abreast  of  the 
times  in  reducing  the  same  to  practical  tests, 
being  progressive  in  all  the  term  implies, 
and  believes  in  the  latest  and  most  approved 
methods  of  modern  farming. 

In  his  political  faith  Mr.  Kell  is  a  Repub- 
lican, and  while  interested  in  the  success  of 
his  party,  he  has  never  been  a  politician, 
much  less  an  office  seeker  or  aspirant  for 
leadership.  In  religion  he  subscribes  to  the 
Missionary  Baptist  creed,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  his  name  has  adorned  the  records 
of  that  church,  having  held  the  office  of  dea- 
con five  years  in  the  local  congregation,  to 
which  himself  and  entire  family  belong,  be- 
sides being  otherwise  interested  in  religious 
and  benevolent  work.  He  is  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school  which  he  attends,  has 
long  been  an  influential  leader  in  this  depart- 
ment of  religious  endeavor,  and  with  his 
wife  has  been  instrumental  in  arousing  an  in- 
terest among  the  young  people  of  the  neigh- 
borhood and  leading  not  a  few  of  them  to 
the  higher  life. 

Mr.  Kell  was  married  in  the  year  1881  to 
Rebecca  C.  Purdue,  of  Haines  township, 
daughter  of  Richard  and  Caroline  (Har- 
mon) Purdue,  early  settlers  of  Marion  coun- 
ty and  among  the  highly  respected  people  of 


370 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


their  locality  (see  history  of  the  Purdue 
family).  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kell  have  four  chil- 
dren, the  oldest  of  whom,  a  daughter  by  the 
name  of  Iva  May,  is  the  wife  of  R.  A.  Jef- 
fries, of  Haines  township,  and  the  mother  of 
one  child,  Trevor  Jeffries.  The  other  chil- 
dren, two  daughters  and  one  son,  are  still 
under  the  parental  roof,  their  names  in  order 
of  birth  being  as  follows:  Myrtle,  Ellis  and 
Ethel.  Mr.  Kell  has  taken  great  interest  in 
the  rearing  and  educating  of  his  children 
and  they  in  turn  have  responded  to  his  every 
effort  in  their  behalf.  The  children  all  re- 
ceived liberal  educational  advantages  in  the 
public  schools  and  also  at  Ewing  Baptist 
College  at  Ewing,  111.  Ethel  graduated  at 
the  age  of  seventeen  from  that  institution  in 
instrumental  music.  The  family  is  one  of 
the  best  known  and  most  highly  esteemed  in 
the  county  and  the  name  which  is  an  old  and 
honorable  one  has  long  been  synonymous 
for  noble  manhood  and  womanhood  and  a 
high  order  of  citizenship. 


JAMES  F.  PURDUE. 

The  subject  was  bom  in  Montgomery 
county,  Tennessee,  March  i,  1833,  the  son 
of  Jarrut  and  Rebecca  (Farmer)  Purdue, 
the  former  a  native  of  Georgia,  and  the  lat- 
ter of  North  Carolina.  They  went  to  Ten- 
nessee when  young  and  married  there,  and 
removed  to  Illinois  in  1838,  settling  in  what 
is  now  Haines  township,  where  they  took 
up  government  land.  They  made  the  trip 


from  Tennessee  in  ox  carts.  When  they 
settled  here  among  the  pioneers  there  was 
much  wild  game.  They  developed  a  good 
farm  and  worked  hard.  They  died  on  the 
place,  after  becoming  the  parents  of  eight 
children:  Margaret,  Mary,  Richard,  Wil- 
liam C,  John  W.,  Jacob  H.,  James  F.,  our 
subject,  and  Andrew  V.  Jarrut  Purdue 
was  a  Democrat.  His  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church. 

Our  subject  was  six  years  of  age  when 
he  came  with  his  parents  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois.  He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  early  days,  and  he  has  spent 
the  balance  of  his  life  here,  having  re- 
mained at  home  until  he  reached  manhood. 
He  was  married  the  first  time  in  1855,  to 
Louisa  Brasel,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and 
three  children  were  born  to  them:  Nancy 
Jane,  who  is  living  in  Haines  township,  is 
the  wife  of  Zach  Brasel;  Joseph  H.  is  a 
farmer  living  in  Haines  township ;  John  R.  is 
also  a  farmer  living  in  Haines  township. 
The  subject's  second  mariage  was  in  1867, 
his  second  wife  being  Loretta  Price,  a  na- 
tive of  Ohio,  to  whom  one  child  has  been 
born,  Louisa,  now  the  wife  of  Harry  Alvis, 
of  East  St.  Louis. 

The  third  marriage  of  the  subject  was 
to  Vilinda  Murphy,  the  ceremony  having 
been  performed  in  1876.  To  this  last  mar- 
riage two  children  were  born,  Tence  and 
Harry. 

Mr.  Purdue  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political 
relations.  He  has  devoted  his  life  to  farm- 
ing and  has  been  very  successful.  He  is 
now  living  retired,  having  moved  to  his 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


neat,  comfortable  and  pleasant  home  in  Kell 
in  September,  1908.  He  is  well  known 
throughout  the  county,  being  a  member  of 
old  and  prominent  families  of  this  region 
in  which  he  himself  was  one  of  the  earliest 
pioneers. 


HARVEY  D.  MAY. 

By  a  life  of  persistent  and  well  applied 
industry  led  along  the  most  honorable  lines, 
the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  above 
has  justly  earned  the  right  to  be  repre- 
sented in  a  work  of  the  character  of  the 
one  at  hand,  along  with  the  other  men  of 
Marion  county  who  have  made  their  in- 
fluence felt  in  their  respective  communities. 

Harvey  D.  May,  the  present  popular 
Trustee  of  Haines  township  and  a  well 
known  dealer  in  harness,  saddlery  and  hard- 
ware in  the  town  of  Kell,  Illinois,  was  born 
in  Raccoon  township,  Marion  county,  Oc- 
tober 12,  1879,  and  while  yet  a  young  man 
he  has  shown  what  properly  applied  energy 
and  a  business  mind  can  do  toward  wrench- 
ing success  from  seeming  insurmountable 
obstacles.  He  is  the  son  of  Jesse  H.  and 
Mary  (Williams)  May,  the  former  a  native 
of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Tennessee. 
Anderson  May,  the  subject's  grandfather, 
was  also  a  native  of  Kentucky  and  was  one 
of  the  early  settlers  in  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, having  settled  in  Raccoon  township. 
Jesse  H.  May,  who  has  devoted  his  life  to 
farming  and  is  still  living  in  that  township, 
is  a  highly  respected  citizen.  Three  chil- 


dren were  born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject, 
Amos  is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township; 
Laura,  who  is  deceased,  was  the  wife  of 
Orvil  Prater,  and  they  were  the  parents  of 
two  children,  Etha  and  Henry,  who  are  still 
living;  Harvey  D.,  our  subject,  was  the 
second  child. 

Our  subject  was  reared  on  a  farm  where 
he  assisted  with  the  work  about  the  place. 
He  attended  school  in  Raccoon  township, 
having  applied  himself  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  gain  the  foundation  for  a  good  edu- 
cation. Deciding  early  in  life  that  he  de- 
sired to  be  a  harness  maker  and  dealer,  Mr. 
May  learned  the  harnessmaker's  trade  and 
became  quite  a  proficient  workman  early  in 
life,  and  he  finally  opened  a  shop  in 
Kell,  this  county,  establishing  his  present 
business,  in  which  he  was  successful  from 
the  first  and  which  has  steadily  grown,  his 
business  now  extending  through  a  wide 
scope  of  country  on  every  hand,  owing  to 
the  fair  dealing  he  gives  his  customers  and 
the  intimate  knowledge  he  has  of  the  har- 
ness business.  He  does  a  general  repair 
business  and  is  always  very  busy.  His  shop 
is  equipped  with  all  the  latest  appliances  and 
improvements  known  to  the  harnessmaker's 
art  and  his  work  is  all  of  a  high  grade. 

Mr.  May's  domestic  life  was  begun  in 
1903,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Ava  Williams,  who  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  and  is  the  daughter  of  N.  A. 
and  Jane  (Rice)  Williams.  Mrs.  May  was 
called  from  her  earthly  labors  January.  14, 
1908.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist 
church.  She  was  a  woman  of  many  esti- 


372 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


mable  traits  of  character,  a  good  wife  and 
was  beloved  by  all  her  neighbors. 

Mr.  May  is  a  member  of  Romine  Lodge 
No.  663,  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows. He  has  represented  this  lodge  at  the 
Grand  Lodge  on  two  different  occasions, 
and  has  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  local 
lodge.  Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Republican 
and  has  taken  considerable  interest  in  his 
party's  affairs.  He  was  elected  Trustee  of 
Haines  township  in  the  spring  of  1908.  He 
is  regarded  as  an  energetic,  honest  and  in- 
fluential citizen,  enjoying  the  respect  of  all 
who  know  him. 


HENRY  W.  MOEHLMANN. 

One  of  the  most  substantial  citizens  and 
leading  business  men  of  Haines  township, 
Marion  county,  is  our  subject,  who  does 
high  grade  horseshoeing  and  blacksmithing 
and  deals  extensively  in  farm  machinery, 
vehicles  and  harness  at  Kell.  He  deserves 
the  high  esteem  in  which  he  is  held  by 
the  people  of  this  community  owing  to  the 
honorable  methods  he  has  always  employed 
in  conducting  his  business. 

Henry  W.  Moehlmann  was  born  in  New 
Minden,  Washington  county,  Illinois,  Janu- 
ary. 29,  1873,  the  son  of  Frederick  and 
Louisa  (Grabenkrueger)  Moehlmann,  both 
natives  of  Germany  who  came  to  America 
about  1863.  They  settled  at  New  Minden, 
Illinois,  where  the  father  is  now  engaged  as 
wagon  builder  and  undertaker.  They  are 


members  of  the  Lutheran  church  and  are 
highly  respected  in  their  community.  Fol- 
lowing are  the  names  of  their  children: 
Frederick,  Emma;  Henry  W.,  our  subject; 
August,  Charles,  Millie  and  Bertha. 

Mr.  Moehlmann  was  reared  at  home,  as- 
sisting with  the  work  about  the  place  and 
attending  the  schools  in  his  native  com- 
munity, having  gained  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools.  He  early  de- 
cided that  the  wagon  builder's  trade  was 
best  suited  to  his  tastes,  so  he  set  about 
learning  the  same,  making  rapid  progress; 
also  learned  blacksmithing,  becoming  equally 
proficient  in  this  at  an  early  age.  He 
started  in  business  at  his  present  stand  in 
Kell,  this  county,  in  1901,  and  was  success- 
ful from  the  first  and  it  has  gradually  grown 
until  he  now  does  a  very  extensive  business. 
He  handles  all  kinds  of  harness,  buggies, 
surries,  road  wagons,  runabouts,  wagons, 
plows,  harrows,  cultivators,  double  shovels, 
mowers,  mower  repairs  of  all  kinds,  hay 
rakes,  hay  bailers,  lawn  swings,  lawn  mow- 
ers, spring  tooth  harrows,  land  rollers,  gang 
plows,  sulky  plows,  manure  spreaders,  wire 
fencing,  binders,  binder  twine,  axle  grease, 
grass  seed,  pumps,  wind  mills,  feed  grinders, 
gasoline  engines,  seeders,  wheat  drills,  corn 
planters,  disc  harrows,  disc  cultivators,  all 
kinds  of  oils  and  stock  food,  in  fact,  a  full 
line  of  farm  machinery  of  the  best  grades 
and  styles,  and  his  prices  seem  to  suit  his 
numerous  customers  for  he  never  loses  them 
and  his  trade  is  constantly  increasing.  He 
hires  several  men  to  assist  him  in  carrying 
on  his  large  business. 


BRIXKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Our  subject  was  married  in  1898  to 
Martha  Kleine,  who  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  Freder- 
ick and  Louisa  (Meier)  Kleine.  Two  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
Hulda  and  Clara.  They  are  bright  and  win- 
some daughters.  The  subject  and  wife  are 
members  of  the  Lutheran  church.  Mr. 
Moehlmann  is  a  good  Republican  but  he 
never  held  office,  preferring  to  devote  his 
attention  to  his  business  which  requires  the 
major  part  of  his  time.  He  has  a  large  shop 
where  he  does  a  big  repair  business,  also 
horseshoeing.  He  has  several  big  buildings 
for  ware  rooms  in  which  he  keeps  buggies, 
wagons  and  machinery  of  all  kinds. 
Judging  from  the  eminent  success  Mr. 
Moehlmann  has  gained  while  yet  a  young 
man,  the  future  must  necessarily  be  replete 
with  larger  success  and  fuller  honors.  He 
is  a  pleasant  man  to  meet,  honest  in  all  his 
business  relations  and  one  of  the  leading 
citizens  of  the  township. 


ELI  BRUBAKER. 

The  man  who  has  made  a  success  of  life 
and  won  the  honor  and  esteem  of  his  fel- 
low citizens  deserves  more  than  passing 
notice.  Such  is  the  record,  briefly  stated, 
of  the  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
review,  the  record  he  left  behind  being  one 
of  honor  in  every  respect,  for  a  more 
whole-souled  and  popular  man  never  lived 
in  Stevenson  township  where  he  long  main- 


tained his  home  and  where  he  labored  for 
the  general  good  of  the  community,  and, 
although  his  life  work  has  been  closed  by 
the  good  angel,  who  has  set  the  seal  on  the 
record  of  his  life  history,  his  influence  still 
permeates  the  lives  of  those  who  knew  him 
best  and  loved  him  for  his  fortitude,  fidel- 
ity, honor  and  industry. 

Eli  Brubaker  was  born  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  December  n,  1819,  and  he 
was  called  from  his  earthly  labors  in  1907, 
after  a  long  and  eminently  useful  and  suc- 
cessful life.  He  was  the  son  of  Abraham  and 
Elizabeth  (Myers)  Brubaker,  and  was 
reared  on  his  father's  farm  in  Ohio,  where 
he  assisted  with  the  work  about  the  place  un- 
til he  reached  manhood,  attending  the  com- 
mon schools  in  the  neighborhood  until  he 
received  a  fairly  good  education,  such  as  the 
old  pioneer  schools  of  those  times  afforded. 
The  school  house  which  he  attended  had 
puncheon  seats  and  greased  paper  was  used 
for  window  panes.  For  a  full  history  of 
the  Brubaker  family  the  reader  is  referred 
to  the  sketch  of  Noah  Brubaker,  which  ap- 
pears in  another  part  of  this  volume. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  in  1843,  and  settled 
among  the  pioneers  on  new  land  in  Steven- 
son township,  where,  by  dint  of  hard  work, 
he  made  a  home  and  developed  a  good 
farm.  The  old  Brubaker  homestead  is  to- 
day one  of  the  best  farms  in  Stevenson 
township.  Eli  Brubaker  was  a  hard  worker 
and  an  excellent  farmer,  and  he  made  a 
comfortable  living. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  to  Mar}' 


374 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


Ann  Warner  January  20.  1842,  daughter 
of  William  Warner,  an  early  settler  of  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois.  She  was  born  in 
Lancaster  county,  Ohio.  She  passed  to  her 
rest  in  1872.  She  was  the  mother  of 
eleven  children,  namely:  Isaac,  who  lives  in 
luka,  this  state ;  Christina,  deceased ;  Annie, 
E.,  widow  of  Shannon  Kagy,  lives  in  Ste- 
venson township;  William  is  a  prosperous 
fanner  in  Stevenson  township;  Edgar  and 
Edward  are  twins;  Logan  is  a  farmer,  liv- 
ing in  Stevenson  township;  Mary  Jane  is 
the  eighth  child:  the  ninth,  tenth  and  elev- 
enth child  died  in  infancy. 

On  February  4,  1875,  the  subject  married 
a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being  Emma 
Squibb,  who  was  born  in  Ohio  county,  In- 
diana, the  daughter  of  George  Y.  and  Mary 
Ann  (Harpham)  Squibb,  natives  of  Indi- 
ana, who  moved  to  Stevenson  township, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  the  mother 
is  still  living,  the  father  having  died  soon 
after  coming  to  this  county.  Mrs.  Bru- 
baker  is  living  on  the  old  homestead  in 
Stevenson  township,  which  she  manages 
successfully. 

Our  subject  was  a  member  of  the  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  church  and  a  liberal 
supporter  of  the  same.  He  was  a  good 
everyday  Christian,  always  strictly  honest  in 
his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men.  a  good 
neighbor,  father  and  husband.  In  politics 
he  was  a  Democrat,  but  never  held  office. 
The  different  members  of  his  family  are  well 
settled  in  life  and  are  highly  respected  in 
their  respective  communities.  They  reflect 
great  credit  upon  their  parents,  who  gave 


them  every  advantage  possible,  and  no 
doubt  they  will  ever  uphold  the  honor  of 
the  family  name  which  is  one  of  the  high- 
est integrity. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  member 
of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church  and 
was  ordained  elder  in  this  church  in  1847. 
He  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
at  Brubaker  chapel  for  the  long  period  of 
over  forty-two  years,  after  which  he  was 
elected  honorary  superintendent  for  life.  He 
was  a  leader  in  church  work  for  many  years 
and  was  foremost  in  promoting  everything 
which  makes  for  the  betterment  of  human- 
ity. It  was  largely  due  to  his  efforts  that 
the  new  and  modern  church  edifice  was 
erected  and  dedicated  June  20,  1896,  which 
he  christened  New  Bethel,  he  not  only  do- 
nating the  land,  consisting  of  four  acres  for 
the  manse,  but  also  gave  freely  of  his  ser- 
vices and  money  to  the  building  fund. 

Mr.  Brubaker  gave  each  of  his  children 
a  farm. 


BENJAMIN  GARRETT. 

Agriculture  has  been  an  honored  vocation 
from  the  earliest  ages,  and,  as  a  usual  thing, 
men  of  honorable  and  humane  impulses,  as 
well  as  those  of  energy  and  thrift,  have  been 
patrons  of  husbandry.  The  free  outdoor  life 
of  the  farm  has  a  decided  tendency  to  foster 
and  develop  that  independence  of  mind  and 
self-reliance  which  characterizes  true  man- 
hood and  no  greater  blessing  can  befall  a 
boy  than  to  be  reared  in  close  touch  with 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


375 


nature  in  the  healthful,  life-inspiring  labor 
of  the  fields. 

Benjamin  Garrett,  our  worthy  subject,  is 
a  fanner  and  the  son  of  a  farmer,  and  his 
fine  landed  estate  in  Kinmundy  township, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  a  model  twen- 
tieth century  farm  in  every  particular.  He 
was  born  in  Foster  township,  this  county,  in 
the  year  1851.  Moses  Garrett,  father  of 
the  subject,  came  from  Georgia  in 
1826,  being  among  the  pioneers  who 
settled  on  wild  land  which  he  developed  into 
a  valuable  farm.  Like  many  of  the  early 
settlers,  he  was  a  man  of  sterling  qualities, 
who  met  and  surmounted  all  obstacles,  tak- 
ing them  as  a  matter  of  course,  and  never 
complaining  at  the  lack  of  advantages  of  the 
times  in  which  he  lived.  He  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  in  1874,  at  the  age  of 
sixty-nine  years.  He  married  Hannah  Mor- 
ris, who  was  born  in  Georgia  and  who  died 
in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of 
seventy-five  years.  She  was  a  loyal  Meth- 
odist. The  following  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Moses  Garrett ;  Winnie  C., 
Mary,  Polly,  James,  Thomas  T., — all  lived 
to  raise  families ;  Betsy  Swift  died  at  the  age 
of  sixty-one  years;  Fannie  died  in  1871; 
Cynthia  and  Benjamin,  our  subject,  are  still 
living. 

Moses  Garrett  was  raised  a  Baptist  and 
his  wife  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Grandfather  Thomas 
Garrett  lived  in  Georgia,  where  he  reared 
his  family.  They  were  all  Democrats.  Win- 
nie Garrett  married  Mark  Cole,  of  Marion 
county,  and  they  became  the  parents  of  six 


children.  Polly  married  Nathan  Atkins,  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  all 
living  in  this  county,  where  both  parents 
died.  James  Garrett,  who  died  when  twenty- 
two  years  of  age,  had  two  children.  His  wife 
was  Frances  Collins,  also  deceased.  Thomas 
Garrett  married  Catherine  Whitesides. 
They  are  both  deceased.  There  were 
seven  children  in  their  family.  Fannie 
married  Samuel  Lamferd,  both  now  de- 
ceased. They  had  one  child.  Benjamin 
Garrett  married  Finia  E.  Howe,  and  they 
became  the  parents  of  three  children,  all  liv- 
ing in  1908,  namely :  James  F.,  Orville  and 
Mable.  The  fifth  child,  Betsy,  married 
James  M.  Swift,  both  now  being  deceased. 
They  were  the  parents  of  seven  children. 

The  maiden  name  of  the  subject's  mother 
was  Hannah  Morris,  who  was  bom  in  Geor- 
gia. She  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools.  Both  she  and  her1  husband  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Moses  Garrett  served  for  a  number 
of  years  as  Justice  of  the  Peace,  and  was 
commonly  known  as  "Squire"  Garrett.  He 
was  an  upright  man  and  an  honorable  and 
influential  citizen. 

Our  subject  received  a  fairly  good  com- 
mon school  education  and  early  in  life  began 
his  career  as  a  farmer,  at  which  he  has  so 
admirably  succeeded.  He  is  now  the  owner 
of  three  hundred  acres  of  land  in  Kinmundy 
township,  all  but  twenty  acres  of  which  are 
under  cultivation,  the  amount  specified  being 
in  timber.  He  has  improved  his  farm  and 
skillfully  rotated  the  crops  until  it  is  one  of 
the  most  productive  and  attractive  farms  in 


376 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS- 


this  county,  showing  at  a  glance  even  to  the 
most  casual  observer,  that  a  man  of  indus- 
try, sound  judgment  and  foresight  has  had 
the  management  of  it.  A  comfortable  dwell- 
ing and  numerous  convenient  out-buildings 
stand  on  the  place.  Mr.  Garrett  handles 
some  fine  registered  cattle  and  is  an  all- 
around  and  up-to-date  farmer  and  a  most 
excellent  and  worthy  citizen,  a  believer  in 
progress  in  every  phase  of  human  effort,  ad- 
vancement and  liberal  education.  Mrs.  Gar- 
rett is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 

Our  subject  has  faithfully  served  his 
community  as  Road  Commissioner  for  a 
period  of  nine  years,  and  while  he  does  not 
take  a  very  active  part  in  political  affairs, 
his  support  can  always  be  depended  upon  in 
the  furtherance  of  all  movements  looking  to 
the  welfare  of  his  community,  whether  civic, 
moral  or  educational.  Mr.  Garrett  is  a 
member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  Lodge 
No.  398,  at  Kinmundy,  Illinois.  He  served 
as  director  of  the  First  National  Bank  of 
Kimundy  for  one  year. 


FRANCIS  MARION  REESE. 

A  compilation  of  this  nature  exercises  an 
important  function  in  that  it  touches  those 
who  have  made  definite  accomplishment  in 
all  fields  of  endeavor,  while  no  record  is 
entered  that  does  not  bear  its  quota  of  les- 
son and  incentive,  and  thus  it  is  believed 
that  in  writing  the  life  history  of  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  heads  this  paragraph 


that  it  will  be  read  with  pleasure  by  the 
many  who  know  him  and  who  would 
be  pleased  to  learn  more  of  his  personal 
characteristics  which  they  have  found  to  be 
of  a  high  order  and  praiseworthy  type. 

Francis  Marion  Reese  was  born  April  10, 
1883,  in  Fayette  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
George  E.  Reese,  who  was  also  born  there 
in  1859.  The  maiden  name  of  the  subject's 
mother  was  Sarah  Earnest,  a  native  of  Fay- 
ette county,  this  state,  having  been  born  in 
March,  1842.  They  were  always  regarded 
as  among  the  best  people  in  their  com- 
munity. To  them  were  born  the  following 
children:  James  W.,  who  married  Rosa 
Patton  and  is  the  father  of  four  children, 
three  girls  and  one  boy,  the  family  living  in 
Chicago,  where  James  W.  is  employed  as 
foreman  of  a  railroad;  Lulu  A.  married 
Beve  Hunter  and  became  the  mother  of  two 
children,  Lola  and  Nola,  the  latter  being 
deceased;  Francis  M.,  our  subject;  Charles 
E.,  Samuel  H.,  Jesse  G.,  Otto  V.,  and  Talty 
T.  All  these  children  are  living  in  1908 
with  the  exception  of  'the  eldest  daughter. 
Lulu,  who  was  called  to  her  rest  at  the  early 
age  of  twenty-two  years. 

Francis  Marion  Reese  received  his  educa- 
tion in  the  common  schools  of  his  neighbor- 
hood where  he  made  a  good  record  as  a 
student,  and  during  the  summer  months 
worked  on  the  home  farm.  When  he 
reached  maturity  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Martha  S.  Conant  on  January  18, 
1906.  She  is  the  daughter  of  James  B. 
Conant,  who  resides  in  Marion  county,  a 
well  known  and  highly  respected  family. 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


377 


Mrs.  Reese  is  one  of  a  large  family 
as  follows :  Fannie,  who  married  Isem 
Landford,  living  in  this  county,  and  the  par- 
ents of  four  children  living  and  one  dead; 
Ayers,  who  married  Maggie  Door,  and  who 
lives  in  Marion  county,  being  the  father  of 
four  children,  all  living;  Polly,  who  married 
Noble  Neeper  and  who  is  living  in  Fayette 
county,  this  state,  being  the  mother  of  seven 
children,  all  living;  Margaret  married  Guy 
Neeper  and  lives  in  Fayette  county,  being 
the  mother  of  one  child  who  is  living ;  Eli 
C.,  married  Velinda  Owens,  and  is  living  in 
Marion  county,  being  the  father  of  six  living 
children;  Ida  married  James  M.  Gray  and 
is  living  in  Marion  county,  the  mother  of 
three  children  living  and  one  deceased ;  May 
is  deceased,  as  is  also  Emmet  and  Rhue; 
Ira  married  Hattie  Harvey,  who  lives  in 
Marion  county,  being  the  father  of  one 
child,  Martha;  Hulda  is  deceased. 

Mrs.  Charles  Conant  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Marion  county  and  is  a 
thoughtful,  frugal  and  industrious  mother, 
possessing  a  remarkable  memory  and  is 
greatly  beloved  by  all  who  know  her. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  proud  par- 
ents of  one  child,  a  promising  infant  son, 
born  in  January,  1908,  and  named  Omer 
Murel. 

Francis  M.  Reese  is  the  owner  of  one  of 
the  best  improved  and  most  productive 
farms  in  this  township.  It  consists  of  one 
hundred  and  ten  acres,  all  under  cultivation 
with  the  exception  of  twenty  acres.  He  is 
a  practical  twentieth  century  farmer,  very 
skillful  and  the  possessor  of  rare  soundness 


of  judgment  for  so  young  a  man,  and  he 
so  manages  his  farm  that  bounteous  har- 
vests' are  reaped  from  his  fields  from  year 
to  year,  and  a  comfortable  living  is  realized 
therefrom,  together  with  a  competency  to 
lay  by.  The  fields  are  kept  clean,  well 
drained  and  well  fenced,  and  the  dwelling  is 
a  cozy  and  substantial  one.  The  out  build- 
ings on  the  place  are  all  that  could  be  de- 
sired, in  fact,  the  general  aspect  of  the  place 
shows  thrift,  good  management  and  pros- 
perity. In  politics  Mr.  Reese  is  a  stanch 
Republican  and  his  support  is  always  on  the 
side  of  right  questions  and  issues  having  for 
their  object  the  betterment  of  the  community 
in  which  he  lives.  Fraternally  he  belongs 
to  the  Yeoman  lodge,  and  in  his  religious 
affiliations  he  subscribes  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  South.  Mrs.  Reese  is  also 
a  member  of  this  church.  She  is  regarded 
as  a  young  woman  of  many  estimable  and 
commendable  traits. 


WILLIAM   MORRIS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
representative  agriculturists  of  Kinmundy 
township,  Marion  county,  and  he  is  gladly 
given  personal  mention  in  this  volume  ow- 
ing to  his  individual  worth,  integrity  and 
high  standing  in  the  community  where  he 
has  maintained  his  home  for  nearly  three 
score  years,  or  during  his  entire  lifetime. 

William  Morfis  was  born  in  the  vicinity 
where  he  now  lives  on  December  25,  1850, 


378 


KKINKEKHOFF'S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


the  son  of  Jesse  Morris,  who  was  born  in 
Clinton  county,  and  who  came  to  Marion 
county  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years  arrd  in 
1846  took  up  a  land  warrant  with  his 
mother.  He  was  a  hard  working  man  and 
always  made  a  comfortable  living,  being 
known  as  not  only  a  man  of  industry  but 
also  of  uprightness  and  hospitality.  He  was 
called  from  his  earthly  labors  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two  years.  He  was  a  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  and  a  Democrat.  There  were 
eight  children  in  his  family,  four  of  whom, 
two  boys  and  two  girls  are  living  in 
1908,  named  as  follows:  William,  our 
subject;  Samuel,  the  only  living  brother 
of  the  subject ;  Sarah,  deceased ;  Har- 
riett and  Lucy  are  the  living  daughters ; 
Elizabeth,  Mary  and  Margaret  are  all  de- 
ceased. 

The  subject's  mother's  maiden  name  was 
Mary  \Yhiteside,  who  was  born  in  Tennes- 
see, who  came  to  Kinmundy  township, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  when  she  had 
reached  maturity.  The  paternal  grandfather 
of  the  subject  was  Thomas  Morris,  who 
came  from  Georgia  and  settled  in  Clinton 
county,  Illinois.  His  family  consisted  of 
three  sons  and  six  daughters,  as  follows: 
John,  William,  Jesse — the  last  named  hav- 
ing been  born  in  1829 ;  Hannah,  who  married 
Moses  Garrett ;  Fannie,  who  married  Daniel 
Casey;  Nancy,  who  married  Reuben 
Wright ;  Mary,  who  married  Frank  Cole ; 
Sarah,  who  married  William  Layman;  Lu- 
rana,  who  married  John  Wortman.  All 
these  children  with  the  exception  of  two 
were  born  in  Georgia  and  came  to  Clinton 


and  Marion  counties,  Illinois.  Sarah  Young 
was  the  grandmother  on  the  maternal  side 
of  our  subject.  She  was  born  in  Tennessee, 
and  in  religion  affiliated  with  the  Cumber- 
land Presbyterian  church. 

William  Morris  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Elizabeth  Holt,  October  2,  1872,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  G.  Holt.  There  were 
nine  children  in  the  Holt  family,  four  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity.  Mr.  Holt's  wife 
lived  to  be  seventy-eight  years  old.  Henry 
G.  Holt  was  a  man  of  honesty  and  industry, 
a  Democrat  and  a  Methodist.  He  was  at 
one  time  Supervisor  of  Foster  township, 
Marion  county. 

Our  subject  faithfully  performed  the  of- 
fice of  Supervisor  in  Kinmundy  township, 
and  he  was  a  School  Director  for  many 
years,  during  which  time  the  school  in  his 
neighborhood  was  much  strengthened.  He 
has  always  been  greatly  interested  in  educa- 
tional affairs,  and  has  been  a  delegate  to 
three  state  conventions. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Morris :  Margaret  C, 
Mary  E.,  Jessie  H.,  Ira  C.,  Emmet  O.,  W. 
Earl,  J.  Esther  and  Bertha  M.  Margaret 
C.  married  J.  L.  Davis,  who  lives  near  Kin- 
mundy and  are  the  parents  of  three  children, 
two  living  and  one  dead.  Mary  E.  married 
Dan  Doolen,  who  lives  in  Kinmundy  town- 
ship, and  she  is  the  mother  of  three  child- 
ren. Ira  C.  married  Laura  L.  Lamborn 
and  has  two  children.  William  Morris  has 
seven  grandchildren,  six  boys  and  one  girl. 
Our  subject  has  been  a  careful  business 
man  and  always  industrious  and  persistent. 


BRIXKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


379 


As  a  result  of  his  well  directed  energies  he 
is  today  one  of  the  substantial  and  progres- 
sive farmers  of  Marion  county,  owning  a 
fine  farm  of  five  hundred  acres,  mostly 
under  cultivation.  It  is  well  improved  in 
every  respect  and  the  crops  are  rotated  in 
such  a  manner  that  the  soil  is  kept  up  to  a 
high  state  of  efficiency  and  only  a  glance 
over  this  splendid  place  is  sufficient  to  show 
that  a  man  of  energy,  thrift  and  rare  busi- 
ness acumen  has  managed  it.  Mr.  Morris 
raises  and  uses  full  blooded  heavy  draft 
horses  of  the  best  type.  He  has  always  been 
an  admirer  of  fine  horses  and  good  stock, 
and  it  is  a  pleasure  to  see  his  fat  and  well 
groomed  stock  and  to  look  out  over  his  fine 
pastures  and  splendid  fields  of  grain,  but 
still  a  greater  pleasure  to  know  Mr.  Morris 
himself,  to  feel  his  hearty  handshake  and  be 
the  recipient  of  his  kindly  demeanor.  Mr. 
Morris  and  his  family  are  ardent  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  like 
Cornelius  of  old,  he  is  a  devout  man,  as  is 
all  his  house,  and  as  a  result  of  his  honor- 
able record,  his  public-spirit,  integrity  and 
pleasing  manners  he  numbers  his  friends  by 
the  scores. 


A.  I.  EAGAN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  man  of 
excellent  mental  endowments  and  upright 
character  and  has  been  a  valued  factor  for 
more  than  a  quarter  of  a  century  in  the 
community  in  which  his  life  has  been  passed, 
for  "his  sober  wishes  have  never  learned  to 


stray,"  and  he  has  remained  here  since  his 
birth. 

A.  I.  Eagan  was  born  on  the  old  Eagan 
homestead  in  Foster  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  July  9,  1862,  the  son  of 
William  and  Martha  (Holt)  Eagan,  the 
latter  enjoying  the  distinction  of  being  the 
first  white  child  born  in  Patoka  township, 
this  county,  the  date  of  her  birth  occurring 
February  22,  1828.  William  Eagan  was 
born  in  Wilson  county,  Tennessee,  May  4, 
1823.  He  came  with  his  father,  Barney 
Eagan,  from  Wilson  county,  Tennessee,  and 
settled  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1841. 
Barney  Eagan  married  a  Miss  Gray,  of 
Tennessee,  who  died  in  that  state,  Barnet 
Eagan  settled  in  Kinmundy  township, 
where  he  developed  a  farm  and  where  he 
died.  William  Eagan,  the  subject's  father, 
had  only  a  limited  education.  He  lived  at 
home  until  his  marriage,  December  7,  1844. 
He  lived  in  section  9,  Foster  township, 
where  he  secured  one  hundred  acres  of  land 
which  he  improved  and  developed  into  a 
most  successful  farm.  He  was  a  Democrat 
and  held  several  township  offices.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church.  He  passed  to  his  rest  March  20, 
1891.  his  widow  surviving  until  July  5, 
1897.  They  were  the  parents  of  seven  sons 
and  four  daughters,  namely:  John  F.,  who 
was  born  in  September,  1845,  is  a  farmer 
in  Alexander  county,  Illinois;  Catherine, 
whose  date  of  birth  is  September  7,  1847, 
married  to  G.  A.  Conant,  of  Foster  town- 
ship: Elizabeth,  who  was  bom  February  8, 
1850,  died  November  23,  1906;  Mary,  who 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


was  born  August  8,  1852,  married  Samuel 
Morris,  of  Foster  township;  James  W.,  born 
November  3,  1854,  is  a  farmer  in  Okla- 
homa; Henry  H.,  born  January  30,  1857, 
is  a  farmer  in  Foster  township;  Arvilla, 
born  February  10,  1860,  died  February  27, 
1879,  having  been  the  wife  of  Albert  Wil- 
liams; A.  I.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Wil- 
liam S.,  born  July  17,  1865,  died  February 
9,  1899;  Samuel  B.,  bom  February  10, 
1868,  is  a  traveling  salesman  and  lives  with 
the  subject;  Harmon  R.,  born  March  17, 
1871,  lives  with  the  subject. 

A.  I.  Eagan  received  his  education  in  the 
home  schools.  He  has  always  lived  in  Fos- 
ter township,  where  he  has  carried  on  gen- 
eral farming  in  such  a  skillful  manner  as  to 
insure  definite  success  in  every  particular. 
He  is  regarded  by  his  neighbors  as  one  of 
the  best  farmers  in  the  township,  and  is  also 
known  as  a  good  judge  of  live  stock  of  all 
kinds,  having  for  many  years  devoted  his  at- 
tention largely  to  stock  raising,  together 
with  his  fanning.  He  has  also  been  success- 
ful in  other  lines  of  business,  having  started 
a  store  in  Lester  in  1891,  of  which  he  made 
a  success.  He  faithfully  served  the  people 
of  that  community  as  postmaster  for  a 
period  of  ten  years.  He  also  gave  able 
service  as  Tax  Collector  in  1891,  and  as 
Supervisor  from  1896  to  1897.  He  has  been 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  twelve  years  and 
his  decisions  are  always  considered  fair  and 
impartial  and  they  have  seldom  met  with 
reversal  at  the  hands  of  a  higher  tribunal. 
He  has  long  been  active  in  politics,  being  a 
staunch  Democrat.  Fraternally  Mr.  Eagan 


is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows,  No.  324,  of  Vernon,  this 
county.  He  is  a  most  successful  business 
man  and  is  well  known  in  the  county,  being 
admired  for  his  industry,  his  interest  in 
public  affairs,  and  his  honesty. 


RICHARD  M.  ATKINS. 

The  Atkins  family  of  Kinmundy  town- 
ship, of  which  Richard  Atkins  is  a  represen- 
tative, have  for  several  generations  been 
interested  in  general  agricultural  pursuits, 
and  the  success  they  have  achieved  would 
indicate  that  they  have  always  been  thrifty 
and  energetic,  and  the  community  is  greatly 
indebted  to  them  for  much  of  its  general 
advancement. 

Richard  M.  Atkins  was  born  in  Foster 
township,  Marion  county,  January  18,  1860, 
the  son  of  Nathan  Atkins,  who  was  born  in 
Alabama,  and  who  came  to  Foster  township 
where  he  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life, 
dying  there  at  the  age  of  sixty  years,  having 
been  seventeen  years  old  when  he  first  settled 
here.  Nathan  Atkins  was  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  eight  boys  and  four  girls, 
named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows:  John, 
Barbe,  George,  all  deceased;  Joseph  Wr., 
Richard  M.,  both  living;  Sarah  F.,  de- 
ceased; Hannah  C,  Mary  E.,  Cynthia  C.,  all 
living;  Nathan  L.,  Moses  and  James,  all 
deceased.  John  married  Mary  Edgar. 
George  married  Mary  Jones,  by  which  union 
two  children  were  born,  and  after  her  death 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


he  married  Hulda  Jones,  to  which  union 
two  sons  have  been  born.  Joseph  married 
Hattie  Dulin,  but  neither  he  nor  John  have 
any  children.  Richard  married  Elizabeth 
Lansford  and  they  are  the  parents  of  three 
children,  named  Nathan  L.,  deceased;  Ruth 
F.,  the  only  one  living,  and  Wesley  L.,  who 
died  recently.  The  maiden  name  of  the 
subject's  mother  was  Elizabeth  Lansford, 
whose  father  was  named  Lemuel  Jackson, 
who  was  the  father  of  fifteen  children,  three 
boys  and  twelve  girls,  eight  of  whom  lived 
to  maturity,  all  being  married  but  three. 
Lemuel  Jackson  died  when  fifty  years  old. 
He  was  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian.  His 
education  was  limited  to  the  common 
schools.  Elizabeth  Lansford  was  also  a 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church,  and  her  early  education  was  also 
limited  to  the  public  schools.  She  married 
when  eighteen  years  of  age,  and  endured 
the  hardships  of  pioneer  life.  She  is  still 
living  and  is  in  fairly  good  health  although 
advanced  in  years. 

Richard  M.  Atkins,  our  subject,  was 
raised  on  his  father's  farm,  and  he  has  al- 
ways followed  agricultural  pursuits  and  has 
made  an  eminent  success  of  the  same.  He 
is  at  present  the  owner  of  a  valuable  farm 
of  sixty  acres  on  which  he  carries  on  general 
farming  in  a  manner  that  insures  a  comfort- 
able living  from  year  to  year,  and  also 
enables  him  to  lay  up  a  competence  for  his 
old  age.  His  farm  is  well  improved  in  every 
respect,  and  he  has  an  excellent  dwelling  and 
a  good  barn. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Atkins  is  a  member  of 


the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
lodge  at  Kinmundy.  He  is  a  loyal  Demo- 
crat and  believes  in  the  principles  of  Chris- 
tianity and  the  progress  of  education.  He 
is  School  Trustee  in  Kinmundy  township. 
The  pastoral  life  that  our  subject  is  leading 
is  entirely  agreeable  to  his  tastes  and  his 
nature,  and  this,  coupled  with  the  happiness 
and  contentment  of  his  home  life,  renders 
existence  for  him  truly  delightful. 


MRS.  MARY  A.  ROBB. 

Wholly  devoted  to  home  and  domestic  du- 
ties, doing  through  all  the  best  years  of  her 
domestic  life  the  lowly  but  sacred  work 
that  conies  within  her  sphere,  there  is  not 
much  ro  record  concerning  the  life  of  the  av- 
erage woman;  and  yet  what  station  so  dig- 
nified, what  relation  so  loving  and  endear- 
ing, what  office  so  holy,  tender  and  enno- 
bling as  those  of  home-making  motherhood. 
In  a  biographical  compendium,  such  as  this 
work  is  intended  to  be,  woman  should  have 
no  insignificant  representation,  and  the  pub- 
lishers are  glad  to  give  the  estimable  lady 
whose  name  heads  this  paragraph  a  place 
herein  owing  to  the  fact  that  her  life  has 
been  one  of  earnest  devotion  to  duty,  and 
one  calculated  to  leave  its  indelible  imprint 
for  good  in  the  community  where  she  re- 
sides. 

Mrs.  Mary  A.  Robb  was  born  in  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  July  28,  1852,  having  been 
known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Mary  A.  Man- 
ion,  daughter  of  Robert  P.  Manion,  a  well 


782 


BRINKERHOFFJS    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


known  and  influential  man  in  his  commu- 
nity. He  was  born  in  Kentucky.  He  repre- 
sented a  family  of  nine  girls  and  six  boys> 
two  boys  and  one  girl  deceased.  The  sub- 
ject's mother  was  known  in  her  maiden- 
hood as  Eliza  Henry,  a  native  of  Ohio,  and 
one  of  a  family  of  five  girls  and  one  boy, 
all  growing  to  maturity.  The  subject's 
grandmother,  Mary  Henry,  is  still  living 
at  this  writing,  1908,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  ninety-four  years,  her  birth- 
day falling  on  the  loth  of  March.  She 
is  a  fine  old  lady,  having  always  possessed 
a  beautiful  Christian  character  and  her  life 
has  been  one  of  inspiration  to  younger  gen- 
erations. She  lives'  at  La  Gootee,  Illinois, 
with  her  only  living  son,  K.  D.  Henry. 

Our  subject  received  a  good  common 
school  education  in  her  native  community, 
having  applied  herself  diligently  to  her 
text-books  and  winning  the  praise  of  her 
teachers.  When  she  reached  maturity  she 
was  united  in  marriage  with  William  W. 
"Robb,  on  December  14,  1882,  by  George 
Harpster,  a  Justice  of  the  Peace,  at  his  resi- 
dence in  Fayette  county,  Illinois.  To  this 
union  seven  children  were  born,  as  follows : 
Samuel  P.,  Charles  F.,  Permelia  B.,  Martha 
N.,  Rosa  E.,  Lewis  K.,  Maggie  R.  Samuel 
P.  Robb  married  Ethel  Lowe,  and  they  have 
one  son,  named  William  W.  Permelia  and 
Martha  live  in  Champaign,  Illinois ;  Charles 
F.  farms  the  home  place  and  is  unmarried. 
Rosa  E.  is  deceased.  Lewis  and  Maggie  are 
still  members  of  the  home  circle.  These 
children  all  received  the  most  careful  atten- 
tion and  are  fairly  well  educated,  having 


been  taught  to  develop  their  minds  along 
such  lines  as  would  result  in  success  and  hap- 
piness in  after  life,  and  as  a  result  of  the 
wholesome  home  environment  and  careful 
training  of  the  fond  mother,  they  have  de- 
veloped into  men  and  women  of  the  noblest 
types  and  have  hosts  of  admiring  friends, 
all  enjoying  the  fruits  of  excellent  and  un- 
blemished reputations. 

Mrs.  Robb  resides  on  a  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty-seven  acres  which  she  owns 
and  oversees  with  rare  business  ability  and 
sagacity,  so  that  year  after  year  excellent 
crops  are  reaped  and  a  comfortable  living  is 
maintained,  also  a  competency  is  laid  by 
for  the  future.  The  soil  is  kept  in  excel- 
let  productive  condition  by  the  rotation  of 
crops  and  the  employment  of  modern  and 
scientific  methods  known  to  the  best  agricul- 
turists. The  place  is  well  drained  and  well 
fenced,  and  the  Robb  dwelling  is  com- 
modious and  is  very  tastefully  kept.  Nu- 
merous substantial  out-buildings  are  to  be 
found  about  the  place.  One  hundred  and 
twenty  acres  of  this  farm  are  in  cultivation, 
the  remainder  is  in  timber. 

The  Robb  family  are  all  Democrats.  Mrs. 
Robb  is  a  faithful  and  consistent  member 
of  the  Christian  church.  She  is  truly  a 
noble  mother  and  sets  a  Godly  example  be- 
fore the  community,  her  chief  aim  being  to 
be  a  good  mother,  and  she  has  the  undi- 
vided devotion  of  her  family,  all  of  whom 
give  every  promise  of  happy  and  success- 
ful futures.  Mrs.  Robb  is  a  pleasant  woman 
to  meet,  always  congenial  and  kindly  dis- 
posed. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


GEORGE  ELDON  REESE. 

Marion  county  has  been  the  home  and  the 
scene  of  the  successful  labors  of  many  able, 
broad-minded  and  public-spirited  citizens, 
and  standing  as  a  worthy  representative  of 
this  class  and  as  a  member  of  the  old  and 
influential  families  of  this  great  common- 
wealth is  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears 
above.  He  is  one  of  the  progressive  farm- 
ers and  stock  growers  of  Marion  county, 
where  he  has  long  maintained  his  home  and 
devoted  his  attention  to  the  development  of 
a  fine  farm  which  is  situated  in  Kinmundy 
township,  and  so  well  managed  that  it  yields 
the  owner  from  year  to  year  a  comfortable 
living. 

George  Eldon  Reese  was  bom  in  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  August  10,  1859,  the  son 
of  James  Reese,  who  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  wrho  died  when  seventy-three 
years  old,  having  been  born  December  16, 
1822.  Seven  children  were  born  to  the 
subject's  parents,  three  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased at  this  writing.  Their  names  are: 
Annie,  deceased;  James,  deceased;  John, 
Mahulda,  Eliza  Jane,  George  Eldon,  all 
living ;  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth  died  in 
infancy.  James  Reese  was  a  farmer,  having 
owned  a  fine  farm  in  Fayette  county,  con- 
sisting of  eighty  acres.  He  married  Martha 
Fogler,  who  was  called  to  her  rest  when  our 
subject  was  three  months  old.  The  Reese 
family  moved  from  Fayette  county  to  Mar- 
ion county  in  1890.  James  Reese  was  the 
grandfather  of  our  subject.  He  was  born 


in  Pennsylvania  and  moved  to  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  when  a  young  man.  He 
passed  to  his  rest  from  Fayette  county,  after 
a  useful  and  busy  life. 

George  E.  Reese,  our  subject,  was  united 
in  marriage  on  August  25,  1878,  to  Sarah 
Earnest,  who  was  born  in  Fayette  county 
in  1 86 1.  She  received  a  good  common 
school  education  as  did  also  our  subject  in 
their  native  county.  Mr.  Reese  left  school 
when  eighteen  years  old. 

Eight  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  his  wife,  one  of  whom  is  deceased. 
Their  names  are:  James  W.,  who  married 
Rosa  Payton,  and  who  has  four  children; 
Lulu  C,.  who  married  Ben  Hunter  and  who 
has  two  children;  Francis  M.,  who  married 
Martha  Conant,  has  one  son.  The  other 
children  are  all  single;  their  names  are 
Charles  E.,  Samuel  H.,  Jessie  G.,  Otto  V., 
Talta  C.  These  children  had  the  best  ad- 
vantages possible  and  all  received  fairly 
good  educations  in  the  country  schools  of 
the  district  where  they  were  raised. 

Mr.  Reese  has  always  been  a  hard  worker, 
having  devoted  his  life  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  is  the  owner  of  seventy-two  and 
one-half  acres  of  as  good  land  as  can  be 
found  in  Kinmundy  township.  He  carries 
on  general  farming  in  a  manner  that  shows 
conclusively  that  he  possesses  unusual  ability 
as  an  agriculturist.  His  fields  are  kept  clean 
and  well  fenced.  He  handles  considerable 
stock  from  year  to  year  of  good  grades. 
Nearly  all  of  the  subject's  farm  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation,  and  it  shows  that 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


a  man  of  thrift  and  energy  is  managing  it. 
He  has  a  good  dwelling  and  many  substan- 
tial out  buildings. 

Mr.  Reese  has  been  a  loyal  Republican 
since  maturity,  and  has  always  taken  more 
or  less  interest  in  political  affairs,  especially 
local  politics.  The  father  of  the  subject  was 
reared  a  United  Brethren,  but  his  chil- 
dren were  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church,  North.  Our  subject  is  a  man 
of  sunny  disposition,  always  looks  on  the 
bright  side  of  life,  being  truly  an  optimist, 
ever  hopeful  that  the  good  will  come  instead 
of  the  bad,  and  as  a  result  of  such  a  fortu- 
nate disposition  he  makes  it  pleasant  for 
those  whom  he  may  chance  to  meet,  and  he 
is  regarded  as  a  most  excellent  neighbor. 
He  loves  his  fellow  man  and  delights  in 
helping  those  in  need.  He  has  an  excep- 
tionally nice  family,  a  good  and  affable  wife, 
and  he  provides  everything  for  his  family 
that  is  deemed  advisable  for  the  moral,  in- 
tellectual, as  well  as  their  material  welfare. 


WILLIAM  T.  STORMENT. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  introduces 
this  sketch  is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  and 
inrjt  growers  of  Marion  county,  and  also 
enjoys  the  distinction  of  being  a  representa- 
tive of  two  of  the  old  and  highly  esteemed 
pioneer  families  of  the  township  in  which  he 
lives.  John  Storment,  his  grandfather, 
a  South  Carolinian  by  birth,  moved  to 
Marion  county  about  'the  year  1838, 


and  purchased  a  large  tract  of  govern- 
ment land,  principally  in  what  is  now  Haines 
township,  the  patents  for  which  bearing  the 
signature  of  President  Van  Buren  are  now 
in  the  possession  of  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view. John  Storment  became  a  prosperous 
farmer  and  representative  citizen  and 
\yielded  a  strong  influence  among  the  early 
settlers  of  Haines  township,  having  been  a 
man  of  great  force  of  character  and  deter- 
mination of  purpose.  He  did  much  to  pro- 
mote the  interests  of  agriculture  and  will 
long  be  remembered  as  one  of  the  sterling 
yeomen  to  whose  labors  and  influence  the 
present  flourishing  condition  of  Haines 
township  is  largely  due. 

William  K.  Storment,  son  of  John  Stor- 
ment and  father  of  William  T.,  was  a  native 
of  Marion  county  and  for  many  years  one 
of  the  progressive  farmers  and  enterprising 
citizens  of  the  township  of  Haines.  He,  too, 
was  public  spirited  and  a  natural  leader 
among  his  fellow  men,  stood  high  in  the  es- 
teem of  all  with  whom  he  came  into  contact 
and  belonged  to  that  large  and  eminently  re- 
spectable class  who  in  a  quiet  but  forceful 
way  do  so  much  for  the  material  progress 
of  the  country  and  give  moral  tone  to  the 
body  politic.  At  the  breaking  out  of  the  late 
Civil  war  he  enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Infantry  and  devoted 
three  of  the  best  years  of  his  life  to  the  serv- 
ice of  his  country,  participating  in  all  the 
campaigns  and  battles  in  which  his  regiment 
was  engaged  and  earning  an  honorable  rec- 
ord as  a  brave  and  gallant  defender  of  the 
Union. 


RESIDENCE  OF  W.  T.  STORMENT, 


LIBRARY 

OF  THE 

UNIVERSITY  OF  1LLINOI! 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


385 


When  a  young  man  William  K.  Storment 
married  Miss  Martha  I.  Wrham,  of  Marion 
county,  and  in  due  time  became  the  father 
of  five  children,  namely:  Elmer  (deceased; 
Minnie  (deceased);  John  R.,  a  farmer  and 
fruit  grower  of  Mississippi;  William  T.,  of 
this  review,  and  one  that  died  in  infancy. 
The  parents  of  these  children  were  esteemed 
members  of  the  United  Presbyterian  church 
and  spared  no  pains  to  impress  upon  their 
young  minds  and  hearts  the  principles  of  re- 
ligion and  the  beauty  and  value  of  a  living 
Christian  faith.  Wrilliam  K.  Storment  was 
not  only  an  influential  man  in  the  affairs  of 
his  church,  but  was  also  a  local  politician  of 
considerable  note,  having  been  one  of  the 
leading  Republicans  of  his  township,  though 
never  a  partisan,  much  less  a  seeker  after 
the  honors  and  emoluments  of  public  office. 
He  died  some  years  ago  on  the  home  farm 
in  Haines  township,  lamented  by  all  who 
knew  him,  leaving  to  his  descendants  the 
memory  of  an  honored  name,  which  they 
value  as  a  priceless  heritage.  Mrs.  Storment 
is  the  daughter  of  William  Wham,  one  of 
the  early  settlers  of  Marion  county  and  an 
influential  factor  of  the  pioneer  period.  She 
is  still  living  and  enjoys  the  acquaintance  of 
a  large  circle  of  friends,  who  hold  her  in  the 
highest  personal  regard. 

William  T.  Storment,  to  a  brief  review  of 
whose  career  the  following  lines  are  de- 
voted, was  born  in  Haines  township  on  the 
farm  one  mile  north  of  Kell,  which  he  now 
owns  and  occupies,  September  10,  1867. 
Like  the  majority  of  country  lads,  he  was 
reared  to  habits  of  industry,  early  became 
25 


familiar  with  the  various  duties  of  farm  life 
and  in  the  public  schools,  which  he  attended 
at  intervals  during  his  minority,  received  his 
educational  training.  Manifesting  a  decided 
taste  for  mechanical  pursuits  while  still 
young,  he  turned  his  abilities  in  this  direc- 
tion to  practical  use  by  learning  carpentry,  at 
which  he  acquired  more  than  ordinary  pro- 
ficiency and  which  he  followed  for  some 
years  in  his  own  and  neighboring  localities, 
a  number  of  residences  and  other  edifices 
bearing  witness  to  his  ability  and  skill  as  a 
builder.  After  a  time,  however,  he  discon- 
tinued his  trade  and  purchasing  the  home 
farm,  has  since  given  his  attention  to  agri- 
culture and  fruit  growing,  meeting  with 
most  encouraging  success  and  achieving 
much  more  than  local  repute  as  a  progres- 
sive and  up-to-date  tiller  of  the  soil.  In  the 
meantime  he  has  made  many  valuable  im- 
provements on  the  place,  remodeling  the 
house  and  converting  it  into  a  first  class  mod- 
ern dwelling  with  all  the  latest  conveniences, 
including  among  others  a  heating  plant  that 
adds  greatly  to  the  comfort  of  the  home,  be- 
sides lessening  in  no  small  degree  the  ex- 
pense of  providing  fuel.  The  barn,  which  is 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  conveniently  ar- 
ranged buildings  of  the  kind  in  the  neigh- 
borhood, is  a  model  of  architectural  and 
mechanical  skill,  while  all  the  other  improve- 
ments are  in  keeping  therewith,  the  farm 
consisting  of  oqe  hundred  and  twenty-five 
acres  of  highly  improved  land,  being  one  of 
the  most  valuable  as  well  as  one  of  the  most 
desirable  places  of  its  area  in  Marion  county. 
Mr.  Storment  takes  a  pardonable  pride  in 


386 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS- 


his  home  and  has  spared  neither  pains  nor 
expense  in  making  it  beautiful  and  attractive 
and  it  is  now  conceded  to  be  one  of  the  fin- 
est country  seats  not  only  in  Marion  county, 
but  in  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  Be- 
lieving this  section  of  Illinois  .to  possess  the 
necessary  characteristics  for  successful  fruit 
growing,  Mr.  Storment  some  years  ago 
planted  a  part  of  his  farm  in  choice  apple, 
pear  and  peach  trees,  the  results  in  due  time 
more  than  realizing  his  highest  expectations. 
Encouraged  by  the  success  of  the  venture, 
he  continued  planting  from  time  to  time,  un- 
til he  now  has  one  hundred  and  ten  acres  in 
fruit,  the  income  from  which  far  surpasses 
what  he  ever  received  from  the  raising  of 
grain.  He  makes  horticulture  not  only  his 
chief  business,  but  pursues  it  with  the  en- 
thusiasm and  delight  of  a  pastime.  He  de- 
votes much  time  to  the  study  of  the  subject, 
reduces  his  researches  to  practical  tests,  and 
in  this  way  has  made  the  business  very  re- 
munerative. By  employing  scientific  meth- 
ods, such  as  proper  fertilizing,  spraying, 
pruning,  etc.,  he  never  fails  to  realize  abun- 
dant crops  of  the  finest  fruits  raised  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  and  that,  too,  when  other 
orchards  fail  entirely  or  at  least  bear  but  a 
scanty  supply  and  of  a  poor  and  inferior 
quality.  Among  the  improvements  of  which 
he  makes  use  is  a  portable  gas  engine  for  the 
purpose  of  spraying,  the  value  of  which  in 
the  saving  of  time  as  well  as  of  insuring  full 
yields  is  many  hundred  fold  in  excess  of  the 
amount  the  contrivance  cost. 

Mr.  Storment  is  not  only  the  leading  hor- 
ticulturist in  Marion  county,  but  as  a  fann- 


er he  also  occupies  a  place  in  the  front  rank, 
making  use  of  modern  implements  and  ma- 
chinery and  employing  only  the  most  ap- 
proved methods  in  the  cultivation  of  the  soil. 
He  is  essentially  progressive  in  his  ideas,  be- 
lieves that  satisfactory  results  can  only  be  ob- 
tained from  the  exercise  of  sound  judgment 
and  wise  discretion  and  possessing  the  abil- 
ity to  foresee  with  remarkable  accuracy  the 
future  outcome  of  present  action,  he  is  sel- 
dom if  ever  disappointed  in  any  of  his  plans 
or  undertakings.  A  man  of  strong  charac- 
ter and  inflexible  integrity,  he  stands  high 
as  a  citizen,  takes  an  active  interest  in  pub- 
lic matters  both  general  and  local  and  all 
measures  and  enterprises  for  the  material 
progress  of  the  country  and  the  social  and 
moral  advancement  of  the  people  are  sure  to 
enlist  his  hearty  co-operation  and  support. 
His  political  views  are  in  harmony  with  the 
principles  and  traditions  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  while  firm  in  his  convictions  and 
earnest  and  fearless  in  maintaining  the 
soundness  of  his  opinions,  he  cannot  be 
called  a  partisan,  nor  has  he  ever  disturbed 
the  even  tenor  of  his  life  by  aspiring  to  of- 
fice or  leadership.  He  is  first  of  all  a  credit- 
able representative  of  the  ancient  and  hon- 
orable calling  of  agriculture  and  as  such  he 
ranks  among  the  most  enterprising  and  suc- 
cessful men  in  the  state,  this,  with  the  simple 
title  of  citizen,  being  sufficient  to  make  him 
contented  with  his  lot,  as  well  as  an  example 
to  his  fellow  men  in  correct  living. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Storment  dates 
from  1892,  in  which  year  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Esta  Davis,  of  Marion  coun- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


387 


ty,  daughter  of  Bloom  P.  and  Mariah  (Al- 
bert) Davis,  both  natives  of  Illinois,  the  fa- 
ther of  Jefferson  county,  the  mother 'of  the 
county  of  Marion.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Storment 
are  esteemed  members  of  the  United  Presby- 
terian church,  belonging  to  what  is  known  a? 
the  Romine  Prairie  congregation  and  active 
in  all  lines  of  religious  and  charitable  work 
under  the  auspices  of  the  same.  Socially  they 
are  numbered  among  the  best  people  of  the 
community  in  which  they  reside  and  their 
popularity  is  limited  only  by  the  circle  of 
their  acquaintance.  The  Davis  family,  to 
which  Mrs.  Storment  belongs,  has  long  oc- 
cupied a  conspicuous  place  in  the  confidence 
and  respect  of  the  people  of  Marion  county 
and  its  reputation  for  honorable  manhood 
and  womanhood  is  second  to  that  of  no  oth- 
er family  in  this  part  of  the  state.  For  many 
years  the  name  has  been  identified  with  the 
Christian  church  of  Marion  and  neighboring 
counties,  Mr.  Davis  and  his  wife  having 
been  prominent  members  of  that  body  and 
influential  in  religious  work  in  their  own  and 
other  localities.  Mrs.  Storment  is  the  oldest 
of  a  family  of  four  children,  three  sisters  and 
a  brother,  namely:  Maggie,  who  married 
Ernest  Kell,  of  Marion  county:  Anderson, 
who  lives  on  the  home  farm,  and  Minnie, 
who  is  unmarried  and  also  a  member  of  trie 
Tiome  circle. 


WILFRED  SPIESE. 

As  a  result  of  the  wonderful  progress 
along  all  lines,  we  are  prone  to  lose  sight 
of  life  as  it  was  in  the  days  when  our  sub- 
ject lived — the  days  of  the  pioneer,  not  so 


long  since,  it  is  true,  if  counted  by  years, 
but  when  viewed  in  the  light  of  invention 
and  improvement  seems  indeed  quite  far 
removed.  Among  the  noble  and  hardy  men 
who  left  the,  older  communities  of  the  East 
and  moved  to  the  pioneer  settlements  of  the 
Middle  West  was  Wilfred  Spiese,  who  de- 
parted this  life  in  this  county  in  1882.  Mr. 
Spiese  was  born  in  eastern  Pennsylvania  on 
the  8th  day  of  February,  1824.  He  came 
to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  111.1853,  a"d 
removed  to  Marion  county  in  1885.  He  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  Pennsylvania,  and  as  he  reached 
his  years  of  maturity  he  turned  his  atten- 
tion to  the  milling  industry,  following  this 
up  to  the  time  that  he  removed  to  this 
county.  He  was  an  expert  miller  and  in  all 
his  dealings  was  held  in  high  esteem  by 
everyone  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  was  a  highly  respected  member  of  the 
Universalist  church  and  voted  for  the  most 
part  with  the  Democratic  party.  In  1851  he 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Mrs.  Alice 
Heaton,  who  is  also  a  native  of  Ohio,  born 
August  14,  1830.  This  union  was  blessed 
with  nine  children,  as  follows:  Gertrude, 
wife  of  Dennis  O'Neil,  and  mother  of  three 
children ;  Florence ;  Wilfred,  married  Reba 
Long,  to  whom  one  child  has  been  born; 
Camila,  wife  of  Frank  Lawrence,  and 
mother  of  three  children ;  George  married 
Sallie  Pool,  to  whom  were  born  two  chil- 
dren ;  Jessie  is  the  wife  of  Jerome  Embyser, 
and  the  mother  of  a  family  of  five:  Frank 
and  Virginia  died  in  infancy ;  Edgar  R.  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty.  Mrs.  Spiese,  by  a 
former  marriage,  became  the  mother  of  two 


388 


BR1NKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


children.  In  bringing  up  her  family,  Mrs. 
Spiese  has  succeeded  in  rilling  the  place  of 
a  clear-minded  and  worthy  mother,  training 
her  household  into  habits  of  thrift  and  ap- 
plication to  work,  and  impressing  indelibly 
upon  them  the  wholesome  truths  that  lie  at 
the  base  of  domestic  happiness  and  pros- 
perity. Many  of  these  traits  she  inherited 
from  her  father,  who  was  also  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  the  county,  having  come  hither 
in  an  early  day  and1  entered  a  claim  of  sev- 
eral hundred  acres  of  land.  He  took  a  prom- 
inent part  in  developing  the  country,  having 
assisted  substantially  in  the  promoting  and 
building  of  the  roads  that  are  now  found 
in  the  neighborhood.  A  part  of  the  orig- 
inal claim  forms  the  homestead  upon 
which  Mrs.  Spiese  is  now  living  with  her 
son,  George.  She  is  happy  and  content  to 
fill  her  allotted  place  as  Providence  directs, 
deeming  it  a  pleasure  to  be  a  blessing  to 
many  friends  and  kindred  as  she  finishes  the 
journey  of  life. 


ORCELAS  SEE. 

In  the  work  of  upbuilding  Marion  county, 
our  subject  and  his  ancestors  have  con- 
tributed very  materially,  Mr.  See  being  a 
worthy  successor  to  those  of  his  family  who 
blazed  out  the  forest  trails  and  helped  the 
first  pioneers  reclaim  the  new  country  and 
has  equally  well  played  his  part  in  connec- 
tion with  the  industrial  and  civic  develop- 
ment of  this  section,  so  that  the  name  is  one 


which  well  merits  a  place  of  distinction  in 
the  pages  of  a  compilation  of  the  province 
assigned  to  this  publication. 

Orcelas  See  was  born  in  Kinmundy  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  November  19, 
1849,  the  son  of  Shull  M.  and  Mary  E. 
(Day)  See,  the  former  having  been  born 
in  West  Virginia  in  1809  and  passed  to  his 
rest,  March  8,  1857.  The  subject's  mother 
was  born  February  14,  1818,  and  passed 
to  the  other  shore  December  13,  1884.  The 
subject's  parents  were  married  March  15. 
1838,  in  Virginia,  and  became  the  parents 
of  nine  children,  eight  boys  and  one  girl,  of 
whom  Orcelas  is  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth. 
The  parents  spent  their  lives  on  a  farm  and 
were  well  known  in  their  community.  Orce- 
las See  attended  the  old  log  school-houses 
in  his  native  district  and  also  went  one  win- 
ter to  school  in  Kinmundy,  working  during 
the  summer  months  on  his  father's  farm. 
His  education  was  limited,  he  having  quit 
school  when  seventeen  years  old. 

Our  subject  has  always  worked  on  the 
farm,  having  begun  farming  for  himself 
when  eighteen  years  old.  After  his  father's 
death,  the  responsibilities  of  the  home  fell 
upon  his  shoulders  and  he  remained  with  his 
widowed  mother,  managing  the  place  in 
a  manner  that  would  have  done  credit  to  an 
old  and  experienced  farmer.  He  has  been 
so  successful  in  his  agricultural  pursuits 
that  he  is  now  considered  one  of  the  substan- 
tial citizens  o!f  the  township,  owning  at 
this  time  a  very  valuable  and  highly  im- 
proved farm  of  two  hundred  and  thirty 
acres,  nearly  all  of  which  is  under  cultiva- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


389 


tion.  and  he  has  many  varieties  of  ex- 
cellent stock  in  his  barns  and  fields  and  no 
small  portion  of  his  income  has  been  from 
this  source.  On  this  farm  stands  one  of 
the  finest,  most  substantial  and  elegantly 
furnished  homes.  Besides  having  been  em- 
inently successful  in  farming,  Mr.  See  has 
taken  advantages  of  other  business  oppor- 
tunities, and  he  is  at  this  writing  president 
of  the  Citizens  Bank  at  Alma,  which  is  capi- 
talized at  twenty-five  thousand  dollars.  He 
owns  one-fifth  of  the  stock  of  this  substan- 
tial institution  and  it  is  well  patronized,  for 
as  the  head  of  this  institution  Mr.  See  has 
ably  performed  his  duties,  taking  time  from 
his  farm  and  other  business  affairs  to  spend 
a  few  days  each  week  in  the  bank. 

Our  subject's  domestic  life  dates  from 
November  19,  1871,  when  he  was  happily 
married  to  Mary  J.  McCullough,  the  accom- 
plished and  affable  daughter  of  Smith  and 
Eliza  J.  (Chambers)  McCullough,  a  well 
known  and  highly  respected  family.  Mrs. 
See  was  born  in  Ashland  county,  Ohio,  near 
Savannah,  December  28,  1851.  She  received 
her  education  in  the  district  schools  and  at 
Alma.  She  is  the  second  child  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  five,  children.  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  See  are  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Charley,  Lida,  Emery  M.,  who 
was  born  September  19,  1872,  and  died  in 
infancy;  Charles  L.  was  born  April  28, 
1874;  Clarence  S.  was  born  February  12. 
1878,  and  died  December  15.  1907;  Mary 
E.,  who  was  born  May  27,  1880,  is  in  the 
bank  at  Alma,  as  clerk  and  bookkeeper: 
Florence  was  born  October  2,  1882:  Carrie 


was  born  October  7,  1884;  Gertrude  E.  was 
born  March  14,  1886;  Nellie  R.  was  born 
November  12,  1888.  All  the  children  liv- 
ing are  at  home  with  their  parents  and  as- 
sist in  the  work  on  the  farm.  Mr.  See  is  a 
Democrat  in  his  political  beliefs  and  always 
takes  considerable  interest  in  his  party's  af- 
fairs, believing  as  he  does  in  clean  politics, 
he  lends  his  influence  in  placing  the  best 
local  men  possible  in  the  county  offices.  He 
has  ably  served  his  community  as  School 
Director,  School  Commissioner  and  High- 
way Commissioner,  at  present  holding  the 
last  named  office.  Both  he  and  his  wife 
are  great  readers  and  in  their  home  may 
be  found  numerous  books  of  a  variety  of 
subjects  and  many  periodicals  and  maga- 
zines. Mr.  See  has  always  been  interested 
in  education  and  during  his  connection  with 
the  school  affairs  of  the  community  the 
cause  of  education  in  the  local  field  received 
an  impetus  that  will  be  permanent.  Our 
subject  has  followed  the  precepts  of  his  par- 
ents who  were  ardent  Baptists  and  is  him- 
self a  faithful  member  of  this  church.  Mrs. 
See's  parents  were  Presbyterians,  but  she  is 
now  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church  in 
Alma. 


JAMES  A.  RENNIE. 

The  Irish  element  in  America's  national, 
life  has  contributed  much  to  the  country's 
material  prosperity,  being  felt  as  a  potential 
force  along  industrial,  commercial  and  agri- 
cultural lines,  to  say  nothing  of  the  import- 


39° 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


ant  place  it  occupies  in  the  arts  and  sciences 
and  its  influence  in  religious  and  educational 
circles,  and  in  the  domain  of  politics.  A 
fine  representative  of  this  nationality  is 
found  in  James  A.  Rennie,  of  Kinmundy 
township,  a  successful  farmer  and  estimable 
citizen,  whom  to  know  is  to  respect.  In 
his  veins  flows  the  blood  of  a  long  line  of 
Irish  ancestors,  and  it  was  in  the  fair  Emer- 
ald Isle  that  he  first  saw  the  light  of  day. 
Since  coming  to  the  New  World  he  has 
prospered,  and  while  he  still  loves  his  native 
land  he  is  loyal  to  American  institutions. 

James  A.  Rennie  was  born  in  Armagh, 
Ireland,  September  20,  1838,  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Mary  (Stratton)  Rennie, 
whose  family  consisted  of  three  children, 
namely:  William  J.,  James  A.,  and  Samuel. 
Thomas  Rennie  came  to  America  in  1847, 
and  settled  in  Rhode  Island,  later  going  to 
Boston,  then  to  Providence,  where  he  re- 
ceived employment.  He  was  a  machinist. 
He  later  moved  to  Arkwright  and  Hope, 
where  he  did  all  the  machine  work  for  the 
factories.  In  the  year  1850  the  family 
moved  to  Perry  county,  Indiana,  and  was 
engaged  to  work  in  the  cotton  mills  of  Can- 
nelton.  William,  the  oldest  son,  put  up  the 
first  spindle  frames  in  the  mill  where  they 
were  employed. 

Our  subject  received  a  fairly  good  com- 
mon school  education.  He  was  married  in 
1866  to  Mariah  E.  Falkunbarra,  of  Perry 
county,  Indiana.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Littleton  Falkunbarra,  who  married  a  Miss 
Shoemaker.  To  this  union  one  child  was 
born,  Mariah  E.,  who  married  M.  F.  Elgan, 


of  Marion  county.  Our  subject's  second 
wife  was  Eliza  E.  Bass,  daughter  of  Jacob 
and  Nancy  (Davis)  Bass,  and  to  this  mar- 
riage three  children  were  born,  namely: 
Rosa,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  in  1876; 
Gertrude  R.,  who  was  born  January  10, 
1882,  and  who  died  October  2,  1898;  Oscar 
R.,  who  was  born  February  i,  1890.  Rosa 
married  Charles  Hannah,  superintendent  of 
the  Salem  box  factory. 

Our  subject's  war  record  is  one  that  mer- 
its praise.  He  enlisted  as  a  private,  but  was 
such  a  gallant  soldier  that  he  became  ser- 
geant and  served  as  such  throughout  the 
war.  He  was  in  seventeen  battles  and  skir- 
mishes. He  was  in  the  Thirty-fifth  Indiana 
Volunteer  Infantry  under  John  C.  Walker 
of  United  States  bond  fame.  He  also  served 
under  Dick  Ryan,  of  Indianapolis,  Mayor 
Bolt,  Colonel  Mullen,  son  of  Adjutant  Mul- 
lin,  who  was  shot  at  Dobbins  Ford,  Ten- 
nessee, under  Van  Cleve's  division.  Thomas 
Rennie  and  his  sons,  William  and  James, 
all  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  from  Perry 
county,  Indiana,  in  1861,  for  three  years' 
time.  William  was  wounded  in  a  skirmish 
during  the  first  of  the  war,  having  had  his 
limb  broken  in  two  places.  Thomas  R., 
father  of  our  subject,  died  from  exposure 
in  1872.  He  reached  an  old  age.  Lieuten- 
ant Canoe  states  that  James  A.  Rennie  was 
as  brave  a  man  as  ever  followed  the  Ameri- 
can flag. 

Mr.  Rennie  is  the  owner  of  a  very  valu- 
able and  highly  productive  farm  of  forty 
acres  in  section  30,  township  4,  range  3. 
He  is  a  good  farmer  and  makes  his  place 


BRIXKERI10FF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


391 


yield  a  comfortable  income  from  year  to 
year.  His  fields  are  well  tilled  and  in  ex- 
cellent condition.  He  has  a  comfortable 
and  substantial  residence  and  a  good  barn, 
and  other  out  buildings.  Our  subject  has 
been  interested  in  educational  movements 
and  has  very  ably  filled  the  office  of  School 
Director  for  the  past  twenty-five  years.  Po- 
litically he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  and  he 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lincoln,  and 
has  voted  for  every  Republican  President 
since  then.  He  draws  twelve  dollars  per 
month  pension,  under  the  affidavit  of  his 
discharge.  In  religion  he  is  a  Universalist, 
and  adheres  closely  to  this  beautiful  faith, 
however,  he  has  never  made  profession  of 
any  religious  faith.  He  practices  the  motto, 
''Do  right  to  all  men,  because  it  is  right," 
this  being  the  substance  of  his  creed.  He 
was  seventy  years  old  September  30,  1908, 
and  is  hale  and  hearty,  enjoying  in  a  large 
measure  life,  his  home  and  many  friends. 
He  is  a  great  reader  of  both  papers  and 
books,  and  is  much  interested  in  the  history 
of  this  country. 


BENJAMIN  D.  CRAIG. 

A  consistent  and  valuable  prerogative  is 
exercised  by  a  compilation  of  this  nature 
when  it  enters  a  resume  of  the  life  history 
of  so  honored  and  prominent  a  citizen  as  he 
whose  name  initiates  this  paragraph.  He 
has  played  well  his  part  in  the  early  and  sub- 
sequent development  and  civic  and  industrial 


progress  of  Marion  county,  proving  himself 
a  man  of  courage,  self-reliance  and  utmost 
integrity  of  purpose,  so  that  he  has  during 
his  entire  life  stood  high  in  the  esteem  of 
his  neighbors  and  friends.  He  has  spent  his 
long  and  useful  life  within  the  borders  of  his 
native  county,  and  has  done  much  to  develop 
its  interests. 

Benjamin  D.  Craig  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  February  4,  1848,  the  son 
of  James  K.,  and  Catherine  (Wilkinson) 
Craig.  Our  subject  is  the  oldest  child  in 
a  family  of  seven  children.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  received  in  the  district  schools  in 
log  school-houses,  with  a  log  fire-place,  pun- 
cheon floor  and  puncheon  seats  or  split  logs 
for  benches.  The  desk  he  had  to  write  on 
was  made  from  a  big  saw-log.  The  boys  cut 
the  wood  which  was  burned  while  school 
was  in  session,  and  the  neighbors  hauled  the 
wood  from  the  forests  to  the  school-house 
with  ox  teams.  Our  subject  recalls  one  time 
when  they  barred  the  teacher  out  and  he 
knocked  the  door  down  with  an  ax.  The 
treat  was  candy  and  a  bag  of  apples.  But 
notwithstanding  the  primitive  condition  of 
these  early  schools,  Mr.  Craig  applied  him- 
self in  an  ardent  manner,  and  received  the 
foundation  for  an  education  which  has  since 
been  supplemented  by  close  observation  and 
by  wide  home  reading. 

When  he  reached  maturity  our  subject 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Fena  B.  Weese, 
of  Indianapolis,  the  ceremony  which  made 
them  man  and  wife  having  been  performed 
on  September  27,  1875,  in  the  city  of  In- 
dianapolis. This  union  has  been  most  har- 


392 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


monious  and  happy,  and  has  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  three  children,  namely:  James 
Floyd,  who  married  Grace  Hackett,  and 
who  is  the  mother  of  one  daughter,  Helen; 
George  Raymond,  who  married  Mary  Skin- 
ner, and  who  is  the  father  of  one  child,  a 
girl  named  Margie;  Jennie  Ethel  married 
Arthur  Curry,  who  travels  for  the  Hall  Safe 
Company,  and  who  lives  in  Evansville,  In- 
diana. They  now  have  one  son,  born 
November  7,  1908. 

Our  subject's  wife  is  the  daughter  of 
Reuben  B.  and  Phoebe  Stokley  Weese,  both 
natives  of  Pennsylvania,  having  come  here 
from  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania,  to  War- 
rick  county,  Indiana.  There  are  three  chil- 
dren in  the  Weese  family,  namely :  Fena  B., 
wife  of  our  subject;  George  W.,  and  Jennie. 
The  wife  of  our  subject  was  three  years  old 
when  her  parents  moved  to  Indiana.  The 
date  of  her  birth  is  recorded  as  May  20, 
1851,  having  occurred  in  Pennsylvania. 
She  received  her  early  education  in  Char- 
lottesville,  near  Greenfield,  Hancock  county. 

Benjamin  D.  Craig  is  very  active  in  han- 
dling all  kinds  of  farming  implements  and 
machinery  used  for  up-to-date  farm  work, 
most  of  his  stock  being  purchased  of  the  P. 
P.  Mass  &  Company,  of  Springfield,  Ohio, 
and  the  Racine  Saddlery  Company  of 
Springfield,  Illinois.  He  understands  ma- 
chinery and  always  handles  the  best  grades 
that  the  market  affords,  and  owing  to  his 
careful  buying  he  is  enabled  to  sell  his  stock 
at  reasonable  figures,  and  therefore  has  a 
wide  patronage.  In  politics  he  is  a  loyal 
Democrat,  first  voted  for  Samuel  T-  Tilden. 


He  has  never  been  a  partisan,  being  con- 
tented to  attend  strictly  to  individual  affairs 
and  assist  in  placing  the  best  men  possible  in 
the  county  offices,  and  his  support  can  al- 
ways be  depended  upon  when  questions  are 
before  the  public  requiring  definiteness  of 
purpose  in  deciding  them  for  the  right. 

In  his  religious  affiliations  his  support  is 
not  given  to  any  special  church,  however, 
he  believes  in  Christianity.  His  parents  were 
Methodists.  The  parents  of  Mrs.  Craig  are 
also  Methodists.  Our  subject  is  regarded 
as  one  of  the  loyal  and  progressive  business 
men  of  his  township,  and  owing  to  the  fact 
that  all  of  his  useful  life  has  been  spent 
within  the  borders  of  Marion  county,  he  is 
well  known  in  every  township,  especially  in 
Kinmundy,  where  he  maintains  his  home, 
and  where  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  of  the  community. 


ROBERT  L.  LAMBERT. 

It  is  deemed  eminently  appropriate  at  this 
place  to  call  the  reader's  attention  to  the 
life  history  of  the  gentleman  whose  name 
forms  the  caption  of  this  paragraph,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  his  life  has  always  been  such 
as  to  inspire  confidence  and  admiration  on 
the  part  of  his  fellow  citizens. 

Robert  L.  Lambert  was  born  in  section 
22,  Foster  township,  Marion  county.  No- 
vember 4.  1858.  the  son  of  William  and 
Nancy  (Pruett)  Lambert,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Marion  countv  and  the  latter  of  Fav- 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


393 


ette  county,  this  state.  Nathan  Lambert 
was  the  father  of  William  Lambert.  He  was 
a  native  of  Tennessee  and  married  a  Miss 
Mann.  He  was  among  the  pioneer  settlers 
of  Foster  township  in  section  22,  the  vicin- 
ity where  the  subject  now  lives.  He  de- 
voted his  life  to  farming  and  he  and  his 
wife  died  in  Foster  township.  The  sub- 
ject's father  had  little  chance  to  go  to 
school,  but  became  self-educated  and  well 
informed  on  current  topics.  He  prospered 
while  living  on  his  father's  old  homestead, 
being  a  good  manager.  He  made  many  ex- 
tensive improvements  in  the  place  where  he 
and  his  wife  both  died.  He  was  a  Democrat 
and  well  known  and  highly  respected.  Na- 
than Lambert  and  wife  were  the  parents  of 
three  children,  namely:  Mary,  who  first 
married  Enoch  Neville,  her  second  hus- 
band being  B.  M.  Harris,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased. She  is  living  at  Granby,  Missouri. 
Robert  was  a  soldier  in  Company  H,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry.  He  was  captured  July  22,  1863, 
and  taken  to  Andersonville  prison  and  later 
to  Lauton,  Georgia,  in  which  prison  he  died 
November  4,  1864.  William  was  the  father 
of  our  subject.  They  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  three  now  living  and  four 
dead.  Robert  L.,  our  subject:  John  T..  a 
farmer,  living  in  Macon  county:  Minnie, 
who  married  Edgar  Somerville,  of  Carrigan 
township,  this  county.  The  subject  of  this 
sketch  received  only  a  limited  education, 
not  having  much  opportunity  to  attend 
school.  His  father  was  an  invalid  for  sev- 
eral years  and  the  subject  was  compelled  to 


work  in  his  boyhood  days  to  help  support 
the  family.  He  always  lived  on  the  old 
place.  Mr.  Lambert  was  united  in  marriage 
May  5,  1881,  with  Kate  Zeifang,  of  Lincoln. 
Illinois,  the  daughter  of  George  and  Cres- 
ents  (Keiser)  Zeifang,  both  natives  of  Ger- 
many. Both  died  when  Mrs.  Lambert  was 
small.  One  daughter  has  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  Helena  Maude,  who  is 
the  wife  of  William  Jones,  a  farmer  living 
in  Foster  township.  Our  subject  has  always 
been  a  farmer  and  one  of  the  best  in  the  lo- 
cality. He  has  devoted  much  time  to  rais- 
ing grain  and  fruit.  He  raises  excellent 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs.  Everything  about 
his  place  shows  prosperity  and  good  man- 
agement. He  has  a  good  dwelling  and  con- 
venient out-buildings.  Mr.  Lambert  has  al- 
ways been  a  public-spirited  man,  having 
ably  served  his  township  as  Supervisor, 
Road  Commissioner  and  School  Director. 
He  is  a  loyal  Democrat.  He  is  well  in- 
formed on  current  topics  and  is  held  in  high 
esteem  by  all  who  know  him  for  his  honesty 
and  industry. 


REV.  JOHN  HEXRY  BALLAXCE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  known  as 
a  man  of  marked  erudition  and  practical 
ability  as  a  minister  of  the  Gospel  and  as  one 
who  has  achieved  success  in  his  calling.  His 
prestige  in  the  pulpit  of  Marion  county 
stands  in  evidence  of  his  ability  and  likewise 
serves  as  a  voucher  for  his  intrinsic  worth 
of  character,  as  he  has  alwavs  directed  his 


394 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


energies  along  legitimate  channels,  while 
his  career  has  been  based  upon  the  assump- 
tion that  nothing'  save  industry,  honesty, 
and  fidelity  to  duty  will  lead  to  success. 
Therefore,  the  one  of  whom  we  write  has 
won  his  way  into  the  affections  of  a  vast 
number  of  people  in  this  locality,  by  virtue 
of  his  useful,  unselfish  and  altogether  Chris- 
tian life,  whose  influence  cannot  be  ade- 
quately measured  or  properly  gaged  until 
the  final  opening  of  the  "Book  of  Life"  as 
related  in  Holy  Writ. 

Rev.  John  Henry  Ballance  is  a  native  of 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  he  first  saw 
the  light  of  day  December  n,  1849,  near 
Tonti.  the  son  of  Lemuel  Ballance,  a  na- 
tive of  Kentucky,  who  first  moved  to  Logan 
county,  Illinois,  near  Russellville,  later  to 
Marion  county.  The  paternal  grandfather 
of  the  subject  was  Henry  R.  Ballance,  who 
was  born  in  Norfolk  county,  near  Norfolk 
City,  the  county  seat.  He  is  remembered  as 
a  fine  old  Southern  gentleman,  and  his  fam- 
ily consisted  of  five  children,  two  daughters 
and  three  sons.  Their  names  were:  Mor- 
daci.  deceased;  James,  deceased;  Lemuel, 
our  subject's  father,  who  is  also  deceased; 
as  are  also  the  two  daughters. 

Lemuel  Ballance  was  the  father  of 
the  following  children :  Susan,  who  mar- 
ried J.  H.  Gray,  and  who  was  born  No- 
vember 3,  1838;  Sarah,  whose  date  of  birth 
is  recorded  as  February  27,  1841,  married 
Henry  B.  Jones;  Mary  Jane,  who  was  born 
April  5,  1847,  is  the  wife  of  W.  J.  Chance; 
Thomas  R.,  who  was  born  October  30, 
1844,  is  deceased;  John  Henry,  our  subject: 


James  was  born  January  15,  1854;  Martha 
was  born  December  22,  1834;  Leticia  was 
born  December  22,  1836,  neither  ever  mar- 
ried, and  they  are  both  deceased.  Lemuel 
Ballance  was  a  man  of  considerable  influ- 
ence in  his  community,  having  owned  a  good 
farm  in  this  locality,  which  he  kept  well 
improved. 

John  Henry  Ballance,  our  subject,  early 
in  life,  decided  that  his  life  work  should 
be  devoted  to  the  noble  mission  of  saving 
souls,  consequently,  he  has  shaped  his  ef- 
forts to  this  work  ever  since  reaching  man- 
hood. At  this  writing,  1908,  he  is  a  local 
minister  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
South,  having  filled  the  same  position  with 
honor  and  credit  to  his  people  since  March 
n,  1874.  He  was  later  ordained  as 
Deacon  by  Bishop  Wightman.  In  Sep- 
tember, 1891.  he  was  ordained  Elder  by 
Bishop  R.  K.  Hargrove,  the  copy  of  the 
original  license  being  herewith  appended : 
"The  bearer  hereof,  John  H.  Ballance,  hav- 
ing been  duly  recommended  and  having 
been  examined  by  the  quarterly  conference 
of  the  Salem  Circuit,  Salem  District,  Illi- 
nois annual  conference,  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  South,  is  hereby  authorized  to  exr 
hort  according  to  the  rules  and  regulations  of 
said  church,  signed  in  behalf  of  said  quar- 
terly conference,  Marshall  French,  Secre- 
tary; M.  R.  Jones,  Presiding  Elder.  July 
23,  1870." 

Following  is  a  copy  of  the  original  li- 
cense to  preach,  which  the  subject  holds: 
"Conference  recommends  Rev.  John  H. 
Ballance  as  a  regular  exhorter.  The  bearer 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


395 


hereof,  John  Ballance,  having  been  duly 
recommended  and  having  been  examined  as 
the  discipline  directs  by  the  Quarterly  Con- 
ference of  Patoka  Circuit,  of  Salem  District 
of  the  Illinois  annual  conference,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  South,  is  here- 
by authorized  to  preach  the  Gospel  accord- 
ing to  the  rules  and  regulations  of  said 
church.  Signed  in  behalf  of  said  Quarterly 
Conference:  John  Smith,  Secretary;  T.  B. 
Harbin,  Presiding  Elder.  March  16,  1874." 
The  mother  of  our  subject  died  when  he 
was  seven  years  old  and  in  November,  1861, 
his  father  was  called  from  his  earthly  la- 
bors, after  which,  Mordica  Ballance,  uncle 
of  our  subject,  was  appointed  his  guardian 
and  took  a  deep  interest  in  his  welfare.  Af- 
ter living  with  each  of  his  two  married  sis- 
ters for  a  while,  and  also  with  his  uncle  for 
something  over  a  year,  and  as  yet  having 
no  permanent  home,  his  uncle  obtained  a 
home  for  him  with  James  Doolen,  residing 
north  of  Kinmundy,  this  county.  The  Doolen 
family  was  good  to  him  and  he  was  well 
cared  for.  He  was  to  remain  with  them  un- 
til he  was  twenty-one  years  old,  but  Mr. 
Doolen  sold  his  farm  and  moved  to  Kansas. 
Then  our  subject  found  a  home  with  J.  C. 
Jones.  They,  too,  were  excellent  people 
and  treated  Mr.  Ballance  as  one  of  the  fam- 
ily. He  shared  in  each  of  these  homes  with 
their  children,  partaking'alike  of  their  com- 
forts and  blessings,  one  of  the  greatest  bless- 
ings of  which  was  the  Christian  influence 
that  was  thrown  around  him.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Doolen  were  very  religious,  Mr.  Doolen  be- 
ing an  active  worker  in  the  church,  and  while 


living  here  he  was  converted  and  later  joined 
the  church.  J.  C.  Jones  was  an  every-day 
Christian,  who  held  family  worship  twice 
daily.  Our  subject  lived  with  this  family 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old.  He  ob- 
tained only  a  limited  education,  having  at- 
tended school  .only  a  short  time  during  the 
winter. 

Our  subject  has  also  served  as  Justice 
of  the  Peace,  having  been  elected  under 
Shelby  M.  McCullom,  governor  in  1877  to 
1881,  and  signed  by  George  M.  Harlow, 
Secretary  of  State  of  Illinois.  He  was 
elected  Supervisor  of  Kinmundy  township 
in  1886,  and  served  the  people  in  a  very 
creditable  manner,  to  their  entire  satisfac- 
tion. 

Besides  his  ministerial  work,  our  subject 
has  one  of  the  finest  farms  in  this  section  of 
the  country,  consisting  of  two  hundred  and 
fifty  acres,  which  are  under  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  well  improved,  having  been 
successfully  managed  by  the  subject  so  that 
abundant  harvests  have  been  reaped  from 
year  to  year,  richly  rewarding  the  owner 
.for  his  honest  toil.  He  is  regarded  as  an 
industrious  and  successful  farmer  as  well  as 
a  good  minister  of  the  Gospel.  A  commo- 
dious and  substantial  residence,  which  is 
nicely  furnished,  stands  on  the  farm,  to- 
gether with  numerous  and  substantial  out- 
buildings. 

His  work  in  the  ministry  here  has  been 
of  great  significance  to  the  people  of  this 
community.  He  has  long  been  called  upon 
to  marry  the  young  and  bury  the  deceased, 
having  at  this  writing,  performed  over  one 


396 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


hundred  and  fifty  marriages.  He  married 
two  brothers  and  two  sisters  at  the  same 
time.  He  has  supplied  Patoka  circuit  and 
Kinmundy  circuits,  the  latter  twice.  He  has 
baptized  and  received  a  large  number  into 
the  church. 

Rev.  John  Henry  Ballance  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Sarah  F.  Morgan  on  January 
8.  1871.  She  was  born  in  Marion  county. 
Illinois,  in  1854.  the  refined  and  accom- 
plished daughter  of  John  B.  and  Martha 
Morgan.  Her  father  was  born  in  Alabama 
and  moved  to  Marion  county  when  a  boy, 
accompanying  his  mother.  The  wife  of  our 
subject  was  the  eldest  daughter  of  this 
family. 

Ten  children  have  been  bom  to  our  sub- 
ject and  wife,  only  four  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing, two  sons  and  two  daughters,  the  names 
of  the  living  being :  Martha  Lulu,  who  mar- 
ried Harry  Warren,  and  who  has  one  child : 
George  T.  married  Emma  Garrett  and  has 
one  child ;  John  Lemuel  married  Stella  Mil- 
ler and  has  one  child ;  Josie  Ballance  is  un- 
married. Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Democrat 
and  his  support  is  always  on  the  right  side 
of  every  issue  looking  to  the  betterment  of 
his  community. 


DAVID  F.  NICHOLS. 

The  record  of  the  gentleman  whose  name 
appears  above  is  that  of  a  man  who  has 
worked  his  way  from  a  modest  beginning 
to  a  place  of  influence  and  financial  ease.  His 


life  has  been  one  of  unceasing  industry  and 
perseverance  and  the  notably  systematic  and 
honest  methods  he  has  followed  have  won 
him  the  unbounded  confidence  and  regard  of 
the  citizens  of  Marion  county. 

David  F.  Nichols  was  born  in  Foster 
township,  Marion  county,  December  10, 
1854,  the  son  of  David  and  Mary  J.  (Fos- 
ter) Nichols.  The  subject's  father  was  born 
May  18,  1825,  at  Gilbertsville,  New  York. 
The  subject's  mother  was  born  at  Carlyle, 
Illinois,  December  24,  1828.  David  Nichols 
was  the  son  of  David  Nichols,  of  Bloom- 
field,  Massachusetts,  where  he  was  born, 
November  30,  1779.  He  married  a  Massa- 
chusetts lady  and  both  are  now  deceased. 
He  was  a  well-to-do  farmer.  The  subject's 
father  had  no  chance  to  attend  school  after 
he  \vas  fifteen  years  old,  but  he  studied  at 
home  and  became  fairly  well  educated.  He 
came  west  and  married  in  1847,  in  Carlyle, 
Illinois.  Shortly  after  this  marriage  he 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  settled 
in  Foster  township,  where  he  bought  wild 
land  in  section  23,  consisting  of  two  hun- 
dred acres,  and  he  engaged  in  farming  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  He  was  one  of  the 
nation's  brave  defenders  in  the  sixties,  hav- 
ing enlisted  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
and  served  three  years  in  such  a  gallant 
manner  that  he  was  made  a  lieutenant.  He 
was  discharged  on  account  of  ill  health.  He 
died  February  8,  1878.  His  wife  died  No- 
vember 5,  1856.  He  married  a  second  time, 
his  last  wife  being  Elizabeth  Jones,  a  sister 
to  his  first  wife.  She  died  in  May,  1905. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS- 


397 


He  had  four  children  by  his  first  wife, 
namely:  Celia  A.,  born  December  6,  1847, 
the  wife  of  Joseph  F.  Wilton,  of  Carlyle, 
Illinois;  Frances  L.,  born  March  12,  1850, 
the  wife  of  A.  S.  Bassett,  of  Sarita,  Texas; 
John  D.,  bom  June  25,  1852,  and  died  in 
1872;  David  Fillmore,  the  subject.  Eight 
children  were  born  to  the  father  of  the  sub- 
ject by  his  second  wife,  namely:  Mary  J., 
who  was  born  April  19,  1859,  the  wife  of 
William  Underwood,  of  Patoka,  Illinois; 
Sarah  P.,  born  December  10,  1861,  who  re- 
mained single,  died  August  9,  1884;  Har- 
riett A.,  who  was  born  March  30,  1864, 
married  Thomas  Quayle,  Jr.,  of  Patoka, 
Illinois;  William  E.  was  born  April  10, 
1866,  and  died  young;  Luther  and  Belle, 
twins,  were  born  July  4,  1868,  and  are  now 
both  deceased;  Clara  married  Floyd  Hatch, 
of  Patoka  township;  Minnie  married  James 
Barnes,  of  Washington,  both  of  these  ladies 
are  still  living. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  home  schools  and  he  lived  at  home 
until  his  marriage,  November  22,  1881,  to 
Mary  Alice  Hicklan,  of  Clinton  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  a  daughter  of  John  and  Amanda 
J.  (Cox)  Hicklan,  both  of  Clinton  county. 
Mr.  Hicklan  died  in  1870;  his  widow  still 
lives  there. 

One  son  has  been  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  Ankney  D.,  who  was  born  January 
19,  1883.  He  was  educated  in  the  home 
schools,  where  he  made  a  splendid  record 
and  is  living  at  home.  He  attended  school 
at  Alma  for  two  terms.  Also  went  to 
school  at  Effingham  and  Greenville,  but  he 


was  compelled  to  give  up  his  studies  on  ac- 
count of  his  eyes.  The  subject  lived  on 
the  old  home  place  in  the  old  log  house 
where  he  was  born,  until  1884,  when  he 
moved  to  where  he  now  resides.  He  has 
made  all  the  improvements  on  the  place  and 
has  a  fine  home  and  farm,  his  dwelling  be- 
ing modem,  commodious  and  nicely  fur- 
nished. He  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  best 
general  fanners  in  the  township  and  his 
farm  shows  thrift,  good  management  and 
prosperity.  It  consists  of  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  good  land,  with  a  large  or- 
chard. In  1907  he  went  to  Cameron  county, 
Texas,  where  he  purchased  one  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  land  which  he  still  owns.  He 
has  always  been  a  farmer,  and  a  good  one. 
He  is  a  Prohibitionist  and  has  held  several 
township  offices.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church  and  he  is  well  and  most 
favorably  known  in  Marion  county,  where 
he  has  achieved  great  success  in  his  agricul- 
tural pursuits  by  reason  of  his  industry  and 
good  management. 


SAMUEL  MARION  HOLT. 

The  subject  of  this  review,  who,  though 
past  the  meridian  of  life  many  years,  is  still 
in  the  same  physical  and  mental  vigor  that 
have  characterized  his  earlier  years  of  en- 
deavor and  he  is  almost  as  capable  in  bear- 
ing his  part  in  the  concerns  of  his  neighbor- 
hood as  he  was  in  former  days. 

Samuel  Marion  Holt  is  a  native  of  Ma- 


398 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


rion  county,  having  been  born  in  Foster 
township,  June  25,  1845,  the  son  of  John  F. 
Holt,  who  was  born  in  Georgia  in  1806,  and 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  when  a 
young  man,  where  he  took  up  government 
land  in  Foster  township,  settling  on  North 
Fork  creek  among  the  pioneers,  there  being 
then  only  four  families  here,  the  first  settlers 
of  this  creek  being  Isaac  Agan,  Hardy  Fos- 
ter, John  F.  Holt  and  Moses  Garrett.  The 
subject's  grandfather  was  Harmon  Holt, 
who  was  born  in  Georgia  and  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  where  he  died  at  a 
ripe  old  age.  He  was  of  Irish  descent.  Har- 
mon Holt's  wife  was  named  Ibby  Holt, 
whom  he  married  in  Georgia.  The  maiden 
name  of  the  subject's  mother  was  Elizabeth 
Jones,  who  was  born  in  the  state  of  Dela- 
ware, and  who  came  with  her  parents  to  St. 
Clair  county,  Illinois,  when  five  years  old. 
Eleven  children  were  born  to  the  subject's 
parents,  five  of  whom  are  living.  They  are: 
Martha,  Henry,  Mary,  Matilda,  Harmon, 
Salina,  Samuel  M.,  Sally,  John  D.,  Hardy 
F.  (twins)  and  Isabelle. 

The  Indians  made  a  treaty  with  the  gov- 
ernment to  hunt  in  the  new  country  which 
was  still  partly  a  wilderness  after  his  par- 
ents had  come.  Our  subject  spent  his  early 
life  on  his  father's  farm  and  attended  the 
common  schools,  such  as  they  were  in  those 
early  days.  When  he  reached  maturity  he 
married,  on  July  21,  1864,  Susan  F.  Atkins, 
who  was  born  in  Marion  county,  July  16, 
1847,  the  daughter  of  John  Atkins,  who 
was  born  in  Franklin  county,  Tennessee.  He 
moved  to  Alabama  with  his  parents  when  a 


boy.  He  was  about  thirty  years  of  age 
when  he  came  to  Illinois  and  took  up  gov- 
ernment land.  He  was  the  father  of  four 
children,  an  equal  number  of  boys  and  girls. 
He  spent  the  remainder  of  his  life  here,  with 
the  exception  of  the  last  fifteen  years,  dying 
at  the  age  of  seventy-three  years,  in  Texas, 
where  he  had  gone  fifteen  years  previous. 

Our  subject  is  the  father  of  seven  chil- 
dren, named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows: 
Mary  M.,  who  married  Eli  M.  Arnold,  liv- 
ing in  Shawnee,  Oklahoma,  and  who  are  the 
parents  of  five  children;  Margaret  E.,  who 
married  Oscar  Chance,  of  Salem,  Illinois, 
and  who  is  the  mother  of  six  children; 
Emma  F.,  who  married  James  A.  Arnold, 
living  in  Fort  Worth,  Texas,  and  the  mother 
of  two  children;  Rhoda  A.,  who  mar- 
ried Ed.  Jones,  of  Salem,  Illinois,  and  who 
is  the  mother  of  two  children ;  John  A.  was 
married  to  Maud  Davis,  December  13,  1908, 
and  lives  at  home;  the  sixth  child  was  an 
infant,  who  died  unnamed;  Lulu  B.,  the 
youngest  child,  is  the  wife  of  Will  Harkey, 
who  lives  in  Fayette  county,  near  St.  Peter, 
this  state,  and  she  is  the  mother  of  one  son. 

Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  landed 
estate  in  Kinmundy  township,  consisting  of 
three  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres,  of  well 
improved  land,  which  he  has  successfully 
managed  until  it  is  one  of  the  most  valuable 
farms  in  the  township,  being  under  a  high 
state  of  improvement  and  the1  fields  well 
fenced  and  well  drained.  Much  good  stock 
of  various  kinds  is  to  be  seen  in  the  sub- 
ject's barns  and  fields,  and  he  always  keeps 
good  horses,  cattle  and  hogs.  He  has  an  ele- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


399 


gant  and  comfortable  dwelling  which  is 
nicely  furnished  and  is  surrounded  by  a 
beautiful  yard  and  convenient  out-buildings, 
in  fact,  the  entire  place  has  an  air  of  evident 
thrift  and  prosperity. 

Our  subject  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political 
affiliations  and  he  has  long  taken  an  active 
part  in  his  party's  affairs.  His  wife  is  a 
devout  Christian  and  a  faithful  mother,  be- 
ing a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  Mr.  Holt  is  not  a  member  of  the 
church  and  does  not  hold  to  any  Orthodox 
creed,  yet  he  is  a  believer  in  good  citizen- 
ship, honesty  and  fair  dealing  and  is  highly 
respected  for  his  good  citizenship.  The 
different  members  of  the  family  are  well 
settled  in  life  and  highly  esteemed  in  their 
respective  communities.  They  reflect  great 
credit  upon  their  parents  and  no  doubt  will 
ever  uphold  the  honor  of  the  family  name, 
which  thus  far  has  not  been  dimmed  by  the 
commission  of  a  single  unworthy  act. 


SAMUEL  MORRIS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  farmer  and 
the  owner  of  good  tracts  of  land  in  Foster 
and  Kinmundy  townships,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  which  are  cultivated  in  the  high- 
est style  and  the  stock  which  he  rears  on  his 
farms  is  always  of  the  very  best.  He  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  this 
locality  because  of  his  industry  and  his  in- 
terest in  public  affairs. 

Samuel  Morris  was  born  in  Kinmundy 
township,  Marion  county,  September  5, 


1852,  the  son  of  Jesse  and  Mary  (White- 
side)  Morris,  the  former  a  native  of  Clayton 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  latter  a  native  of 
Tennessee.  Thomas  Morris,  the  subject's 
grandfather,  was  a  native  of  Alabama.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Jones,  of  Alabama,  and 
they  moved  to  Clinton  county,  Illinois, 
where  Thomas  died  and  his  wife  and  Jesse, 
subject's  father,  came  on  to  Marion  county 
in  1844,  and  settled  in  Kinmundy  town- 
ship. They  bought  forty  acres  of  land  on 
which  the  mother  died.  The  children  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Thomas  Morris  were :  Wil- 
liam, John,  Jesse,  the  subject's  father,  Lou- 
rana,  Nancy,  Hannah  and  Sarah. 

The  subject's  grandfather,  Samuel  White- 
sides,  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  He 
moved  with  his  family  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  in  1830,  and  located  west  of  Kin- 
mundy, and  in  Kinmundy  township  they 
both  died.  He  was  a  school  teacher  in  his 
early  years. 

They  were  the  parents  of  these  children : 
Quincy,  Anna,  Catherine,  Margaret,  Selica, 
Harriett,  and  Mary,  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject. The  father  of  the  subject  attended  the 
local  schools  at  his  home  and  he  remained 
in  Kinmundy  township  until  his  death  in 
1881.  He  was  a  successful  farmer.  Al- 
though a  loyal  Democrat,  he  never  held  of- 
fice. He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  The  mother  of  the  subject,  an  ex- 
traordinary good  woman,  passed  away,  Au- 
gust 2,  1872.  They  were  the  parents  of 
two  sons  and  six  daughters,  namely :  Sarah, 
deceased;  Harriett,  who  married  Henry 
Jackson,  is  living  in  Kinmundy  township; 


4oo 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


Lucy,  who  married  Moses  Wainscot,  lives 
in  Kinmundy  township;  Elizabeth,  who 
married  William  Jones,  is  deceased;  Mary, 
who  married  Thomas  Jones,  is  deceased; 
Margaret  is  deceased;  William  is  liv- 
ing in  Kinmundy  township;  Samuel, 
our  subject.  Samuel  Morris  attended 
the  schools  in  his  native  community 
and  remained  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  old.  In  December, 
1875,  he  was  married  to  Mary  Eagan,  of 
Foster  township,  Marion  county,  the  daugh- 
ter of  William  and  Martha  (Holt)  Eagan, 
natives  of  Tennessee.  Her  parents  lived  and 
died  on  a  farm  in  Foster  township.  Two 
children  have  been  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  May,  the  wife  of  Edward  Kidder,  of 
Fayette  county,  Illinois,  who  lives  on  a  farm 
and  who  is  the  father  of  these  children; 
Elva,  Josie,  Dortha,  Cleo,  Marjie,  John.  The 
seventh  child  is  deceased.  The  eighth  child 
is  Willey.  The  subject's  second  child  is 
named  Stella.  She  is  married  to  Abby  Cox, 
living  near  Cairo,  111.  She  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  the  county. 

In  the  spring  of  1876  our  subject  settled 
on  a  farm  in  Kinrnundy  township,  having 
bought  a  place  which  he  worked  until  1883, 
when  he  came  to  Foster  township  and  pur- 
chased one  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land 
in  section  12,  on  which  he  made  extensive 
improvements  until  it  now  ranks  with  the 
best  farms  in  the  county,  being  well  tilled 
the  soil  not  having  been  injured,  always 
producing  excellent  crops.  He  has  pros- 
pered by  reason  of  his  habits  of  econo- 
my and  careful  management  until  he  now 


owns  two  farms,  the  other  in  Kinmundy 
township,  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
fourteen  acres.  These  places  grow  abun- 
dant crops  of  hay,  wheat,  corn  and  oats. 
The  subject  raises  large  numbers  of  cattle 
and  hogs,  also  other  stock,  including  fine 
horses  and  good  sheep.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral fanning  with  that  discretion  and  ener- 
gy which  always  abundantly  rewards  the 
toiler.  He  has  devoted  his  life  to  the  free 
and  independent  life  of  the  farm.  He  has 
long  voted  the  Democratic  ticket,  but  has 
not  aspired  to  office.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Presbyterian  church.  Mr.  Morris  is 
held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him 
and  that  includes  most  everyone  in  Foster 
and  Kinmundy  townships,  as  well  as  a  great 
many  throughout  the  county,  where  he  is 
regarded  as  one  of  its  representative  citi- 
zens. 


JOHN  SAMUEL  MARCH. 

No  man  in  Raccoon  township,  Marion 
county,  stands  higher  in  the  estimation  of 
his  fellow  citizens  than  the  gentleman  whose 
name  forms  the  caption  of  this  sketch,  owing 
to  the  fact  that  his  life  has  been  so  modu- 
lated as  to  result  in  the  accomplishment  of 
great  good  not  only  for  himself  and  family, 
but  also  the  community  at  large. 

John  Samuel  March  was  born  February 
4,  1847,  in  Cleveland  county,  North  Caro- 
lina, the  son  of  John  and  Elizabeth  (War- 
lick)  March,  both  natives  of  that  county. 
The  mother's  people  were  natives  of  Penn- 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTV,  ILLINOIS. 


401 


sylvania,  while  those  of  the  father  were  of 
Scotch-Irish  descent  and  lived  in  the  old 
Tar  Heel  state.  The  subject's  father  had 
only  a  limited  education.  He  grew  up  and 
married  in  North  Carolina,  and  in  1850 
went  to  Smith  county,  Tennessee,  where  he 
purchased  a  farm  on  which  he  lived  until 
1860,  when  he  sold  out  and  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  bought  one  hundred 
and  twenty  acres  of  land  in  section  35,  Rac- 
coon township.  It  was  partly  in  timber  and 
had  an  old  log  house  and  stable  on  it.  He 
bought  the  place  of  Stephen  D.  Hays.  Here 
he  worked  and  made  a  good  living,  and  he 
died  on  this  place  in  1884,  his  wife  having 
died  in  1878.  They  were  members  of  the 
Missionary  Baptist  church.  He  was  a 
stanch  Republican.  To  them  five  children 
were  born,  namely :  Mary  married  Thomas 
A.  McNeilly,  of  Raccoon  township ;  Mar- 
garet first  married  David  Whisnant  and  later 
George  Williams.  They  are  both  deceased. 
Peter,  who  married  Virginia  E.  Hays  is  de- 
ceased, and  his  widow  married  Isaac  W.  Mc- 
Bride,  of  Raccoon  township.  He  is  a 
farmer  as  was  also  Peter  March;  Elizabeth 
Jane,  who  married  John  Watson,  died  in 
California;  John  S.,  our  subject,  is  the 
youngest  child. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  but  little 
opportunity  to  attend  school.  He  lived  at 
home  until  he  enlisted  in  the  army.  His 
patriotic  fervor  led  him  to  give  up  the 
pleasures  of  home  and  enlist  December  15, 
1863,  in  Company  E,  Sixty-second  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  and  he  was  discharged 
March  6,  1866.  He  was  sent  to  Little  Rock, 
26 


Arkansas,  where  he  spent  the  winter  doing 
guard  duty  while  railroads  were  being  con- 
structed. He  went  to  Pine  Bluffs,  Arkan- 
sas, and  was  there  until  July,  1865.  Then 
he  went  to  Ft.  Gibson,  Cherokee  nation, 
Indian  Territory,  where  he  remained  until 
his  discharge.  He  was  a  private  all  through 
the  service,  and  he  nearly  lost  his  sight.  His 
eyes  are  still  very  bad  as  a  result  of  the 
disease  contracted  during  his  army  career. 
On  July  4,  1867,  Mr.  March  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Harriett  S.  McColgin,  of 
Raccoon  township,  Marion  county,  the 
daughter  of  Hamilton  and  Ruth  (Morri- 
son) McColgin,  natives  of  Tennessee.  They 
came  to  Illinois  early  and  settled  in  Raccoon 
township,  section  27,  and  1878  went  to 
Newton  county,  Missouri,  in  which  county 
they  died,  Mr.  McColgin  in  the  fall  of  1902 
and  his  wife  in  the  spring  of  that  year.  They 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  namely : 
Sarah  J.,  who  married  Milton  McCaslin, 
lives  in  Newton  county,  Missouri;  Harriett 
S.,  wife  of  our  subject ;  William  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years ;  John  lives  in  Okla- 
homa ;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  John  Clark,  liv- 
ing in  Newton  county,  Missouri;  Ella,  who 
married  Thomas  Grimes,  lives  in  Okla- 
homa ;  James,  who  is  deceased,  married 
Laura  Maffitt;  Nancy  Jane  is  the  wife  of 
Cicero  Hobson,  of  Newton  county,  Missouri ; 
Alice,  the  wife  of  Floyd  McKee,  also  lives 
in  Newton  county,  Missouri.  Hamilton 
McColgin  was  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  war, 
enlisting  at  Salem,  in  the  regiment  with  Gen. 
James  S.  Martin,  marching  across  the  des- 
ert to  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico,  and  under- 


402 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


going  many  hardships.  The  grandfather 
of  Mrs.  March,  Joseph  Morrison  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war.  Nine 
children  have  been  born  to  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  and  wife,  namely :  Lillian  E.  mar- 
ried Richard  Fowler,  of  Raccoon  township, 
this  county ;  Laura  Belle  and  Flora  Jane  are 
twins,  the  former  married  George  A.  Mercer, 
of  Raccoon  township ;  Flora  married  Joseph 
C.  Parkinson,  also  of  Raccoon  township; 
John  W.,  the  fourth  child,  lives  in  Evans- 
ville,  Indiana,  and  is  general  traffic  manager 
of  the  Igleheart  Milling  Company  of  that 
city.  He  married  Gertrude  A.  Hall ;  Henry 
Franklin,  the  fifth  child,  is  station  agent  of 
the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad 
Company  at  Cartter,  this  state.  He  married 
Mabel  Hodges.  Mary  A.,  the  subject's 
sixth  child,  who  has  been  a  teacher  for  the 
past  five  years,  is  living  at  home;  Minnie 
Ruth  is  bookkeeper  and  stenographer  for 
J.  J.  Bundy,  an  attorney  at  Centralia ;  James 
Edgar,  who  married  Gertrude  Pearl  Mor- 
ton, is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township;  Car- 
rie Maude  is  living  at  home.  The  children 
of  the  subject  are  all  well  educated.  John 
W.  and  Mary  A.  attended  school  at  Alma, 
this  state,  also  Carbondale,  Illinois,  the  for- 
mer having  graduated  at  Dixon,  this  state. 
After  his  marriage  the  subject  lived  on  the 
old  homestead  for  one  year  and  went  to 
Newton  county,  Missouri,  where  he  re- 
mained for  about  eleven  years,  carrying  on 
farming  and  mining,  making  a  success  of 
each.  He  came  back  to  Raccoon  township 
and  bought  the  old  home  place  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  in  section  35,  on  which 


he  has  made  all  the  improvements  which  are 
extensive  and  show  good  judgment.  In 
1900  Mr.  March  bought  one-half  interest  in 
the  Hall  and  Lawrence  coal  mine  at  Chan- 
dler, Indiana,  which  he  sold  out  after  suc- 
cessfully operating  it  for  four  years.  The 
subject  has  always  been  a  farmer  and  he  at 
present  carries  on  general  farming  and 
raises  fine  horses,  mules,  hogs  and  cattle,  no 
small  part  of  his  income  being  derived  from 
his  live  stock. 

He  has  been  supervisor  and  school  direc- 
tor. He  is  a  member  of  Masonic  Lodge 
No.  721,  Blue  Lodge  at  Dix,  Illinois.  He 
has  held  all  of  the  stations.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  at 
Dix.  Mrs.  March  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  They  are  popular  and  well 
liked  in  their  neighborhood,  known  as  hon- 
est and  kindly  disposed  people. 


HENRY  G.  HOLT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  had  a 
.varied  and,  to  a  considerable  extent,  an 
eventful  career,  throughout  which  he  has 
maintained  unsullied  his  integrity  and  ex- 
emplified a  character  worthy  of  emulation. 
Henry  G.  Holt,  the  venerable  and  well 
known  farmer  of  Foster  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  was  born  on  the  old  Holt 
homestead  in  Foster  township,  this  county, 
December  28,  1830,  the  son  of  John  F.,  and 
Elizabeth  (Jones)  Holt,  both  natives  of 
Georgia.  They  came  to  Lebanon,  Illinois, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


403 


in  an  early  clay.  The  subject's  grandfather, 
Harmon  Holt,  a  native  of  Georgia,  married 
Isabelle  Foster,  of  Georgia,  and  they  were 
pioneers  near  Lebanon,  Illinois.  They  later 
came  to  Marion  county,  where  they  secured 
wild  land  and  were  among  the  first  settlers. 
He  was  always  a  farmer.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  died  in  this  county,  after  rearing  a 
large  family.  The  subject's  grandfather 
Jones,  was  also  a  native  of  Georgia,  who 
came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Foster  town- 
ship. He  was  a  farmer,  and  he  and  his 
wife  reared  a  large  family,  named  as  fol- 
lows: James,  Samuel,  Joseph,  Thomas,  Ra- 
chel, Polly,  Elizabeth  and  Eli. 

John  F.  Holt,  the  subject's  father,  grew 
up  in  Georgia  and  came  north  with  his  par- 
ents to  Lebanon,  Illinois,  and  in  about  1827, 
came  to  Foster  township,  Marion  county, 
settling  among  the  pioneers  in  section  10. 
The  subject's  grandfather  got  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres  of  land,  which  was  all  wild. 
On  this  he  erected  a  log  house,  where  he 
lived  and  died,  having  improved  the  place. 
The  following  children  were  born  to  the 
subject's  father  and  mother:  Martha,  de- 
ceased, was  the  wife  of  William  Eagan, 
who  is  also  deceased ;  Henry  G.,  our  sub- 
ject; Matilda  was  married  first  to  Martin 
Hopkins  and  second  to  John  Cox,  the  latter 
is  deceased :  Polly,  who  is  deceased,  mar- 
ried James  Arnold,  who  is  also  deceased; 
Isabelle  married  Thomas  Evans,  and  they 
are  both  deceased:  Sarah  married  Jackson 
Lansford  and  they  are  both  deceased ;  Sam- 
uel married  Susan  Atkins,  of  Kinmundy 
township:  Davenport  and  Hardy,  twins, 


the  former  is  living  in  Oklahoma  on  a  farm, 
the  latter  is  deceased. 

The  subject's  father  was  always  a  farmer 
and  made  his  home  with  his  parents  until 
his  death.  He  held  several  township  offices. 
He  was  a  Democrat.  He  was  long  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
They  both  died  on  the  place  where  the  sub- 
ject lives. 

When  our  subject  was  a  boy  there  was 
only  one  school  in  Foster  township  and  he 
had  to  go  two  miles  to  attend  this.  It  was 
a  subscription  school.  Our  subject  re- 
mained at  home  until  he  was  twenty  years 
of  age.  He  was  married  in  1851  to  Esther 
Arnold,  who  was  born  in  Alabama,  the 
daughter  of  John  and  Elizabeth  Arnold. 
They  were  reared  in  Alabama,  and  came  to 
this  county  in  about  1846,  having  lived  in 
different  places,  finally  locating  in  Foster 
township,  where  Mrs.  Arnold  died,  her  hus- 
band dying  in  Texas.  He  was  a  farmer. 
The  subject's  wife  passed  away  October  29, 
1907.  Four  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Holt.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  four  of  whom  grew  to  maturity, 
namely:  Elizabeth,  who  married  William 
Morris,  a  farmer  in  Kinmundy  township; 
May  Margaret  is  the  wife  of  Wesley  Doolen, 
of  Foster  township:  John  F.,  is  living  on  the 
old  homestead,  and  he  is  married  to  Lucy 
McConnell;  Rhoena,  who  remained  single, 
is  deceased. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  and  his 
wife  located  where  he  now  lives,  having  re- 
mained here  continuously  to  the  present 
time.  He  carries  on  general  farming  in 


404 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


such  a  manner  as  to  gain  a  comfortable  liv- 
ing and  lay  up  an  ample  competency,  being 
considered  one  of  the  leading  agriculturists 
of  the  township.  He  raises  all  kinds  of 
grain  and  hay  and  live  stock.  He  raises 
Durham  cattle,  Poland  China  hogs  and  a 
good  grade  of  horses.  He  formerly  raised 
sheep.  He  has  never  had  to  buy  corn  to 
feed  his  stock,  his  place  always  producing 
an  ample  supply.  His  fine  farm  consists  of 
two  hundred  acres.  He  at  one  time  owned 
considerably  more  than  this.  His  farm  is 
kept  in  a  fine  state  of  improvement.  Mr. 
Holt  has  always  voted  the  Democratic  ticket 
and  was  at  one  time  supervisor  of  Foster 
township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church  and  a  liberal  subscriber  to  the 
same.  He  started  in  life  in  a  rather  humble 
manner,  but  he  was  thrifty  and  a  hard- 
worker  and  success  has  abundantly  reward- 
ed his  efforts  and  has  reared  his  family  in 
comfort.  He  is  known  to  be  a  man  of  hon- 
esty in  all  his  dealings  with  his  fellow  men 
and  is  one  of  the  best  known  and  most  in- 
fluential citizens  of  Foster  township. 


MRS.  NANCY  J.  SEE. 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  the  biographer 
adverts  to  the  life  of  the  estimable  lady 
whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch,  for  she  is  one  of  the  much  admired 
of  the  elderly  women  of  her  community,  re- 
siding in  a  comfortable  home  in  Kinmundy 
township,  surrounded  by  all  that  could  make 


the  golden  evening  of  her  well  spent  life 
comfortable  and  happy,  knowing  that  her 
life  has  been  so  lived  that  she  can  look  back 
over  her  long  and  happy  career  with  no 
compunction  of  conscience  for  misspent 
days. 

Mrs.  Nancy  J.  See  was  born  December 
10,  1831,  five  miles  northwest  of  Odin,  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois.  Her  mother  and  Wil- 
liam J.  Bryan's  grandmother  were  sisters. 
The  husband  of  the  subject  was  Michael 
See,  a  native  of  West  Virginia,  having  been 
born  in  Mason  county,  March  18,  1824. 
Michael  See,  the  great-grandfather,  was 
killed  by  the  Wyandot  and  Shawnee  In- 
dians, who  also  killed  his  grandfather,  both 
of  whom  were  buried  at  Point  Pleasant, 
West  Virginia.  William  See,  uncle  of  our 
subject's  husband,  was  in  the  War  of  1812. 
All  of  his  great  uncles  were  Revolutionary 
soldiers  and  stanch  American  colonists. 

Michael  See  was  twenty  years  old  when 
he  left  Virginia  and  came  with  his  mother, 
four  brothers  and  several  sisters  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  his  father  having  died 
when  he  was  five  years  old.  He  was  one  of 
nine  children,  five  brothers  and  four  sis- 
ters, all  of  whom  reached  maturity,  mar- 
ried and  raised  families  of  their  own.  To 
Michael  and  Nancy  See  nine  children  were 
born,  seven  girls  and  two  boys,  whose 
names  follow:  Samuel  R.,  Virginia,  Sarah 
A.,  Leander,  Nancy,  Florence,  Cornelia, 
Harriett  and  Clara.  Mrs.  See  has  three 
grandchildren. 

Our  subject  lives  on  a  valuable  and  at- 
tractive farm,  consisting  of  two  hundred 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


4°5 


and  sixty  acres,  which  comprised  the  old 
See  homestead  and  which  is  one  of  the  most 
desirable  places  to  live  in  Kinmundy  town- 
ship. The  land  has  been  under  an  excellent 
state  of  cultivation  and  the  natural  strength 
of  the  soil  has  been  preserved.  A  com- 
fortable income  is  realized  from  the  crops 
and  stock  which  the  place  produces  from 
year  to  year.  The  dwelling  is  substantial 
and  surrounded  by  fine  old  shade  trees,  a 
good  orchard  and  all  that  can  make  life 
worth  living.  Although  Mrs.  See  is  in  her 
seventy-seventh  year  at  this  writing,  1908, 
she  is  hale  and  hearty  and  in  full  posses- 
sion of  her  mental  powers  and  it  is  a  de- 
light to  hear  her  tell  of  the  olden  times, 
when  the  country  was  wild  and  unculti- 
vated, of  the  methods  of  making  a  living  in 
those  days  which  were,  indeed,  primitive 
compared  with  those  of  the  opulent  present. 
She  is  a  Democrat  in  principle  and  is  a  great 
reader,  keeping  pace  with  the  progress  of 
the  years  and  is  well  informed  on  political, 
religious,  educational  and  scientific  ques- 
tions of  the  day.  Mrs.  Nancy  J.  See  is 
one  of  those  sterling  pioneer  characters, 
whose  like  is  now  not  frequently  met  with. 
She  cooked  for  the  first  men  who  put  the 
railroad  through1  Marion  county.  Her  peo- 
ple were  Methodists,  but  she  is  a  member 
of  the  Baptist  church  and  has  always  taken 
a  great  interest  in  church  work  or  in  fact, 
anything  that -has  had  as  its  object  the  de- 
velopment of  the  public  welfare  in  any  way. 
One  always  feels  better  after  sharing  her 
optomistic  spirit  and  basking  in  the  genial 
sunshine  of  her  nature. 


HARMON  FOSTER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  an  enter- 
prising farmer  of  Foster  township,  Marion 
county,  where  he  has  spent  his  long  and  use- 
ful life,  being  closely  associated  with  its 
material  welfare.  A  thorough  agriculturist, 
whose  career  happily  illustrates  what  indus- 
try can  accomplish  when  properly  applied 
and  intelligently  directed. 

Harmon  Foster  was  born  in  Foster  town- 
ship, July  5,  1840,  the  son  of  Hardy  and 
Mary  (Jones)  Foster,  both  natives  of 
Georgia,  who  came  north  to  Illinois  with 
their  parents  when  children,  settling  near 
Lebanon,  where  they  grew  up  and  married. 
Hardy  Foster  was  always  a  farmer.  They 
came  to  Marion  county,  this  state,  in  1823, 
and  settled  in  section  17,  Foster  township. 
There  was  not  a  white  settler  at  that  time 
in  the  township  which  was  named  for  this 
family.  Red  men  and  wild  beasts  were  their 
neighbors.  Mr.  Foster  put  up  a  rail  pen 
in  which  to  live,  later  he  put  up  a  log  cabin, 
then  a  comfortable  house.  The  nearest  set- 
tler was  eight  miles.  He  had  seven  hun- 
dred acres  of  land.  He  is  described  as  a 
physical  giant,  over  six  feet  tall,  large, 
rugged  and  strong.  He  took  an  active  part 
in  politics  and  was  a  member  of  the  legis- 
lature from  1837  to  1840,  and  did  much 
toward  strengthening  the  legal  statutes  of 
those  times.  He  was  a  Democrat  and  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
He  died  in  1863,  his  widow  surviving  until 
1875.  Eleven  children  were  born  to  them, 
namelv:  Martha,  Mahala,  Sallie,  all  de- 


406 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ceased;  John  was  captain  of  Company  D, 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  He  was  wounded  at  Ft.  Mc- 
Alister,  having  been  shot  through  the  neck. 
He  died  in  1874.  William,  the  fifth  child, 
was  a  stock  dealer  who  lived  at  Kinmundy, 
this  county,  and  who  is  now  deceased ;  Annie 
died  young;  Isabelle,  who  married  Benja- 
min A.  Morgan,  is  deceased ;  Thomas  died 
young;  Polly  was  killed  by  guerillas  in 
Missouri;  Harmon,  our  subject;  Bettie  mar- 
ried Thomas  Neville,  of  Kinmundy. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the 
subscription  schools  and  received  a  limited 
education.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
reached  the  age  of  twenty-seven  years.  He 
was  married  November  20,  1867,  to  Lucinda 
Hathaway,  of  Patoka  township,  Marion 
county,  and  a  daughter  of  Leonard  and 
Louisa  (Wright)  Hathaway,  both  natives 
of  Tennessee,  the  former  of  Giles  county, 
the  latter  of  Maury  county.  Mr.  Hath- 
away moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
in  1825,  and  Mrs.  Hathaway  followed  in 
1829,  she  coining  with  her  parents;  Mr. 
Hathaway  came  with  his  mother  and  her 
family.  They  first  settled  in  Clinton  county, 
Illinois,  near  Boulder.  Mrs.  Foster's  par- 
ents married  in  Clinton  county  in  1837,  in 
which  year  they  located  in  Patoka  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  first  settling  on  the 
Warrington  place,  later  he  secured  three 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  wild  land.  He 
was  a  successful  farmer.  He  died  in  1875, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  and  his  wife 
died  in  1896,  at  the  age  of  seventy-six. 
They  were  members  of  the  Cumberland 


Presbyterian  church.  Eight  children  were 
born  to  them  who  grew  to  maturity,  namely : 
Nancy,  John,  both  deceased ;  James  is  living 
with  the  subject  and  wife;  Lucinda,  the  sub- 
ject's wife;  William  is  a  retail  merchant  at 
Sandoval,  Illinois;  Joseph  is  living  with  the 
subject  and  wife;  George  W.  died  in  July, 
1903 ;  Harrison  E.,  who  is  in  the  dairy  busi- 
ness at  Peoria,  Illinois. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  namely:  Mary  L.,  wife  of 
E.  L.  Stevens,  of  Tonti,.  Illinois,  and  the 
mother  of  five  children,  Clarie,  Arthur, 
Paul,  Leona  and  Emma;  Lizzie  is  the  wife 
of  E.  N.  Norris,  of  Patoka,  Illinois,  who  is  a 
photographer,  and  they  have  four  children, 
Ideline,  Halvern,  Ralph  and  Wrinfred; 
Flora  L.  is  the  wife  of  F.  M.  Griffin,  a 
farmer  in  Foster  township,  and  she  is  the 
mother  of  two  sons,  Marion  F.  and  Lester 
W. ;  Arthur  Hardy  died  in  1885. 

After  the  subject's  marriage  he  located  on 
his  present  place  and  built  the  comfortable 
and  beautiful  home  in  1880,  where  he  now 
resides.  He  has  made  all  the  improvements 
on  the  place  which  is  equal  to  any  in  the 
township,  producing  excellent  crops  from 
year  to  year.  He  has  one  hundred  and 
twenty-three  acres  in  section  8.  He  has 
always  been  a  farmer  and  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  best  in  Foster  township.  He 
carries  on  general  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing, always  owning  some  fine,  stock  of  vari- 
ous kinds. 

He  has  been  prominent  in  local  politics 
for  many  years,  being  a  Democrat.  He  was 
Tax  Collector  and  School  Trustee  and  has 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


407 


held  other  minor  offices.  He  is  a  faithful 
member  of  the  Cumberland  Presbyterian 
church.  Xo  people  in  this  township  are 
more  popular  than  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster, 
who  are  industrious  and  honest  in  all  their 
relations  with  their  neighbors. 


JAMES  W.  ARNOLD. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  citizen  of 
Foster  township,  Marion  county,  and  he  is 
so  loyal  to  what  he  considers  his  duty  that 
no  personal  consideration  will  deter  him 
from  its  accomplishment.  It  is  such  worthy 
citizens  as  Mr.  Arnold  who  have  made  this 
county  the  productive  and  prosperous  region 
that  it  is  today. 

James  W.  Arnold  was  born  in  section  9, 
Foster  township,  February  14,  1847,  the  son 
of  John  Wesley  Arnold,  who  was  born  in 
Alabama,  he  the  son  of  John  Arnold,  of 
Georgia.  He  married  Elizabeth  Webb  and 
they  came  to  Illinois,  settling  near  Charles- 
ton in  1825,  where  they  remained  for  one 
year,  when  they  went  back  to  Alabama. 
Twelve  years  later  they  located  near  Leba- 
non, Illinois,  where  they  remained  until 
1844,  when  they  moved  to  Foster  township, 
Marion  county,  buying  land  there.  Later 
they  went  to  Ellis  county,  Texas,  where  Mr. 
Arnold  died  in  1887,  at  the  age  of  eighty- 
seven  years.  His  wife  died  in  Foster  town- 
ship, this  county.  Mr.  Arnold  was  a  farmer 
and  also  owned  a  mill.  The  following  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them  :  William ;  Nancy, 


of  Cairo,  Illinois ;  John  W.,  Joseph ;  Adeline, 
who  is  living  in  Missouri ;  Margaret,  Esther, 
Ivey,  living  in  Oklahoma ;  James  A.,  Felix, 
Nathan  of  Texas;  Fletcher  was  killed  at 
Atlanta,  Georgia,  during  the  Civil  war. 

John  Wesley  Arnold  married  Nancy 
Jones,  of  Foster  township,  Marion  county, 
the  daughter  of  James  and  Laura  Jones. 
He  settled  in  section  9,  Foster  township, 
where  he  secured  wild  land  and  made  a 
home.  He  was  always  a  farmer  and  stock 
raiser  and  owned  five  hundred  acres  of  good 
land.  He  was  active  in  politics,  being  a  Re- 
publican, and  was  at  one  time  Supervisor  of 
Foster  township.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  born 
in  1820  and  his  death  occurred  in  1889.  His 
wife  was  born  in  1827  and  died  in  February, 
1905.  Seven  children  were  born  to  them 
as  follows:  James  W.,  our  subject;  Mary 
E.,  who  married  Alexander  Mussey,  living 
near  Vernon,  Illinois ;  John  I.  is  living  re- 
tired in  Foster  township ;  Elizabeth  married 
John  Doolen,  living  at  Kinmundy,  this 
county ;  Joseph  T.  lives  at  Kinmundy ;  Eli 
M.  is  in  the  oil  business  at  Shawnee,  Okla- 
homa; Rosie  E.  married  Isom  W.  Doolen, 
living  at  Vernon,  this  county. 

James  W.  Arnold,  our  subject,  attended 
the  home  schools.  He  remained  a  member 
of  the  family  circle  until  his  marriage,  No- 
vember 18,  1869,  to  Permelia  J.  Robb,  who 
was  born  in  Kinmundy  township,  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Agnes  Pruitt,  who 
were  pioneers  of  this  county  and  who  died 
here.  The  following  children  have  been 
born  to  the  subject  and  wife :  Cyrus  Elmer, 


4o8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


a  farmer  in  Foster  township,  who  married 
Ann  Green  and  who  has  one  child,  Gladys; 
Samuel  W.,  living  in  section  3,  Foster 
township,  was  married  first  to  Jennie  Green, 
and  his  second  wife  was  Isabelle  Nichols. 
He  had  two  children  by  his  first  wife,  Doris 
and  Dale,  and  two  children  by  his  second 
wife,  Thelma  and  an  infant  born  in  1908. 
Lola  Etta  is  the  name  of  the  subject's  third 
child,  who  is  the  wife  of  Cyrus  Green,  of 
Foster  township,  and  the  mother  of  four 
children,  Glen,  Lovell,  Anna  and  Russell; 
Orin  M.,  graduate  of  the  Business  College 
of  Dixon,  Illinois,  married  Laura  Garrett, 
of  Foster  township,  is  farming  and  they 
have  two  children,  Florence  and  Harold  D. 
The  subject's  children  were  educated  in  the 
home  schools,  receiving  careful  mental  train- 
ing, and  they  all  give  much  promise  of  suc- 
cessful futures. 

After  Mr.  Arnold's  marriage  he  lived  on 
the  old  home  place  for  two  years  when  he 
bought  the  place  where  he  now  lives,  con- 
sisting of  one  hundred  and  eighty-three 
acres.  He  at  one  time  owned  considerably 
more  but  gave  it  to  his  children.  Besides 
his  farming  Mr.  Arnold  successfully  oper- 
ated a  saw  mill  for  a  while.  He  also 
managed  a  store  at  Lester,  Illinois,  for  two 
years  and  was  also  successful  in  this  venture. 
He  was  postmaster  of  that  town,  giving  en- 
tire satisfaction  to  all  concerned.  He  made 
all  the  improvements  of  his  farm  which  now 
ranks  among  the  best  in  Marion  county. 
He  has  a  most  excellent  and  valuable  apple 
and  peach  orchard,  consisting  of  forty  acres, 
also  of  small  fruits.  He  carries  on  general 


farming  and  stock  raising.  He  is  active  in 
politics,  being  a  Republican,  and  he  has 
filled  all  the  township  offices.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In 
his  fraternal  relations  he  is  a  Mason,  the 
Blue  Lodge,  No.  398,  at  Kinmundy,  Illi- 
nois. Mr.  Arnold  is  well  known  through- 
out Marion  county  for  his  industry  and  his 
honesty  in  dealing  with  his  fellow  men. 


JOSEPH  WESLEY  ATKINS. 

The  entire  life  of  our  subject  has  been 
spent  within  the  borders  of  Marion  county, 
where  he  commands  uniform  confidence 
and  esteem  in  the  community  in  which 
he  has  lived  and  labored,  not  only  for  his 
own  advancement  but  also  that  of  the  gen- 
eral public  here. 

Joseph  Wesley  Atkins,  better  known  as 
"Doc"  Atkins,  was  born  March  22,  1858, 
in  Foster  township,  this  county,  the  son  of 
Nathan  D.  and  Mary  (Garrett)  Atkins,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  1817  and  the 
latter  in  Georgia  in  1829.  The  subject's 
father  came  with  his  mother  when  a  small 
boy  to  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
mother  died,  then  Nathan  came  to  Marion 
county  in  an  early  day  and  secured  wild 
government  land  in  Foster  township,  where 
he  developed  a  good  farm  and  where  he 
died  in  1880,  his  wife  having  survived  him 
until  1907.  Nathan  Atkins  was  a  well- 
known  farmer  and  was  liked  by  everyone 
in  his  communitv.  He  was  a  Democrat,  but 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


409 


never  held  office.  He  was  an  active  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The 
subject's  grandfather,  Moses  Garrett,  was 
a  native  of  Georgia.  He  married  Hannah 
Morris,  of  that  state.  He  came  to  Illinois 
and  bought  unimproved  land  which  he  de- 
veloped, devoting  his  life  to  farming.  He 
was  a  public  man  and  for  many  years  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  and  a  loyal  Democrat. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  are  sleeping  the  sleep 
of  the  just.  To  them  were  born  the  follow- 
ing children,  Winnie,  Thomas,  Mary, 
James,  Sarah,  Elizabeth,  Cynthia,  Benjamin 
and  Frances.  The  following  children  were 
born  to  Nathan  Atkins  and  wife:  Moses  B., 
deceased;  John  W.,  deceased;  Thomas  B., 
died  in  Texas;  Margaret  F.,  deceased;  Jo- 
seph W.,  our  subject;  George  L.,  deceased; 
Richard  M.,  of  Kinmundy,  Illinois;  Hannah 
C,  of  Kinmundy  township;  Mary  E.,  who 
is  single  and  living  on  the  old  home  place ; 
Cynthia  C.  is  also  living  on  the  old  home 
place;  Nathan  L.,  deceased. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  home  schools,  remaining  a  member 
of  the  family  circle  until  he  was  married, 
February  i,  1881,  to  Harriett  Doolen,  of 
Foster  township,  and  the  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin Doolen,  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Ma- 
rion county.  He  married  Laura  (usually 
called  Ann)  Jones,  who  passed  to  her  rest 
March  30,  1894. 

In  1881  the  subject  located  in  section  2, 
Foster  township,  where  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  five  years,  and  in  1886  moved  to 
where  he  now  lives  in  the  same  section  of 
this  township.  The  land  was  then  wild,  but 


being  a  hard  worker  he  soon  had  the  land 
well  improved  and  built  a  comfortable  and 
substantial  home  and  convenient  out-build- 
ings. He  now  owns  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  excellent  land  which  is  very  pro- 
ductive and  yields  a  comfortable  living  and 
he  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock 
raising.  He  is  a  good  judge  of  all  kinds 
of  live  stock  and  no  small  part  of  his  in- 
come is  derived  from  his  sale  of  stock. 

Mr.  Atkins  has  never  aspired  to  public 
office,  being  content  to  merely  cast  his  vote 
with  the  Democratic  party.  His  wife  is  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  Atkins  is  considered  among  the  leading 
young  farmers  of  Foster  township  and  a 
man  of  excellent  habits  and  good  reputa- 
tion for  honest  dealing  and  clean  living. 


SAMUEL  W.  JONES. 

The  honored  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  sterling  pioneer 
families  of  Marion  county  and  is  personally 
identified  with  the  industrial  interests  of 
this  section  of  the  state  where  he  has  spent 
his  life,  being  the  owner  of  a  fine  farming 
property  in  Kinmundy  township. 

Samuel  W.  Jones  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  September  15,  1858.  and 
he  has  preferred  to  spend  his  entire  life 
within '  the  borders  of  the  same,  where  lie 
believed  he  would  have  better  advantages 
among  the  people  where  the  Jones  family 
had  long  been  noted  for  their  industry  and 


4io 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


honesty,  than  he  would  have  in  other  coun- 
ties of  this  or  any  other  state  of  our  great 
Union.  He  is  the  son  of  Jackson  C.  and 
Margaret  (Whiteside)  Jones.  A  history  of 
the  subject's  father  and  mother  and  their 
ancestry  will  be  found  under  the  head  of 
James  R.  Jones,  whose  sketch  appears  in 
another  part  of  this  volume. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools  where  he  applied  him- 
self in  a  diligent  manner  to  his  books  and 
received  a  fairly  good  education,  having  fed 
a  large  herd  of  his  father's  cattle  in  the 
meantime.  He  left  school  at  the  age  of 
nineteen  and  began  farming,  which  enter- 
prise he  has  since  been  identified  with  and 
which  he  has  made  a  great  success,  being 
recognized  today  as  one  of  the  leading  ag- 
riculturists of  his  community.  He  has  pros- 
pered until  he  has  become  the  owner  of  a 
valuable  farm  consisting  of  one  hundred 
and  thirty-five  acres.  His  land  is  under  a 
high  state  of  cultivation  and  the  soil  has 
been  kept  in  a  very  good  condition  through 
proper  management  until  excellent  crops 
are  reaped  from  it  year  by  year,  the  sub- 
ject being  thus  enabled  to  make  a  comfort- 
able living  and  also  lay  by  something  for 
the  future.  He  has  a  good  income  also 
from  his  stock,  being  especially  interested  in 
the  raising  of  Poland  China  hogs  and 
Shropshire  sheep,  both  being  noted  for  their 
excellent  quality,  for  Mr.  Jones  certainly 
understands  the .  successful  handling  of 
stock.  He  has  a  nice,  modern  and  com- 
fortable dwelling  and  a  large  number  of 
good  outbuildings,  in  fact  everything  about 


his  place  shows  excellent  management  and 
prosperity. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  Sep- 
tember 20,  1877,  to  Hannah  Atkins,  who 
was  born  in  Foster  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty, December  24,  1861,  the  daughter,  of 
Nathan  Atkins,  who  was  born  August  28, 
1817,  in  Alabama.  He  came  to  Illinois 
when  a  young  man  and  took  up  govern- 
ment land,  cleared  a  farm  which  he  contin- 
ued to  work  the  rest  of  his  life  and  on  which 
he  reared  a  family  of  twelve  children,  eight 
boys  and  four  girls,  five  of  whom  are  still 
living.  Their  names  are  James,  Moses,  John, 
Thomas,  Barbara,  Margaret,  George,  all 
deceased:  Joseph,  Richard,  Hannah,  Eliza- 
beth and  Catherine,  all  living.  Nathan  At- 
kins has  long  since  passed  to  his  rest.  He 
married  Mary  Garrett,  the  daughter  of 
Moses  and  Hannah  Garrett,  pioneers  of  this 
county. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of 
three  living  children  and  one  child  that  is 
dead.  Their  names  are,  Charles  W.,  Wil- 
liam O..  deceased;  Bessie  C.,  and  Mary  J. 
Charles  W.  Jones  married  Susie  Pearson, 
and  they  have  one  son,  named  Carroll  G. 
William  Pearson,  the  father  of  Charles  W. 
Jones's  wife,  was  born  in  Marion  county. 
Her  mother's  name  was  Emiline  Anglin, 
who  was  also  born  in  this  county.  William 
Pearson  was  the  father  of  six  children,  two 
boys  and  four  girls.  Mrs.  Hannah  Jones 
was  educated  in  the  country  schools  of  this 
county  where  she  diligently  applied  herself 
until  she  was  sixteen  years  of  age  when  she 
was  married  to  our  subject  who  was  nine- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


411 


teen.  She  is  a  good  housewife  and  mother, 
of  a  cheerful  disposition  and  is  beloved  by 
all  who  know  her  for  her  many  beautiful 
traits  of  character. 

Our  subject,  while  not  a  member  of  any 
church,  is  a  believer  of  the  principles  of 
Christianity  and  good  government.  He  is 
a  stanch  Democrat  and  his  support  can  al- 
ways be  depended  upon  when  any  measures 
looking  to  the  public  good  are  at  issue. 


THE  BRYAN  FAMILY. 
(By  Mrs.  Anna  Torrence.) 

In  giving  the  genealogy  of  the  Bryan 
family,  who  have  long  been  considered 
among  the  most  noted  and  highly  esteemed 
of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  there  are  some 
characteristics  which  the  reader  will  at  once 
note  as  being  particularly  strong  and 
plainly  marked  throughout  the  entire  line- 
age. First,  as  a  family  whose  veracity  is 
never  questioned ;  second,  they  are  noted  for 
being  strictly  honest  in  every  detail  of  social, 
political  and  business  life;  third,  those  who 
are  Christians  are  very  devoted,  believing 
emphatically  in  a  prayer  hearing  and  prayer 
answering  God,  believing  that  He  guides 
man  in  every  right  act  of  life.  The  pub- 
lishers of  this  work  are  glad  to  be  able  to 
give  their  readers  an  insight  into  the  life 
records  of  this  remarkable  family  and  can 
state  with  all  authenticity  that  the  sketches 
contained  herein  are  to  be  relied  upon. 


William  Bryan,  the  great-grandfather  of 
Hon.  William  J.  Bryan,  was  born  in  Eng- 
land and  was  married  there,  having  come  to 
America  before  the  Revolutionary  war,  set- 
tling in  Culpeper  county,  Virginia.  Five 
children  were  born  to  them,  namely :  James, 
John,  Aquilla,  Francis  and  Elizabeth. 
James  moved  to  Barren  county,  Kentucky. 
Aquilla  went  to  Ohio.  One  of  the  girls  mar- 
ried a  man  named  Baldwin.  Nothing  fur- 
ther is  known  of  these  families  at  present. 

John  Bryan,  the  second  son  and  grand- 
father of  Hon.  William  J.  Bryan,  was  born 
in  1790.  In  1807  he  married  Nancy  Lillard, 
a  representative  of  one  of  the  finest  old 
southern  families  of  Virginia,  and  she  is  re- 
membered as  a  very  refined  and  cultured 
woman,  endowed  with  more  than  ordinary 
intelligence.  In  1828  they  moved  to  Cobal 
county,  Virginia,  and  lived  there  two  years. 
From  there  they  moved  to  Mason  county, 
Virginia,  where  they  lived  and  passed  to 
their  rest  and  where  they  lie  buried.  To 
them  ten  children  were  born.  The  oldest, 
William  W.,  was  born  in  1808.  He  mar- 
ried Emily  Smith  and  about  1838  moved  to 
Lincoln  county,  Missouri,  near  Troy.  They 
were  the  parents  of  four  children,  namely: 
William  Hamilton,  John  J.,  Gallic  and  Vir- 
ginia. William  W.  Bryan  reached  an  old 
age  and  died  a  few  years  ago,  his  wife  fol- 
lowing him  to  the  other  shore  only  a  few 
months  later.  William  H.  Bryan  is  an 
honored  and  respected  citizen  of  Troy,  Mis- 
souri, and  he  has  a  nice  Christian  family. 
Callie  and  Virginia  are  noble  Christian 
women.  John  J.  is  deceased.  John  J. 


412 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Bryan,  ST.,  died  in  early  manhood.  Howard 
died  in  infancy.  Jane,  the  oldest  daughter, 
married  Joseph  Cheney,  a  wealthy  hat  man- 
ufacturer of  Gallipolis,  Ohio.  She  was  left 
a  widow  with  six  small  children  whom  she 
reared  to  be  useful  women  and  men.  Their 
names  were :  Robert,  Mary,  Russell,  Linna, 
Harriet  and  Emma.  She  spent  the  last  few 
years  of  her  life  at  various  places,  wherever 
she  preferred  to  stay,  spending  seven  years 
with  the  family  of  Judge  Silas  L.  Bryan. 
The  last  three  years  of  her  life  she  lived 
with  Mrs.  Mollie  Webster,  one  of  her  nieces, 
whom  she  comforted  in  her  early  widow- 
hood. She  was  the  idolized  aunt  around 
whom  all  the  nieces  and  nephews  clustered, 
who  regarded  her  as  an  earthly  saint.  She 
was  never  heard  to  utter  an  unkind  word 
against  any  of  God's  creations.  The  night 
she  was  called  from  earth  she  praised  God 
aloud  with  every  shortening  breath. 

Xancy  Bryan  married  George  Baltzell 
and  moved  to  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois,  where 
she  died.  Two  sons  were  born  to  them, 
Silas  L.  and  Russell  B.  Both  are  active 
business  men,  the  former  living  at  Ham- 
mond, Louisiana,  and  the  latter  at  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois.  Nancy  is  described  as  a 
very  handsome  woman,  refined  and  cul- 
tured. To  her  early  training,  motherly  care 
and  prayers.  Judge  Silas  L.  Bryan  owed 
much  of  his  success  in  life. 

Martha  Bryan  married  Homer  Smith,  of 
Gallipolis,  Ohio,  and  moved  to  Illinois. 
She  was  left  a  widow  with  two  small  girls, 
Jane  and  Mary.  She  was  called  from  earth 
before  the  girls  were  grown.  Jane  made 


her  home  with  Russell  Bryan  and  Mary 
with  Judge  Bryan's  family.  Jane  was  a  suc- 
cessful school  teacher  for  several  years.  The 
mother  was  a  very  devoted  Christian  and 
always  had  family  prayers  and  is  today  a 
sainted  mother.  The  youngest  daughter, 
Mary,  now  Mrs.  Mollie  Webster,  has  been 
a  widow  several  years.  She  manages  a 
large  farm  very  successfully,  and  she  is  a 
great  temperance  and  church  worker.  She 
has  been  county  president  of  the  White 
Ribbon  Army  for  a  number  of  years  and  is 
also  treasurer  of  the  Woman's  Christian 
Temperance  Union  in  the  Twenty-first  Con- 
gressional District  of  Illinois.  It  was  she 
who  taught  Hon.  William  J.  Bryan  his  little 
infant  prayers.  She  taught  and  trained  him 
in  his  first  boyhood  speeches.  When  he  was 
in  Salem  once  visiting  his  old  home  they  re- 
viewed some  of  the  scenes  and  incidents  of 
their  interesting  childhood  days. 

Dr.  Robert  Bryan  was  killed  in  a  steam- 
boat explosion. 

Silas  L.  Bryan,  father  of  Hon.  William 
J.  Bryan,  was  born  in  Culpeper  Court 
House,  Virginia,  in  1822.  He  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1842,  where  he  lived,  died  and  was 
buried.  He  worked  on  a  farm  at  nine  dollars 
a  month,  saving  his  money  to  defray  his  ex- 
penses at  McKendree  College.  During  the 
winter  while  at  college  he  would  chop  wood 
on  Saturdays  to  help  pay  expenses.  Many  of 
his  colleagues  made  fun  of  him,  but  in  after 
years  many  of  them,  came  to  borrow  money 
of  him  and  to  seek  his  legal  advice.  He  was 
a  man  of  sterling  qualities,  the  kind  that 
always  make  for  success  when  rightly  and 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


413 


persistently  applied.  He  was  a  very  devout 
Christian,  always  had  family  prayers,  and 
he  promised  the  Lord  if  He  would  prosper 
him  to  get  through  college  he  would  pray 
three  times  a  day  the  rest  of  his  life.  This 
promise  he  faithfully  kept,  praying  morn- 
ing and  evening  at  his  home,  and  at 
noon  wherever  he  happened  to  be.  He 
would  drop  on  his  knees  and  ask  God's 
blessings.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Marion 
county  bar  for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  a 
member  of  the  State  Senate  for  eight  years, 
and  for  twelve  years  was  Circuit  Judge  of 
this  judicial  district.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  convention  that  framed  the  present  state 
constitution  of  Illinois.  He  was  a  man  of 
unusual  tact,  shrewdness,  soundness  of 
judgment  and  force  of  character,  and  it  was 
from  him  that  Hon.  William  J.  Bryan  in- 
herited his  gift  of  oratory  and  his  brilliant 
intellect.  He  imbued  the  boy  with  lofty 
ideals  and  taught  him  by  example  and  pre- 
cept how  to  make  a  grand  and  noble  man. 
Silas  L.  Bryan  married  Mariah  Elizabeth 
Jennings,  a  woman  of  many  praiseworthy 
traits  and  a  devoted  Christian  wife  and 
mother.  She  gave  the  best  part  of  her  life 
to  the  care  of  her  family.  .  She  was  truly  "a 
mother  in  Israel."  To  this  union  were  born 
nine  children,  namely:  John  H.,  Virginia, 
William  J.,  Russell,  Harry,  Frances, 
Charles,  Nancy  and  Mary.  John  and  Vir- 
ginia died  within  six  weeks  of  each  other 
when  young.  William  J.  was  born  March 
17,  1860.  He  was  taught  at  home  until  ten 
years  of  age,  after  which  he  attended  the 
public  schools  for  five  years,  during  which 


time  he  gave  evidence  of  being  a  most  pre- 
cocious child  and  one  to  whom  the  future 
augured  great  things.  He  afterward  at- 
tended college  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois, 
where  he  made  a  brilliant  record  for  both 
scholarship  and  deportment.  He  then 
studied  law  in  Chicago  in  the  office  of  Ly- 
man  Trumbull,  making  rapid  progress  from 
the  first.  He  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and 
successfully  practiced  for  some  time,  finally 
entering  the  political  arena,  since  which 
time  his  career  has  been  too  meteoric  to  need 
reviewing  here,  since  his  record  is  well 
known  to  all,  and  is  given  in  detail  in  an- 
other part  of  this  volume.  Russell  Bryan 
died  in  early  manhood.  Frances  has  a  nice 
comfortable  home  in  Shaw,  Mississippi,  and 
is  a  jolly,  whole-souled  woman,  loved  by 
everyone.  Charles  is  a  very  successful  busi- 
ness man  in  Lincoln,  Nebraska.  Nancy  is 
a  quiet,  refined  and  modest  girl.  She  was 
at  one  time  William  J.'s  private  secretary. 
Mary,  the  youngest  of  the  family,  became  a 
successful  school  teacher.  She  has  winning 
ways  and  is  a  great  favorite.  Russell 
Bryan,  the  youngest  brother  of  Judge 
'Bryan,  came  to  Salem  in  1841.  He  was 
familiarly  known  to  all  as  "Uncle  Russ," 
being  well  known  throughout  the  county. 
He  was  endowed  with  a  wonderful  memory. 
Often  when  dates  or  records  of  events 
seemed  obscure  he  was  referred  to,  and  sel- 
dom failed  to  give  the  correct  names,  dates 
or  places  desired.  He  had  stock  scales  in  Sa- 
lem for  thirty  years,  or  since  1878,  and  his 
weights  were  never  questioned.  He  never 
went  in  debt  for  anything,  and  he  never  had 


414 


RRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  law  suit,  and  as  a  result  of  his  upright 
life  he  was  honored  and  respected  by  all  who 
knew  him.  He  married  Amanda  L.  Tully, 
-who  was  always  a  very  bright  and  active 
woman,  a  fine  financier  and  business  woman 
of  unusual  ability  and  acumen.  Twelve 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union  as 
follows:  Anna  E.,  Alice  J.,  John  E.,  Lewis 
•O.,  Andrew  R.,  Mark  T.,  Silas  L.,  Rosa  A. 
The  ninth  in  order  of  birth  died  in  infancy. 
Minnie  M.  was  next  in  order;  then  Emma 
A.  and  Adis  M.  Anna  chose  the  teacher's 
profession  when  quite  young.  She  success- 
fully taught  for  twenty-four  years,  and  after 
she  became  a  widow  and  had  reached  the 
meridian  of  life  attended  one  of  the  state 
normals  and  graduated  therefrom,  since 
which  time  she  taught  in  a  normal  train- 
ing school  in  Chicago  and  later  in  Salem. 
Alice  J.  is  a  very  domestic  woman,  and  her's 
is  one  of  the  coziest  homes  in  Salem.  She 
is  a  natural  artist  and  at  one  time  was  quite 
a  cultured  singer.  John  E.  is  a  prosperous 
lawyer  in  Salem.  He  was  a  school  teacher 
for  many  years,  and  has  served  as  Master 
in  Chancery  for  eight  years.  He  is  noted 
for  his  honor  and  integrity.  (A  fuller 
sketch  of  John  E.  Bryan  appears  elsewhere 
in  this  volume.)  Lewis  O.  is  a  lawyer  at  Van 
Buren,  Arkansas,  and  is  quite  wealthy.  He 
is  noted  for  his  true  philanthropy  and  is  the 
poor  man's  friend.  Andrew  R.  lives  in 
Salem  and  is  highly  esteemed  by  all  who 
know  him.  Mark  T.  died  when  six  years 
old.  Silas  L.  died  in  infancy.  Rosa  A. 
lives  a  mile  from  Van  Buren,  Arkansas,  on 
^  fine  fruit  farm.  She  is  a  woman  of  thrift 


and  has  a  bright,  interesting  family.  Min- 
nie M.  is  a  resident  of  Indianapolis.  Emma 
A.  resides  in  Centralia,  this  county.  Adis 
M.  is  in  the  real  estate  business  at  Van 
Buren,  Arkansas,  and  has  become  noted  as 
a  politician. 

Elizabeth  Bryan,  the  judge's  youngest 
sister,  married  George  Baltzell,  and  they 
live  at  Deer  Ridge,  St.  Louis  county,  Mis- 
souri. She  is  the  mother  of  the  following 
children,  namely:  Anna,  Albert,  Florence, 
Edwin.  The  last  named  died  while  in  col- 
lege. They  are  influential  and  highly  re- 
spected in  their  community. 

Thus  it  is  no  wonder  that  this  family 
should  become  so  useful  and  influential  and 
should  be  leaders  of  society  in  its  various 
phases,  when  we  consider  how  they  have 
kept  the  even  tenor  of  their  way,  how  they 
were  reared  in  "the  fear  and  admonition  of 
the  Lord,"  and  how  they  have  kept  the 
faith  of  their  worthy  ancestors,  maintaining 
in  all  the  relations  of  life  that  strict  in- 
tegrity and  loyalty  of  principle  to  lofty 
ideals  and  honorable  records  in  private, 
commercial,  professional  and  public  life. 
The  influence  for  good  to  humanity  and 
the  amelioration  of  the  human  race  of  such 
a  noble  family  is  too  far-reaching  and  in- 
scrutable to  be  measured  or  contemplated 
with  any  degree  of  accuracy.  Truly  such 
characters  are  as  "a  shining  light  which 
grows  more  and  more  unto  the  perfect  day," 
purifying,  refining,  strengthening  and  en- 
couraging the  wayworn  traveler  on  life's 
rugged  steeps,  teaching  the  less  courageous 
that  he  who  would  ascend  to  the  heights 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


415 


of  life  where  the  purer  atmosphere  that  in- 
spires the  souls  of  men  may  be  breathed, 
must  be  true,  loyal,  ambitious,  energetic, 
honorable  and  of  indomitable  energy 


J.  E.  BRYAN. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch  has  long  enjoyed  prestige  as  a  lead- 
ing citizen  of  the  community  in  which  he 
resides,  and  as  an  official  against  whose 
record  no  word  of  suspicion  was  ever  uttered 
he  has  been  for  years  an  important  factor 
in  the  history  of  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
His  prominence  in  the  community  is  the  di- 
rect and  legitimate  result  of  genuine  merit 
and  ability,  and  in  every  relation,  whether 
in  the  humble  sphere  of  private  citizenship 
or  as  a  trusted  public  official,  his  many  ex- 
cellencies of  character  and  the  able  and  im- 
partial manner  in  which  he  discharged  his 
every  duty  won  for  him  an  enviable  repu- 
tation as  an  enterprising  and  representative 
self-made  man.  He  was  for  some  time  a 
prominent  figure  at  the  local  bar,  but  desir- 
ing the  more  prosaic  routine  of  the  abstrac- 
ter,  he  abandoned  the  legal  profession  and 
has  for  many  years  successfully  conducted 
an  abstract  office  in  Salem,  being  known 
throughout  the  county  in  this  line  of  work. 

J.  E.  Bryan  was  born  two  and  one-half 
miles  north  of  Salem,  July  4,  1851,  the  son 
of  A.  R.  Bryan,  a  native  of  Virginia  and  a 
fine  old  southern  gentleman,  who  came  to 
Illinois  when  a  boy.  He  was  a  tanner  by 


trade  and  after  a  busy,  successful  and  hon- 
orable career  passed  to  his  rest  in  1901.  He 
lived  first  at  Shawneetown,  then  at  Mt. 
Vernon,  later  at  Walnut  Hill,  then  at  Salem, 
where  he  spent  the  balance  of  his  life.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  Amanda  Tully, 
whose  people  came  from  Tennessee  and  were 
among  the  first  settlers  in  Marion  county, 
having  come  here  when  the  prairies  were 
overrun  by  red  men  and  wild  beasts,  but 
they  were  people  of  sterling  qualities  and 
surmounted  every  obstacle,  winning  a  com- 
fortable home  as  a  result  of  their  habits  of 
industry  and  economy.  The  maternal 
grandfather  of  the  subject  was  the  first 
Sheriff  of  Marion  county.  This  family  con- 
sisted of  twelve  children,  nine  of  whom  are 
living  in  1908,  namely:  Mrs.  Anna  Tor- 
rence,  who  resides  on  the  old  homestead, 
where  the  mother  of  the  subject  was  born, 
in  Salem;  Mrs.  Alice  J.  Kite,  who  is  also 
living  at  the  old  homestead  in  Salem;  J.  E., 
our  subject;  Lewis  O.,  living  in  Van  Buren, 
Arkansas ;  Andrew  R.,  of  Salem ;  Mrs.  Rosa 
Kagy,  living  in  Arkansas;  Mrs.  Minnie 
Fisher,  of  Indianapolis,  Indiana;  Mrs. 
Emma  Shepherd,  of  Centralia,  Illinois;  Ad- 
is,  living  at  Van  Buren,  Arkansas.  The 
mother  of  the  subject,  who  was  a  woman 
of  many  praiseworthy  traits,  passed  to  her 
rest  several  years  ago.  Mr.  Bryan's  father, 
A.  R.  Bryan,  was  a  brother  of  Silas  Bryan, 
father  of  W.  J.  Bryan. 

J.  E.  Bryan  was  reared  in  Salem,  and  he 
preferred  to  risk  his  fortunes  in  his  native 
community  rather  than  see  uncertain  success 
in  other  fields,  consequently  he  has  spent  his 


4i6 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


life  right  here  at  home.  He  attended  the 
common  schools  at  Salem,  applying  himself 
most  diligently  to  his  text  books  and  at 
the  age  of  twenty  began  to  read  law,  making 
rapid  progress  from  the  first,  and  in  1876 
he  was  admitted  to  practice,  his  success  be- 
ing instantaneous  and  he  soon  became 
widely  known  as  an  able  practitioner  in  all 
the  local  courts;  but  after  twenty  years  of 
arduous  work  at  the  bar,  during  which  time 
he  built  up  an  extensive  business  and  won 
the  unqualified  confidence  and  esteem  of  a 
large  clientele  and  of  his  brothers  in  the 
legal  profession,  he  abandoned  the  law  and 
opened  an  abstract  office  in  Salem  since 
since  which  time  he  has  devoted  his  time 
and  attention  to  this  business  with  gratify- 
ing success  as  indicated  above.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations  Mr.  Bryan  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias. 

Mr.  Bryan  was  married  in  1876  to  Jo- 
sephine W.  Pace,  a  native  of  Salem  and  the 
accomplished  representative  of  an  old  and 
highly  respected  family.  No  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union. 

Something  of  the  confidence  which  the 
people  of  Salem  repose  in  our  subject  will 
be  gained  when  we  learn  that  he  has  been 
School  Treasurer  of  Salem  township  for 
over  thirty  years- at  the  time  of  this  writing, 
1908.  He  has  devoted  much  attention  to 
the  development  of  the  local  public  school 
system  with  the  result  that  much  has  been 
accomplished  toward  making  the  Salem 
schools  equal  to  any  in  the  country.  Mr. 
Bryan  was  also  Master  in  Chancery  for 
Marion  county  for  a  period  of  eight  years, 


which  responsible  position  he  filled  with 
great  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  to  all  concerned.  In  business  he 
has  always  been  successful  and  is  at  present 
one  of  the  stockholders  of  the  Salem  State 
Bank.  He  has  ever  had  the  welfare  of  his 
community  at  heart  and  has  always  been 
found  willing  to  devote  his  time  to  any 
movement  looking  to  the  development  of  the 
public  weal,  and  as  a  result  of  his  genuine 
worth,  his  pleasing  demeanor,  integrity  of 
principal  and  honesty  of  purpose,  he  is  to- 
day recognized  as  one  of  Marion  county's 
foremost  citizens. 


RICHARD  J.  HOLSTLAW. 

Among  the  best  known  and  highly  re- 
spected families  of  Marion  county  is  found 
the  one  bearing  the  name  that  forms  the 
caption  of  this  article.  Richard  J.  Holstlaw 
was  born  in  this  county  on  the  3d  of  April, 
1837.  He  still  lives  on  the  farm  where  he 
was  born  and  during  this  span  of  life  he  has 
witnessed  most  wonderful  changes  in  the 
progress  and  development  of  the  country. 

Mr.  Holstlaw  is  descended  from  those 
hardy  pioneers  that  crossed  the  mountains 
into  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  blazing  the 
way  through  the  wilderness,  opening  up  for 
colonization  and  occupancy  the  rich  hunting 
grounds  south  of  the  Ohio.  This  tide  of 
immigrants  gradually  worked  its  way 
westward  and  northward,  crossing  the  Ohio 
into  Indiana  and  Illinois  and  blending  here 


R.  J.  HOLSTLAW. 


OF  THE 
,,tBSlTY  OK  ILLINOIS. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


417 


with  the  settlers  coming  from  Pennsylvania, 
New  York  and  New  England. 

Our  subject's  father,  Daniel  S.  Holstlaw, 
was  born  near  Glasgow,  Kentucky,  in  1813, 
toward  the  close  of  the  second  war  with 
England.  The  treaty  at  the  conclusion  of 
this  war  stimulated  the  westward  movement 
and  when  Daniel  was  eight  years  old  he 
came  to  Paoli,  Indiana,  with  his  parents. 
His  mother,  Ruth  (Middleton)  Holstlaw, 
a  native  of  Tennessee,  was  the  eleventh  of 
fourteen  children  and  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1833.  At  the  age  of 
nineteen  years,  Daniel  Holstlaw  left  the 
Hoosier  state  and  immigrated  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois.  Here  he  entered  a  claim  and 
also  purchased  some  land,  paying  seven 
dollars  per  acre.  At  this  time  the  country 
was  still  in  its  primitive  state,  and  the  six 
children,  of  whom  our  subject  was  the  sec- 
ond, became  quite  familiar  with  early  day 
methods  of  getting  along. 

Among  other  things  that  Mr.  Holstlaw 
relates  are  his  school  experiences.  The  ex- 
pense of  paying  for  an  instructor  was  met 
on  the  subscription  plan,  and  all  the  neigh- 
bors joined  in  to  obtain  the  privilege  of  a 
schooling  for  their  children.  Wild  game  of 
all  kinds  still  abounded  in  the  forests  and 
furnished  part  of  the  food  for  the  settlers. 
One  morning  Mr.  Holstlaw  counted  thirty- 
seven  deer — after  a  night  when  the  prairie 
was  on  fire,  when  they  could  be  seen  clearly 
— to  say  nothing  of  other  game,  so  abundant 
then,  but  so  rarely  seen  now.  When  we  re- 
flect over  to  the  fact  that  such  a  span  of 
years  has  witnessed  so  great  a  contrast  be- 
27 


tween  the  present  conditions  and  those  of 
that  day,  it  seems  almost  a  fiction.  Yet  one 
needs  but  to  ponder  over  the  wonderful 
•changes  of  the  last  decade  to  convince  him 
that  we  are  even  now  already  in  the  shadow 
of  what  will  come  tomorrow.  While  now 
the  traction  engine  pulls  the  series  of  break- 
ing plows  rapidly  through  the  sod,  Mr. 
Holstlaw  recalls  the  time  when  he  followed 
the  four  yoke  of  patient  oxen  that  com- 
posedly drew  through  the  virgin  soil  the 
hand-made  plow  of  hickory  wood.  Today 
the  hay-loader  puts  the  sweet-scented  prod- 
uct of  the  meadow  on  the  wagon  and  at  the 
driver's  feet,  while  then  the  dogwood  fork, 
whittled  by  hand,  was  the  only  tool  avail- 
able. Fur  and  hides  were  hauled  to  St. 
Louis,  seventy-five  miles  away,  and  court 
was  held  in  a  log  structure  at  the  county 
seat  of  Salem. 

We  shall  now  turn  our  attention  to  the 
domestic  relations  of  our  subject.  In  1863 
he  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Mary  (Gag- 
ger)  Barry.  This  union,  though  happy,  was 
destined  to  be  brief,  for  ere  long  the  young 
wife  was  called  hence,  followed  soon  after 
by  her  infant  child.  On  July  18,  1869, 
Mr.  Holstlaw  took  as  his  second  wife  Ra- 
chel Barry,  this  union  resulting  in  the  birth 
of  the  following  children:  Erne  I.,  who 
became  the  wife  of  Louis  Barksdale;  the 
son  is  Forrest  D.,  the  second  daughter  of  the 
family,  Carrie  A.,  has  become  the  wife  of 
Walter  K.  Shook. 

In  his  political  affiliations  Mr.  Holstlaw 
has  adhered  to  the  Democratic  party,  and 
he  is  a  devoted  member  of  the  Cumberland 


4i8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Presbyterian  church.  He  and  his  wife  are 
well  known  in  the  entire  community  as  ex- 
emplary and  worthy  citizens.. 


THE  SCHWARTZ  BROTHERS. 

Eminent  business  talent  is  composed  of  a 
combination  of  high  mental  and  moral  at- 
tributes;  although  these  are  essential,  there 
must  be  sound  judgment,  breadth  of  capa- 
city and  rapidity  of  thought,  justice  and 
firmness,  the  foresight  to  perceive  the  course 
of  the  drifting  tides  of  business  and  the 
will  and  ability  to  control  them.  The  sub- 
jects of  this  review  afford  a  striking  exem- 
plification of  this  talent,  in  a  very  high  order 
of  development  and  of  such  character  as  to 
gain  them  worthy  prestige  in  business  cir- 
cles and  positions  of  commanding  influence. 

The  Schwartz  brothers,  Joseph  and 
Frank,  are  not  only  twins  but  their  lives 
and  interests  have  been  so  closely  inter- 
woven, their  purposes  and  ideals  so  nearly 
identical  and  their  achievements  of  such 
similar  character  that  the  history  of  one  is 
practically  the  history  of  both. 

As  the  name  indicates  the  Schwartz  fam- 
ily is  of  German  origin,  the  subject's  father, 
Bernard  Schwartz,  having  been  a  native  of 
Luxemburg,  where  his  ancestors  had  lived 
for  many  generations.  When  a  young  man 
Bernard  Schwartz  came  to  the  United 
States  and  located  at  Worcester,  Massa- 
chusetts, where  he  worked  for  some  years 
at  the  tailor's  trade  and  where  in  due  time 


he  married  Christina  Lacroix,  who  was  also 
of  German  birth.  Disposing  of  his  inter- 
ests in  Massachusetts  in  1855  he  moved  to 
Salem,  Illinois,  where  he  opened  a  shop  and 
conducted  a  very  successful  tailoring  busi- 
ness for  a  number  of  years,  the  meanwhile 
by  judicious  investments  and  careful  man- 
agement becoming  the  possessor  of  a  large 
amount  of  valuable  property  in  various 
parts  of  Marion  county,  and  earning  the 
reputation  of  an  enterprising  and  praise- 
worthy citizen.  From  1868  until  his  death 
in  the  year  1906  Bernard  Schwartz  lived  a 
life  of  honorable  retirement,  but  kept  in 
close  touch  with  business  matters,  amassed 
considerable  wealth  and  for  a  number  of 
years  was  classed  with  the  financially  solid 
and  reliable  men  of  Salem.  He  was  a  fine 
type,  of  the  successful  German-American, 
possessed  to  a  marked  degree  of  the  ster- 
ling qualities  for  which  his  nationality  is 
distinguished,  did  much  to  promote  the  ma- 
terial interests  of  his  adopted  city  and  his 
death  was  deeply  lamented  by  all  who  knew 
him.  Bernard  and  Christina  Schwartz 
were  earnest  and  devout  Catholics  in  their 
religious  belief  and  trained  their  children  in 
the  faith  of  the  Holy  Mother  church,  to  the 
teaching  of  which  they  have  been  ever  true 
and  loyal.  Their  oldest  child,  a  daughter, 
by  the  name  of  Flora,  is  the  wife  of  Mi- 
chael Berens,  and  lives  in  Salem;  the  twins, 
Frank  and  Joseph  being  the  next  in  order  of 
birth;  Christine  died  when  four  years  of 
age  and  Bernard,  the  youngest  of  the  fam- 
ily, a  young  man  of  fine  business  ability  and 
high  social  standing,  departed  this  life  on 


3RI. \KEKI  I  OFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


419 


the  1 5th  day  of  January,  1907.  Like  his 
older  brothers,  Bernard  Schwartz  pos- 
sessed much  more  than  ordinary  powers  of 
mind  and  had  reached  an  important  and  in- 
fluential position  in  the  business  world, 
when  his  brilliant  and  promising  career  was 
untimely  terminated  by  the  stern  hand  of 
death.  He  was  a  graduate  of  the  Salem 
high  school  with  the  honors  of  his  class, 
after  which  he  took  a  pharmaceutical  course 
in  which  he  became  especially  proficient  and 
for  a  number  of  years  served  on  the  State 
Board  of  Pharmacy,  to  which  position  he 
was  first  appointed  by  Governor  Tanner, 
and  later  by  Governor  Yates  and  had  not 
death  intervened  he  doubtless  could  have 
held  the  place  indefinitely  as  Governor  De- 
neen  signified  his  intention  of  reappointing 
him  a  short  time  prior  to  his  demise. 

Joseph  and  Frank  Schwartz,  to  a  brief  re- 
view of  whose  career  the  reader's  attention 
is  here  respectfully  invited,  were  born  on 
August  agth,  of  the  year  1859,  in  Salem, 
and  spent  their  childhood  and  youth  in  their 
native  town.  As  indicated  in  a  preceding 
paragraph  their  lives  having  been  passed 
under  similar  circumstances  were  in  most 
respects  strikingly  similar,  nevertheless  to  a 
better  understanding  of  the  purposes  and 
ambitions  of  each  it  is  deemed  proper  to 
give  their  early  lives  separately. 

Joseph  Schwartz  was  reared  under  ex- 
cellent home  influences  and  during  his 
youth  received  from  his  parents  a  thorough 
instruction  in  the  basic  principles  of  moral- 
ity and  correct  conduct  so  that  while  a  mere 
lad  he  became  so  imbued  with  these  princi- 


ples as  to  make  them  a  rule  by  which  his  sub- 
sequent life  should  be  governed.  At  the  prop- 
er age  he  entered  the  public  schools  of  Sa- 
lem and  in  due  time  completed  the  pre- 
scribed course  of  study  graduating  from 
the  high  school  with  the  class  of  1877.  Ac- 
tuated by  a  laudable  desire  for  a  more  thor- 
ough scholastic  training  he  subsequently 
became  a  student  of  the  State  University  at 
Champaign,  where  he  prosecuted  his  studies 
and  researches  until  1881  when  he  was 
graduated  with  an  honorable  record,  im- 
mediately after  which  he  engaged  in  the 
drug  business  with  his  brother  Frank,  their 
place  of  business  being  the  store  room  on 
the  site  originally  occupied  by  the  house  in 
which  he  was  born. 

By  diligent  attention  and  successful  man- 
agement the  Schwartz  brothers  soon  built 
up  a  large  and  lucrative  patronage  and  it 
was  not  long  until  they  led  the  drug  busi- 
ness in  Salem,  their  establishment  being  the 
largest  and  most  popular  of  the  kind  not 
only  in  the  city  but  in  the  county.  From 
the  beginning  the  enterprise  prospered  be- 
yond their  highest  expectations  and  proved 
the  source  of  an  ample  income  which  being 
judiciously  invested  in  due  time  placed  them 
on  the  high  road  to  fortune. 

Frank  Schwartz,  like  his  brother,  spent 
his  early  life  pretty  much  after  the  manner 
of  the  majority  of  town  lads  but  unlike 
many  was  not  permitted  to  eat  of  the  bread 
of  idleness,  during  the  formative  period  of 
his  character  when  fancy  paints  with  glow- 
ing colors  the  future  and  holds  out  to  the 
unwarv  those  pleasures  which  have  no  sub- 


420 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


stantial  foundation  and  which  if  identified 
invariably  terminate  in  regret  and  remorse. 
Under  the  guidance  of  his  parents  he  grew 
up  to  the  full  stature  of  well  rounded  man- 
hood with  a  proper  conception  of  life  and 
its  duties  and  responsibilities  and  with  the 
idea  ever  paramount  that  all  true  success 
and  advancement  must  depend  upon  con- 
secutive toil  and  endeavor.  After  obtaining 
a  good  practical  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  Salem,  he  entered  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  the  drug  store  of  D.  K.  Green  & 
Son.  where  he  clerked  for  a  period  of  four 
years,  during  which  time  he  devoted  his  at- 
tention very  carefully  to  the  business  with 
the  object  in  view  of  ultimately  engaging 
in  the  trade  upon  his  own  responsibility.  At 
the  expiration  of  the  time  indicated  he  pur- 
chased an  interest  in  the  establishment, 
which  during  the  following  year  was  con- 
ducted under  the  name  of  Green  & 
Schwartz;  his  brother,  Joseph,  then  bought 
Mr.  Green's  interest  and  under  the  firm 
name  of  Schwartz  Brothers,  the  business 
grew  rapidly  in  magnitude  and  importance 
and,  as  already  stated,  soon  became  the 
leading  establishment  of  the  kind  in  Salem, 
and  proved  to  be  the  source  from  which  no 
small  part  of  their  subsequent  fortune  grew. 
Meanwhile  the  Schwartz  Brothers  turned 
their  attention  to  various  other  lines  of 
business  becoming  largely  interested  in  real 
estate,  agriculture  and  horticulture,  which 
with  other  enterprises  of  an  industrial  and 
financial  nature  paved  the  way  to  the  high 
position  they  now  hold  in  business  circles, 
and  gave  them  much  more  than  local  re- 


pute as  capable,  judicious  and  eminently 
honorable  business  men.  Without  follow- 
ing in  detail  the  different  lines  of  enterprise 
to  which  the  Schwartz  brothers  have  given 
attention,  suffice  it  to  state  that  all  of  their 
undertakings  have  been  prosperous  and  they 
are  today  not  only  the  leading  business  men 
of  their  own  city  and  county,  but  occupy  a 
conspicuous  place  among  the  leaders  of  in- 
dustry in  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  In 
1907  they  disposed  of  their  drug  house, 
since  which  time  they  have  not  been  active- 
ly identified  with  any  particular  enterprise, 
devoting  their  attention  to  their  large  prop- 
erty interests  and  other  investments,  being 
heavy  stockholders  in  the  Salem  State  Bank 
and  owning  extensive  tracts  of  real  estate 
in  Marion  and  other  counties,  including  one 
fruit  farm  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres, 
two  and  a  fourth  miles  southeast  of  Salem, 
another  consisting  of  eight  hundred  acres 
within  a  reasonable  distance  of  the  county 
seat,  besides  being  associated  with  Mr. 
Rogers  in  the  fruit  evaporating  business, 
under  the  firm  name  of  Rogers  &  Schwartz 
Brothers,  they  do  an  immense  and  far- 
reaching  business.  They  are  also  mem- 
bers of  the  real  estate  firm  of  Telford  & 
Schwartz,  which  with  loans  and  insurance, 
constitutes  the  most  successful  business  of 
the  kind  in  the  city.  They  own  the 
Schwartz  Block,  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
valuable  properties  in  Salem,  and  as  mem- 
bers of  the  firm  of  Rainey  &  Schwartz,  own 
Rainey  Lake,  also  a  large  pear  orchard 
which  adds  much  to  their  liberal  and  con- 
stantly growing  income.  In  addition  to  the 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


421 


interests  enumerated  the  Schwartz  broth- 
ers have  many  other  valuable  holdings  in 
both  city  and  country,  including  the  busi- 
ness block  occupied  by  the  Sweeney  & 
Company's  drug  stock,  a  large  lot  at  the 
rear  of  the  State  Bank,  also  quite  a  num- 
.  ber  of  private  dwellings  in  various  parts  of 
the  town  to  say  nothing  of  a  vast  amount  of 
valuable  personal  property  and  bank  ac- 
counts, comparing  favorably  in  bulk  with 
those  of  any  other  depositor  in  the  county. 

Under  the  name  of  Schwartz  Brothers, 
by  which  the  firm  has  always  been  known, 
Joseph  and  Frank  Schwartz  have  filled  a 
prominent  place  in  the  business  affairs  of 
Salem  and  Marion  county,  and  from  the  be- 
ginning their  careers  present  a  series  of 
continued  successes  which  have  placed  them 
among  the  most  progressive  men  of  their 
day  and  generation  in  southern  Illinois  and 
earned  them  state  wide  reputation  in  busi- 
ness and  financial  circles. 

They  are  politicians  of  the  Democratic 
school  and  alive  to  all  that  concerns  the 
best  interest  of  their  party.  Religiously  they 
are  loyal  to  the  tenets  of  the  Roman  Catho- 
lic church  in  which  they  were  reared  and 
for  which  they  have  the  most  profound  love 
and  regard  contributing  liberally  to  its  ma- 
terial support  and  by  their  daily  lives  ex- 
emplifying the  beauty  and  value  of  the 
principles  and  doctrines  upon  which  it  is 
based. 

Joseph  Schwartz  was  married  in  the  year 
1886  to  Clara  Rose,  of  Salem,  daughter  of 
Gordon  Rose,  an  engineer  on  the  Baltimore 
&  Ohio  road,  and  a  most  excellent  and 


praiseworthy  citizen.  The  pledges  of  this 
union  are  two  bright  and  interesting  daugh- 
ters, namely :  Helen,  born  in  1893,  and  Chris- 
tine, whose  birth  occurred  in  the  year  1905. 
The  domestic  life  of  Frank  Schwartz  dates 
from  the  8th  day  of  July,  1896,  at  which 
time  he  was  united  in  the  holy  bonds  of 
wedlock  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  with  An- 
nie Trimpe,  of  that  city,  a  union  terminated 
by  the  death  of  the  wife  on  Thanksgiving 
day,  1903,  after  bearing  her  husband  two 
children,  Mattie  Christine  and  Emma  Ger- 
trude, born  in  1897  and  1901,  respectively. 
On  September  19,  1907,  Mr.  Schwartz 
chose  a  second  wife  and  companion  in  the 
person  of  Mrs.  Fannie  Simpson,  of  Salem, 
a  lady  of  many  estimable  qualities,  who 
presides  over  his  household  with  grace  and 
dignity  and  who  is  deeply  concerned  in  all 
of  his  undertakings  making  his  interests  her 
own  and  contributing  not  a  little  to  his  suc- 
cess. Fraternally  Joseph  Schwartz  is  iden- 
tified with  the  ancient  and  honorable  Ma- 
sonic brotherhood  and  also  holds  member- 
ship with  the  Orders  of  Woodmen  and  Ben 
Hur,  in  all  of  which  he  is  an  active  and  in- 
fluential worker,  which  may  also  be  record- 
ed of  his  brother,  Frank. 


LEVI  MONROE  KAGY. 

In  the  collection  of  material  for  the  bio- 
graphical department  of  this  publication 
there  has  been  a  constant  aim  to  use  a  wise 
discrimination  in  regard  to  the  selection  of 


422 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


subjects  and  to  exclude  none  worthy  of  rep- 
resentation within  its  pages.  Here  will  be 
found  mention  of  worthy  citizens  of  all  vo- 
cations, and  at  this  juncture  we  are  per- 
mitted to  offer  a  resume  of  the  career  of  one 
of  the  substantial  and  highly  esteemed,  in 
fact,  one  of  the  leaders  of  the  industrial 
world  of  this  section  of  the  state,  where  he 
has  long  maintained  his  home  and  where  he 
has  attained  a  high  degree  of  success  in  his 
chosen  field  of  labor  and  enterprise. 

Levi  Monroe  Kagy,  the  popular  and  well 
known  president  of  the  Salem  State  Bank, 
of  Salem,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  was  born 
near  Tiffin,  Senaca  county,  Ohio,  December 
J5>  l&55<  tne  son  °f  David  Kagy,  also  a 
native  of  Seneca  county,  who  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  the  year  1859. 
He  devoted  his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits 
which  he  made  successful  and  at  the  time 
became  a  man  of  much  influence  in  his  com- 
munity and  well  known  as  a  scrupulously 
honest  and  public-spirited  citizen.  He  was 
called  from  his  earthly  labors  February  8, 
1887,  after  a  very  active  and  useful  life. 
The  mother  of  the  subject  was  known  in 
her  maidenhood  as  Sarah  Milley.  She  is  a 
woman  of  many  estimable  traits  and  is  the 
recipient  of  the  admiration  and  esteem  of  a 
large  coterie  of  friends  and  acquaintances 
in  the  vicinity  where  she  is  still  living  in 
1908  on  the  old  homestead  where  she  and 
her  worthy  life  companion  settled  nearly  a 
half  century  ago.  To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  David 
Kagy  were  born  only  two  children,  Alice  A. 
a  woman  of  fine  attributes,  who  is  making 
her  home  with  her  mother;  and  Levi  Mon- 


roe, our  subject.  The  parents  spared 
no  pains  in  giving  these  children  every  pos- 
sible care  and  advantage  and  the  wholesome 
environment  of  their  home  life  is  clearly  re- 
flected in  the  lives  of  the  subject  and  his 
sister. 

Our  subject  lived  on  the  parental  farm 
until  he  was  twenty-five  years  old  and  as- 
sisted his  father  with  the  farm  work,  giving 
him  all  his  earnings  up  to  the  time  of  his 
maturity,  and  it  was  while  thus  engaged  in 
the  free  outdoor  life  of  the  farm  that  he 
acquired  many  qualities  of  mind  and  body 
that  have  assisted  very  materially  in  his  sub- 
sequent success  in  life.  He  attended  the 
neighborhood  schools  where  he  applied  him- 
self in  a  most  assiduous  manner,  outstrip- 
ping many  of  his  classmates,  and  therefore 
gained  a  broad  and  deep  mental  foundation 
which  has  since  been  greatly  developed  by 
systematic  home  study  and  contact  with  the 
world.  After  receiving  what  education  he 
could  in  the  home  schools  Mr.  Kagy  taught 
several  terms  of  school  in  a  most  praise- 
worthy manner,  teaching  in  the  winter 
months  and  farming  in  the  summer,  having 
possesed  not  only  a  clear  and  well  defined 
text-book  training,  but  also  the  tact  to  deal 
with  his  pupils  in  a  manner  to  gain  the  best 
results,  at  the  same  time  winning  their  good 
will  and  lasting  friendship. 

After  reaching  young  manhood,  Mr. 
Kagy  decided  that  his  true  life  work  lay 
along  a  different  course  than  that  of  farm- 
ing and  school  teaching,  so  he  accordingly 
began  to  save  his  earnings  in  order  to  de- 
fray the  expense  of  a  course  in  Union  Col- 


BRIXKKRIIOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINO1 


423 


lege  of  Law  at  Chicago,  now  the  North- 
western University,  and  he  graduated  from 
that  institution  with  high  honors  on  June 
14,  1883,  after  having  made  a  brilliant  rec- 
ord in  the  same  for  scholarship  and  de- 
portment. 

He  at  once  began  practice  at  Salem, 
where  his  success  was  instantaneous,  and 
with  the  exception  of  one  year  spent  on  the 
farm  after  his  father's  death,  he  has  been 
in  Salem  ever  since  where  he  is  now  recog- 
nized as  one  of  the  most  potent  factors  in 
her  civic,  industrial  and  social  life.  Mr. 
Kagy  practices  with  uniform  success  in 
county,  state  and  federal  courts,  and  his  ser- 
vices are  in  constant  demand  in  cases  re- 
quiring superior  ingenuity  and  apt  ability. 
His  untiring  energy,  indefatigable  research 
and  persistency  have  made  him  successful 
where  less  courageous  characters  would 
have  quailed  and  been  submerged. 

Something  of  the  subject's  peculiar  and 
unquestioned  executive  ability  is  shown 
from  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the  princi- 
pal organizers  in  1903  of  the  Salem  State 
Bank,  one  of  the  most  substantial,  popular 
and  sound  institutions  of  its  kind  in  south- 
ern and  central  Illinois.  Mr.  Kagy  is  presi- 
dent of  the  same,  the  duties  of  which  he 
performs  in  a  manner  to  gain  the  unqualified 
confidence  of  the  public,  and  the  citizens  of 
Salem  and  Marion  county  do  not  hesitate  to 
place  their  funds  at  his  disposal,  knowing 
that  they  could  not  be  trusted  to  safer  and 
more  conservative  hands.  He  is  also  stock- 
holder in  the  First  National  Bank  of  Kin- 
mundy,  Illinois.  He  also  helped  organize 


the  Haymond  State  Bank  of  Kinmundy,  and 
afterwards  was  instrumental  in  merging  this 
institution  with  the  First  National  Bank  of 
that  city.  Mr.  Kagy  was  appointed  Master 
in  Chancery  of  Marion  county  in  1889,  and 
afterwards  twice  re-appointed.  He  has 
served  as  president  of  the  Salem  School 
Board  and  declined  re-election.  In  all  these 
public  capacities  he  displayed  unusual 
adroitness  in  handling  the  affairs  entrusted 
to  him. 

Mr.  Kagy's  happy  and  harmonious  do- 
mestic life  dates  from  May  18,  1887,  when 
he  was  united  in  marriage  to  Alice  Larimer, 
the  youngest  daughter  of  the  late  Smith 
Larimer,  an  ex-Treasurer  of  Marion  county, 
an  influential  and  highly  respected  citizen. 
Mrs.  Kagy  is  a  cultured  and  highly  accom- 
plished woman  of  many  estimable  attributes 
and  possessing  a  gracious  and  pleasing  per- 
sonality which  makes  her  popular  among  a 
wide  circle  of  friends  and  acquaintances, 
and  she  presides  over  the  modern,  cozy, 
elegantly  furnished  and  beautifully  appoint- 
ed home  of  the  subject  and  family  with 
modest  grace  and  dignity.  Into  this  model 
home  two  bright  and  interesting  children 
add  sunshine  and  cheerfulness.  They  are : 
John  Larimer,  who  was  born  February  22, 
1888,  now  a  student,  in  1908,  in  the  Uni- 
versity of  Illinois,  where  he  is  making  a 
splendid  record ;  and  Leigh  Monroe,  who 
was  born  March  15,  1901  ;  a  girl  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

In  1898,  during  the  Spanish- American 
war,  Mr.  Kagy  was  active  in  organizing  a 
company,  and  was  elected  captain  of  the 


424 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


same;  after  much  drilling  it  was  ready  to  go 
to  the  front.  Later  Mr.  Kagy  was  appointed 
by  Gov.  John  B.  Tanner,  major  of  Pitten- 
ger's  Provisional  Regiment.  Although  it 
was  fully  ready  to  go  to  the  front  it  was  not 
called  upon  to  do  so. 

Levi  M.  Kagy  was  one  of  the  twenty-two 
men  who  subscribed  twenty-two  thousand 
dollars  in  order  to  induce  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  shops  to  locate  in 
Salem.  The  public-spirited  and  energetic 
disposition  of  the  citizens  of  this  progressive 
city  can  be  ascertained  by  the  statement  that 
this  sum  was  raised  in  one  night.  Mr.  Kagy 
was  in  San  Francisco  at  the  time,  but  his 
friends  volunteered  to  vouch  for  him  for 
eleven  hundred  dollars,  and  he  promptly 
paid  the  full  amount  upon  his  return  home. 
Mr.  Kagy  always  practiced  law  alone  until 
January,  1907,  when  he  took  E.  B.  Van- 
dervort,  of  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  as  an  as- 
sociate. They  have  a  splendid  and  well 
equipped  suite  of  rooms  in  the  Kagy  Build- 
ing. Mr.  Kagy,  although  interested  in  many 
industrial  enterprises,  gives  his  time  almost 
exclusively  to  his  law  practice  which  is  very 
large  and  which  requires  the  major  part  of 
his  time. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Woodmen.  He 
has  occupied  the  chairs  in  the  local  Odd  Fel- 
lows lodge,  and  is  one  of  the  trustees  of 
the  I.  O.  O.  F.  Old  Folks'  Home  of  Illinois, 
of  Mattoon,  Illinois. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Kagy  and  their  oldest  son 
are  members  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 


In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  advocate  of  the 
principles  and  policies  of  the  Democratic 
party,  with  which  he  has  been  affiliated  from 
the  time  of  attaining  his  majority,  and  he 
has  ever  lent  his  aid  in  furthering  his  party's 
cause,  being  well  fortified  in  his  political 
convictions,  while  he  is  essentially  public- 
spirited  and  progressive.  In  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life  he  has  been  found  faithful  to 
every  trust  confided  in  him  and  because  of 
his  genuine  worth,  splendid  physique, 
courteous  manners  and  genial  disposition 
he  has  won  and  retains  the  warm  regard 
of  all  with  whom  he  associates. 


WILLIAM  H.  FARTHING. 

The  subject  has  long  been  recognized  as 
one  of  Marion  county's  foremost  business 
men,  holding  high  rank  among  the  finan- 
ciers of  the  community  in  which  he  lives  and 
whose  interests  he  has  ever  had  at  heart  and 
which  he  has  ever  striven  to  promote  in 
whatever  laudable  manner  that  presented  it- 
self. The  life  of  Mr.  Farthing  has  been  led 
along  high  planes  and  has  been  true  to 
every  trust  that  has  been  reposed  in  him. 

William  H.  Farthing,  the  well  known 
banker  of  Odin,  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
was  born  in  Odin,  February  2,  1869,  and 
not  being  lured  away  by  the  wanderlust 
that  caused  so  many  of  his  contemporaries 
to  leave  the  old  hearth  stone  he  has  pre- 
ferred to  live  here.  He  is  the  son  of 
George  and  Susan  (Michaels)  Farthing, 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


425 


natives  of  the  state  of  Mississippi, 
Grandfather  Farthing'  was  from  Kentucky, 
having-  come  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
the  fifties  and  settled  in  this  vicinity  where 
he  worked  a  farm,  and  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  days  having-  died  in  the 
seventies.  Both  he  and  his  wife  were  Bap- 
tists. They  were  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
Logan  county,  Kentucky,  and  received  his 
education  in  the  Blue  Grass  state.  He  de- 
voted his  life  to  farming  and  railroading, 
and  was  about  sixty  years  old  at  the  time 
of  his  death.  He  left  a  widow  and  six 
children.  The  subject's  mother  is  living  at 
the  age  of  fifty-three.  Our  subject  was  the 
second  child  in  order  of  birth.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  public  schools  of  Odin, 
but  was  obliged  to  leave  school  at  the  age 
of  twelve  years,  when  he  commenced  clerk- 
ing in  a  store  in  which  he  continued  for  ten 
years,  in  the  meantime  developing  into  an 
excellent  salesman.  Being  economical,  he 
was  enabled  at  the  end  of  that  time  to  pur- 
chase one-half  interest  in  the  store  from  his 
savings.  He  continued  in  this  store  for  an- 
other period  of  ten  years,  during  which  time 
the  trade  of  the  firm  rapidly  increasd,  cus- 
tomers coming  from  all  parts  of  the  county, 
because  of  the  reputation  of  the  firm  for 
fairness  and  courteous  treatment  had  ex- 
tended to  all  localities  roundabout.  Mr. 
Farthing  finally  sold  his  interest  in  the  store. 
He  then  handled  real  estate  and  other  lines 
for  two  years  with  gratifying  success.  Then 
he  purchased  the  bank  at  Odin,  which  had 


been  started  some  time  previous.  Under 
Mr.  Farthing's  management  it  was  soon 
placed  on  an  excellent  basis  and  it  was  pat- 
ronized by  the  local  people  and  by  the  farm- 
ers in  that  locality,  for  Mr.  Farthing's  name 
gave  the  bank  a  sound  prestige,  for  every- 
one knew  that  their  funds  would  be  entirely 
safe  entrusted  to  him,  owing  to  his  natural 
ability  as  a  financier  and  his  reputation  for 
honesty  in  all  his  business  dealings.  The 
bank  is  still  under  his  management,  he  be- 
ing the  sole  owner.  This  bank  was  first 
opened  for  business  in  May,  1905. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  on  Novem- 
ber 15,  1893,  to  Ernie  Sugg,  a  native  of 
Odin.  Four  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  one  of  whom  is  living,  Ira  J.  F., 
whose  date  of  birth  occurred  August  17, 
1898.  The  subject's  first  wife  was  called  to 
her  rest  April  12,  1901,  and  Mr.  Farthing 
was  again  married  on  September  12,  1906, 
to  Ida  A.  Kell,  of  this  county,  the  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Martha  (McWham)  Kell, 
natives  of  this  county.  Joseph  McWham 
is  paymaster  at  the  present  time  in  the 
United  States  Army.  The  grandfather, 
Robert  McWham,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-Third 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in  which  lie 
served  about  two  years  and  was  honorably 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war.  Our 
subject  has  one  child  by  his  last  wife,  Mar- 
tha, who  was  born  September  7,  1907. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Farthing  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  Blue  lodge,  the 
Chapter,  the  Knights  Templar,  also  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  and  the 


426 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINO]:- 


\\'oodmen  and  Eastern  Star.  He  has 
passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  Blue  lodge  and 
the  Odd  Fellows.  He  has  been  a  delegate 
to  the  grand  lodge  of  the  state  of  Illinois. 
Mrs.  Farthing  is  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church.  Mr.  Farthing  is  a  Demo- 
crat in  his  political  relations  and  has  al- 
ways been  interested  in  his  party's  welfare, 
giving  his  time  and  influence  to  the  work  of 
his  party  in  the  county.  He  was  elected 
and  served  in  a  most  creditable  manner  as 
City  Clerk,  Alderman  and  was  also  presi- 
dent of  the  Town  Board  and  is  at  this  writ- 
ing Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Odin.  He  has 
long  been  noted  throughout  the  county  for 
his  honesty,  integrity  and  fain  dealing,  and 
his  interest  in  all  movements  tending  to  pro- 
mote the  county's  welfare  in  any  manner 
possible,  and  as  a  result  of  his  sterling  worth 
his  integrity  and  his  pleasing  manner,  he  is 
held  in  high  regard  by  all  classes  and  has 
hosts  of  friends. 


FRANK  BRADFORD. 

The  subject  of  this  review  enjoyed  dis- 
tinctive prestige  among  the  enterprising 
men  of  Marion  county,  having  fought  his 
way  onward  and  upward  to  a  prominent 
position  in  industrial  circles  and  in  every 
relation  of  life  his  voice  and  influence  were 
on  the  side  of  right  as  he  saw  and  under- 
stood the  right.  He  was  always  interested 
in  every  enterprise  for  the  general  welfare 
of  the  community  and  liberally  supported 


every  movement  calculated  to  benefit  his  fel- 
low men ;  and  although  the  last  chapter  in 
his  life  drama  has  been  brought  to  a  close 
and  he  has  been  called  to  a  higher  sphere 
of  action,  his  influence  is  still  felt  for  good 
in  his  community  and  he  is  greatly  missed 
by  hosts  of  friends  and  acquaintances. 

Frank  Bradford  was  born  in  Weymouth, 
Medina  county,  Ohio,  August  10,  1852, 
where  he  spent  his  boyhood  days  and  at- 
tended the  common  schools.  About  1865  ne 
came  with  his  father,  George  Bradford,  and 
family  to  Flora,  Illinois,  where  the  father 
conducted  the  old  Buckeye  House  and  where 
Frank  engaged  successfully  in  farming  and 
trading  until  1879,  in  which  year  he  was 
happily  married  to  Mary  E.  Hull,  the  only 
daughter  of  the  late  Erasmus  Hull,  and  to 
this  union  a  son  and  a  daughter  were  born, 
the  former  having  died  in  infancy ;  the  latter 
is  now  Mrs.  Roland  C.  Brinkerhoff.  Of 
Mr.  Bradford's  own  family  but  two  sisters 
survive  in  1908,  namely:  Mrs.  Minnie 
Bettis,  of  Arkansas,  and  Rose  Lebus,  of 
Ardmore,  Oklahoma.  Mrs.  Bradford,  a 
woman  of  many  fine  traits,  is  living  in  Salem 
in  the  cozy,  substantial  and  well  furnished 
Bradford  residence.  Frank  Bradford  was 
a  descendant  of  the  ninth  generation  of 
Gen.  William  Bradford,  of  Revolutionary 
fame.  George  Bradford,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  in  Rowley,  Essex  county, 
Massachusetts,  and  he  was  called  to  his  rest 
while  living  in  Arkansas.  The  mother  of 
the  subject  was  known  in  her  maidenhood 
as  Abalinda  Russell,  who  was  born  in  Hart- 
ford, Connecticut,  April  10,  1823,  and  she 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


427 


was  called  to  her  reward  while  living  in 
Flora,  Illinois,  February  27,  1872,  at  the 
age  of  forty-eight  years.  The  subject's 
parents  were  of  the  best  blood  and  reputa- 
tion and  were  much  admired  in  whatever 
community  they  lived  for  their  honest  and 
hard-working  lives. 

\Yhen  but  a  mere  lad  Mr.  Bradford  united 
with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  at 
Flora,  Illinois.  He  was  received  into  the 
Methodist  church  in  Salem  by  letter  on  De- 
cember 12,  1879,  under  the  pastorate  of  Rev. 
Fred  L.  Thompson  and  he  remained  in  that 
faith,  an  ardent  supporter  of  the  church  un- 
til his  death. 

Soon  after  his  marriage,  Mr.  Bradford 
located  in  Salem  and  entered  upon  a  long 
and  honorable  business  career  of  which  all 
speak  with  words  of  praise.  Being  of  a 
jolly  disposition  and  having  a  kind  word 
for  everyone,  he  commanded,  perhaps,  the 
largest  patronage  of  any  single  salesman  in 
the  community.  His  scrupulously  honest 
methods  and  his  natural  ability  also  at- 
tracted scores  of  customers.  He  first  en- 
tered the  mercantile  establishment  of  Hull 
and  Morris.  In  1880,  Mr.  Hull  having 
purchased  the  interest  of  Mr.  Morris  and 
also  the  interest  of  Scott  Muggy  in  the  firm 
of  Atkin  &  Muggy,  the  two  stocks  were 
combined  under  the  firm  name  of  Hull  & 
Atkin,  and  Mr.  Bradford  took  a  position 
with  this  firm  which  soon  became  E.  Hull 
&  Son,  changing  later  to  the  Hull  Dry 
Goods  Company  and  then  to  C.  E.  Hull. 
Mr.  Bradford  remained  through  all  these 
changes,  having  been  regarded  as  indispens- 


able to  the  firm's  business,  until  he  went  as 
manager  for  the  firm  to  Kinmundy,  where 
he  remained  for  a  short  time  building  up  the 
trade  in  a  very  substantial  way,  and  later 
he  was  manager  for  Hammond  &  Hull  in 
Salem.  While  conducting  the  latter  busi- 
ness Mr.  Bradford  suffered  an  attack  of  ner- 
vous prostration  and  was  very  sick  for  a 
time.  Both  for  recreation  and  as  a  means 
of  regaining  his  health  he  began  managing 
his  farm,  spending  only  an  occasional  day 
in  the  store;  but  improvement  was  not  so 
rapid  as  was  expected  for  the  long  and 
strenuous  life  in  the  commercial  world  had 
undermined  his  health  so  extensively  that 
rapid  improvement  and  even  recuperation 
could  not  be  expected,  consequently  on  Wed- 
nesday night,  February  6,  1907,  when  he 
was  planning  to  attend  a  meeting  of  the 
Pythian  Sisters  in  company  with  his  wife, 
about  5  130  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  he  was 
seized  with  an  attack  of  apoplexy  while  at 
his  home.  This  soon  developed  into  paraly- 
sis of  the  left  side  which  soon  became  com- 
plete. He  remained  in  an  unconscious  state 
until  6 150  the  following  morning,  when  the 
white  winged  messenger  came.  The  funeral 
services  were  conducted  at  the  residence 
Saturday  afternoon  following,  by  Rev.  J. 
G.  Tucker,  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  interment  was  made  in  the 
family  lot  in  East  Lawn  Cemetery.  The 
floral  offerings  were  beautiful  and  elaborate 
from  the  many  friends  of  the  deceased  and 
also  from  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  lodges,  the 
Pythian  Sisters  and  the  Rebekahs,  of  which 


428 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


orders  either  he  or  Mrs.  Bradford  had  been 
consistent  members.  And  the  great  throng 
of  sorrowing  friends  and  acquaintances  that 
came  to  pay  a  last  tribute  to  their  much 
loved  friend  attested  as  fully  as  was  possible 
the  love  and  high  esteem  in  which  Mr. 
Bradford  was  held  by  every  one  who  knew 
him.  Public-spirited  and  liberal  he  was 
ever  in  the  forefront  of  all  plans  for  im- 
provement and  the  betterment  of  Salem  and 
his  sudden  calling  away  was  a  distinct  loss 
to  the  entire  community,  for  his  life  had 
been  industrious,  scrupulously  honest  and 
kind. 


JOHN  J.  FYKE,  M.  D. 

One  of  the  representative  members  of  the 
medical  fraternity  in  Marion  county  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  who  is  engaged  in 
practice  in  Odin,  and  who  holds  high  rank 
in  his  profession,  while  his  ability  and  cour- 
tesy have  won  him  the  confidence  and  es- 
teem of  all  who  know  him. 

Dr.  Fyke  is  a  successful,  self-made  man. 
Peculiar  honor  attaches  to  that  individual, 
•who,  beginning  the  great  struggle  of  life 
alone  and  unaided,  gradually  overcomes  un- 
favorable environment,  gaining  at  last  the 
goal  of  success  by  the  force  of  his  own  in- 
dividuality. Such  is  the  record,  briefly 
stated,  of  this  popular  citizen  of  Odin,  Il- 
linois, to  a  synopsis  of  whose  life  and  char- 
acter the  following  paragraphs  are  devoted. 

Dr.  John  J.  Fyke  was  born  in  Marion 
county  in  1842,  the  son  of  Joshua  A.  and 


Margaret  (Wilson)  Fyke,  the  latter  being 
the  first  female  white  child  born  in  the  coun- 
ty, a  distinction  of  which  anyone  might  be 
justly  proud.  The  date  of  her  birth  was  in 
1822,  and  in  1908  she  is  still  living,  being 
in  possession  of  her  full  faculties.  It  is  in- 
teresting to  hear  her  tell  of  the  great 
development  she  has  seen  here  since  the 
early  pioneer  days — wonderful,  indeed,  the 
most  wonderful  progress  in  the  history  of 
the  world,  having  been  made  during  the 
lapse  of  her  long  life.  Her  people  came  to 
Illinois  from  North  Carolina,  in  1818,  and 
settled  among  the  earliest  pioneers  in  this 
locality.  They  took  up  government  land, 
and  developed  excellent  farms.  Her  parents 
reared  their  children  here  and  died  here  at 
advanced  ages.  There  were  three  boys  and 
three  girls  in  this  family.  Grandfather 
Fyke  was  reared  in  North  Carolina  and 
moved  to  Tennessee,  where  he  spent  the 
balance  of  his  days. 

The  father  of  the  subject  was  born  in 
1812,  an  historic  year  in  our  national  his- 
tory. His  father  was  a  farmer  and  lived  to 
an  advanced  age,  having  reared  a  large  fam- 
ily. His  wife  also  lived  to  be  very  old.  The 
father  of  our  subject  came  to  this  county  in 
1839.  His  early  educational  advantages 
were  limited,  but  he  was  a  great  reader  and 
finally  became  well  informed.  He  was  a 
Methodist  and  an  exhorter.  He  made  polit- 
ical speeches,  and  was  a  loyal  Democrat. 
He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  thirty 
years.  His  family  consisted  of  twelve  chil- 
dren, five  boys  and  one  girl  having  lived  to 
maturity.  Two  brothers  of  the  subject  liv- 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


429 


ing  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri,  are  practicing 
attorneys. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools 
of  this  county  and  one  year  in  McKendree 
College,  Lebanon,  Illinois.  He  then  com- 
menced reading  medicine  under  the  direc- 
tion of  Doctor  Davenport,  of  Salem,  where 
he  continued  for  three  years,  making  a 
splendid  record  for  scholarship.  During 
this  time  he  attended  medical  college,  part 
of  the  time  at  Chicago  and  the  balance  at 
St.  Louis,  making  splendid  records  at  both 
places.  He  commenced  practice  in  1866, 
having  located  in  Odin,  where  he  has  con- 
tinued practice  ever  since.  He  was  success- 
ful from  the  start  and  his  patients  are  now 
so  numerous  that  he  can  hardly  find  time  to 
do  anything  outside  of  his  regular  work. 

Doctor  Fyke  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1867  to  Minerva  Phillipps,  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee, the  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Eliza 
(Chadwell)  Phillipps.  They  were  natives  of 
Tennessee,  having  moved  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  in  1855.  They  settled  on  a  farm 
here  where  they  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives  and  where  they  died,  both  having 
lived  to  an  old  age,  having  reared  a  family 
of  eight  children. 

Three  children,  all  boys,  have  been  born 
to  our  subject  and  wife,  namely:  Edgar  E., 
who  was  born  in  1868,  who  is  now  a  prac- 
ticing physician,  and  the  father  of  three 
children,  all  girls.  The  second  and  third 
children  of  Dr.  Fyke  and  wife  were  twins, 
Thomas  Emmett  and  Josiah  Harley,  who 


were  born  in   1872.     They  are  both  living 
on  a  farm  near  Odin. 

Our  subject  in  his  fraternal  relations  is  a 
Mason,  having  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the 
local  lodge.  He  is  a  trustee  of  the  Metho- 
dist church,  of  which  both  he  and  his  wife 
are  faithful  members  and  liberal  supporters. 
The  doctor  is  a  loyal  Democrat.  He  is  a 
member  and  president  of  the  pension  board. 
Dr.  Fyke  is  one  of  the  well  known  men  in 
Marion  county,  where  his  long  and  success- 
ful career  has  been  spent,  and  has  a  pleas- 
ant and  well  furnished  home  in  Odin. 


JOHN  E.  MARTIN. 

John  E.  Martin  has  spent  his  entire  life 
in  Salem,  Illinois,  having  been  bom  here 
December  24,  1857,  the  son  of  Gen.  James 
S.  Martin.  His  mother  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Jane  Elston,  of  English 
ancestry.  The  parents  of  the  subject  were 
married  in  Salem.  To  them  were  born  seven 
children,  three  of  whom  are  living,  namely : 
John  E.,  our  subject;  Luther,  living  in 
Salem ;  and  Mrs.  Grace  M.  Webster,  also  of 
Salem.  They  all  received  the  most  care- 
ful training  possible  by  their  parents  and 
were  given  good  common  school  educations. 
The  subject's  father,  whose  life  history  is 
given  in  detail  on  another  page  of  this 
work,  passed  away  in  1907,  after  a  long  and 
busy  career,  and  the  mother  of  the  subject, 
who  was  a  -woman  of  beautiful  attributes, 
was  called  home  in  1889. 


430 


MMVKKRIIOl'l-  S    HISTORY    <)••     MARION*    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


John  E.  Martin,  our  subject,  spent  his 
boyhood  in  Salem,  where  he  attended  the 
common  schools,  making  a  splendid  record 
in  the  same.  He  later  attended  the  Claverack 
(New  York)  Military  School,  and  a 
private  school  at  Kennett  Square,  Penn- 
sylvania, which  was  later  moved  to  Media, 
that  state.  He  also  went  to  school  at  Boon- 
ville,  Missouri,  to  the  Kemper  Family 
school.  In  both  of  the  latter  he  made  rapid 
progress  and  came  out  well  fitted  for  life's 
duties.  After  leaving  school  Mr.  Martin 
launched  in  the  dry  goods  business  in  Salem 
in  which  lie  continued  with  marked  success 
attending  his  efforts  for  a  number  of  years, 
finally  moving  his  store  to  Sandoval,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  also  remained  for  several 
years,  building  up  an  excellent  trade  by  rea- 
son of  his  minute  knowledge  of  this  line 
of  business  and  his  courteous  treatment  of 
customers,  always  giving  them  value  re- 
ceived. In  1888  our  subject  assisted  his 
father,  who  was  State  Chairman  of  the  Re- 
publican State  Committee,  in  the  clerical 
work,  and  after  the  campaign  he  accepted 
a  position  with  J.  B.  Farwell  Company  at 
Chicago,  as  salesman,  and  he  remained  with 
this  firm  for  five  or  six  years,  giving  entire 
satisfaction  in  his  work.  He  came  back  to 
Salem  about  1890  for  the  purpose  of  ac- 
cepting a  position  with  the  Salem  Na- 
tional Bank  which  he  has  been  connected 
with  since  that  time,  giving  the  managers 
of  this  institution  entire  satisfaction  and 
handling  his  position  in  such  a  way  as  to 
increase  the  prestige  of  the  bank  and  reflect 


much  credit  upon  his  innate  ability.  He 
has  prospered  by  reason  of  his  executive 
ability  and  modern  business  methods  until 
he  has  accumulated  considerable  property, 
owning  at  this  time  valuable  farming  lands. 
He  is  also  a  stockholder  in  the  Salem  Na- 
tional Bank. 

Mr.  Martin's  domestic  life  dates  from 
June  18,  1894,  when  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Clara  Merritt,  the  accomplished 
daughter  of  Hon.  T.  E.  Merritt,  an  old  and 
respected  family  of  Salem.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  by  the  birth  of  five  children, 
two  of  whom  are  living  and  three  deceased. 
Their  names  are:  The  first  child  died  in 
infancy,  unnamed ;  James  Stewart  and  Mar- 
garet Merritt,  twins,  are  both  deceased; 
Merritt  Elston  and  Alice  Jane  are  living, 
both  bright  and  interesting  children. 

Mr.  Martin  takes  a  great  interest  in 
church  work,  being  a  member  of  the  Episco- 
pal church,  to  which  his  wife  also  belongs. 
He  has  been  interested  in  helping  build  the 
new  church  on  West  Union  street,  which  is 
one  of  the  most  attractive  and  subtsantial 
little  churches  in  Salem.  In  politics  Mr. 
Martin  is  a  loyal  Republican,  always  ready 
to  lend  a  helping  hand  to  promote  the  in- 
terests of  his  community  whether  along  po- 
litical, educational,  moral  or  religious  lines. 
The  home  of  the  subject  is  nicely  furnished, 
and  presided  over  with  rare  grace  and 
dignity  by  Mrs.  Martin,  who  is  often  host- 
ess to  numerous  friends  of  this  popular 
family.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Martin  are  pleasant 
people  to  meet,  always  courteous  and  kind. 


HKINKEKHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


43  I 


WILLIAM  WHAM. 

He  of  whom  this  sketch  is  written  is  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  honored  pioneer 
families  of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  where 
he  has  passed  practically  his  entire  life,  and 
he  is  one  of  the  successful  and  prominent 
citizens  of  Cartter,  where  he  is  the  leading 
merchant,  being  well  known  to  the  people  of 
that  vicinity  as  a  man  of  clean  business  prin- 
ciples and  public-spirited,  having  attained 
prosperity  through  his  own  well  directed  ef- 
forts. 

William  Wham  was  born  in  this  county 
in  1853,  the  son  of  William  Wham,  a  na- 
tive of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Illinois 
when  a  young  boy  and  settled  in  Marion 
county  where  he  developed  a  good  farm  and 
always  made  a  comfortable  living.  He  was 
a  charter  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge, 
No.  130,  at  Salem.  He  became  well  known 
and  influential.  He  passed  to  his  rest  in 
1893.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was  Lou- 
isa Anna  Rainey,  a  native  of  Hopkinsville, 
Kentucky,  who  came  to  Illinois,  when  elev- 
en years  old.  She  was  a  woman  of  many 
praiseworthy  traits.  She  died  some  six 
years  prior  to  her  husband's  demise. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  the  parents 
of  the  subject,  four  of  whom  are  living  in 
1908.  They  are  named  in  order  of  their 
birth  as  follows:  Margaret  is  the  widow  of 
James  Mount,  of  Kell,  Illinois;  Martha  I., 
living  at  Cartter,  is  the  widow  of  William 
K.  Storment ;  H.  B.  owns  a  farm  near  Cart- 
ter, Illinois ;  •  William,  our  subject,  who 
spent  his  boyhood  on  a  farm  near  Cartter, 
working  during  the  summer  months,  and 


attending  the  country  schools  the  balance 
of  the  year.  His  early  life  was  spent  in 
farming,  trading  and  dealing  in  stock,  of 
which  he  made  a  success.  After  abandoning 
this  he  went  into  the  mercantile  business  in 
1895  at  Cartter,  Illinois,  and  has  been  thus 
engaged  since  that  time,  having  built  up  an 
excellent  trade  by  reason  of  his  courteous 
treatment  of  customers  and  his  natural  abil- 
ity. His  store  is  known  throughout  this 
locality  as  the  place  where  the  best  goods  in 
the  market  can  be  obtained  at  reasonable 
prices,  and  his  trade  has  constantly  grown 
from  year  to  year.  Mr.  Wham  has  pros- 
pered by  reason  of  his  well  directed  energy, 
and  he  has  become  the  owner  of  the  Park 
Hotel  at  Salem,  the  leading  hostelry  of  that 
city,  and  he  is  also  a  director  of  the  Salem 
National  Bank.  He  also  has  a  large  inter- 
est in  the  Robinson  oil  fields  in  Crawford 
county.  He  was  chairman  of  the  building 
committee  for  the  new  building  for  the  Sa- 
lem National  Bank,  which  was  erected  in 
1908.  He  also  has  valuable  farm  lands.  All 
this  our  subject  has  attained  by  reason  of 
his  own  unaided  efforts,  and  every  dollar 
he  possesses  was  obtained  in  an  honest  man- 
ner. 

Mr.  Wham  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1874  to  Emma  C.  Adams,  the  refined  and 
accomplished  daughter  of  James  Adams,  of 
near  Salem.  Her  father  is  a  well  known 
farmer.  One  child,  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife,  died  in  infancy.  Mrs.  Wham  is 
postmistress  at  Cartter,  which  position  she 
has  creditably  filled  for  the  past  fourteen 
years,  having  been  appointed  by  Grover 
Cleveland  and  re-appointed  by  even-  Pres- 


432 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ident  since.  She  is  a  woman  of  rare  execu- 
tive ability  as  well  as  many  pleasing  traits 
which  renders  her  popular  with  all  classes. 
Mrs.  Wham's  mother,  Mrs.  Paulina  Adams, 
is  living  at  Springfield,  Illinois.  The  father 
of  the  subject's  wife  is  deceased.  They 
were  both  natives  of  Virginia  and  scions  of 
well  known  old  southern  families.  Mr. 
Wham's  grandfather  was  also  named  Wil- 
liam Wham.  He  was  a  native  of  Ireland, 
and  a  man  of  sterling  qualities. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
Blue  Lodge,  Chapter  at  Salem,  and  the 
Commandery  at  Centralia.  He  is  also  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wham  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  at  Cartter,  be- 
ing liberal  subscribers  to  the  same.  Mr. 
Wham  was  Chairman  of  the  Board  of  Su- 
pervisors of  Marion  county,  having  been 
elected  as  an  independent  and  was  a  good 
official,  having  ably  disposed  of  the  duties 
of  this  important  trust  in  a  manner  that  re- 
flected much  credit  upon  his  ability. 


A.  M.  PEDDICORD. 

It  is  interesting  to  study  the  life  record 
of  such  a  man  as  the  gentleman  whose 
name  appears  above  owing  to  the  fact  that 
he  began  life  under  no  favorable  auspicies 
and  has  had  to  battle  his  own  way  through 
the  world,  but  he  has  succeeded  remarkably 
well  and  has  shown  how  a  man  can  "go 
it  alone"  when  once  his  face  is  set  in  the 


right  direction  and  he  has  the  courage  of  his 
convictions.  Therefore,  for  this  and  many 
other  reasons,  not  the  least  of  which  is  the 
fact  that  he  is  one  of  the  brave  veterans  of 
the  great  war  of  the  Rebellion,  efficiently 
serving  his  country  during  its  dark  days, 
we  take  pleasure  in  giving  him  a  place  in 
this  work. 

A.  M.  Peddicord  was  born  in  Bracken 
county,  Kentucky,  June  4,  1841,  and  he  was 
about  fourteen  years  old  when  he  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  spent  most  of 
the  time  since  then  in  Carrigan  township. 
He  is  the  son  of  Nelson  and  Rebecca  Peddi- 
cord, the  subject's  parents  having  been 
cousins.  The  father  died  when  the  subject 
was  very  young  and  he  has  but  little  recol- 
lection of  him.  The  subject's  mother  was 
born  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  and  died 
about  fifteen  years  ago.  There  were  six 
children  in  the  family  of  Nelson  Peddicord 
and  wife,  namely :  Emanuel  J.,  who  first 
married  Hester  Lawrence,  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  three  children ;  his  second  wife 
was  Sallie  Hooker  and  they  became  the  par- 
ents of  five  or  six  children ;  Emanuel's  third 
wife  was  Nancy  Roberts;  A.  E.,  the  second 
child  of  Nelson  and  Rebecca  Peddicord, 
served  in  the  Union  army  in  the  One  Hun- 
dred and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, having  remained  single,  and  he  died 
soon  after  the  close  of  the  war ;  F.  M.  mar- 
ried a  Miss  Faggin  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  five  children;  A.  M.,  our  subject,  was  the 
fourth  child  in  order  of  birth;  Sarah  M. 
was  twice  married;  Priscilla  died  when 
young. 


A.  M.  PEDDICORD. 


BRIXKERHOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOI; 


433 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  compelled 
to  make  his  own  way  after  he  was  four- 
teen years  old  and  he  has  succeeded  admir- 
ably well.  When  he  reached  maturity  he 
was  married  to  Eliza  Britt  in  August,  1869, 
in  Marion  county.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Samuel  and  Abigail  (Roderick)  Britt.  Her 
parents  lived  in  Pennsylvania,  Ohio  and  In- 
diana and  finally  settled  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  they  died  here.  Mr.  Britt  was 
a  farmer.  The  subject's  wife  was  the  ninth 
of  a  family  of  ten  children. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  A.  M.  Peddicord:  Francis  M., 
who  is  forty-one  years  old  in  1908,  married 
Mary  E.  Foltz  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
seven  children;  Mary  E.  died  when  four- 
teen months  old;  Sarah  E.,  who  is  now  thir- 
ty-nine years,  married  Thomas  P.  Walker, 
and  they  have  three  children  living  and 
two  dead. 

As  already  intimated  Mr.  Peddicord  was 
a  soldier  in  the  Union  army  during  the  Civil 
war,  having  enlisted  in  Company  K,  Thirty- 
first  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  on  August 
10,  1861,  under  the  command  of  Gen.  John 
A.  Logan.  He  served  in  a  most  gallant 
manner  for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  was 
taken  prisoner  on  the  march  to  the  sea  at 
Meridian,  Mississippi.  He  was  in  the  bat- 
tle of  Fort  Donelson,  was  in  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg  and  Champion's  Hill.  He  was 
in  Andersonville  prison  for  a  period  of  six 
months,  later  being  moved  to  Florence.  He 
contracted  the  scurvy  while  in  prison,  hav- 
ing been  in  prison  when  peace  was  declared. 

Our  subject  has  an  excellent  farm  con- 
28 


sisting  of  two  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
valuable  land  in  section  34,  seventy-seven 
acres  of  which  are  in  timber.  The  subject 
has  made  most  of  the  improvements  of  his 
farm  which  now  holds  high  rank  with 
Marion  county's  best  farms.  It  shows  good 
management  and  is  well  stocked.  He  has 
a  comfortable  residence  which  is  well  fur- 
nished. 

Mr.  Peddicord  was  Road  Commissioner 
for  two  terms  and  gave  entire  satisfaction. 
He  is  a  loyal  Democrat.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Peddicord  are  faithful  members  of  the  Bap- 
tist church.  Our  subject  deserves  much 
credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished,  for 
he  had  little  chance  to  attend  school  in  his 
youth.  The  only  school-house  in  his  com- 
munity was  built  of  logs,  and  the  terms  of 
school  were  very  short.  But  he  has  been  a 
hard  worker  and  has  succeeded  despite  early 
disadvantages,  until  today  he  is  one  of  the 
county's  most  representative  agriculturists 
and  has  many  friends  throughout  the 
same. 


GEN.  JAMES  STEWART  MARTIN. 

It  is  a  great  badge  of  honor  to  have  the 
distinction  of  serving  the  government  in  the 
conflict  with  Mexico,  assisting  in  the  ardu- 
ous campaigns  until  the  stars  and  stripes 
were  unfurled  on  the  citadel  of  the  Monte- 
zuma,  and  also,  less  than  two  decades  later 
to  have  been  permitted  to  serve  the  na- 
tional Union  in  the  four  years  of  polemic 
struggle  between  the  states.  Among  the 


434 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


conspicuous  figures  of  these  great  inter- 
necine conflicts  is  the  well  remembered  gen- 
tleman whose  name  forms  the  caption  of 
this  biographical  memoir,  who,  although 
his  life  history  has  been  closed  by  death, 
his  influence  continues  to  pervade  the  lives 
of  those  with  whom  he  came  in  contact. 
He  was  always  mindful  of  his  duty  to  his 
fellow  men  and  ready  with  word  or  deed  to 
assist  them  in  the  struggle  up  life's  steep 
path.  No  man  in  his  day  and  generation 
in  this  locality  exercised  a  greater  influence 
for  the  civic,  material  and  moral  uplift  of 
the  community  than  General  Martin,  for  his 
life  was  that  of  the  patriot,  the  Christian 
gentleman,  the  true  American  nobleman. 
General  James  Stewart  Martin  was  born 
August  19,  1826,  in  Estillville,  now  Gate 
City,  Scott  county,  Virginia,  the  son  of 
John  S.  and  Malinda  (Morrison)  Martin, 
pioneers  of  that  part  of  the  Old  Dominion 
state  and  a  fine  old  Southern  family  of  great 
influence  in  their  day,  his  father  having  been 
a  man  of  considerable  political  prominence 
and  highly  educated.  He  served  as  County 
Clerk,  Circuit  Clerk,  and  Master  of  Chan- 
cery for  about  twenty  years.  The  mother 
of  the  subject,  who  was  born  in  Sullivan 
county,  Tennessee,  was  a  woman  of  many 
commendable  attributes,  noted  for  her 
broad  charity  and  high  culture,  and  before 
she  was  called  to  her  rest,  in  1828,  she 
emancipated  her  slaves.  The  subject's 
father  moved  to  Illinois  in  1844  and  settled 
on  a  farm  seven  miles  north  of  Salem, 
where  his  son,  our  subject,  resided  for  a 
period  of  three  years,  assisting  in  develop- 


ing the  farm  from  its  primitive  state  into  a 
highly  productive  place. 

James  S.  Martin,  our  subject,  received  his 
education  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
community  in  Virginia,  making  such  notable 
progress  and  manifesting  such  a  thirst  for 
the  higher  learning  that  he  was  subsequently 
placed  in  Emery  and  Henry  College,  Wash- 
ington county,  Virginia,  where  he  made  a 
brilliant  record  for  scholarship.  A  lad  of 
strong  patriotism  from  his  early  youth 
which  continued  to  increase  with  advancing 
years,  he  was  glad  to  have  an  opportunity 
to  enter  the  army  during  the  Mexican  war, 
having  enlisted  in  Company  C,  First  Regi- 
ment, Illinois  Volunteers,  in  the  spring  of 
1847,  and  he  made  such  an  excellent  soldier 
that  he  was  made  third  sergeant  of  his  com- 
pany. The  regiment  was  mustered  into  ser- 
vice at  Alton,  then  transported  to  Fort 
Leavenworth  and  marched  across  the  plains 
to  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico.  He  performed 
conspicuous  service  during  the  strenuous 
campaign  against  the  Mexicans.  After  the 
war,  while  on  the  homeward  trip,  his  com- 
pany nominated  him  for  County  Clerk  of 
Marion  county,  and  the  people  here  ratified 
their  action  upon  the  arrival  of  the  men  at 
Salem.  He  was  duly  elected  and  in  a  most 
able  and  creditable  manner  discharged  the 
duties  of  the  same  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years.  He  was  also  Master  in  Chancery  for 
two  terms,  in  which  he  also  showed  his  su- 
perior ability  in  official  capacity.  Being  an 
ambitious  man  he  sought  every  means  pos- 
sible to  improve  himself  and  to  be  of  the 
greatest  service  to  his  fellow  men,  conse- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


435 


quently  while  holding  these  offices  he  de- 
voted his  spare  moments  to  the  study  of  law, 
and  upon  admittance  to  the  bar,  July  4, 
1861,  formed  a  partnership  with  B.  F. 
Marshall  and  D.  C.  Jones  and  opened  an  of- 
fice in  Salem.  Owing  to  the  great  strength 
and  prestige  of  this  well  known  trio  their 
legal  business  was  heavy  from  the  first  and 
the  reputation  of  the  firm  soon  spread 
throughout  this  part  of  the  state. 

In  1862,  when  the  clouds  of  rebellion 
were  the  darkest  and  the  lambent  flames  of 
discontented  citizenship  of  the  South  were 
the  most  direful,  our  subject  realized  that 
every  loyal  son  of  the  North  should  do  what 
he  could  toward  preserving  the  integrity  of 
the  Union,  consequently  he  sought  and  ob- 
tained permission  from  Governor  Yates  to 
raise  a  regiment,  with  the  result  that  the 
famous  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  was 
mustered,  and  Mr.  Martin  was  selected  as 
the  man  most  worthy  and  able  to  command 
it,  therefore  he  became  colonel  of  the  same. 
It  was  composed  of  seven  companies  from 
Marion  county,  one  from  Clay  and  one  from 
Clinton  county,  the  regiment  comprising 
nine  hundred  and  thirty  men  and  officers, 
and  it  was  mustered  into  service  September 
1 8,  1862,  and  joined  General  Davies  at  Co- 
lumbus, Kentucky.  Our  subject  served  in 
the  capacity  of  colonel  all  through  the  war, 
his  services  showing  that  he  was  a  man  of 
much  military  courage  and  genius,  having 
from  time  to  time  led  his  men  into  the  brunt 
of  the  fighting.  During  1863  he  was  in 
command  of  the  post  at  Columbus  and  later 
at  Paducah,  Kentucky.  From  there  he  went 


to  Florence,  Alabama,  whither  he  was  or- 
dered by  General  Sherman,  and  he  later 
went  into  winter  quarters  at  Pulaski,  Ten- 
nessee. From  March  16,  1864,  he  served 
with  the  Sixteenth  Army  Corps,  until  the 
close  of  the  struggle,  having  seen  much 
hard  service  during  that  time,  being  with 
Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea  and  having 
led  his  regiment  at  the  great  battles  of 
Resaca,  Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Atlanta, 
Jonesboro,  Fort  McAllister  and  received 
the  surrender  of  the  commander  of  this  fort. 
He  was  brevetted  brigadier  general  in  July, 
1864,  and  participated  in  the  grand  review 
in  Washington  City,  and  was  mustered  out 
in  Springfield,  Illinois,  in  June,  1865. 

After  the  war  General  Martin  plunged 
into  the  active  affairs  of  civil  life  and  won 
signal  distinction  in  the  field  of  politics  and 
business.  He  launched  into  banking  in  Sa- 
lem, building  up  the  nucleus  of  a  large  for- 
tune through  his  wonderful  executive  abil- 
ity. Taking  an  interest  in  Republican  poli- 
tics after  the  war  he  was  elected  County 
Judge  in  1866,  overwhelming  a  Democratic 
majority  of  six  hundred.  He  was  nominated 
for  Congress  in  1872  and  was  elected  over 
Judge  Silas  L.  Bryan,  father  of  Hon.  Wil- 
liam J.  Bryan.  He  ably  served  one  term 
in  Washington. 

General  Martin  was  appointed  Commis- 
sioner of  the  Southern  Illinois  Penitentiary 
by  Governor  Cullom,  September  4,  1879, 
which  position  he  creditably  served  for  four 
years.  He  served  as  a  member  of  the  Re- 
publican State  Central  Committee  for  a 
period  of  nearly  twenty  years,  and  was  chair- 


436 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


man  of  the  same  during  the  canvass  which 
elected  Governor  Fifer.  He  was  a  delegate 
to  the  National  Convention  in  1876,  when 
he  voted  for  the  nomination  of  James  G. 
Elaine  for  President.  As  might  be  expected 
he  was  an  interested  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  and  was  honored  in 
the  same  by  being  elected  department  com- 
mander of  Illinois  for  two  terms.  He  was 
largely  instrumental  in  1882  in  organizing 
the  Southern  Illinois  Soldiers  and  Sailors 
Reunion  Association,  of  which  he  continu- 
ously served  as  commander.  In  all  the  offi- 
cial positions,  General  Martin  conducted 
himself  as  a  most  able  and  worthy  exponent 
of  the  country's  good,  and  proved  at  all 
times  to  be  an  unselfish  public  servant  of 
the  most  humanitarian  and  altruistic  mo- 
tives and  principles. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  dates 
from  1852,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Jane  Elston,  of  Salem,  Illinois,  to 
whom  four  children  were  born,  three  sur- 
viving. They  are:  Grace  M.,  the  wife  of 
George  O.  Webster;  Luther  and  John  E. 
A  complete  history  of  the  last  child  named 
is  to  be  found  on  another  page  of  this  work. 
The  subject's  first  wife  passed  to  her  rest 
in  1889,  and  in  1903  General  Martin  was 
married  to  Margaret  Savage,  of  Ashland, 
Kentucky,  who,  with  their  daughter,  Daisy, 
a  cultured  and  refined  lady,  survive  in  1908. 
Three  brothers  of  the  subject,  Robert,  Ben- 
jamin and  Thomas,  are  also  living  in  Salem. 

Thus  after  a  most  active,  useful  and  ex- 
emplary life  which  the  kind  Heavenly 
Father  greatly  prolonged  he  passed  to  his 
rest,  November  20,  1907. 


The  city  of  Salem  owes  a  great  debt  of 
gratitude  to  General  Martin  for  he  aided  in 
many  ways  in  its  upbuilding  and  general 
development  as  he  did  also  Marion  county, 
where  he-  was  for  many  decades  held  in  the 
highest  esteem  by  all  classes,  for  he  was 
universally  regarded  as  a  hero  both  in  war 
and  in  peace,  one  of  the  component  parts  of 
the  nation's  substantial  pillars,  and  the  rev- 
erence with  which  the  citizens  of  this  lo- 
cality cherish  his  memory  will  serve  as  a 
greater  monument  than  marble  shaft  or 
bronze  obelisk.  He  was  truly  a  brave  and 
good  man  whose  life  was  a  continued  sacri- 
fice for  others,  a  benefactor  in  the  true  sense 
of  the  term.  His  career  was  fraught  with 
untold  blessings  to  the  world,  and  when  in 
common  with  all  things  human  his  earthly 
course  was  ended  and  he  was  called  to  a 
higher  plane  of  action,  the  memory  of  his 
noble  deeds  and  honorable  achievements 
continued  to  constitute  a  record  to  which 
each  passing  year  will  give  additional  luster. 


ADAM  H.  BACHMANN. 

The  United  States  can  boast  of  no  better 
or  more  law-abiding  class  of  citizens  than 
the  great  number  of  German  people  who 
have  found  homes  within  her  borders. 
Though  holding  dear  and  sacred  the  beloved 
mother  country,  they  are  none  the  less  de- 
voted to  the  fair  country  of  their  adoption. 
Among  this  class  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  for  a  number  of  years  has  been 
one  of  the  foremost  citizens  of  Marion 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


437 


county,  Illinois,  where  he  has  labored  not 
only  for  his  own  advancement,  but  also  for 
the  good  of  the  community,  his  efforts  hav- 
ing been  amply  repaid  with  abundant  finan- 
cial success  and  the  esteem  of  his  fellow 
men. 

Adam  H.  Bachmann,  the  well  known  and 
popular  president  of  the  Salem  National 
Bank,  was  born  in  Saxony,  Germany,  No- 
vember 28,  1845,  the  son  of  George  Bach- 
mann, a  man  of  sterling  qualities,  who  was 
also  a  native  of  Germany,  and  who  died 
there  in  1860.  The  mother  of  the  subject 
was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Mocklin 
Sputh,  also  of  the  Fatherland,  who  was 
called  to  her  rest  in  1866.  Of  the  six  chil- 
dren born  to  the  elder  Bachmann,  there  are 
living  the  following  in  1908:  Mrs.  Lizzie 
Sputh  and  Ernest  Bachmann,  both  of  Ger- 
many, and  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  These 
children  received  every  care  and  attention 
possible  by  their  parents  who  were  people  of 
industry  and  uprightness. 

Adam  H.  Bachmann  left  Germany  in 
March,  1866,  landing  in  America  the  fol- 
lowing April,  having  barely  attained  his  ma- 
jority. He  had  received  eight  years  of 
schooling  in  his  native  land,  receiving  a 
fairly  good  education  for  he  was  an  am- 
bitious lad  and  diligently  applied  himself  to 
his  school-books  and  this  careful  founda- 
tion has  since  been  greatly  strengthened  and 
built  up  through  his  contact  with  the  world 
and  his  habits  of  home  reading,  so  that  Mr. 
Bachmann's  conversation  is  at  once  learned, 
interesting  and  instructive.  Our  subject  lo- 
cated at  Lebanon,  Illinois,  shortly  after 


coming  to  the  New  World,  where  he 
worked  as  a  cabinet  maker.  In  the  spring 
of  1868,  he  came  to  Salem,  this  state,  and 
engaged  in  the  furniture  business  with 
which  he  has  since  been  identified,  and 
which  was  a  successful  venture  from  the 
first  and  by  reason  of  the  subject's  careful 
attention  to  duty,  his  natural  ability  as  a  far- 
sighted  and  cautious  business  man,  coupled 
with  his  kind  and  courteous  treatment  of 
customers,  his  trade  has  gradually  grown 
all  these  years,  his  place  of  business  being 
generally  known  as  one  of  the  safest,  most 
reliable  as  well  as  up-to-date  furniture  estab- 
lishments in  this  locality.  After  building  the 
business  up  to  its  present  high  state  of  effi- 
ciency, Mr.  Bachmann  turned  it  over  to  his 
two  sons,  Frank  and  Charley,  both  very  able 
and  progressive  young  men,  who  are  con- 
ducting a  modern  and  well  stocked  store, 
being  numbered  among  the  leading  young 
business  men  of  the  county,  to  whom  the  fu- 
ture holds  unbounded  success  and  honor, 
since  they  are  not  only  young  men  of  sound 
business  principles,  but  also  of  the  finest 
personal  traits. 

Mr.  Bachmann  was  united  in  marriage 
November  15,  1868,  to  Mary  Alkire,  the 
representative  of  a  highly  respected  and  influ- 
ential family  of  Lebanon,  Illinois,  who  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania.  Eleven  children  have 
been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife,  seven  of 
whom  are  living  at  the  time  of  this  writing, 
1908,  named  in  order  of  their  birth,  as  fol- 
lows :  Mrs.  Lizzie  Kolb,  of  Lebanon,  Illinois ; 
Frank,  of  Salem,  this  county;  Mrs.  Amy 
Stonecipher,  also  of  Salem ;  Maud,  living  at 


438 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


home;  Charley,  Adam  H.,  Jr.,  and  Paulina, 
all  live  with  their  parents  in  Salem. 

Mr.  Bachmann  deserves  much  credit  for 
the  well  defined  success  he  has  attained  sinc% 
casting  his  lot  among  Americans,  partly  be- 
cause he  has  been  the  architect  of  his  own 
fortunes,  beginning  his  business  career  ab- 
solutely empty-handed,  and  with  no  one  to 
encourage  or  assist  in  any  way,  and  partly 
because  he  has  made  his  competency  by  hon- 
est, straight-forward  business  methods  that 
no  one  can  question.  When  he  first  landed 
on  our  shores  he  had  a  capital  of  only  three 
cents  and  today  he  is  the  wealthiest  man  in 
Marion  county.  He  had  the  insight,  the 
rare  sagacity  and  perceptive  instinct  to 
grasp  situations  as  they  arose  and  the  splen- 
did business  acumen  to  turn  seeming  ob- 
stacles into  ultimate  sucess.  Such  men  are 
born  leaders  in  the  financial  world  and  they 
are  not  any  too  frequently  met  with. 

Mr.  Bachmann  is  president  of  the  Salem 
National  Bank,  president  of  the  Farmers' 
and  Merchants'  Bank  at  St.  Peter,  Illinois; 
besides  being  an  extensive  land  owner,  hav- 
ing nine  large  farms  in  Marion  county. 
They  are  all  very  valuable,  well  drained,  se- 
curely fenced,  the  soil  being  highly  produc- 
tive and  the  buildings  on  each  modern  and 
convenient.  Besides  these  he  has  much  other 
real  estate.  Also  owns  about  as  much  prop- 
erty in  East  St.  Louis  as  he  has  here.  Mr. 
Bachmann  has  large  property  interests  at 
Mattoon  and  Oakland,  this  state.  His  large 
real  estate  holdings  and  financial  loans  oc- 
cupy the  major  part  of  his  time  and  atten- 
tion, however,  he  finds  time  to  assist  in  for- 


warding any  movement  for  the  betterment 
of  his  community.  In  fact,  he  is  a  pioneer 
in  the  development  and  progress  of  Marion 
county.  He  came  to  Salem,  when  there  was 
only  one  brick  house  here,  but  he  had  the 
sagacity  to  note  the  possibilities  in  the  place 
and  soon  decided  to  cast  his  lot  here  with 
the  result  that  he  has  benefited  not  only 
himself,  but  also  the  entire  community, 
more,  perhaps,  than  any  other  man  has  done 
or  is  likely  to  do  in  the  years  to  come.  In 
other  words,  the  wonderful  things  that  the 
future  held  seemed  to  be  within  Mr.  Bach- 
mann's  horoscope,  and  he  began  on  the 
ground  floor,  developing  with  the  country, 
which  is  wonderfully  rich  in  resources  and 
possibilities.  While  Mr.  Bachmann  has 
been  too  busy  to  devote  much  time  to  polit- 
ical matters,  never  having  entertained  an 
ambition  for  political  preferment,  he  has 
ever  assisted  in  any  way  he  could  the  de- 
velopment of  the  community  whether  polit- 
ical, educational,  moral  or  civic,  and  he  did 
much  in  making  the  city  a  clean  and  de- 
sirable place  in  which  to  live,  principally 
while  ably  serving  it  as  Alderman.  In  his 
fraternal  relations  our  subject  is  a  Mason. 

The  Bachmann  residence,  which  is  one  of 
the  finest,  most  modem,  substantial  and 
beautiful  in  Salem,  is  elegantly  furnished 
and  a  place  where  the  many  friends  and  ad- 
mirers of  this  popular  family  delight  to 
gather,  being  presided  over  with  rare  grace 
and  dignity  by  the  subject's  wife  who  is  a 
charming  hostess,  congenial  and  talented. 

Mr.  Bachmann  is  a  pleasant  man  to  meet, 
jovial,  and  at  all  times  agreeable,  never 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


439 


pompous  or  phlegmatic.  His  is  a  well 
rounded  character,  in  which  the  different  in- 
terests of  life  are  given  their  due  proportion 
of  attention.  One  line  of  thought  or  work 
to  the  exclusion  of  all  others  produces  an 
abnormal  development  and  makes  the  in- 
dividual narrow  in  his  views  of  life.  Mr. 
Bachmann  has  never  followed  such  a  course 
for  while  giving  his  chief  attention  to  his 
business,  as  do  the  majority  of  men,  he 
finds  time  and  opportunity  to  take  an  in- 
terest in  matters  pertaining  to  the  progress 
and  growth  of  his  county,  state  and  nation, 
and  to  mingle  with  his  friends,  enlarging 
the  circle  of  his  acquaintance  and  broaden- 
ing his  mind  through  the  interchange  of 
thought  with  others. 


E.  LOUIS  BLEDSOE. 

The  names  of  those  men  who  have  dis- 
tinguished themselves  through  the  posses- 
sion of  those  qualities  which  daily  contrib- 
ute to  the  success  of  private  life  and  to  the 
public  stability  and  who  have  enjoyed  the 
respect  and  confidence  of  those  about  them, 
should  not  be  permitted  to  perish.  Such  a 
one  is  the  subject  of  this  review,  one  of  the 
leading  lumber  dealers  in  Marion  county. 

E.  L.  Bledsoe,  president  of  the  Bledsoe 
Lumber  Company,  of  Salem,  was  born  in 
Bradford,  Indiana,  in  1858.  His  father  was 
William  J.  Bledsoe,  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
who  came  to  Indiana  when  a  young  man. 
He  was  a  United  Brethren  minister.  Wil- 


liam J.  Bledsoe  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union 
army  during  the  Civil  war,  having  been  a 
member  of  the  Thirty-seventh  Iowa  Volun- 
teer Infantry.  He  died  in  a  hospital  in  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  from  illness  contracted 
while  in  line  of  duty.  Two  sons,  William 
J.,  Jr.,  and  James  W.,  were  also  in  the  army, 
having  enlisted  in  Company  H,  Twenty- 
fifth  Iowa  Volunteer  Infantry.  They 
fought  side  by  side  in  twenty-seven  battles. 
Both  re-enlisted  after  their  time  was  up  and 
served  until  the  close  of  the  war.  James 
W.  was  wounded  twice.  Both1  were  with 
Sherman  on  his  famous  march  to  the  sea. 
They  are  both  living.  The  father  died  May 
S,  1867. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  Martha 
Ridgeway,  a  native  of  Chillicothe.  Ohio, 
who  married  the  subject's  father  in  Franks- 
ville,  Indiana.  She  was  a  woman  of  many- 
fine  traits  and  was  called  to  her  rest  in  1883 
while  living  at  Rock  Island,  Illinois.  The 
following  children  were  born  to  this  union : 
James  W.,  of  Rock  Island;  William  J.  Jr., 
also  of  Rock  Island ;  George  B.  died  at  Rock 
Island  in  1906;  J.  P.,  of  Davenport,  Iowa; 
E.  L.,  our  subject;  Frank  A.,  of  Rock  Is- 
land; Mark  S.,  of  St.  Louis;  Mattie  J.,  who 
is  a  physician  located  at  Chickasha,  Okla- 
homa. Our  subject  was  taken  to  Iowa  by 
his  parents  when  about  three  years  old.  The 
family  located  at  Washington,  but  most  of 
the  subject's  boyhood  was  spent  in  Mar- 
shall. He  received  only  a  common  school 
education,  his  course  of  study  being  inter- 
rupted by  reason  of  the  fact  that  his  father 
frequently  moved  from  town  to  town  in  car- 


440 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


rying  on  his  ministerial  work,  but  he  is  a 
well  educated  man,  nevertheless,  having 
gained  it  first  handed  from  the  world. 

Mr.  Bledsoe  has  been  twice  married,  first 
in  1876  to  Minnie  Dizotell,  of  Eldon,  Iowa, 
the  ceremony  having  been  performed  in  that 
city.  She  was  born  in  Canada.  Her  father 
was  of  French  lineage  and  her  mother  was 
Irish.  After  bearing  the  subject  one  child, 
she  was  called  to  her  rest  in  1901  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  The  child  born  to  this 
union  is  Truman  C.  Bledsoe,  manager  of 
the  Bledsoe-McCreery  Lumber  Company, 
of  St.  Louis.  He  married  Stella  Farrell,  of 
that  city,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Barbara  Louis,  and  Truman  C., 
Jr.  The  subject  was  married  in  1903,  his 
second  wife  being  Lillie  Mattox,  of  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  One  son  has  blessed  this 
union,  Maurice  William,  who  was  born  on 
September  2,  1904. 

The  following  history  of  Mr.  Bledsoe's 
railroad  career,  which  forms  the  lengthiest 
and  one  of  the  most  important  chapters  in 
his  life  history,  is  based  on  a  sketch  which 
the  Chicago,  Rock  Island  &  Pacific  Railway 
system  issued  in  book  form,  containing  a 
history  of  the  road's  representative  em- 
ployes, which  article  shows  the  high  regard, 
this  company  had  for  Mr.  Bledsoe. 

When  only  a  lad  of  fifteen  our  subject 
began  working  as  a  water  boy  for  Ho  well's 
corps  of  engineers  in  1870.  A  survey  was 
then  being  made  from  Washington.  Iowa, 
to  Princeton,  Missouri,  the  line  being  an  ex- 
tension of  the  Chicago  and  Southwestern 
Railway,  which  was  later  absorbed  by  the 


"Rock  Island  System."  The  lad  was  famil- 
iarly known  as  "Squire,"  which  soubriquet 
has  clung  to  him  through  life.  He  worked 
his  way  to  more  important  positions  in  this 
corps,  having  remained  with  them  until  the 
survey  was  completed  and  the  corps  was 
disbanded  at  Princeton.  Our  subject  then 
returned  to  Eldon,  Iowa,  to  which  point  his 
mother  had  moved  during  his  absence.  In 
the  fall  of  1872  he  determined  to  become  a 
brakeman,  to  which  idea  his  mother  strong- 
ly protested,  arguing  that  such  a  life  was 
too  hazardous  for  her  son  to  undertake,  but 
the  son  began  his  career  as  head  brakeman 
on  a  very  cold  night  the  following  winter, 
his  duties  being  partly  to  watch  for  dangers 
ahead  and  to  watch  the  lights  on  the  ca- 
boose. The  rear  cars  had  broken  loose  on 
this  particular  occasion  and  were  running 
down  grade  as  if  about  to  crash  into  the 
section  of  the  train  ahead.  There  were  no 
air  brakes  on  freight  trains  at  that  time, 
and  the  old  square  draw  bar  was  danger- 
ous and  hard  to  handle.  It  was  up  grade 
and  down  grade  from  Eldon  to  Washing- 
ton, but  the  boy  stuck  faithfully  at  his  post 
and  all  came  out  well,  and  from  that  mgnt 
of  somewhat  exciting  initiation  to  the  last 
one  on  which  he  pulled  the  brakes,  he  proved 
loyal  to  his  trust,  having  laid  off  only  about 
ten  days  during  his  entire  service.  Mr. 
Bledsoe  was  a  model  young  man  and  soon 
all  who  formed  his  acquaintance  learned  to 
admire  him,  and  up  to  this  writing,  1908, 
not  a  drop  of  intoxicating  liquor  has  ever 
touched  his  lips  or  a  profane  word  ever 
passed  them,  and  up  to  the  time  of  the  death 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


441 


of  his  first  wife  he  had  never  used  tobacco, 
but  since  that  time  he  has  been  accustomed 
to  smoke,  having  been  greatly  shocked  at 
her  demise  from  which  he  has  never  fully 
regained  his  former  vivacity.  His  word 
has  always  been  as  good  as  his  note  and  he 
has  been  all  his  life  an  exemplary  character, 
which  is  the  result  of  careful  teachings  by 
a  Christian  mother.  He  has  always  been  a 
modest  and  retiring  man,  unassuming  and 
never  in  the  least  pompous  or  found  seek- 
ing notoriety,  according  to  the  friends  who 
know  him  best.  He  has  always  been  cool 
and  calculating  and  this  fact  has  doubtless 
saved  him  accidents  while  in  the  railway 
service,  however,  death  stared  him  in  the 
face  twice  during  his  service  on  the  road: 
once  when  he  was  assisting  the  fireman  in 
taking  coal  at  Perlee,  Iowa,  he  was  caught 
between  the  cob  and  the  apron  of  the  schute, 
but  the  engineer,  Frank  Hudler,  prevented 
the  accident.  At  Washington,  Iowa,  while 
making  a  coupling  he  was  pressed  into  a 
very  close  place  by  the  giving  way  of  a  draw 
bar,  but  the  rear  car  received  the  impact  and 
rebounded  away  preventing  an  accident.  In 
due  time  Mr.  Bledsoe  was  promoted  for  his 
faithful  service  and  wore  the  badge  of  con- 
ductor. When  he  resigned  it  was  after  nine 
years  of  freight  runs  on  the  first  Iowa  di- 
vision of  the  southwestern  branch  of  the 
Rock  Island  System,  his  resignation  taking 
place  in  1881,  which  was  tendered  for  the 
purpose  of  retiring  permanently  from  rail- 
road life,  but  he  was  induced  to  accept  a  po- 
sition on  the  St.  Louis  division  of  the  Chi- 
cago, Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad,  with 


which  he  remained  for  three  years,  and  then 
resigned  to  accept  a  position  as  sleeping  car 
conductor  for  the  Pullman  Palace  Car  C6m- 
pany.  He  remained  with  that  company  for 
four  years,  during  the  latter  part  of  which 
he  was  inspector  of  all  the  company's  cars 
entering  St.  Louis.  He  had  the  distinction 
of  placing  in  the  union  station  at  St.  Louis 
the  first  Pullman  vestibuled  train,  it  being 
under  his  personal  inspection.  He  subse- 
quently resigned  this  position  to  accept  an 
offer  from  the  Huttig  Sash  &  Door  Com- 
pany, of  St.  Louis,  and  in  1900  he  was  trav- 
eling representative  of  this  firm  in  southern 
Illinois.  He  remained  with  this  firm  for 
eighteen  years,  during  which  time  he  ren- 
dered them  services  of  the  most  efficient  type 
and  was  the  cause  of  their  business  rapidly 
increasing.  And  during  his  long  services 
with  the  above  mentioned  companies  he  was 
held  in  the  highest  esteem  by  his  employers 
who  placed  in  him  implicit  confidence  and 
had  unqualified  faith  in  his  ability  and  in- 
tegrity. 

Mr.  Bledsoe  came  to  Salem,  this  county, 
in  1904  and  organized  lumber  companies 
here  and  at  Sparta,  Illinois,  known  as  the 
Bledsoe  Company,  retail  yards,  wholesale; 
the  Bledsoe-McCreery  Lumber  Company, 
being  interested  in  all  of  them,  and  by  reason 
of  his  knowledge  of  this  line  of  business  and 
his  reputation  for  square  dealing,  coupled 
with  his  courteous  manners,  he  has  built  up  a 
very  extensive  business  throughout  this  local- 
ity which  is  constantly  growing.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations  our  subject  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias.  He  also  belongs  to 


442 


I;KI.\  KKKimi  K  s   HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


a  lumber  dealers'  association,  the  Con- 
catentated  Order  of  Hoo-Hoo,  and  both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Bledsoe  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church,  and  they  are  among  the 
popular  and  highly  respected  residents  of 
Salem. 


JOHN  W.  LARIMER. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  forms  the 
caption  of  this  biographical  review  is  now 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  organizers, 
promoters  and  all  around  business  men  and 
representative  citizens  of  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  was  born  in  what  is  now 
Stevenson  township,  May  14,  1852.  John 
W.  Larimer's  father  was  Smith  Larimer, 
a  native  of  Ohio  who  came  to  Marion 
county,  this  state,  about  1846.  He  devoted 
his  life  very  largely  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  was  elected  Treasurer  and  As- 
sessor of  Marion  county,  serving  twelve 
years  with  great  satisfaction  to  his  constitu- 
ents. He  moved  to  Salem  in  1858.  He  was 
a  loyal  Democrat  and  was  elected  to  office 
on  this  ticket.  The  offices  of  Treasurer  and 
Assessor  were  conducted  as  one  at  that 
time.  Smith  Larimer  died  in  Salem  in  1887, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years,  after  a  use- 
ful and  very  active  life.  Robert  Larimer, 
grandfather  of  the  subject,  was  a  native  of 
Ireland  who  emigrated  to  America  when  a 
boy,  devoting  his  life  to  the  farm.  He  lived 
to  be  an  old  man. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  known  in 
maidenhood  as  Sarah  Brown,  a  native  of 


Ohio,  who  traced  her  lineage  to  Scotland. 
She  was  a  woman  of  fine  traits  of  char- 
acter and  she  passed  to  her  rest  in  1861, 
when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was  nine 
years  old.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Smith  Larimer 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  six  of 
whom  are  living,  namely:  Andrew  Jack- 
son, who  was  first  lieutenant  of  Company  H, 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  which  was  mustered  largely 
in  Marion  county,  and  this  brave  young 
officer  met  his  death  in  the  great  battle  of 
Atlanta,  July  22,  1864;  Wilson  S.  was  a 
member  of  the  same  company,  having  gone 
through  the  war,  dying  in  the  spring  of 
1888;  Mrs.  Sarah  M.  Kite,  of  St.  Louis; 
Mrs.  Nancy  J.  Moore,  of  Salem,  Illinois; 
W.  F.,  of  Denver,  Colorado;  John  W.,  our 
subject;  Ann  E.  Irvin,  also  living  in  Den- 
ver; and  Mrs.  Kagy,  wife  of  L.  M.  Kagy, 
president  of  the  Salem  State  Bank. 

John  W.  Larimer,  our  subject,  was  born 
on  the  farm,  and  when  six  years  old  moved 
with  his  parents  to  Salem  where  he  attended 
school  and  when  fourteen  years  old  went 
into  the  court  house  with  J.  O.  Chance,  who 
was  engaged  in  the  abstract  business  and 
who  afterward  became  Clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court  of  Illinois.  Our  subject  began  learn- 
ing the  abstract  business  at  this  early  age, 
and  in  1870  he  was  appointed  Deputy 
County  Clerk  for  one  year  under  J.  O. 
Chance,  who  was  then  Clerk.  Shortly  af- 
terward Mr.  Chance  and  Mr.  Larimer 
formed  a  partnership  in  the  abstract  and 
real  estate  business,  which  partnership  con- 
tinued for  about  four  years,  when  Mr. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


443 


Chance  was  elected  Clerk  of  the  Supreme 
Court,  then  Mr.  Larimer  continued  the  busi- 
ness himself  up  to  the  present  time,  becom- 
ing known  as  one  of  the  ablest,  most  ac- 
curate and  reliable  abstracters  in  this  part 
of  the  state  and  his  office  is  always  a  busy 
place. 

Our  subject  was  married  May  6,  1871,  to 
Rosa  Andrews,  daughter  of  Seth  S.  An- 
drews, now  deceased,  formerly  a  representa- 
tive citizen  of  Salem.  Three  bright  and  in- 
teresting children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows :  Dwight  W.,  who 
is  associated  with  his  father  in  the  abstract 
business ;  Sarah  Louise  and  Kathryn. 

Mr.  Larimer  has  ever  taken  an  active  part 
in  politics  and  as  a  result  of  his  innate 
ability  and  his  loyalty  to  his  party's  prin- 
ciples he  has  been  chosen  to  positions  of 
public  trust  by  his  fellow  voters,  having 
been  elected  Town  Clerk  in  1877.  He  has 
also  been  City  Clerk,  and  he  represented 
the  old  third  ward  as  Alderman,  also  was 
honored  by  one  term  as  Mayor.  He  served 
as  a  member  of  the  Board  of  Education  for 
four  years,  and  in  1896  he  was  a  member  of 
the  State  Board  of  Equalization,  serving 
four  years.  This  was  an  elective  office  and 
Mr.  Larimer  carried  Marion  county  by  over 
one  thousand  votes,  which  speaks  for  his 
popularity  in  his  home  county.  He  received 
ten  more  votes  than  William  J.  Bryan.  He 
was  Secretary  and  a  member  of  the  Board  of 
Directors  of  the  Salem  Building  and  Loan 
Association,  having  organized  this  associa- 
tion of  which  he  has  been  secretary  for 
twenty-five  years  in  1908,  or  ever  since  its 


organization.  Our  subject  is  also  president 
of  the  Business  Men's  Association,  and 
president  of  the  Marion  County  Agricul- 
tural Board.  Thus  we  see  that  our  subject 
has  the  confidence  and  good  will  of  the  pub- 
lic who  have  entrusted  him  with  these  vari- 
ous positions  of  honor  and  trust,  and  that 
he  has  conscientiously  and  ably  discharged 
his  duties  at  all  times  goes  without  saying, 
in  fact,  no  man  in  the  county  is  more  popu- 
lar than  Mr.  Larimer,  who  is  regarded  as 
one  of  the  county's  most  valuable  men  and 
one  of  its  foremost  citizens. 

His  business  interests  have  been  varied; 
he  is  one  of  the  stockholders  in  the  Salem 
State  Bank.  He  is  a  prominent  Mason,  hav- 
ing been  through  all  the  offices  in  both  the 
lodge  and  the  chapter,  being  a  Thirty-second 
degree  member.  He  is  also  a  member  of -the 
Knights  Templar.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Larimer  are  members  of  the  Presbyterian 
church.  They  reside  at  Walnut  and  Church 
streets  in  a  beautiful  modern  home  which 
they  own. 


JOHN  H.  VAWTER. 

Improvement  and  progress  may  well  be 
said  to  form  the  keynote  of  the  character  of 
our  subject,  and  he  has  not  only  been  inter- 
ested in  the  work  of  advancement  in  indi- 
vidual affairs  but  his  influence  is  felt  in  up- 
building the  community,  where  he  has  al- 
ways resided.  Mr.  Vawter  has  been  a  very 
industrious  man  all  his  life,  striving  to  keep 
abreast  of  the  times  in  every  respect,  and 


444 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


as  a  result  every  mile  post  of  the  years  he 
has  passed  has  found  him  farther  advanced, 
more  prosperous,  more  sedate  and  with  a 
larger  number  of  friends  than  the  preceding. 
John  H.  Vawter  was  born  in  Salem,  Illi- 
nois, in  1860.  His  father  was  Reuben  T. 
Vawter,  a  native  of  Tennessee  who  came  to 
Marion  county  about  1850,  when  he  was  yet 
a  young  man.  settling  in  Salem,  where  he 
established  a  tailor  shop,  having  always  been 
a  tailor  by  trade  and  a  first  class  workman 
in  this  line.  He  lived  here  and  met  with 
worthy  success  until  his  death  which  oc- 
curred in  1862.  The  mother  of  the  subject 
was  known  in  her  maidenhood  as  Eleanor 
M.  Kimball,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  was 
a  woman  of  many  beautiful  traits,  who 
was  called  to  her  rest  in  1903.  Besides  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reuben 
T.  Vawter  were  the  parents  of  another  child, 
A.  K.  Vawter,  now  living  in  Oklahoma, 
where  he  is  known  as  a  man  of  good  char- 
acter and  much  business  ability.  The  sub- 
ject's mother's  second  marriage  occurred 
about  1867.  to  \Yilliam  Metcalf.  John 
H.  Vawter  made  a  splendid  record  while 
attending  the  common  schools  in  Sa- 
lem. After  reaching  maturity  he  went 
into  the  coal  and  teaming  business, 
later  entered  the  produce  business,  prosper- 
ing at  each  of  these,  but  he  decided  that  the 
hardware  business  was  more  to  his  liking 
and  consequently  he  entered  this  field  in  his 
home  town  in  the  spring  of  1901.  His  suc- 
cess was  assured  from  the  first,  and  his  busi- 
ness has  rapidly  grown,  making  it  necessary 
for  him  to  gradually  increase  his  stock. 


which  he  has  done  until  at  present  he  has  one 
of  the  most  complete  and  carefully  selected 
hardware  stocks  in  Marion  county.  He  has 
been  in  his  present  location  ever  since  he  en- 
tered the  business  and  he  numbers  his  cus- 
tomers from  all  parts  of  the  county,  and 
owing  to  his  courteous  treatment  and  the 
excellent  quality  of  goods  he  handles,  to- 
gether with  the  fact  that  they  are  always 
sold  at  reasonable  figures,  his  reputation  has 
been  firmly  established  and  gained  for  him 
not  only  hundreds  of  loyal  customers,  but  at 
the  same  time  hosts  of  friends. 

Mr.  Vawter  was  married  in  1883,  to 
Maggie  T.  Garner,  the  refined  daughter  of 
Albert  C.  Garner,  a  well  known  and  highly 
respected  family  of  Salem,  and  to  this  union 
four  interesting  children  have  been  born,  as 
follows :  Lillian  G.,  whose  date  of  birth  oc- 
curred in  1886;  Hattie  N.,  who  was  born  in 
1889;  Marietta's  birth  occurred  in  1891; 
and  Irene  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in  1901. 

Mr.  Vawter  has  always  taken  a  conspicu- 
ous part  in  public  affairs  and  as  a  result  of 
his  humanitarian  impulses  his  fellow  citi- 
zens have  honored  him  by  electing  him 
Mayor  of  the  City  of  Salem,  which  respon- 
sible office  he  at  present  (1908)  holds,  the 
duties  of  which  he  ably  performs  to  the  en- 
tire satisfaction  of  this  vicinity,  and 
during  his  administration  he  has  done  much 
for  the  betterment  and  material  progress  of 
the  city,  with  the  result  that  Salem  is  one 
of  the  cleanest,  most  inviting  and  well  gov- 
erned cities  in  this  part  of  the  state.  He 
also  served  faithfully  for  four  years  as  Al- 
derman. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


445 


Mr.  Vawter  is  a  staunch  Democrat  and 
well  fortified  in  his  political  beliefs,  being 
at  all  times  ready  to  lend  his  support  to  the 
party's  good,  and  his  counsel  is  often  sought 
and  always  heeded  in  local  conventions  and 
elections,  for  the  public  knows  that  Mr. 
Vawter  always  stands  for  the  best  man  pos- 
sible in  local  offices,  and  whoever  he  places 
the  stamp  of  approval  on  is  sure  to  be  ac- 
ceptable to  the  public  at  large.  In  his  fra- 
ternal relations,  he  is  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Woodmen.  Sa- 
lem is  glad  to  number  him  as  one  of  her 
leading  merchants  and  among  its  representa- 
tive citizens.  The  record  of  his  busines  ca- 
reer might  be  summed  up  in  the  terse  ex- 
pression that  he  is  "above  want  and  below 
envy." 


J.  D.  TELFORD. 

In  such  men  as  Mr.  Telford  there  is  pecu- 
liar satisfaction  in  offering  their  life  his- 
tories justification  for  the  compilation  of 
works  of  this  character — not  that  their  lives 
have  been  such  as  to  gain  them  particularly 
wide  notoriety  or  the  admiring  plaudits  of 
men,  but  that  they  have  been  true  to  the 
trusts  reposed  in  them,  have  shown  such 
attributes  of  character  as  entitle  them  to 
the  regard  of  all. 

J.  D.  Telford  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  September  2,  1848,  He  is  the 
son  of  Samuel  G.  Telford,  a  native  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois.  Grandfather  James 


Telford,  a  native  of  South  Carolina,  came 
to  Jefferson  county  as  early  as  1822,  and 
moved  to  this  county  in  1836,  when  the 
father  of  the  subject  was  nine  years  old,  and 
like  most  of  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  that  early 
time,  was  compelled  to  undergo  many  pri- 
vations and  do  much  hard  work  in  estab- 
lishing a  home,  but  being  a  man  of  sterling 
qualities  and  indomitable  energy  he  con- 
quered the  many  obstacles  that  confronted 
him  and  led  a  useful  and  influential  life  as 
a  farmer  there,  as  did  also  his  son,  father  of 
our  subject,  who  seemed  to  inherit  much  of 
the  older  Telford's  better  traits,  and,  indeed, 
the  family  characteristics  have  come  on 
clown  to  our  subject,  who  is  carefully  order- 
ing his  life  so  as  to  carry  out  the  early 
praiseworthy  characteristics  of  his  ances- 
tors. Samuel  G.  Telford  spent  his  life  on 
the  farm,  having  lived  on  the  same  farm  for 
sixty  years.  This  was  taken  out  of  the  new 
prairie  land,  but  the  wild  soil  was  soon 
transformed  into  highly  productive  fields. 
He  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army,  having 
enlisted  in  the  One  Hundred  and  Thirty- 
sixth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  ren- 
dered gallant  service  until  the  winter  of 
1864.  He  is  still  living  in  1908  near  Cartter, 
Marion  county.  The  mother  of  the  subject 
was  called  to  her  rest  in  1882.  Her  maiden 
name  was  Mary  Baldridge.  She  was  a  na- 
tive of  Illinois,  but  her  people  came  from 
North  Carolina. 

James  Telford  was  an  Abolitionist  and 
was  an  historic  character  in  his  day,  having 
played  an  important  part  in  the  famous  un- 
derground railway  when  Illinois  was  ad- 


446 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


mitted  as  a  free  state  in  1818.  He  came  to 
this  state  because  he  was  opposed  to  slavery. 
His  wife's  maiden  name  was  Kell,  and  she 
was  also  a  native  of  South  Carolina.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children,  five  of 
whom  are  living  at  this  writing,  the  father 
of  the  subject  being  the  only  one  of  the  boys 
living. 

Samuel  G.  Telford  and  wife  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  named  in  the  order 
of  their  birth  as  follows:  J.  D.,  subject  of 
this  sketch;  Joseph,  of  Alma  township, 
Marion  county;  Margaret  J.,  deceased;  Eva, 
who  is  married  and  living  in  Ashville, 
North  Carolina;  Alice,  the  wife  of  William 
Wyatt,  of  Durant,  Oklahoma ;  Kate,  wife  of 
Doctor  Richardson,  of  Union  City,  Okla- 
homa; George  B.,  who  is  living  in  Kansas; 
Arthur,  a  farmer  of  Marion  county;  Belle, 
who  became  Mrs.  Arnold,  is  deceased. 

J.  D.  Telford,  our  subject,  lived  with  his 
father  until  he  was  twenty-three  years  old, 
assisting  with  the  work  on  the  old  home- 
stead and  attending  the  country  schools 
during  the  winter  months.  Having  applied 
himself  well  to  his  text-books  he  became 
fairly  well  educated,  and  later  has  added  to 
this  by  home  reading  and  coming  in  contact 
with  the  world.  The  happy  and  harmonious 
•domestic  life  of  the  subject  dates  from 
January  19,  1872,  when  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Sarah  A.  Wyatt,  the  estimable 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  Wyatt,  a 
highly  respected  family  of  Marion  county, 
natives  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Marion 
county  in  1860. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 


the  subject  and  wife,  all  of  whom  are  well 
established  in  life  and  give  promise  of  suc- 
cessful futures:  Dr.  A.  T.,  who  lives  at 
Olney,  Illinois ;  E.  D.,  is  an  attorney  at 
Salem,  this  county;  Ula,  is  a  stenographer 
in  the  Life  Savings  Station  at  Chicago; 
Omer  F.  is  a  farmer  in  Marion  county; 
Oran  is  a  member  of  the  family  circle  at 
their  home  in  Salem,  as  is  also  J.  D.,  Jr. 
The  Telford  residence  is  modern  and  always 
cheerful. 

The  subject  is  engaged  in  farming  and 
real  estate,  largely  interested  in  fruit  grow- 
ing, at  which  he  is  highly  competent,  having 
long  taken  an  abiding  interest  in  horticul- 
ture. He  has  two  large  orchards  containing 
six  thousand  and  five  hundred  apple  trees 
of  excellent  variety  and  quality.  He  de- 
votes much  of  his  time  to  the  care  of  his 
orchards,  which  are  among  the  most  valu- 
able in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  useless  to 
add  that  the  financial  returns  from  the  sale 
of  his  fruit  are  usually  quite  satisfactory. 
Politically  Mr.  Telford  is  a  stanch  Repub- 
lican and  having  been  actuated  by  a  laudable 
desire  for  political  preferment,  his  friends 
elected  him  to  the  important  office  of  Sher- 
iff of  Marion  county,  the  duties  of  which  he 
faithfully  performed  to  the  satisfaction  of 
all  concerned  for  a  period  of  four  years, 
having  been  elected  in  1882  and  serving 
until  1886.  He  is  well  grounded  in  his  po- 
litical convictions,  and  always  lends  his 
aid  in  supporting  his  party's  principles,  en- 
deavoring to  place  the  best  men  possible  in 
local  offices.  He  is  a  well  informed  man, 
not  only  on  political  matters  and  current 


RRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


447 


events,  but  he  is  well  read  on  scientific,  liter- 
ary and  diverse  subjects  which  make  his 
conversation  interesting  as  well  as  instruc- 
tive, and  he  is  generally  regarded  as  one  of 
the  substantial  men  of  Marion  county. 


M.  W.  MICHAELS. 

Mr.  Michaels,  of  this  review,  is  one  of 
those  strong,  sturdy  characters  who  has  con- 
tributed largely  to  the  material  welfare  of 
the  community  and  township  in  which  he  re- 
sides, being  a  modern  agriculturist  and  a 
business  man  of  more  than  ordinary  sagac- 
ity and  foresight,  and  as  a  citizen  public- 
spirited  and  progressive  in  all  that  the  terms 
imply.  For  a  number  of  years  he  has  been 
an  important  factor  in  promoting  the  prog- 
ress of  Marion  county. 

M.  W.  Michaels  was  born  near  Sumner, 
Lawrence  county,  Illinois,  May  19,  1861, 
the  son  of  Samuel  Michaels,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  who  was  born  in  1815,  and 
came  to  Illinois  when  a  young  boy,  before 
Chicago  was  known.  He  was  a  sturdy  pio- 
neer and  braved  the  dangers,  inconveniences 
and  obstacles  of  the  early  days,  securing  a 
wild  piece  of  land  which  he  transformed 
into  a  valuable  and  highly  productive  farm, 
devoting  his  entire  life  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  came  to  Marion  county  in  1880 
and  was  called  from  his  earthly  labors  in 
Romine  township,  Illinois,  in  1897.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  also  a  woman  of 
the  strongest  mould  and  possessed  the  ster- 


ling qualities  of  the  typical  pioneer  woman. 
Samuel  Michaels  was  three  times  married 
and  had  a  family  of  twenty  children,  eight- 
een of  whom  are  living  in  1908,  a  somewhat 
remarkable  record.  His  first  wife  was  a  Ea- 
kas,  who  became  the  mother  of  six  children, 
all  now  living,  as  follows :  Mary  A.,  wife  of 
W.  J.  Jones,  of  luka,  Illinois;  Anna,  the 
wife  of  Joseph  Clevy,  of  Pomona,  Kansas ; 
Adline,  the  wife  of  Isaac  Williams,  of 
Browns,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Lafe  Jones,  of  Cal- 
houn,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Martha  Jones,  of  Sum- 
ner, Illinois;  William1  B.  lives  at  Kremlin. 
Oklahoma.  The  second  wife  of  Samuel 
Michaels  was  Mary  A.  Collins,  daughter  of 
William  Collins,  who  was  murdered  near 
Lawrenceville,  Illinois,  in  the  seventies.  The 
following  children  were  born  to  this  union : 
M.  W.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch;  Samuel, 
of  Gettysburg,  Washington;  L.  G.,  of 
Franklin,  Alaska;  C.  J.,  of  luka,  Illinois; 
R.  B.,  of  Centralia,  Illinois;  W.  N.,  of  luka. 
Illinois ;  Rose,  widow  of  John  Meadows,  liv- 
ing in  St.  Louis,  Missouri ;  Charlie,  who  is 
living  in  one  of  the  Western  states.  The 
mother  of  these  children  passed  to  the  other 
shore  December  13,  1879.  The  third  wife 
of  the  subject's  father  was  Caroline  Turner, 
a  native  of  Illinois,  who  became  the  mother 
of  the  following  children :  Cora,  wife  of 
Charles  Bryan,  of  luka,  Illinois;  Elizabeth, 
who  was  the  wife  of  Charles  Williams,  is 
now  deceased;  Alvin,  Ida  and  Minnie  all 
live  in  Romine  township ;  Albert  died  in  in- 
fancy. L.  J.  Michaels,  brother  of  the  sub- 
ject, has  been  in  Alaska  since  about  1897, 
and  has  made  a  great  success  at  placer  min- 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


ing,  refusing  fifty  thousand  dollars  for  his 
claims. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  lived  with  his 
father,   assisting  with   the   farm  work  and 
attending1   the   neighboring    schools    in    the 
winter,  until  he  became  a  young  man,  when 
he  went  west,  where  he  spent  several  years 
in  the  railroad  business,  gaining  a  fund  of 
valuable  experience  and  information.     He 
finally  returned  home  and  married,  Novem- 
ber 6,    1883,   Maggie  Taylor,   daughter  of 
P.  A.  Taylor.     Both  he  and  his  wife  were 
natives  of  Kentucky.     Mr.   Michaels  went 
west  again  in   1887  with    his    family  and 
worked  from  Colorado  to  New  Mexico,  but 
was  in  California  most  of  the  time.     He  re- 
turned to  Illinois  in  1897,  and  began  farm- 
ing in  Romine  township.    He  made  a  signal 
success  of  farming,  having  improved  a  good 
tract  of   land  and   skillfully   managed   the 
same  until  he  soon  had  not  only  a  comfort- 
able living,  but  quite  a  competency  laid  by. 
Mr.  Michaels  is  a  stockholder  in  the  First 
National  Bank  at  Salem,  however,  he  de- 
votes   his    attention    to    farming*    interests 
principally  and  is  known  as  one  of  the  best 
and  most  painstaking  agriculturists  in  the 
township  and  his  farm  shows  unmistakably 
that  a  man  of  thrift  and  industry  manages  it. 
Mr.    Michaels  is   a  member  of  the  Ma- 
sonic   fraternity,    also   the    Woodmen,    and 
both  he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian    church.      The   subject   and    wife 
are  the  parents   of  two  children,    namely: 
Clarence,  who  was  bom  July  18,  1885.    He 
is  a  bright  young  man   who   gives   prom- 
ise of  a  brilliant  and  successful  future.  The 
second  child,  Everett,  died  in  infancy. 


Mr.  Michaels  has  always  taken  consider- 
able interest  in  political  matters  and  of  re- 
cent years  has  been  influential  in  local  elec- 
tions, being  well  grounded  and  well  read  in 
his  political  opinions  and  on  political  sub- 
jects. Having  a  laudable  ambition  for  offi- 
cial preferment,  and  being  a  popular  man 
in  his  party,  his  Republican  friends  selected 
him  for  Sheriff,  having  been  elected  to  this 
important  office  in  1906,  by  a  big  majority 
in  a  county  nominally  Democratic,  which 
shows  that  he  is  regarded  as  a  strong  man 
in  his  community.  He  also  served  as  a 
member  of  the  County  Board  for  two  terms, 
representing  his  township.  He  has  shown 
himself  eminently  capable  in  all  the  offices 
or  positions  of  public  or  private  trust  that 
have  been  proffered,  giving  entire  satisfac- 
tion to  all  his  constituents  and,  in  fact,  every- 
one concerned. 


ROBERT  O.  BRIGHAM. 

No  business  man  of  Centralia  is  regarded 
with  higher  favor  than  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who,  while  looking  to  his  own  in- 
terests does  not  neglect  to  discharge  his 
duties  in  fostering  the  upbuilding  of  the 
community  in  general. 

Robert  O.  Brigham,  manager  of  the  Cen- 
tralia Envelope  Company,  was  born  in 
Clinton,  New  York,  May  23,  1861,  the 
son  of  Lewis  and  Sophia  (Johnson)  Brig- 
ham,  the  former  having  been  born  in  Ver- 
non  Center,  New  York,  December  4,  1820. 
His  parents  were  of  English  extraction  on 
both  sides  of  the  house.  Lewis  E.  Brigham 


CENTRALIA  ENVELOPE  CO. 


Of  THE 

UNIVERSITY  O*  I 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


449 


was  a  contractor  and  carpenter,  and  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  his  native 
state.  The  subject's  parents  reared  a  fam- 
ily consisting  of  eight  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter, Robert  O.,  our  subject,  being  the  sev- 
enth in  order  of  birth.  The  subject's  father 
died  in  Clinton,  New  York,  February  22, 
1907,  at  the  age  of  eighty-seven  years.  His 
wife  was  born  in  that  city  April  29,  1825. 
She  was  educated  in  the  common  schools 
in  her  native  community.  The  parents  of 
the  subject  were  married  in  1843  in  me  state 
of  New  York.  The  mother  of  our  subject, 
an  elderly  woman  of  beautiful  Christian 
character,  is  still  living  in  Clinton,  New 
York. 

Robert  O.  Brigham  received  his  early  ed- 
ucation in  Clinton,  New  York,  in  the  public 
schools.  He  quit  school  when  fifteen  years 
of  age  and  went  to  Boston  to  learn  the  ma- 
chinist's trade.  Here  he  took  advantage  of 
the  Boston  night  schools  and  applied  him- 
self with  his  accustomed  vigor  to  technical 
drafting  and  the  necessary  commercial 
branches.  He  served  his  apprenticeship 
with  the  National  Sewing  Machine  Com- 
pany, for  which  he  worked  for  ten  years,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  he  was  called  to  take 
charge  of  the  Whitmore  Sewing  Machine 
Company,  in  the  employ  of  which  he  contin- 
ued for  one  year ;  the  then  went  to  Los  An- 
geles, California,  then  to  Denver,  Colorado, 
and  worked  for  W.  E.  Scott,  machinery  com- 
pany, having  charge  of  the  model  and  re- 
pair work,  after  which  he  worked  for  the 
J.  C.  Teller  Envelope  Opener  Company,  of 
Denver,  Colorado. 
29 


Robert  O.  Brigham  invented  an  attach- 
ment to  an  envelope  machine  for  placing  a 
string  in  the  envelope  and  then  formed  a 
company  to  put  such  an  envelope  on  the 
market.  The  manufacture  was  continued 
with  much  success  until  1896,  when  he  and 
two  other  men  bought  the  interest  of  the 
former  manager,  forming  the  Western  En- 
velope and  Box  Company.  They  continued 
for  one  year  in  Denver,  but  finding  that 
they  were  too  far  west  for  the  successful 
working  of  such  a  plant,  they  moved  to 
Omaha,  Nebraska,  remaining  there  one 
year,  after  which  they  moved  to  Centralia, 
Illinois. 

After  operating  the  plant  for  eight  years 
in  Centralia,  it  was  reorganized  and  called 
the  Illinois  Envelope  Company,  and  moved 
to  Kalamazoo,  Michigan.  After  one  year's 
residence  in  Kalamazoo,  Mr.  Brigham  re- 
signed his  position  with  the  Illinois  En- 
velope Company  and  returned  to  Centralia 
and  helped  to  organize  a  new  envelope 
company  with  only  Centralia  capital.  This 
company  is  known  as  the  Centralia  Envelope 
Company,  and  is  capitalized  for  one  hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  fully  paid  in.  This 
company  is  now  only  two  years  old  and  is 
doing  a  thriving  business.  Its  capacity  at 
the  beginning  was  one  and  one-quarter  mil- 
lion envelopes  every  ten  hours,  and  has  been 
increased  to  one  and  one-half  million  per 
day.  The  order  for  the  machinery  for  the 
plant  was  the  largest  ever  given  at  one  time 
for  a  like  enterprise. 

The  view  accompanying  this  article  is  of 
thirty  of  the  latest  improved  envelope  ma- 


450 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


chines  in  the  plant  of  the  Centralia  En- 
velope Company  mill.  These  machines  are 
marvels  of  ingenuity.  The  paper  is  cut  to 
the  proper  size  and  shape,  then  taken  to 
these  machines  in  which  they  are  gummed, 
folded,  dried  and  counted  at  the  rate  of  one 
hundred  to  one  hundred  and  thirty  per 
minute,  according  to  size.  The  picture 
shows  only  the  envelope  machines.  There 
is  also  a  large  printing  department  equipped 
with  latest  improved  printing  machinery 
and  all  the  necessary  equipment  that  goes 
to  make  a  complete  printing  establish- 
ment, cutting  department,  box  department, 
case  department,  hand  fold  department,  ma- 
chine shop,  in  fact,  everything  that  goes 
to  make  up  a  complete  envelope  mill. 

The  capacity  of  the  mill,  as  already 
stated,  is  one  and  one-half  million  envelopes 
every  ten  hours,  making  it  one  of  the  largest 
•in  the  United  States,  and  one  of  the  lead- 
ing industries  of  Southern  Illinois.  Its  goods 
are  known  far  and  wide  for  their  high 
quality. 

This  mill  is  owned  and  controlled  by 
Centralia  capital.  Its  directors  are  com- 
posed of  the  following  well  known  busi- 
ness men :  C.  C.  Davis,  Ferdinand  Kohl,  Jr., 
Harry  Warner,  F.  F.  Noleman,  Jacob 
Erbes,  Ed  Cornell,  J.  G.  Goetsch,  R.  O. 
Brigham,  W.  E.  O'Melveny.  Officers:  C. 
C.  Davis,  president;  F.  Kohl,  Jr.,  vice  pres- 
ident; H.  ,M.  Warner,  secretary;  Harry 
Kohl,  treasurer;  R.  O.  Brigham,  general 
manager. 

Our  subject  is  particularly  well  fitted  to 
be  manager  of  such  a  gigantic  and  success- 


ful enterprise.  His  native  constructive  abil- 
ity for  technical  mechanics  and  intricate  ma- 
chinery has  eminently  fitted  him  in  this 
special  line.  His  economic  foresight  of 
proper  management,  good  machines,  good 
workmen,  good  material  all  contribute  to 
the  success  of  the  company. 

All  the  machinery  in  the  plant  is  modern, 
up-to-date  in  every  respect,  and  high  grade 
work  is  turned  out  rapidly.  Our  subject 
has  had  a  wide  experience  in  the  manage- 
ment of  such  concerns.  He  is  the  originator 
and  inventor  of  many  of  the  improvements 
to  be  found  in  the  present  highly  developed 
envelope  machine.  This  company  under  his 
superior  management  now  operates  thirty 
envelope  machines,  ten  printing  presses  and 
ten  box  machines.  The  factory  also  has  a 
complete  machine  shop  and  repair  depart- 
ment, also  a  complete  case  department.  The 
buildings  are  two  stories  high,  built  of  brick 
and  frame.  The  main  building  is  two  hun- 
dred feet  long  and  fifty  feet  wide.  The 
shipping  and  stock  room  is  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  by  eighty-five  feet.  A  switch 
from  the  main  track  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  runs  to  the  door  of  the  big  ship- 
ping room,  all  under  cover  of  spacious 
sheds.  The  Illinois  Southern  tracks  also 
run  into  the  sheds  of  the  shipping  depart- 
ment. The  machines  of  the  plant  are  run 
and  the  buildings  are  lighted  and  heated  by 
a  one  hundred  and  sixty-horse  power  steam 
plant  and  a  sixty  horse  power  engine.  A 
four  hundred  light  dynamo  furnishes  the 
lighting  of  the  great  plant.  Eighty  girls 
and  twenty-five  men  and  boys  are  constant- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


451 


ly  employed  to  operate  the  plant,  the  daily 
capacity  of  which  is  one  million  and  five 
hundred  thousand  envelopes. 

This  new  but  successful  enterprising 
company  was  started  by  thirty-five  of  the 
business  men  of  Centralia,  and  it  is  owned 
by  Centralia  people,  being  capitalized  at 
one  hundred  thousand  dollars,  which  was 
raised  in  a  very  short  time.  The  capacity 
of  each  machine  runs  from  sixty-five  to  sev- 
enty-five thousand  each  ten  hours.  It  is  an 
interesting  plant  in  every  detail  and  one  of 
the  rapidly  growing  large  industrial  con- 
cerns of  Southern  Illinois. 

Robert  O.  Brigham  was  married  to  Min- 
nie G.  McDonald,  the  accomplished  daugh- 
ter of  James  and  Rebecca  (Nicholson)  Mc- 
Donald, a  well  known  family  of  Quincy, 
Illinois,  to  which  family  there  were  four 
children,  Minnie  being  the  youngest.  To 
our  subject  and  wife  one  daughter  was 
born,  who  passed  away  when  eighteen  years 
old. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  Centralia 
lodges,  Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks.  He 
•served  as  a  member  of  the  school  board  for 
one  term.  In  politics  he  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  was  reared  a  Baptist,  but  he  at  pres- 
ent worships  with  the  Christian  Scientists, 
and  is  president  of  the  Church  Board  of 
Centralia.  His  beautiful  home  just  west  of 
the  Public  Library  is  nicely  furnished,  be- 
ing also  well  filled  with  choicest  books  of 
an  excellent  variety,  also  a  large  number  of 
beautiful  oil  paintings  by  his  sister  and 
daughter.  He  is  a  genial  gentleman  of 
good  habits  and  modest  demeanor. 


CHARLES  E.  BUNDY. 

Among  the  men  of  influence  in  Marion 
county,  who  have  the  interest  of  their  local- 
ity at  heart  and  who  have  led  consistent 
lives,  thereby  gaining  definite  success  along 
their  chosen  lines,  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  being  regarded  as  one  of  the  leading 
farmers  of  Raccoon  township,  where  he  has 
a  valuable  and  highly  productive  landed  es- 
state,  which  he  manages  with  that  care  and 
discretion  that  stamps  him  as  a  twentieth 
century  agriculturist  of  the  highest  order. 

Charles  E.  Bundy  was  bom  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  on  his  father's  old  homestead 
in  the  above  named  township,  February  3, 
1862,  the  son  of  George  Bundy,  who  was 
6orn  December  25,  1837,  and  who  married 
Elizabeth  Hiltibidal.  He  was  born  in  Rac- 
coon township  and  his  wife  in  Centralia 
township,  the  former  on  August  9,  1838,  the 
son  of  John,  known  as  Jack,  Bundy.  The 
subject's  father  grew  up  and  married  in 
Raccoon  township  and  lived  there  all  his 
life.  He  was  one  of  the  prominent  farmers 
and  stockmen.  He  was  a  Republican,  was 
Justice  of  the  Peace  and  served  in  many 
minor  township  offices.  He  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
died  July  i,  1904,  and  she  died  January  30, 
1900.  He  was  not  only  popular  but  high- 
ly esteemed.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
"their  only  child. 

George  Bundy  was  one  of  the  patriotic 
citizens  of  the  Prairie  state  who  responded 
to  the  call  for  volunteers  to  save  the  na- 
tion's integrity  during  the  sixties,  having 
enlisted  in  the  Union  army,  August  12, 


45-2 


BRINKERHOFFS     HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


1862,  and  served  faithfully  in  Company  H, 
Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
he  was  mustered  out  June  19,  1865.  He 
was  a  flag  bearer.  He  met  with  an  acci- 
dent while  on  duty  in  the  service.  While  car- 
rying the  flag,  he  caught  his  foot  on  a  grape 
vine,  fell  and  was  very  badly  injured.  After 
the  war  our  subject  returned  to  Raccoon 
township  and  being  a  hard  worker  he  se- 
cured two  hundred  and  thirty-nine  acres  in 
this  township.  He  had  only  a  common 
school  education  in  the  home  schools.  He 
has  always  lived  on  a  part  of  the  old  home- 
stead. 

Our  subject,  Charles  E.  Bundy,  was  united 
in  marriage  October  29,  1885,  to  Effie  Jane 
Prather,  who  was  born  in  Raccoon  town- 
ship, the  daughter  of  Joseph  Prather,  a  na- 
tive of  Indiana.  He  was  one  of  the  old  and 
favorably  known  residents  of  Raccoon  town- 
ship. Eleven  children  have  been  born  to 
our  subject  and  wife  as  follows:  Sarah 
Gladys,  Earl,  Iva  May,  George  Ashton, 
Carroll  Ashton,  Thomas  Oren,  John  Guy; 
Lola  Elizabeth ;  Ula  Violet ;  Paul  Sherman, 
and  Charles  Deward. 

Our  subject  has  always  been  a  man  of 
industry  and  has  made  many  valuable  and 
lasting  improvements  on  his  place.  He  re- 
modeled his  fine  home  in  1908,  making  it  a 
very  attractive,  substantial  and  comfortable 
one.  He  has  a  most  excellent  and  valuable 
orchard  of  forty  acres.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock  raising  with  that 
rare  foresight  that  insures  success. 

While  Mr.  Bundy  is  a  loyal  Republican, 
and  anxious  to  see  his  county  develop  along 


all  lines,  he  has  never  aspired  for  public 
office.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Farmers' 
Union.  He  is  known  to  be  a  man  of  thor- 
oughly honest  principles,  public-spirited  and 
agreeable  to  all  his  neighbors  and  many 
friends. 


JOSEPH  A  PRATHER. 

This  venerable  citizen  of  Raccoon  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  has  been  a  very  active 
man  in  the  development  of  this  part  of  the 
Union,  having  spent  his  long  life  in  this  and 
her  sister  state  on  the  east.  He  has  seen  the 
wonderful  growth  of  the  country  from  its 
wild  prairies,  dense  forests,  inhabited  by 
red  men  and  wild  beasts  to  one  of  the  rich- 
est and  best  countries  in  the  world. 

Joseph  A.  Prather  was  bom  in  Clark- 
county,  Indiana,  January  31,  1824;  the  son 
of  Sihon  and  Elizabeth  (Williams)  Prather, 
the  former  a  native  of  North  Carolina  and 
the  latter  of  Virginia.  The  subject's  father 
grew  up  in  the  Tar  Heel  state  and  moved  to 
Clark  county,  Indiana,  where  he  lived  on  a 
farm  and  where  he  and  his  wife  both  died. 
He  was  a  Democrat  and  held  the  office  of 
Justice  of  the  Peace  several  years.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  well 
known  and  influential.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children :  Louisa,  de- 
ceased; Samantha,  deceased;  Thomas,  de- 
ceased; John,  deceased;  Joseph  A.,  our  sub- 
ject; William,  deceased:  Margaret  lives  in 
Clark  county,  Indiana.  Several  children 
died  young. 

Joseph  A.  Prather,  our  subject,  had  few 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


453 


opportunities  to  become  educated,  however 
he  attended  subscription  schools  for  a  time 
and  lived  at  home  until  he  was  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  when  he  went  to  Floyd  county, 
Indiana,  and  in  1844  married  Sarah  Ann 
Patrick,  a  native  of  Clark  county,  that  state, 
where  she  was  born  December  3,  1827,  the 
daughter  of  William  and  Nancy  (Harris) 
Patrick,  the  former  a  native  of  North  Caro- 
lina and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  They  lived 
and  died  in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  on  a 
farm.  There  were  twelve  children  in  their 
family  as  follows :  Jeremiah,  Rebecca,  John, 
Elizabeth,  Mary,  William,  Solomon,  James, 
Nancy,  Lewis,  Sarah  Ann,  and  Eliza.  They 
are  all  deceased  except  the  wife  of  our  sub- 
ject. Mr.  and  Mrs.  Prather  became  the  par- 
ents of  nine  children,  three  deceased,  name- 
ly: Nancy,  who  married  Roland  Warren, 
lives  in  Centralia,  Illinois,  and  is  the  mother 
of  eight  children  :  Margaret,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased, having  died  January  24,  1908,  mar- 
ried Lewis  Patton,  having  become  the  moth- 
er of  ten  children,  one  of  whom  is  deceased : 
John,  who  married  Belle  Oldfield,  is  a 
farmer  and  teamster  at  Centralia,  and  has 
for  children;  Eliza  J.,  who  married  Thomas 
Shaw,  of  Centralia  township,  is  the  mother 
of  eight  children;  Emmons  R.,  a  farmer  in 
Raccoon  township,  first  married  Mollie  Gas- 
ton  and  later  Lillie  Blair,  of  Raccoon  town- 
ship, having  had  four  children  by  his  first 
wife  and  two  by  the  second ;  Etha  is  the  wife 
of  Charles  Bundy,  of  Raccoon  township,  a 
full  sketch  of  whom  appears  in  this  work; 
Orville,  who  is  living  on  part  of  the  old 
home  place  in  Raccoon  township,  married. 


first  Laura  May,  and  his  second  wife  was 
Annie  Howard,  had  three  children  by  each 
wife:  William  died  at  the  age  of  seven 
years ;  George  died  when  two  years  old. 

The  subject  has  fifty-three  grandchildren 
and  thirty-four  great-grandchildren.  After 
his  marriage  our  subject  lived  in  Floyd 
county,  Indiana,  having  comie  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1854,  where  he  pur- 
chased two  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of 
land  in  sections  29  and  32.  He  made  all 
the  improvements  on  the  place,  there  having 
been  but  very  little  when  he  took  charge, 
but  being  a  good  manager  and  a  hard 
worker  he  soon  developed  a  most  excellent 
farm  and  established  a  comfortable  home. 
He  carries  on  general  farming,  raising  all 
kinds  of  grain,  fruit  and  stock  and  making  a 
success  of  all  that  he  undertakes.  He  is  a 
Democrat  in  politics  and  has  held  some  of 
the  offices  in  Raccoon  township,  always 
taking  much  interest  in  the  affairs  of  his 
township.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  at  Walnut  Hill.  He 
has  always  been  a  hard  working  man  and 
is  still  very  well  preserved  for  a  man  of  his 
years,  having  a  good  business  mind  and  able 
to  manage  the  many  details  of  his  fine  farm 
with  profit  from  year  to  year.  He  is  a  very 
well  read  man,  keeping  well  posted  on  all 
current  topics.  As  a  result  of  his  life  of  in- 
dustry, honesty  and  kindness  he  has  scores 
of  warm  friends  and  if  a  single  enemy  he 
does  not  know  it.  Everybody  in  this  part 
of  Marion  county  knows  "Uncle  Joe"  Pra- 
ther, as  he  is  familiarly  called  and  every- 
body respects  him  very  highly. 


454 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


JOHN  M.  ADAMS. 

It  is  pleasing  to  find  the  energy  and  in- 
dustry which  characterized  the  old  pioneer 
families  manifesting  itself  in  the  children  of 
succeeding  generations.  The  subject  of  our 
present  sketch  was  born  on  June  10,  1848, 
in  Raccoon  township.  He  was  the  son  of 
Martin  Adams,  who  was  born  October  10, 
1820,  in  West  Virginia,  and  who  married 
Elvira  Richardson,  of  Tennessee.  Martin 
came  with  his  father,  Nathan  Adams,  and 
his  mother  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  some 
time  about  1835,  and  they  settled  in  Racoon 
township,  where  his  father  got  half  a  section 
of  land  on  which  he  made  many  improve- 
ments. Grandfather  Nathan  Adams  was  an 
industrious  and  hardy  pioneer  with  great 
powers  of  endurance.  He  was  equipped  with 
the  trade  of  carpenter,  being  a  skilled  work- 
man. He  had  two  saw  and  grist  mills  on 
the  old-fashioned  water  mill  system  which 
were  the  first  of  their  kind  in  this  part  of 
the  country.  A  man  of  remarkable  traits 
and  cheerful  disposition  he  was  favorably 
regarded  by  his  neighbors.  His  wife  was 
a  capable  and  amiable  woman.  Martin's 
mother  died  on  the  farm  after  raising  a 
family  of  nine  children.  The  children  were : 
Nancy,  Minerva,  Emily,  Harriet,  Martin, 
Nicholas,  Joseph,  Fletcher  and  John,  Mar- 
tin, as  we  have  stated,  being  the  father  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch. 

Martin's  future  father-in-law,  Thomas 
Richardson,  of  Tennessee,  and  his  wife, 
Sarah,  having  caught  the  pioneering  spirit 
had  also  come  westward.  They  were  pio- 


neer residents  of  Raccoon  township  where 
they  obtained  a  large  tract  of  land  and  where 
they  died.  They  raised  the  large  family  of 
twelve  children,  of  which  the  eldest  was 
Elvira,  the  future  wife  of  Martin  and  the 
mother  of  John  M.  Adams.  The  children 
were  named  Elvira,  Mary,  Martha,  Jannette, 
Eliza,  John,  Montgomery,  McKindry, 
James  D.,  Emily  and  George.  Martin 
Adams,  as  may  well  be  supposed,  owing  to 
the  primitiveness  of  the  times  had  little 
chance  to  attend  school.  He  lived  on  the 
farm  with  his  parents,  and  his  education 
was  of  desultory  character.  Much  use  was 
found  for  him  on  the  farm  helping  his  father 
at  his  trade  and  working  on  the  farm  which 
at  that  time  needed  much  attention.  Upon 
his  marriage  to  Elvira  Richardson  he  moved 
to  the  farm  he  occupied  for  many  years  and 
where  the  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born. 
The  family  reared  there  consisted  of  seven 
children,  four  of  whom  are  dead.  Thomas, 
the  eldest,  enlisted  in  Company  F  of  the 
Forty-eighth  Regiment  during  the  Civil 
war  and  was  killed  in  action.  The  second 
son,  Nathan,  also  joined  the  same  regiment. 
Having  passed  through  the  war  he  con- 
tracted a  severe  chill  at  Little  Rock,  Arkan- 
sas. Upon  obtaining  a  discharge  he  returned 
home  only  to  die  the  second  day  of  his  ar- 
rival. John  M.  Adams,  the  subject  of  our 
present  sketch,  was  the  third.  Emily;  who 
still  lives  with  her  parents,  was  the  next; 
Maggie,  who  was  Mrs.  Millard  Gillette,  of 
Marion  county,  now  dead,  was  the  fifth. 
The  sixth  was  Ella,  whose  first  husband  was 
William  Lydick,  whose  second  was  William 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


455 


Tate,  and  who  is  now  Mrs.  Harvey  Meisem- 
heimer,  living  with  her  husband  in  Salem 
township.  Another  member  of  the  family, 
Mahalia,  who  was  single,  is  deceased. 

John  M.  Adams,  whose  name  heads  this 
sketch,  received  a  good  sound  education, 
living  with  his  parents  until  his  marriage  on 
December  24,  1868,  to  Alice  Ennis.  On  his 
marriage  he  located  on  another  property  in 
the  township  of  Raccoon.  In  1877  he  mi- 
grated to  Texas  where  he  remained  a  year, 
leaving  there  owing  to  his  wife's  ill  health. 
At  a  later  period  he  settled  in  Missouri, 
where  he  spent  two  years  at  railroad  work. 
His  wife,  who  belonged  to  a  Virginia 
family,  died  January  17,  1879,  leaving  a 
son  and  daughter.  They  are:  Otta  R.,  a 
rug  manufacturer  of  Louisville,  Kentucky, 
and  the  father  of  two  children,  Kenneth  and 
Harry  M.  Adams.  Clara,  married  Charles 
Clark  and  resides  in  Cheyenne,  Wyoming. 
They  have  had  three  children :  George,  Alice 
and  Verne. 

John  M.  Adams  married  secondly  on  May 
5,  1880.  His  second  wife  was  formerly 
Amanda  Carr,  the  daughter  of  Elijah  and 
Eliza  (Ferguson)  Carr,  a  history  of  whom 
will  be  found  on  another  page.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  union.  Elsie,  the 
wife  of  Charles  Farthing,  of  Salem,  and 
the  mother  of  two  children,  Olive  and  Mil- 
dred. Ethel,  the  second  daughter,  married 
M.  C.  Warren,  of  Coffeyville,  Kansas,  and 
has  been  blessed  with  two  children,  Earl  and 
Victor.  The  third  born  was  Everett,  who 
still  remains  in  the  parental  home. 

John  M.  Adams  was  back  again  in  Rac- 


coon township  when  his  second  marriage 
took  place,  and  he  still  lives  upon  the  land 
which  has  been  his  for  years.  A  farmer  for 
the  greater  part  of  his  life,  he  is  a  skilled 
agriculturalist  and  a  far-seeing  man.  Though 
now  in  his  sixty-first  year  he  is  still  as  hale 
and  vigorous  as  ever.  He  has  ever  taken 
an  active  interest  in  all  questions  which 
come  up  for  adjustment  in  the  life  of  the 
town  and  especially  in  educational  affairs. 
He  has  been  for  three  terms  a  Director  of 
Schools  in  the  township. 

In  the  political  line  John  M.  Adams  has 
ever  favored  the  Republican  party,  and  is 
a  man  looked  up  to  by  that  party  in  the 
township.  He  is  not  indifferent  to  church 
and  social  work,  is  a  respected  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  congregation,  and 
has  always  been  in  demand  in  the  social  life 
of  the  neighborhood.  He  is  also  well  known 
throughout  the  county  where  his  friends  are 
legion.  John  M.  Adams's  life  has  not  been 
without  its  quota  of  trials  and  crosses.  He 
has  been  able  to  surmount  all  obstacles,  how- 
ever, and  to  arrive  in  the  autumn  time  of 
life  in  prosperous  circumstances.  This  he 
has  been  able  to  do  through  his  inherent 
energy  and  industriousness. 


SCOTT  M.  CARR. 

A  surprisingly  large  number  of  the  folk 
who  moved  westward  into  portions  of  Ohio, 
Indiana  and  Illinois  during  the  early  part 
of  the  nineteenth  century  were  natives  of  the 


456 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


state  of  Virginia  and  of  the  Carolinas.  The 
Carr  family,  who  came  to  Illinois  as  early  as 
1 80 1,  were  of  this  stock.  The  grandfather 
of  the  subject  of  our  sketch  entered  the 
state  of  Illinois  at  this  period.  Henry  Carr 
was  a  Virginian  of  pioneer  instincts.  On 
arrival  in  Illinois  he  settled  in  St.  Clair 
county,  and  here  his  son  Elijah,  the  father 
of  Scott  M.  Carr,  was  born.  Elijah  spent 
his  boyhood  and  youth  in  St.  Clair  county 
assisting  his  father  at  the  homestead.  Af- 
terward he  moved  to  Jefferson  county,  and 
finally  to  Marion  county,  Illinois.  In  the 
year  1834  he  married  Mary  Ray,  of  Mil- 
ledgeville,  Georgia,  the  marriage  taking  place 
on  January  6th.  His  wife's  father,  William 
Ray,  was  well  known  in  North  Carolina, 
of  which  state  he  was  a  native.  He  mar- 
ried Nancy  Merritt,  who  lived  near  Macon, 
Georgia.  William  Ray  came  in  1839  to 
Marion  county  and  there  settled  in  section 
8,  Raccoon  township,  where  he  obtained  a 
large  tract  of  land.  Here  on  the  farm  their 
lives,  which  were  not  uneventful,  were 
spent,  and  here  they  died.  At  one  period 
of  lawlessness  they  were  attacked  by  rob- 
bers who  rendered  them  helpless  by  roping 
them  up  after  which  they  robbed  them. 
This  occurred  in  1871.  The  children  of 
their  marriage  were  as  follows:  Alfred, 
Burris,  William,  Martha  and  Mary. 

Elijah  Carr  was  a  blacksmith  by  trade 
and  had  the  reputation  of  a  very  industrious 
and  efficient  workman.  His  career  was  not 
without  seeing  warlike  service.  He  joined  a 
military  company  and  took  a  hand  in  the 
famous  Black  Hawk  war.  In  his  bovhood 


he  had  only  a  limited  term  of  schooling,  and 
his  education  was  therefore  necessarily  in- 
complete. However,  his  natural  talents  over- 
came any  difficulties  met  with  in  this  line  and 
it  was  no  bar  to  his  success.  He  was  twice 
married,  his  first  wife  bearing  him  six  chil- 
dren. They  are  (in  regular  order)  :  Lavina, 
who  married  Ely  McMeens,  of  Jefferson 
county;  Frances,  who  was  Mrs.  Cubberly, 
and  who  with  her  husband  is  dead;  Sarah, 
who  married  Thomas  Hails,  of  Centralia; 
Robert  M.,  who  first  married  Nancy  Grain, 
and  afterwards  Laura  Dollins,  and  who  is  a 
traveling  salesman  at  Carterville,  Illinois; 
Louettie,  who  married  J.  W.  Willis,  a 
preacher  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church ; 
Amanda,  who  is  the  wife  of  John  M.  Adams, 
of  Raccoon  township.  Elijah  Carr  died 
August  19,  1890,  and  his  second  wife  on 
November  I3th,  of  the  following  year.  The 
children  by  the  second  marriage  are:  Wil- 
liam B.,  who  was  born  in  Centralia,  Illinois, 
April  26,1865,  who  married  on  March  4, 
1896,  Cora  Alice  Phillips,  of  Centralia,  and 
who  is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township. 
Scott  M.,  the  subject  of  our  present  sketch, 
was  the  other. 

Scott  M.  Carr  was  born  in  Centralia  on 
October  12,  1869.  He  received  the  best  edu- 
cation the  home  schools  could  give  him  and 
he  remained  under  his  parents'  roof  until 
his  twenty-second  year.  On  September  8th, 
of  the  year  1892  he  married  Ida  Alice 
Wooters,  also  of  Raccoon.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Noah  and  Emily  (Crane) 
Wooters,  her  father  being  of  North  Caro- 
lina origin,  and  her  mother  a  native  of  Rac- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


457 


coon  township.  Noah  Wooters  came  to 
Illinois  at  the  age  of  six  with  his  parents  in 
1835.  He  died  in  1881.  His  wife,  born 
December  26,  1839,  is  still  alive  in  Rac- 
coon township.  He  was  married  twice,  his 
first  wife  being  Martha  Phillips,  of  Tennes- 
see. He  is  remembered  as  a  farmer  of  in- 
dustrious habits  and  as  the  driver  of  the  old 
time  stage-coach  from  Mount  Vernon  to 
Salem,  his  prowess  and  bravery  in  those 
days  being  much  commented  on.  The  latter 
part  of  his  life  was  spent  in  Raccoon  town- 
ship. The  four  children  born  to  him  by 
his  first  wife  were:  Lizzie,  who  is  Mrs. 
Farthing,  of  Odin  township;  Lou,  who  mar- 
ried A.  J.  McClelland,  also  of  Odin;  Bell, 
who  married  Andrew  Stevenson,  of  Odin 
township;  Shirley,  who  married  Nannie 
Southerland,  and  who  lives  in  Muskogee, 
Oklahoma.  His  children  by  the  second  mar- 
riage were:  Elmer,  a  farmer  of  Dix.  Illi- 
nois, who  married  first  Ida  Copple,  and  sec- 
ondly, Delia  Caldwell.  The  wife  of  the  sub- 
ject of  our  sketch  was  the  second  The 
third,  John,  of  Odin,  Illinois,  married  Abbie 
Ray,  and  is  a  farmer.  Scott,  of  Odin,  mar- 
ried Ollie  Stater.  Ellis  V.  is  also  a  farmer 
in  Odin,  and  he  is  the  husband  of  Carrie 
Stater.  Mrs.  Carr's  mother  was  married 
first  to  J.  L.  Adams.  They  had  two  chil- 
dren, one  of  whom  lives  in  the  person  of 
Ella,  who  is  married  to  E.  A.  Davis,  of 
Raccoon  township. 

Scott  M.  Carr  has  been  located  in  his 
present  substantial  holding  since  the  com- 
mencement of  his  married  life.  He  and  his 
wife  started  there  in  a  small  way  and  their 


present  prosperous  condition  is  the  result 
of  a  hard-working  career.  Their  family 
life  is  a  happy  one.  Mrs.  Carr  has  done 
much  in  the  way  of  assisting  her  husband 
The  couple  have  two  sons:  Floyd,  born 
June  17,  1893,  and  Robert  D.,  born  July  21, 
1898.  The  family  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  are  firm  believers  in 
the  advantages  of  church  work.  Mrs. 
Scott  and  her  husband  are  well  regarded 
socially  and  have  a  host  of  friends.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  never 
aspired  for  any  political  office  as  he  pre- 
fers to  confine  himself  to  business  life. 

An  idea  of  the  life  work  of  Scott  M.  Carr 
may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  the  farm 
in  section  17,  Raccoon  township,  has  been 
brought  to  its  present  state  of  perfection 
through  his  own  efforts.  He  has  been  un- 
tiring in  the  work  of  improving  the  prop- 
erty, built  a  home  and  barn  in  1892,  and 
has  now  one  of  the  finest  homes  in  the; 
district.  On  the  farm  which  consisted  at 
first  of  eighty  and  later  reinforced  by  forty 
acres  in  section  20,  Raccoon  township,  he 
has  raised  cattle  of  the  Jersey  and  hogs 
of  the  Poland  China  breeds,  and  also  horses 
and  mules.  In  addition  he  carries  on  a  suc- 
cessful general  farriery  business  in  which 
first  class  work  is  skillfully  done.  Scott  M. 
Carr  is  still  in  the  best  of  health,  and  as 
he  is  in  the  prime  of  life  greater  things  may 
be  expected  from  him  in  the  future.  He  can 
point  with  pride  to  his  achievements  in  his 
line  of  endeavor  and  his  honest,  frugal  and 
active  life  make  him  a  good  model  for  the 
young  men  of  the  community. 


BKINKER1IOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


REUBEN  J.  BASS. 

Mr.  Bass  is  eminently  worthy  of  repre- 
sentation in  a  volume  of  the  province  of 
the  one  at  hand  owing  to  the  life  of  in- 
dustry and  honesty  which  he  has  lived  and 
the  work  he  has  done  in  upbuilding  the 
county  of  Marion  since  coming  here. 

Reuben  J.  Bass  was  born  October  7,  1845, 
in  Trousdale  county,  Tennessee,  the  son  of 
John  D.  and  Betsey  (Saterfield)  Bass,  both 
natives  of  Wilson  county,  Tennessee,  where 
they  grew  up  and  married,  the  subject's 
mother  having  passed  to  her  rest  in  1852. 
His  father  married  a  second  time,  his  last 
wife  being  a  widow,  Annie  Purdy,  of  Wil- 
son county,  Tennessee.  They  moved  to 
Smith  county  and  later  to  Trousdale  county, 
that  state.  He  died  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
five  years  and  his  second  wife  died  in  that 
county.  The  subject's  father  was  always 
a  farmer  and  a  Democrat.  He  and  his  wife 
were  members  of  the  Primitive  Baptist 
church.  He  had  five  children  by  his  first 
wife,  namely:  Reuben  J.,  our  subject; 
John  E.,  who  is  now  deceased,  lived  in 
Kentucky ;  Mollie,  who  married  James  Holt, 
resides  in  St.  Louis;  Elizabeth,  who  mar- 
ried W.  L.  Puryear,  is  deceased;  Daniel, 
who  lived  in  Trousdale  county,  Tennessee, 
is  deceased.  The  following  children  were 
born  to  the  subject's  father  by  his  sec- 
ond wife:  Shelby,  who  lives  in  Wilson 
county,  Tennessee;  Maranda,  who  lives  in 
Trousdale  county,  Tennessee;  Linnie  is  de- 
ceased; Sion  D.  lived  in  Macon  county, 
Tennessee,  is  deceased ;  Sidney  lives  in  Wil- 


son county,  Tennessee;  Edward  lives  in 
Trousdale  county,  Tennessee;  Lucy,  who 
was  the  fourth  child  in  order  of  birth,  lives 
in  Nashville,  Tennessee. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  only  a 
limited  chance  to  attend  school.  However, 
he  gained  some  education  in  subscription 
schools.  He  was  married  April  26,  1868,. 
to  Annie  Gaddy,  a  native  of  Smith  county, 
Tennessee,  the  daughter  of  George  and 
Leacy  (Bass)  Gaddy,  the  former  a  native  of 
Smith  county  and  the  latter  of  Wilson 
county,  Tennessee.  In  the  fifties  Mr.  Gaddy 
came  to  Williamson  county,  Illinois,  and  got 
wild  land  and  made  a  home  on  the  same 
where  he  died.  His  wife  died  in  Tennes- 
see. Four  children  were  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Mollie,  deceased; 
Learner  D.  lives  at  Walnut  Hill,  this  county, 
having  married  Marvin  West,  a  farmer; 
Lulu  is  deceased;  Florence  is  the  wife  of 
A.  T.  Harmon,  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  town- 
ship, and  the  mother  of  these  children,  Opal, 
Ruby,  Anna  P.,  Beatrice  and  John  D.  After 
his  marriage  our  subject  located  in  Marion, 
Williamson  county,  Illinois,  living  there  for 
two  years  when  he  went  back  to  Trousdale 
county,  Tennessee,  and  on  December  19, 
1 88 1,  he  came  to  Marion  county,  locating  in 
Raccoon  township,  having  rented  land  until 
1888,  when  he  bought  sixty  acres  in  sec- 
tion 28,  where  he  now  lives.  It  was  for- 
merly known  as  the  Willis  place.  The  sub- 
ject has  prospered  since  coming  here,  being 
a  hard  worker  and  a  good  manager.  He  has 
made  many  extensive  improvements  and  car- 
ries on  a  general  farming  business.  He 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


459 


raises  hogs,  horses  and  cattle.  He  also 
raises  a  great  deal  of  fruit  of  all  kinds.  He 
is  a  modem  farmer  in  every  sense  of  the 
word  and  has  one  of  the  best  farms  in  the 
township.  He  has  devoted  his  life  work 
to  farming.  He  is  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics and  in  religion  a  Free  Will  Baptist.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Farmers'  Educational 
Co-Operative  Union  of  Raccoon  township. 
He  is  well  posted  on  current  topics  and  is 
pleasant,  agreeable,  honest  and  a  fine  gentle- 
man in  every  respect,  consequently  every- 
body is  a  friend  to  him. 


FRANK  LOOMIS. 

Among  those  men  of  Marion  county, 
who  by  the  mere  force  of  their  personality, 
have  forged  their  way  to  the  front  ranks 
of  that  class  of  citizens  who  may  justly  be 
termed  progressive,  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  heads  this  sketch,  who  has  a  fine  farm 
in  Tonti  township,  which  he  has  taken  a 
great  interest  in  and  which  he  has  improved 
in  a  most  systematic  way  until  it  is  the  equal 
of  any  in  the  vicinity  where  it  is  so  admir- 
ably located. 

Frank  Loomis  was  born  in  this  township, 
March  20,  1865,  the  son  of  S.  E.  and  Mar- 
garet (McMurray)  Loomis,  a  highly  re- 
spected family  and  for  several  generations 
well  known  in  Marion  county.  S.  E. 
Loomis  was  a  native  of  Ohio,  where  he  was 
born  October  12,  1841,  and  came  with  his 
parents  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1846, 


and  after  a  life  of  hard  work  in  practically 
a  new  country,  he  passed  to  his  rest  in  1885. 
Almon  Loomis,  the  grandfather  of  our  sub- 
ject, also  came  to  this  county  from  Ohio, 
settling  on  the  farm  where  Frank  Loomis 
now  lives.  He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  in 
this  part  of  the  county  and  reclaimed  the 
farm  in  question  from  the  wilderness.  He 
is  remembered  as  a  hard  worker  and  a  good 
man  in  every  respect.  He  passed  to  his  rest 
in  this  township  July  26,  1893. 

S.  E.  Loomis  was  married  in  Marion 
county,  his  wife  having  come  to  this  country 
from  Scotland,  where  she  was  born.  Four 
children  were  born  to  this  marriage.  Three 
sons  are  now  living,  namely:  Frank,  our 
subject;  Byron  C,  and  Louis  L.  Frank 
Loomis  was  reared  upon  his  father's  farm 
in  Tonti  township  and  worked  during  the 
summer  months  on  the  farm,  attending  the 
district  schools  during  the  winter  months 
until  he  had  a  fairly  good  common  school 
education.  He  remained  at  home  until  he 
was  twenty-one  years  old,  and  at  the  age 
of  twenty-three  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Ida  M.  Martin,  the  affable  and  congenial 
daughter  of  Caleb  and  Martha  J.  (Mc- 
Heney)  Martin.  Her  father  was  bom  in 
Xorth  Carolina,  and  he  moved  to  Tennessee, 
later  coming  to  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
The  mother  of  Mrs.  Loomis  was  born  in 
Tonti  township,  this  county.  Ida  M.  was 
the  sixth  child  in  order  of  birth  in  this  fam- 
ily. She  was  educated  in  the  dis- 
trict schools,  where  she  applied  her- 
self in  such  a  manner  as  to  become 
well  educated.  Two  children  were  born 


460 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


to  the  subject  and  wife,  namely:  Glen 
M.,  born  September  12,  1890,  and  Omer  F., 
who  was  born  April  23,  1895.  They  are 
both  bright  boys,  and  will,  no  doubt,  make 
their  mark  in  the  world.  Mr.  Loomis  is 
the  owner  of  a  farm  consisting  of  one  hum 
dred  and  twenty  acres  on  which  he  carries 
on  general  fanning  which  yields  him  a  com- 
fortable living  from  year  to  year  and  at  the  • 
same  time  permits  him  to  lay  up  a  compe- 
tency for  old  age  and  to  give  his  children 
every  necessary  advantage  in  launching 
them  successfully  in  the  battle  of  life.  His 
fields  are  well  tilled,  the  crops  of  heavy 
grain  being  rotated  with  clover  so  as  to  re- 
tain, the  strength  of  the  soil.  He  has  a 
comfortable  and  substantial  residence  which 
is  well  furnished  and  nicely  kept.  Many 
and  convenient  out  buildings  also  stand  on 
the  place,  and  much  good  stock  of  various 
kinds  is  to  be  found  in  his  fields  and  bams. 
In  politics  Mr.  Loomis  is  a  staunch  Re- 
publican, but  he  does  not  take  a  very  active 
part  in  party  affairs,  being  contented  to 
spend  his  time  on  his  farm.  Fraternally  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Ben  Hur  lodge,  Odin. 
No.  226.  Mrs.  Loomis  is  also  a  member 
of  this  organization.  He  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  substantial  and  best  citizens  of  Tonti 
township. 


DAVID  HERSHBERGER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  to 
the  sturdy  discipline  of  the  homestead  farm 
and  during  all  the  succeeding  years  of  his 


life  he  has  not  wavered  in  his  allegiance  to 
the  great  basic  art  of  agriculture.  To  the 
public  schools  he  is  indebted  for  the  early 
educational  privileges  that  were  afforded 
him,  and  he  duly  availed  himself  of  the 
same,  while  he  has  effectually  broadened  his 
knowledge  through  active  association  with 
men  and  affairs  in  practical  business  life. 
He  has  become  the  owner  of  a  fine  stock 
farm  and  devotes  his  attention  to  diversified 
agriculture  with  the  discrimination,  energy 
and  constant  watchfulness  which  inevitably 
make  for  definite  success  and  prosperity. 
He  has  spent  practically  all  of  his  life  in 
Marion  county. 

David  Hershberger,  living  two  miles  west 
of  Salem,  Illinois,  was  born  October  20, 
1865,  in  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  the  son  of 
Henry  and  Catherine  (Snavely)  Hershber- 
ger, the  former  being  a  native  of  Lancaster 
county,  Pennsylvania,  where  he  was  born 
February  14,  1824,  and  the  latter  of  Leb- 
anon county,  Pennsylvania,  both  having 
been  reared  in  the  Keystone  state.  They 
moved  to  Crawford  county,  Ohio,  where 
they  farmed  for  several  years  and  then  in 
1 866  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  set- 
tling  in  Salem  township  where  Henry 
bought  a  large  tract  of  land,  becoming  the 
owner  of  about  two  thousand  acres  in  Ma- 
rion county.  He  improved  this  land  and  it 
became  very  valuable.  He  died  August  29, 
1898.  He  is  remembered  as  a  thrifty 
farmer  and  a  highly  respected  citizen.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Ger- 
man Baptist  church,  or  Dunkards.  Jacob 
Hershberger,  grandfather  of  the  subject. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


461 


was  also  a  native  of  Lancaster  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and 'the  great-grandfather  of  the 
subject,  Henry  Hershberger,  was  also  a 
native  of  that  place.  Henry,  the  father  of 
the  subject,  and  Catharine  Snavely  were 
married  February  10,  1848.  They  were 
very  active  in  the  church  and  Henry  was  a 
preacher  for  many  years,  having  done  a 
great  amount  of  good  in  his  work.  He  was 
a  Republican  in  politics.  He  and  his  wife 
were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  named  in 
order  of  birth,  as  follows :  Jacob,  a  promi- 
nent farmer  in  Marion  county ;  Samuel,  de- 
ceased ;  Mary,  widow  of  John  Schanafelt ; 
Elizabeth  is  the  wife  of  W.  J.  Martin,  a 
prominent  farmer  in  Marion  county;  Anna 
is  the  wife  of  S.  A.  Schanafelt;  Sarah  is 
the  wife  of  C.  W.  Courson,  who  lives  in 
Marion  county ;  John  lives  in  Salem  town- 
ship on  a  farm;  Henry  lives  in  Centralia. 
Illinois;  David,  our  subject,  is  the  youngest 
child.  The  mother  of  the  subject  passed 
to  her  rest  April  14,  1906. 

The  subject  remained  at  home  on  his 
father's  farm  until  he  married.  He  was  one 
year  old  when  he  came  to  Marion  county, 
he  was  married  December  31,  1888, 
to  Lida  Dickens,  the  daughter  of  Eli- 
jah and  Elizabeth  (Tate)  Dickens,  both 
natives  of  Tennessee,  but  pioneer  settlers  of 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  both  now  deceased. 
The  subject's  wife  was  born  in  this  county. 
To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hershberger  six  children 
have  been  born  as  follows:  Leland,  de- 
ceased; Walter  E.,  Lottie  M.,  Loren  D., 
Henry  R.,  and  Wayne  D. 

The  subject  and  family  are  members  of 


the  German  Baptist  church  in  Salem  town- 
ship, and  the  subject  is  a  deacon  in  the 
church.  He  is  a  loyal  Republican,  having 
served  his  township  as  Highway  Commis- 
sioner in  a  most  acceptable  manner.  He 
lives  on  the  old  home  farm,  this  together 
with  his  own  farm  constitutes  two  hundred 
and  eighty  acres.  He  is  regarded  as  one 
of  the  leading  farmers  of  Marion  county, 
and  always  keeps  excellent  stock.  He  has 
a  beautiful  home  which  is  elegantly  fur- 
nished, and  everything  about  the  place  is 
kept  in  first  class  order. 


GEORGE  J.  HEAVER. 

The  gentleman  to  whom  the  biographer 
now  calls  the  reader's  attention  was  not  fa- 
vored by  inherited  wealth  or  the  assistance 
of  influential  friends,  but  in  spite  of  this, 
by  perseverance,  industry  and  a  wise 
economy,  he  has  attained  a  comfortable  sta- 
tion in  life,  and  is  well  and  favorably  known 
throughout  Tonti  and  surrounding  town- 
ships, Marion  county,  as  a  result  of  the  in- 
dustrious life  he  has  lived  there  for  over 
a  half  century. 

George  J.  Heaver  was  born  in  Crawford 
county,  Ohio,  December  8,  1838,  the  son 
of  George  Jacob  and  Christena  (Fritz) 
Heaver,  both  natives  of  Wertenburg,  Ger- 
many. They  married  in  the  Fatherland 
where  two  children  were  born  to  them. 
Deciding  that  greater  opportunties  were  to 
be  found  in  the  United  States  they  landed 


462 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


at  Sandusky,  Ohio,  July  3,  1838,  and  be- 
fore becoming  hardly  established  in  the  new 
country  the  father  died  December  i,  1838. 
His  widow  re-married  in  1841,  her  second 
husband  being  Levi  Kline,  of  Crawford 
county,  Ohio,  and  in  1849  they  emigrated  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  locating  west  of 
Salem,  where  they  lived  until  1854,  when 
Mr.  Kline  died,  and  his  widow  was  again 
married,  her  third  husband  being  George 
Kline;  both  are  now  deceased. 

The  first  marriage  of  Christena  Fritz  re- 
sulted in  the  birth  of  four  children,  two 
boys  and  two  girls,  all  deceased  but  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch.  George  J.  Heaver  re- 
mained at  home  under  the  parental  roof-tree 
until  he  reached  maturity.  His  educational 
advantages  were  very  limited  but  he  early 
acquired  enough  schooling  to  read  and  write, 
but  being  by  nature  an  intelligent  man,  he 
has  succeeded  admirably  well  without  tech- 
nical training.  Our  subject  was  one  of 
those  loyal  sons  of  the  North,  who,  when  the 
fierce  fires  of  rebellion  were  raging  in  the 
Southland,  felt  it  his  duty  to  forsake  home 
ties  and  offer  his  services  in  behalf  of  the 
stars  and  stripes,  consequently  he  enlisted  in 
Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry,  on  August  12, 
1862,  under  Capt.  Amos  Clark,  of  Salem,  Il- 
linois, and  was  in  camp  at  that  place.  He 
was  called  to  Camp  Marshall  where  he  re- 
mained until  October  31,  1862,  when  his 
company  was  sent  to  Columbus,  Kentucky, 
and  was  assigned  to  the  Army  of  the  Cum- 
berland, later  taking  part  in  the  battle  at  Re- 
saca,  Georgia,  and  the  strenuous  Atlanta 


campaign,  also  in  Sherman's  famous  march 
to  the  sea.  Our  subject  also  came  back  with 
Sherman's  army  through  the  Carolinas  to 
Washington  City.  He  was  mustered  out 
here  after  rendering  conspicuous  and  valu- 
able service,  and  returned  to  Springfield, 
Illinois,  on  June  6,  1865.  He  was  wounded 
on  May  13,  1864,  which  resulted  in  his  be- 
ing absent  from  duty  for  some  time.  He 
rejoined  his  regiment  at  Rome,  Georgia,  af- 
ter he  had  recovered.  After  his  career  in  the 
army  our  subject  returned  to  Salem,  this 
state,  and  engaged  in  farming. 

Mr.  Heaver  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1866  to  Maggie  Williams,  of  Salem,  who 
was  born  in  Ohio,  February  13,  1838.  She 
was  a  woman  of  many  fine  characteristics, 
and  after  a  harmonious  wedded  life  of 
twenty-six  years  she  was  called  to  her  rest 
in  the  fall  of  1902.  Four  children  were 
born  to  our  subject  and  wife  as  follows: 
George  W.  was  born  February  19,  1870; 
Louie  C.  was  born  September  29,  1874; 
W'illiam  W.  was  born  October  i,  1869,  died 
aged  seven  years;  Charles  W.  was  born  in 
1879. 

Mr.  Heaver  was  in  Texas  for  a  period  of 
eight  years  where  he  made  a  financial  suc- 
cess of  his  labors,  but  he  returned  to  this 
county  in  1885.  He  is  now  the  owner  of 
sixty-five  acres  of  land  in  Tonti  township 
which  he  farmed  with  the  greatest  results  at- 
tending his  efforts,  for  he  understands  well 
all  the  details  of  managing  a  farm  success- 
fully. His  fields  are  well  fenced  and  cleanly 
kept.  Most  of  the  corn  the  place  produces 
is  fed  on  the  farm  to  various  kinds  of  stock. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


He  has  a  nice  and  comfortable  dwelling  and 
plenty  of  good  out  buildings.  His  son, 
George  W.,  and  daughter,  Louie  C,  live 
with  him. 

In  his  social  relations  our  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Salem  Post,  No.  202,  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  in  which  he  takes 
a  great  interest,  as  might  be  expected.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church,  a 
regular  attendant  at  the  local  gatherings  of 
this  denomination  in  which  he  has  long 
taken  a  delight.  In  his  political  affiliations 
he  is  a  loyal  Democrat,  and  faithfully  served 
the  public  as  Commissioner  of  Highways 
and  Road  Supervisor.  He  is  regarded  by 
every  one  who  knows  him  as  a  man  of  sound 
business  principles,  honest  and  kind. 


JOSEPH  K.  MCLAUGHLIN. 

Our  subject  is  the  present  Supervisor  of 
Raccoon  township  where  no  man  is  better 
known  or  is  held  in  higher  respect  than  he, 
for  his  life  has  been  led  along  honorable 
lines  and  he  has  always  had  the  interest  of 
his  county  at  heart. 

Joseph  K.  McLaughlin  was  born  in  Wal- 
nut Hill,  Marion  county,  September  26. 
1850,  the  son  of  James  and  Ann  E.  (Lyons) 
McLaughlin,  both  natives  of  Ireland,  where 
they  married.  They  came  to  the  United 
States  in  1845  and  settled  in  Randolph 
county,  Illinois,  later  came  to  Marion  county 
and  in  1848  settled  near  Walnut  Hill,  about 
1855  locating  in  Raccoon  township.  They 


were  members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
church.  The  subject's  father  was  a  Repub- 
lican. He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of 
the  following  children  :  Ann  Eliza,  Eliza- 
beth, Nancy,  Thomas  J.,  Joseph  K.,  our  sub- 
ject; Annie  E.,  Jane,  James  A.  and  Ann- 
ette E.  The  subject's  father  devoted  his 
life  to  farming.  He  died  February  7,  1878, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years,  and  his  wife 
died  February  14,  1908. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  home  schools.  In 
1882  he  bought  his  present  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  in  Raccoon  township. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  and  stock 
raising  in  a  most  successful  manner,  being  a 
man  of  sound  judgment  and  a  hard  worker. 
His  farm  is  highly  improved  and  very  pro- 
ductive. He  raises  much  good  stock  and  his 
dwelling  and  other  buildings  are  substantial 
and  comfortable. 

Mr.  McLaughlin  was  united  in  marriage 
in  1870  with  Tirzah  E.  Morton,  who  was 
born  in  Raccoon  township,  the  daughter  of 
James  and  Mary  Morton,  a  well  known 
family  in  their  neighborhood.  Nine  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife : 
Charles,  who  married  Dorothea  Huff,  has 
three  children,  Merlyn,  Paul,  Dorothea; 
James  C.  married  Mora  Bennett  and  they 
have  two  children,  Bennett  and  Collin  C. ; 
Harry  married  Kate  White;  Stella  married 
Willis  R.  Burgess  and  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Buford  and  Nellie ;  Hugh  Archie  mar- 
ried Lulu  Kell;  Joseph  is  a  law  student  at 
Champaign,  Illinois ;  John  is  a  member  of 
the  family  circle  and  is  a  teacher;  Walter 


464 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


is  also  teaching  and  living  at  home;  Elma 
lives  with  her  parents.  These  children  are 
bright  and  have  received  good  educations. 

Mrs.  McLaughlin  is  a  member  of  the 
Presbyterian  church  and  a  faithful  attend- 
ant upon  the  same.  Mr.  McLaughlin  is  a 
Democrat  and  is  serving  his  second  term  as 
Supervisor,  giving  his  constituents  entire 
satisfaction  in  this  capacity. 


Z.  C.  JENNINGS. 

The  life  history  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  goes  back  to  the  pioneer  days,  since 
which  Mr.  Jennings  has  been  a  very  potent 
factor  in  the  affairs  of  Marion  county,  in 
which  he  is  regarded  as  a  foremost  citizen 
in  every  respect,  therefore,  for  many  rea- 
sons, it  is  deemed  entirely  consistent  to  give 
him  conspicuous  mention  in  this  volume. 

Z.  C.  Jennings  was  born  February  14, 
1838,  in  Marion  county,  Illinois.  Israel  Jen- 
nings, the  subject's  grandfather,  was  a  na- 
tive of  Maryland  and  when  he  reached  young 
manhood  went  to  the  state  of  Kentucky  and 
while  at  Marysville  married  Mary  Waters 
in  1808.  In  1818  he  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  settled  six  miles  southeast  of 
Centralia,  being  among  the  very  first  set- 
tlers there,  having  Indians  as  his  neighbors, 
and  the  dense  woods  abounded  in  an  abun- 
dance of  wild  game.  He  was  one  of  the 
squatters  at  Walnut  Hill  until  1827.  This 
section  was  then  a  part  of  Jefferson  county. 
It  was  here  that  Mr.  Jennings  entered  land, 


which  he  developed  and  where  he  died  in 
1860.  His  first  wife  passed  away  in  1844 
and  he  married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife 
being  Lear  Sterling,  of  Centralia,  this 
county.  There  were  no  children  by  his  sec- 
ond wife.  The  following  are  the  names 
of  the  children  by  his  first  wife:  Israel, 
Jr.,  who  married  a  Miss  Davidson,  was  the 
father  of  eleven  children;  Charles  W.,  the 
subject's  father;  William  W.  left  home  in 
1847  and  went  to  Wisconsin.  He  was  in  the 
mining,  mercantile  and  grain  business,  in 
which  he  made  a  fortune.  In  1853  he  went 
to  California  and  engaged  in  gold  mining, 
but  on  account  of  failing  health  and  trou- 
ble with  his  eyes,  came  back  to  Marion 
county  where  he  remained  for  several  years, 
at  one  time  engaging  in  railroad  contract- 
ing in  northern  Missouri.  In  1861  he  en- 
listed in  the  Union  army  and  served  during 
the  war,  after  which  he  settled  in  Marion 
county  and  in  1875  he  went  to  Austin 
county,  Texas,  where  he  lived  until  1890, 
when  he  came  to  Alvin,  Illinois,  and  built 
a  modem  home,  having  become  prosperous. 
He  first  married  Margaret  Noleman.  The 
date  of  his  death  was  1 904.  He  was  highly 
respected  by  all.  Ann,  the  third  child  of 
the  subject's  grandfather,  married  Rufus 
McElwain,  a  farmer  in  Centralia  township, 
who  later  lived  at  Salem,  this  county.  Mary, 
the  fourth  child,  who  was  known  as  "Aunt 
Polly,"  married  a  Mr.  White.  They  lived 
near  Walnut  Hill  where  he  conducted  a  tan- 
yard.  John,  the  fifth  child,  died  when  he 
reached  maturity.  The  sixth  child  died 
when  young.  In  Marion  county,  in  the 


MR.  AND  MRS.  Z.  JENNINGS. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


465 


early  days,  no  citizen  was  more  prominent 
than  Israel  Jennings,  who  was  one  of  the 
largest  land  owners  of  the  county.  He  was 
a  faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  church, 
and  a  good  Democrat.  In  1827  he  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  Legislature  when 
Vandalia  was  the  capital  of  the  state.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  house  contemporane- 
ous with  Peter  Cartwright.  He  was  post- 
master at  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois,  for  many 
years,  beginning  in  1834.  He  was  a  slave- 
holder and  owned  the  only  male  slave  ever 
held  in  this  county.  He  came  here  before 
there  were  any  steam  railroads,  but  during 
his  life  he  noted  wonderful  changes,  being 
instrumental  in  bringing  about  much  of  the 
progress  of  the  county.  He  opened  a  store 
and  gave  dry  goods  and  groceries  in  ex- 
change for  produce  which  he  hauled  to  St. 
Louis  by  wagon,  bringing  back  supplies.  At 
the  time  of  his  coming  to  this  county  he 
had  two  daughters  who  had  reached  ma- 
turity. They  were  taken  sick  while  he  was 
away  in  Shawneetown  on  one  of  his  usual 
trips  and  one  of  them  died.  There  was  no 
lumber  in  the  community,  so  a  white-oak 
tree  was  cut  and  a  coffin  hewn  from  it,  in 
which  to  bury  the  young  lady,  whose  grave 
is  on  the  old  place  he  owned.  He  was 
known  to  be  a  very  eccentric  man,  and  ten 
years  before  his  death  he  bought  a  metallic 
coffin,  which  he  kept  in  the  house  until  his 
death,  and  he  was  buried  in  it,  dying  April 
20,  1872.  His  wife  died  April  3,  1885. 

Charles  W.  Jennings,  the  subject's  father, 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  and  he  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  with  his  parents,  set- 
30 


tling  one-half  mile  from  his  father,  where 
he  made  a  home,  and  became  owner  of  nine 
hundred  acres  of  land.  He  married  Mariah 
Davidson,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  and  the  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  them :  Sarah, 
deceased,  married  Capt.  R.  D.  Noleman, 
who  is  also  deceased;  Josephus  W.,  deceased, 
was  born  October  29,  1827,  lived  on  the  old 
place  and  was  educated  in  the  district 
schools.  He  was  a  merchant  at  Walnut 
Hill,  Illinois,  until  1856,  when  he  moved  to 
a  farm  one-half  mile  west  of  that  place, 
where  he  died  November  20,  1890.  He 
married  Amanda  Couch,  who  was  born 
January  8,  1834,  the  daughter  of  Milton  and 
Mary  (Beard)  Couch.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children :  Edgar, 
Frank,  Mary,  Lizzie  and  Nancy.  Harriett, 
the  third  child,  married  B.  F.  Marshall,  who 
lived  at  Salem,  Illinois.  They  are  both  de- 
ceased. Maria  E.  married  Silas  Bryan,  who 
was  county  Judge,  and  lived  at  Salem,  Illi- 
nois; Z.  C,  the  subject  of  this  biographical 
sketch,  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth.  Nan- 
cy married  James  Davenport,  who  is  de- 
ceased. She  is  living  at  Salem,  this  county. 
America  married  William  C.  Stites.  Both 
are  now  deceased.  Docia  married  Alram 
Van  Antwerp,  who  is  deceased.  She  is 
living  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

The  subject's  father  was  a  man  of  excel- 
lent business  ability  and  a  good  manager, 
he  having  become  wealthy.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and 
in  politics  was  a  Democrat. 

Z.  C.  Jennings,  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
grew  to  manhood  on  the  old  home  place  and 


466 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


was  educated  in  the  home  schools  and  the 
high  schools  at  Salem  and  Centralia.  When 
twenty-two  years  old  he  married  Mary  J. 
Baldridge,  daughter  of  James  C.  Baldridge, 
of  North  Carolina,  and  Margaret  (Rainey) 
Baldridge,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  At  the 
age  of  nine  years,  James  C.  Baldridge  came 
to  Marion  county  with  his  parents.  Dorn- 
ton  and  Mary  (Boggs)  Baldridge,  who  set- 
tled near  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois.  James  Bal- 
dridge and  wife  died  in  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois.  He  married  a  second  time,  his  last 
wife  being  Tabitha.  the  widow  of  Isaac 
Casey. 

The  subject  started  on  the  place  where  he 
now  lives  to  make  a  home.  He  first  owned 
forty  acres  of  land,  but  being  progressive 
he  added  to  it  from  time  to  time  until  he 
now  owns  a  fine  farm;  of  four  hundred  and 
twelve  acres,  which  is  in  a  high  state  of 
cultivation  and  one  of  the  best  stock  farms 
in  the  county.  He  has  raised  some  high- 
grade  horses  and  cattle  and  has  made  all 
the  improvements  on  the  place  himself,  be- 
ing regarded  as  one  of  the  foremost  agri- 
culturists of  the  county,  holding  high  rank 
among  the  stockmen  of  this  locality. 

Six  children  have  been  bom  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  as  follows :  Dr.  Dwight  was 
born  September  i.  1860,  and  he  graduated 
at  the  St.  Louis  Medical  College  in  1890, 
having  previously  attended  the  Carbondale 
Normal  School,  and  he  read  medicine  with 
Dr.  Richardson,  of  Centralia,  Illinois.  He 
took  up  his  practice  at  4101  Washington 
avenue,  St.  Louis,  where  he  has  since  been 
residing  and  has  built  up  a  large  practice. 


He  married  Cora  Locy,  of  Carlyle,  Illinois, 
and  three  children  were  born  to  this  union, 
Beatrice,  Dorothy  and  Dwight  L.  Charles 
Emmett,  the  subject's  second  child,  was 
born  January  4,  1862.  He  is  a  farmer  at 
Mosco,  Washington,  also  a  dealer  in  stock 
and  grain.  He  married  Angeline  S.  Creed, 
of  Centralia  township,  and  they  have  one 
son,  Fred  Allen.  Maggie  D.,  the  subject's 
third  child,  was  born  December  17,  1863, 
and  married  Lewis  E.  Thomas,  of  Centralia, 
Illinois.  He  is  a  carpenter  in  the  employ  of 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  Their  only 
son,  Charles,  is  deceased.  Samuel  R.,  who 
was  born  December  24,  1865,  has  always 
been  a  farmer  and  lived  at  home.  Maria, 
who  was  born  January  22,  1871,  died  in 
August  the  same  year;  Harriett  G.,  who 
was  born  October  7,  1873,  married  E.  M. 
Jones,  of  St.  Louis.  He  is  traveling  freight 
agent  for  the  Southern  Railroad.  They  have 
three  children,  namely :  Leona,  Dwight  and 
Grace. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  lived  at  home 
until  1859,  and  was  in  the  lumber  business 
with  his  father  for  awhile,  then  he  located 
on  his  present  place.  During  the  past  few 
years  he  has  devoted  a  great  deal  of  his  at- 
tention to  raising  fruit.  For  two  years  he 
successfully  manufactured  crates  and  berry 
boxes  at  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois. 

Mr.  Jennings  has  always  taken  a  great 
deal  of  interest  in  politics.  He  ably  filled 
the  office  of  Supervisor  for  four  years  and 
other  minor  offices  in  the  Democratic  party, 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church 
and  a  well  read  man  on  all  leading  topics. 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


He  has  a  substantial,  beautiful  and  well 
furnished  home,  presided  over  by  a  most 
estimable  helpmeet,  his  wife  being  a  woman 
of  culture  and  refinement.  Our  subject  is 
an  uncle  of  Hon.  William  Jennings  Bryan. 
He  is  well  and  favorably  known  throughout 
the  county,  being  regarded  by  all  classes 
as  a  man  of  force  of  character,  stability,  in- 
dustry and  honesty. 


JOHN  H.  GRAY. 

He  to  whom  this  sketch  is  dedicated  is  a 
member  of  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  hon- 
ored pioneer  families  of  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois, and  he  has  personally  lived  up  to  the 
full  tension  of  the  primitive  days  when  was 
"here  initiated  the  march  of  civilization,  so 
that  there  is  particular  interest  attached  to 
his  career,  while  he  stands  today  as  one  of 
the  representative  citizens  of  Tonti  town- 
ship, for  his  life  has  been  one  of  hard  work 
which  has  resulted  in  the  development  of  a 
good  farm  which  he  owns  and  which  yields 
him  a  comfortable  living. 

John  H.  Gray  was  born  in  this  county 
January  14,  1839,  an^  believing  that  he 
could  succeed  as  well  here  as  anywhere  de- 
cided to  stay  in  his  native  community  where 
he  would  have  the  added  advantage  of  home 
associations.  He  is  the  son  of  James  and 
Mariah  E.  (Nichols)  Gray.  Both  the  Gray 
and  Nichols  families  were  born  in  Tennes- 
see, being  of  that  hardy  pioneer  stock  that 
invades  new  and  unbroken  countries  and 


clears  the  wilderness,  developing  farms  from 
the  virgin  land.  It  was  for  such  purpose 
that  they  came  to  Illinois.  The  parents  of 
the  subject  came  to  Marion  county  in  their 
youth  and  were  married  here,  having  first 
settled  in  this  locality  during  the  Black 
Hawk  war.  James  D.  Gray,  our  subject's 
father,  moved  to  Tonti  township  in  1851.  He 
was  a  man  of  many  sterling  qualities,  a  good 
neighbor  and  citizen,  and,  as  already  inti- 
mated, was  industrious  and  a  hard  worker. 
He  was  also  a  minister  of  the  Methodist 
church  for  many  years.  His  family  con- 
sisted of  nine  children,  three  boys  and  one 
girl  living  at  this  writing,  1908,  all  fairly 
well  situated  in  reference  to  this  world's  af- 
fairs. 

John  H.  Gray,  our  subject,  received  a  lim- 
ited schooling  in  his  native  community. 
However,  he  applied  himself  well  and  did  the 
best  he  could  under  the  circumstances.  He 
remained  at  home,  working  on  his  father's 
place  until  he  reached  maturity.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  in  1860  to  Susan  Bal- 
lance,  a  member  of  a  well  known  family. 
After  a  brief  married  life  she  passed  to  her 
rest  in  1864.  This  union  resulted  in  the 
birth  of  one  child,  which  died  in  infancy.  In 
1866  the  subject  was  again  married,  his  sec- 
ond wife  being  Rebecca  A.  Boring,  who  is 
still  living,  having  proven  to  be  a  most  faith- 
ful and  worthy  helpmeet  and  a  woman  of 
gentle  disposition.  She  was  born  in  1848 
and  attended  the  district  schools  in  her 
maidenhood. 

Four  children  have  been  bom  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  three  girls  and  one  boy, 


468 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


whose  names  follow :  Susan  E.,  Mattie  E., 
Etta  and  William  A.  They  have  received 
what  schooling  that  is  available  in  their 
community  and  are  all  interesting  children 
with  every  prospect  for  future  success. 

Mr.  Gray  in  his  political  affiliations  is  a 
loyal  Democrat  and  has  taken  considerable 
interest  in  local  political  affairs,  his  support 
always  being  on  the  right  side  of  all  ques- 
tions affecting  the  public  good.  He  has 
ably  served  as  Highway  Commissioner, 
giving  entire  satisfaction  in  this  work,  and 
he  is  known  to  all  as  a  man  of  industry, 
honesty  and  integrity,  thereby  winning  and 
retaining  a  large  circle  of  friends. 


MRS.  JUDITH  SINGER. 

Words  of  praise  or  periods  of  encomium 
could  not  clearly  convey  the  personal  char- 
acteristics of  the  noble  woman  of  whom  the 
biographer  now  essays  to  write  in  this  com 
nection,  for  only  those  who  have  had  the 
good  fortune  to  know  her  personally  can 
see  the  true  beauty  of  her  character  and  in- 
dividual traits,  which  have  been  the  resul- 
tant, very  largely,  of  a  long  life  of  devo- 
tion to  duty,  a  life  filled  with  good  deeds 
to  others  and  led  along  worthy  planes.  Mrs. 
Singer  lives  in  Tonti  township,  Marion 
county,  where  she  successfully  manages  a 
fine  landed  estate,  exercising  rare  sagacity 
of  foresight  and  business  acumen,  which 
always  result  in  definite  success,  and  as  a 
result  of  her  commendable  characteristics 


she  enjoys  the  friendship  of  a  large  circle 
of  acquaintances  in  this  community. 

Mrs.  Judith  Singer  was  born  in  Berks 
county,  Pennsylvania,  June  24,  1838,  the 
daughter  of  Peter  and  Lyda  (Mildenber- 
ger)  Beisel.  The  Beisel  family  came  to 
America  from  Germany  in  an  early  day  and 
settled  in  Pennsylvania,  where  they  devel- 
oped farms  and  made  comfortable  .homes. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  always  lived  on 
a  farm,  and  when  her  father  died,  Grand- 
father Beisel  moved  to  Illinois,  and  the 
mother  of  the  subject  was  married  and  came 
to  Illinois  in  1867,  settling  in  Marion  coun- 
ty. She  was  a  good  woman  and  her  home 
life  was  calculated  to  foster  right  principles 
in  her  children.  The  father  of  the  subject 
was  a  man  of  many  sterling  traits  of  charac- 
ter, always  bearing  a  good  name. 

Judith  Beisel  was  given  every  advantage 
possible  by  her  parents,  and  while  her  early 
educational  training  was  not  extensive,  she 
applied  herself  in  a  diligent  manner  and  has 
since  been  an  avid  reader  of  the  best  gen- 
eral literature  with  the  result  that  she  is  an 
entertaining  and  instructive  talker,  especial- 
ly when  she  elucidates  on  the  pioneer  days 
and  the  aftermath  of  commercial  develop- 
ment of  this  section  of  the  country. 

Our  subject  was  married  to  Oscar  Singer 
January  2,  1858,  the  ceremony  having  been 
performed  in  Northumberland  county,  Pen- 
sylvania.  Mr.  Singer  was  born  in  Germany 
on  June  18,  1834.  He  was  educated  in  the 
Fatherland,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
with  his  parents  when  eighteen  years  old, 
where  he  learned  to  be  a  mechanic  of  no 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


469 


mean  ability.  He  worked  at  his  trade  in 
Centralia,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  being  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  best  men  in  the  insti- 
tution where  he  was  employed.  He  later 
moved  to  St.  Louis,  where  he  went  into 
business  on  his  own  account,  and  in  which 
city  he  was  living  when  he  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  on  November  20,  1882. 
His  remains  were  interred  in  the  cemetery 
at  Salem,  Illinois.  He  was  a  good  business 
man,  honest  and  industrious  and  made 
friends  wherever  he  went.  He  was  a  public 
spirited  man,  being  a  loyal  Republican  in 
politics. 

Mrs.  Singer  purchased  an  eighty  acre 
farm  in  Tonti  township,  Marion  county,  in 
1883,  and  moved  thereto  soon  afterward, 
having  resided  there  ever  since.  It  is  a  splen- 
did place,  well  managed  and  highly  in> 
proved  in  every  respect,  producing  excellent 
crops  from  year  to  year  and  yielding  a  com- 
fortable income  for  the  family.  Mrs. 
Singer's  home  is  one  of  the  most  attractive 
in  the  community.  Good  stock  of  various 
kinds  and  a  fine  variety  of  poultry  are  to  be 
seen  about  the  place. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Singer.  Two  boys  and  three  girls  are  living 
at  this  writing,  namely :  Ida  is  the  wife  of 
Will  W.  Langridge,  who  lives  in  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana;  Lillie  is  the  wife  of  Lewis 
Parks,  who  lives  on  a  farm;  Ollie  travels 
for  an  Indianapolis  firm;  Oscar  married 
Maude  Kline  and  lives  on  a  farm :  Rose  L. 
is  a  bookkeeper  at  Salem,  Illinois.  All  these 
children  had  careful  training  and  all  re- 
ceived a  good  common  school  education. 


JAMES  R.  RICHARDSON. 

One  of  the  sterling  citizens  of  Marion 
county  is  he  whose  name  initiates  this  para- 
graph, being  engaged  in  farmiing  in  Tonti 
township.  As  a  result  of  his  industry,  in- 
tegrity and  genuine  worth  he  is  held  in  high 
esteem  by  the  people  of  this  vicinity,  mainly 
as  a  result  of  his  principal  life  work — the 
noble  profession  of  teaching. 

James  R.  Richardson,  the  son  of  John  and 
Sarah  A.  (Chandler)  Richardson,  was  born 
in  Williamson  county,  Illinois,  at  Bolton, 
December  19,  1841.  The  Richardson  fam- 
ily are  of  Irish  descent.  John  Richardson 
was  born  in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  and  he 
was  eight  years  old  when  his  parents  died. 
He  was  reared  by  a  family  named  Decker, 
a  farmer  at  Groveport,  Ohio.  He  received 
his  educational  training  in  the  public  schools 
in  the  Buckeye  state,  which  was  somewhat 
limited,  owing  to  the  primitive  condition  of 
the  public  schools  of  that  early  day.  He 
was  a  man  of  no  extraordinary  ability  but 
he  was  a  hard  worker  and  succeeded  in 
making  a  comfortable  living.  He  came  to 
Illinois  about  1838,  settling  near  Peoria, 
where  he  remained  a  few  years.  He  moved 
to  St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  and  thence  to 
Williamson  county  and  later  he  came  to 
Marion  county  in  1853,  buying  a  farm  in 
Tonti  township,  where  he  lived  until  his 
death  in  March,  1856. 

The  Chandler  family  came  from  Penn- 
sylvania. The  father  of  Sarah  A.,  our  sub- 
ject's mother,  came  to  Ohio  and  engaged 
in  farming,  but  not  on  an  extensive  scale. 


470 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


The  mother  of  the  subject  was  educated  in 
the  public  schools  of  Franklin  county.  She 
was  a  woman  of  many  estimable  qualities. 
Eleven  children  were  born  to  this  couple, 
ten  girls  and  one  boy.  Sarah  A.  was  mar- 
ried to  John  Richardson  about  1838,  and 
she  passed  to  her  rest  in  1870.  Mr.  Rich- 
ardson was  a  large  land  owner  in  Marion 
county,  this  state,  and  he  was  regarded  as 
a  man  of  many  sterling  qualities. 

James  R.  Richardson,  our  subject,  was 
the  second  child  in  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren. He  remained  under  the  parental  roof 
tree  until  he  was  seventeen  years  old.  He 
received  his  education  in  the  district  schools 
and  later  at  Salem.  He  was  an  ambitious 
lad  from  the  start  and  outstripped  most  of 
his  contemporaries.  After  finishing  the 
public  school  course,  he  was  not  satisfied 
with  the  amount  of  text-book  training  he 
had  received  and  consequently  entered  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Bloomington,  Il- 
linois, where  he  made  a  splendid  record  for 
scholarship,  and  where  he  graduated  in  the 
class  of  1871,  with  high  honors. 

After  leaving  school  Mr.  Richardson  at 
once  began  to  teach,  first  in  the  county 
schools,  having  soon  become  principal,  and 
he  was  principal  in  several  places.  Becoming 
known  as  an  able  instructor,  his  sen-ices 
were  in  great  demand.  He  was  principal 
of  the  schools  at  Woodson,  Franklin.  Stan- 
ford, Morton  and  Marseilles,  all  in  Illinois, 
and  he  also  taught  a  year  in  Kansas.  He 
gave  the  greatest  possible  satisfaction  as  an 
instructor,  being  well  grounded  in  the  texts 
then  included  in  the  public  school  curricu- 


lums,  and  he  was  very  popular  with  his  pu- 
pils, owing  to  his  friendliness  and  kindness. 
His  teaching  extended  over  a  period  of 
twenty-six  years  during  which  time  his 
reputation  extended  not  only  to  adjoining 
counties  but  he  attracted  the  attention  of 
the  ablest  educators  of  the  state,  receiving 
much  laudable  comment  on  his  work  in  the 
school  room. 

Mr.  Richardson  could  not  restrain  the 
wave  of  patriotism  that  pervaded  his  whole 
being  when,  in  the  dark  days  of  the  sixties, 
our  national  integrity  was  threatened,  and, 
believing  that  it  was  his  duty  to  sever  home 
ties,  leave  the  school  room  and  offer  his  ser- 
vices in  defense  of  the  flag,  he  accordingly 
enlisted  in  Company  G,  Twenty-first  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry,  and  was  in  the 
regiment  assigned  to  Grant's  army  during 
the  first  part  of  the  war.  He  was  in  the 
great  battle  of  Stone  River  and  the  still 
bloodier  conflict  of  Chickamauga,  and  many 
other  smaller  engagements.  He  was  taken 
prisoner  at  Chickamauga,  and  was  in  prison 
at  Richmond  and  Danville  for  six  months. 
He  effected  his  escape,  but  was  recaptured, 
and  later  exchanged.  After  performing 
gallant  service  for  a  period  of  three  years, 
he  returned  home  and  entered  the  Univer- 
sity of  Illinois  in  1864,  where  he  completed 
his  education. 

Our  subject's  domestic  life  dates  from 
December  25,  1876,  when  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Sarah  Martin  Williams,  a 
highly  educated  woman,  a  native  of  Cass 
county,  Illinois,  where  she  was  born  March 
10,  1856.  She  lived  in  Morgan  county,  this 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


471 


state  until  seventeen  years  old,  when  she  en- 
tered the  State  University  at  Bloomington, 
and  was  a  student  there  for  several  years, 
where  she  made  a  brilliant  record  for  schol- 
arship. No  children  have  been  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Richardson.  Mrs.  Richardson  is 
a  faithful  member  of  the  Christian  church 
in  Salem.  Our  subject  is  a  Prohibitionist 
in  his  political  affiiliations. 


GEORGE  W.  HILTIBIDAL. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  review 
has  well  earned  the  title  to  be  addressed  as 
one  of  the  progressive,  self-made  men  of 
Marion  county,  being  the  owner  of  a  very 
valuable  landed  estate  in  Raccoon  township, 
where  his  labors  have  benefited  alike  him- 
self and  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in 
contact. 

George  W.  Hiltibidal  was  born  in  Grand 
Prairie  township,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
March  15,  1867,  the  son  of  George  and 
Elizabeth  Bradford,  both  natives  of  Indiana. 
They  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and 
finally  located  in  Raccoon  township.  After 
building  a  dwelling  house  and  making  ex- 
tensive improvements  on  his  farm  here  he 
moved  to  Grand  Prairie,  Jefferson  county, 
where  he  died  in  1869,  on  a  farm  which  he 
had  improved,  and  where  his  wife  also  died 
in  1876.  He  was  a  strong  Republican  and 
he  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  They  were  the  parents  of  five 
children,  namely:  Mary  is  living  in  Wash- 


ington county,  this  state,  having  married 
Neil  Kingsley;  Ella,  who  married  Robert 
Birge,  lives  at  Walnut  Hill,  this  county; 
John  died  young ;  Sarah,  who  married 
James  Sprouse,  lives  in  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois;  George  William,  our  subject,  was 
the  youngest  child. 

.The  subject's  mother  died  when  he  was 
nine  years  old.  He  had  not  been  to  school 
up  to  that  time.  He  then  went  to  live  with 
his  uncle,  George  Bundy,  in  Raccoon  town- 
ship, with  whom  he  remained  for  eleven 
years.  He  then  located  on  his  present  farm 
in  Raccoon  township,  section  28,  having 
secured  forty-five  acres  known  as  the  May 
place.  It  had  an  old  log  house  and  stable 
on  it.  The  subject  has  been  a  hard  worker 
and  a  good  manager  and  he  built  his  present 
fine  substantial  and  modern  home  in  1907, 
and  his  excellent  barn  in  1906,  and  he  has 
made  all  the  extensive  improvements  on  the 
place. 

Mr.  Hiltibidal  was  united  in  marriage 
April  5,  1888,  to  Josie  Hey  duck,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Jacob  and  Phillimina  Heyduck,  na- 
tives of  Germany,  having  lived  in  the  River 
Rhine  country.  They  came  to  America  and 
secured  wild  land  in  Raccoon  township. 
which  they  developed  and  on  which  they 
made  a  good  home  where  they  lived  until 
1903,  when  Mr.  Heyduck  retired  and  moved 
to  Centralia.  The  subject's  wife  was  born 
in  Raccoon  township,  this  county.  Mrs. 
Heyduck  died  in  1890.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  them  as  follows:  'Lizzie,  who  lives 
in  Decatur,  Illinois ;  Ricca  is  deceased :  Lucy 
is  deceased;  Kate  lives  at  Odin,  Illinois: 


472 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Josie,  wife  of  our  subject ;  John  is  deceased, 
Emma  lives  on  the  old  place  in  Raccoon 
township;  Henry  lives  at  Centralia;  Ben- 
nie  lives  in  Centralia ;  Laura  also  lives  in 
Centralia. 

Five  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  George,  Gracie, 
Esther,  Bertha,  Julius.  The  subject  carries 
on  a  general  farming  business  with  great 
success.  He  is  considered  an  excellent  judge 
of  live  stock  and  raises  some  good  horses. 
He  has  always  been  a  farmer,  but  for  many 
years  has  worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade. 
He  has  put  up  all  his  own  buildings  and 
done  all  his  own  work.  He  is  regarded  as 
an  excellent  carpenter  and  his  services  are 
frequently  sought  by  those  desiring  to  build. 

Our  subject  has  faithfully  served  as  a 
member  of  the  local  school  board  for  six 
years.  He  is  a  Republican  in  his  political 
affiliations.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Farm- 
ers' Educational  Co-Operative  union  at  Bun- 
dyville,  Illinois.  He  has  gained  his  success 
not  through  the  assistance  of  relatives  or 
friends,  but  by  his  own  efforts. 


ISHAM  E.  HODGES. 

Among  the  sterling  Tennesseans  who 
have  settled  in  Marion  county  since  the  pio- 
neer days,  none  have  shown  more  worthy 
traits  of  character  or  been  more  active  in 
the  development  of  the  county  than  the  gen- 
tleman whose  biography  we  herewith  pre- 
sent. Mr.  Hodges  is  the  owner  of  a  fine 


farm  in  Raccoon  township  which  has  been 
brought  from  a  wild  state  to  one  of  the 
best  in  the  locality  through  his  skillful 
management. 

Isham  E.  Hodges  was  born  in  Sumner 
county,  Tennessee,  July  30,  1840,  the  son 
of  Marcus  A.  and  Elizabeth  (Marcum) 
Hodges,  the  former  a  native  of  Sumner 
county,  Tennessee,  where  he  grew  up,  made 
a  farmer  and  where  he  died,  and  the  latter  a 
native  of  Abbyville  Court  House,  Virginia, 
who  died  in  Montgomery  county,  Tennessee. 
They  were  members  of  the  Christian  church. 
Our  subject  was  their  only  child.  His 
father  married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife 
being  Susan  Hodges,  of  Sumner  county, 
Tennessee.  She  is  still  living  there  on  the 
old  place.  Nine  children  were  born  to  the 
subject's  fathe'r  by  his  second  union.  He 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Indian  war  in  Florida  in 
1836,  being  a  prisoner  of  that  struggle. 
Our  subject's  great-grandfathers  on  both 
sides  served  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  being 
in  General  Starke's  and  General  Green's 
command. 

Isham  E.  Hodges  had  little  opportunity  to 
attend  school.  However,  he  obtained  some 
education  in  subscription  schools  of  the  early 
days.  He  left  home  when  seventeen  years 
of  age  and  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  worked  out  and  carried  the  mail 
from  Fairfield  to  Salem.  He  also  farmed 
in  Salem  and  Raccoon  townships.  On  Oc- 
tober 31,  1865,  choosing  as  a  life  partner 
Frances  Hays,  of  Raccoon  township,  the 
daughter  of  Elijah  M.  Hays,  whose  sketch 
appears  in  full  on  another  page  of  this  work. 


BRINKKR110FF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


473 


Eleven  children  have  been  born,  eight  of 
whom  are  living:  Effie,  deceased,  married 
Harvey  England,  who  lives  in  St.  Louis, 
Missouri.  She  was  born  August  23,  1866, 
and  died  August  8,  1883.  Iva  E.,  the  sec- 
ond child,  was  born  October  28,  1867,  mar- 
ried Harvey  Mercer;  they  live  in  Sadora, 
Arkansas,  and  are  the  parents  of  five  chil- 
dren, Clinton,  Sylvia,  Stewart,  Howard  and 
Opal.  Clara  B.,  the  third  child,  was  born 
March  n,  1869,  died  February  8,  1892, 
married  Charles  Anderson,  of  Chicago,  Illi- 
nois; John  D.,  who  was  born  March  21, 

1873,  first  married  Lucy  White  and  second 
Lydia  Kell,  having  had  two  children  by  his 
first  wife,  Clayton  and  Robert,  and  one  child 
by  his  second  wife,  named  Donald.     He  has 
been  postal  clerk  for  several  years  on  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad.     He  was 
first  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Southwestern 
Railroad,  his  first  run  being  between  Mc- 
Leansboro  and   Shawneetown,   Illinois.   He 
runs  between  Marion  and  Villa  Grove.  Ralph 
Waldo,   the  fifth  child,   was  born  June  6, 

1874,  and  died  October  25,    1875;    Mark 
Ainsly  was  born  January  2,  1877,  married 
Indiana    Stonecipher,    and    they   have    four 
children,  Delta,  Isham,  Charles  and  Mary ; 
Grace  was  born  September  13,   1878,  mar- 
ried Levi  Bigham,  a    farmer    in    Raccoon 
township;   Mabel  J.   was  born   August  28, 
1880,  married    Henry    F.    March,    station 
agent  at  Cartter,  Illinois,  on  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  three  children,  Everett,  Franklin 
and  .Marie;  Minnie  Blanche,  born  September 
26.   1882,  married  Elisha  Harmon,  a  car- 


penter of  Raccoon  township ;  Elaine  E.,  born 
November  8,  1884,  who  married  Clara 
Pitts,  is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township: 
Dwight  E..  born  October  28,  1886,  is  an 
operator  on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railroad  at  Herrin,  Illinois,  married 
Nellie  Dukes,  and  they  have  one  child,  Clara. 

The  subject's  children  have  been  educated 
in  the  home  schools,  John  D.  and  Iva  went 
to  Carbondale,  and  Blaine  attended  the  agri- 
cultural department  of  the  University  of 
Missouri  at  Columbia. 

In  1865,  after  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  married,  he  rented  land  in  Raccoon 
township.  After  farming  here  for  a  while 
he  went  to  Idaho,  also  the  state  of  Wash- 
ington, also  the  Shoshone  agency  and  the 
Red  Cloud  agency  in  Wyoming.  He  was 
in  the  West  from  1869  to  1871.  He  was  a 
clerk  and  did  office  work  most  of  the  time. 
After  1871  he  worked  in  the  United  States 
Pension  Agency  at  Salem,  Illinois,  under 
Gen.  J.  S.  Martin,  from  March  4,  1872,  to 
March  4,  1873,  having  given  entire  satisfac- 
tion in  this  capacity,  after  which  he  entered 
the  railway  mail  service  on  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Southwestern  Railroad  and  run  be- 
tween Cincinnati  and  St.  Louis  for  three 
years,  when  he  was  transferred  to  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad,  his  run  being  between 
Cairo  and  Centralia  for  three  years,  and  on 
the  northern  division  from  Centralia  to  Chi- 
cago until  April  20,  1889.  During  this  time 
he  lived  in  Centralia,  from  1878  to  1880. 
In  1869  he  bought  the  farm  he  now  lives 
on  in  Raccoon  township.  In  1880  he  built 
his  fine  brick  house  and  made  all  the  other 


474 


BKINKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


improvements  on  the  place  which  is  one 
of  the  choice  farms  of  this  locality.  It  con- 
sists of  one  hundred  and  forty  acres  in  sec- 
tions 24  and  25,  Raccoon  township.  One 
hundred  and  twenty-five  acres  are  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation.  He  has  a  very 
valuable  orchard  of  one  thousand  apple 
trees,  three  hundred  peach  trees  as  well  as 
pears,  cherries  and  small  fruits.  He  also 
raises  much  good  stock,  horse.s,  mules  and 
cattle  and  fine  Chester  White  hogs.  His 
farm  is  also  well  stocked  with  fine  chickens, 
White  Wyandotte  and  Rhode  Island  Red 
chickens. 

Mr.  Hodges  was  one  of  the  patriotic  sons 
of  the  Xorth  who  fought  to  preserve  the 
Union  during  the  dark  days  of  the  sixties, 
having  enlisted  July  4,  1861,  in  Company 
G.  Twenty-second  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, under  Capt.  J.  S.  Jackson  and  Col. 
Henry  Dougherty,  having  been  mustered  in 
at  Casseyville,  Illinois.  He  and  his  com- 
pany were  sent  to  Birds  Point,  Missouri, 
and  was  in  the  engagement  November  7, 
1 86 1,  at  Belmont,  Missouri.  They  joined 
General  Pope  and  was  at  the  surrender  of 
Tiptonville,  Tennessee,  where  they  cap- 
tured about  seven  thousand  prisoners.  They 
then  went  down  the  Mississippi  river  to  Ft. 
Pillow  and  after  the  battle  of  Ft.  Donelson 
and  Pittsburg  Landing,  they  went  up 
the  Tennessee  river  and  were  at  the  siege  of 
Corinth,  and,  after  several  skirmishes, 
marched  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  oc- 
cupied that  city  until  December  26,  1862. 
Our  subject  was  in  General  Sheridan's  di- 
vision, McCook's  corps.  General  Rosecrans 


commanding.  They  were  in  the  marches  and 
battles  from  Nashville  to  Murphysboro, 
Tullahoma,  Bridgeport,  Alabama,  and 
Chickamauga,  Georgia,  being  wounded  in 
the  latter  battle  September  20,  1863,  where 
he  was  shot  in  the  thigh  and  sent  to  the  field 
hospital  at  Crawfish  Springs,  where  all  the 
wounded  men  captured  were  paroled  next 
day  and  sent  to  Nashville  and  Louisville, 
later  to  Quincy,  Illinois,  and  then  to  Benton 
Barracks.  Then  the  subject  was  on  detail 
duty  and  in  the  commander's  office  until 
July  i,  1864,  and  he  was  sent  to  Springfield, 
Illinois,  and  mustered  out  July  7,  1864. 

Mr.  Hodges  is  a  loyal  Populist.  He  has 
been  Supervisor  of  his  township  for  two 
years,  has  also  been  School  Director  and 
held  minor  offices. 


HENDERSON  BOYAKIN  WHAM. 

A  native  of  Haines  township,  Marion 
county,  and  having  spent  the  sixty  years 
of  his  life  there,  naturally  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  known  to  every  man,  woman 
and  child  in  that  section  of  the  state.  Mr. 
Wham  has  been  very  much  in  the  public  eye, 
in  various  capacities,  having  on  more  than 
one  occasion  been  closely  identified  with 
the  affairs  of  the  township  in  an  official  way, 
and  it  may  not  be  amiss  to  state,  in  this 
connection,  that  his  constituents  never  had 
cause  to  regret  the  fact  of  having  conferred 
upon  him  their  suffrages.  He  is  known  as 
a  devoutly  religious  man. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


475 


Mr.  Wham  was  born  in  Haines  township 
March  25,  1848,  being  the  offspring  of  Wil- 
liam and  Louisa  (Rainey)  Wham,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  Tennessee,  while  the  latter 
was  born  in  Kentucky.  The  grandfather  of 
the  subject  was  a  native  of  Ireland,  and 
came  to  America  shortly  after  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  settling  in  South  Carolina  on 
a  farm.  Later  he  went  to  Tennessee,  where 
he  died,  and  the  father  and  grandmother  of 
Mr.  Wham  moved  to  Marion  county,  set- 
tling in  Haines  township,  where  later  the 
former  was  married.  The  couple  entered  a 
farm  of  prairie  and  timber  land  in  Haines 
township  that  was  purchased  from  the  gov- 
ernment. He  broke  the  land  and  built  upon 
it  what  was  then  considered  a  very  com- 
modious dwelling.  He  was  a  very  progres- 
sive man,  and  did  much  to  develop  the 
region.  After  improving  his  own  land  he 
did  much  work  for  his  neighbors  in  the  way 
of  breaking  the  sod,  using  an  OK  team,  and 
to  him  was  also  due  the  construction  of 
many  good  roads.  He  was  a  Whig  and 
later  a  Republican:  His  wife  died  in  1883, 
and  he  survived  her  ten  years.  He  was  born 
in  1817,  and  his  helpmate  in  1818.  They 
were  both  devout  members  of  the  Presby- 
terian church  for  many  years,  but  in  later 
years  became  members  of  the  Methodist 
denomination.  There  were  born  to  the 
couple  eight  children,  namely:  Margaret 
Ann,  widow  of  James  M.  Mount;  Martha, 
widow  of  William  K.  Storment,  living  at 
Cartter,  Illinois;  Elizabeth,  deceased,  was 
the  wife  of  John  R.  Morrison ;  Minerva,  de- 
ceased, was  the  wife  of  Thomas  J.  Holt; 


Jerusha,  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Mathew 
M.  Gaston;  H.  B.,  our  subject;  Mathew  R., 
deceased,  and  William  R.,  living  at  Cartter, 
Illinois. 

The  early  life  of  the  subject  was  spent  on 
a  farm  in  Haines  township.  He  attended 
the  common  schools  and  later  the  high 
school  at  Centralia,  Illinois.  In  1871  he 
married  Nancy  Jane  Stonecipher,  daughter 
of  Joshua  and  Nancy  A.  (Hall)  Stone- 
cipher,  both  being  natives  of  Tennessee  and 
early  settlers  of  Marion  county.  The  sub- 
ject and  his  wife  had  ten  children,  viz. : 
Prof.  George  D.,  a  teacher  of  pedagogy  in 
the  State  Normal  School  at  Carbondale, 
who  married  Edith  Page,  of  Olney,  Illinois, 
and  who  is  the  father  of  one  child,  John 
Page  Wham;  Nellie  Eunice,  wife  of  T.  E. 
Maulding,  East  St.  Louis,  has  one  child, 
Howard  B. ;  Phoebe,  wife  of  E.  P.  Gaston, 
Centralia,  Illinois,  has  one  child,  Helen, 
Edgar  B.,  a  successful  merchant  of  Cartter, 
Illinois,  married  Anna  Blair;  Frederick, 
senior  in  law  department  of  the  University 
of  Illinois  at  Champaign,  Illinois;  Charles, 
in  school  at  Champaign,  taking  a  literary 
course;  Florence,  at  home;  Benjamin  in 
school  at  Carbondale,  normal  course;  Wil- 
liam J.,  died  in  infancy;  infant,  unnamed, 
deceased. 

Joshua  Stonecipher  and  wife,  parents  of 
Mrs.  Wham,  had  fourteen  children  and 
they  are  all  dead  but  five,  Hiram,  Phrebe, 
Mary,  Curtis  and  Mrs.  Wham.  The  Stone- 
cipher  family  is  very  highly  respected  in 
Marion  county.  William  Wrham,  grand- 
father of  the  subject,  was  the  father  of  eight 


4/6 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


children,  Joseph,  John,  Benjamin,  William, 
Isabella,  Ann,  Jane  and  Elizabeth.  Mathew 
Rainey,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  the 
subject,  also  had  eight  children,  all  of  whom 
are  dead.  They  were :  Louisa  Ann,  Jeru- 
sia,  Jane,  Sarah,  Patsey,  William,  Robert 
and  Samuel. 

The  subject  has  one  of  the  most  attractive 
farms  in  Haines  township.  He  has  con- 
structed a  spacious  dwelling  and  ample 
barns.  He  has  been  a  stock  raiser  for  many 
years,  and  handles  the  very  best  grade  of 
horses,  mules,  cattle  and  sheep.  Although 
he  is  a  very  busy  man  Mr.  Wham  has  a 
great  love  for  literature,  and  spends  much 
time  among  his  books.  The  subject  began 
teaching  school  in  1867,  and  spent  alto- 
gether twenty-five  years  as  a  pedagogue. 
He  was  a  successful  instructor  and  did 
much  for  the  cause  of  education  in  Marion 
county,  and  particularly  Haines  township. 
He  early  became  an  enthusiastic  champion 
of  the  State  Normal  School  located  at  Car- 
bondale,  and  it  is  a  matter  of  record  that 
Marion  county  stands  first  in  the  state  out- 
side of  the  county  in  which  the  school  is  lo- 
cated in  the  number  of  students  attending 
that  institution.  It  is  also  a  fact,  of  which 
Mr.  Wham  may  feel  justly  proud,  that 
Haines  township,  where  he  taught  for  so 
many  years,  has  furnished  more  students  for 
the  State  Normal  than  any  other  township 
in  Marion  county.  He  is  a  Republican  and 
has  been  Supervisor  of  Haines  township 
twice,  Town  Clerk  one  term,  besides  serving 
as  Assessor.  As  an  evidence  of  his  popu- 
larity it  may  be  stated  that  Haines  town- 


ship is  Democratic  normally,  but  Mr. 
Wham  received  an  Unusually  large  plurality. 
He  has  rarely  been  defeated  for  public 
office,  but  when  he  ran  for  County  Treasurer 
in  1906  he  was  defeated  by  forty-two  votes. 
Mr.  Wham  has  been  a  Sunday  school 
teacher  and  superintendent  for  a  number  of 
years,  and  has  taken  a  great  interest  in 
church  work. 


JAMES  M.  DACE. 

Among  the  representative  business  men 
of  Marion  county  is  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  is  at  present  proprietor  of  a  well 
known  and  flourishing  restaurant  in  Odin, 
and  who  is  carrying  on  his  line  of  Business 
with  that  enterprise  and  discretion  which 
are  sure  to  find  their  sequel  in  definite  suc- 
cess. 

James  M.  Dace  was  born  in  Monroe  City, 
Monroe  county,  Illinois,  on  April  18,  1861, 
but  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
this  county,  where  he  applied  himself  in  a 
careful  manner  and  received  a  good  educa- 
tion. He  later  took  a  commercial  course  in 
the  Bryant  and  Stratton  Business  College 
of  St.  Louis.  After  leaving  school,  our 
subject  devoted  himself  to  farming,  having 
while  attending  school  worked  on  his  fa- 
ther's farm.  This  he  followed  with  success 
attending  his  efforts  until  1888,  then  he 
traveled  for  a  period  of  seven  years  for  the 
D.  M.  Osborn  Company,  successfully  han- 
dling a  line  of  agricultural  implements,  and 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


477 


obtaining  a  large  amount  of  trade  for  them. 
In  1895  Mr.  Dace  gave  up  his  position  on 
the  road  and  opened  his  present  business  in 
Odin,  that  of  conducting  a  restaurant.  His 
success  was  instantaneous,  and  he  has  since 
conducted  the  same  with  much  satisfaction 
attending  his  efforts,  his  neat,  well  equipped 
and  carefully  managed  restaurant  being 
known  far  and  wide  to  the  transient  visitors 
to  Odin,  as  well  as  to  numerous  local  pa- 
trons. Here  is  served  the  very  best  grade 
of  materials  that  the  market  affords  and  all 
guests  are  accorded  the  kindest  considera- 
tion and  most  courteous  treatment,  so  that 
a  customer  is  never  lost,  but  all  speak  in 
praise  of  our  subject's  place  of  business, 
which  would  be  a  credit  to  any  town,  much 
less  one  the  size  of  Odin. 

Mr.  Dace  has  long  taken  considerable  in 
terest  in  public  affairs,  his  unusual  talents 
having  been  recognized  early  by  his  many 
political  friends,  so  that  he  was  sought  out 
for  public  office,  with  the  result  that  he  has 
been  Supervisor  of  his  township  for  the 
past  twelve  years  which  position  he  has 
held  with  great  credit  to  himself  and  with 
satisfaction  to  all  concerned.  In  politics 
he  is  a  loyal  Democrat. 

The  married  life  of  Mr.  Dace  dates  from 
1884,  when  he  was  united  in  the  bonds  of 
wedlock  with  Lulu  Charlton,  a  native  of 
this  county  and  a  daughter  of  Sidney  and 
Henrietta  (Gaines)  Charlton,  natives  of 
this  county.  The  paternal  grandfather  ot 
our  subject's  wife  came  to  this  county  in  an 
early  day,  taking  up  twelve  hundred  acres 
of  land,  which  he  developed  and  on  which 


he  raised  his  famiily  and  where  he  died,  hav- 
ing lived  to  an  old  age.  His  wife,  who  is 
still  living,  is  very  old. 

The  subject  and  wife  have  no  children 
living.  Airs.  Dace  belongs  to  the  Christian 
church.  Our  subject  in  his  fraternal  rela- 
tions is  a  member  of  the  ancient  and  honor- 
able order  of  Masons,  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  and  the  Woodmen,  having  filled 
many  of  the  chairs  in  the  latter.  He  at 
present  holds  offices  in  two  of  these  lodges. 
He  also  belongs  to  the  Red  Men.  Mr.  Dace 
has  always  been  known  as  a  man  of  sound 
business  principles,  kind  hearted,  liberal  and 
pleasant  to  all. 


BENJAMIN  F.  NORFLEET. 

This  venerable  and  highly  honored  citi- 
zen of  Raccoon  township,  represents  that 
class  of  noble  American  citizens  who  spend 
their  lives  in  the  rural  districts,  the  great 
producers,  on  whom  the  rest  of  the  world 
depends,  and  his  life  has  been  so  active  and 
carefully  lived  that  success  has  attended  al- 
most his  every  effort. 

Benjamin  F.  Norfleet  was  bom  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  Tennessee,  May  29,  1832, 
the  son  of  Marmaduke  and  Malinda  (Mc- 
Fadden)  Norfleet,  natives  of  Montgomery 
county.  The  subject's  grandfather  was 
James  Norfleet,  a  native  of  North  Carolina. 
He  married  in  that  state,  but  lived  in  Mont- 
gomery county,  Tennessee,  most  of  his  life. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  raised  a  good  deal  of 


478 


P.KIXKEKIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


fruit.  He  was  noted  for  the  fine  apple  and 
peach  brandy  which  he  made.  He  and  his 
wife  died  in  that  county.  They  were  the 
parents  of  three  sons  and  four  daughters. 
He  was  of  Welsh  descent.  There  were  three 
brothers  of  the  Norfleet  family  who  came 
to  America,  namely:  James,  Marmaduke 
and  Starkey.  They  settled  in  North  Caro- 
lina. The  subject's  grandfather,  David 
McFadden,  was  a  native  of  Ireland.  He 
married  Elizabeth  Elliott.  He  came  to 
America  shortly  after  they  were  married. 
He  came  first  to  this  country  and  in  six 
months  sent  for  his  wife.  He  settled  in 
Montgomery  county,  Tennessee,  on  the  Red 
river.  He  got  six  hundred  and  forty  acres 
of  government  land.  He  cleared  a  great 
deal  of  the  land  and  built  a  fine  home  on  it. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  a  successful  business 
man.  They  lived  the  rest  of  their  lives  in 
Montgomery  county  and  reared  a  large 
family.  The  subject's  father  and  mother 
were  both  born  in  Montgomery  countv, 
Tennessee.  The  former  was  educated  in 
the  home  schools  and  was  a  self-learned 
man  and  became  a  good  scholar.  He  was 
a  carpenter  and  farmer.  In  1855  he  went 
to  Stewart  county,  Tennessee,  and  bought 
a  farm  there.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace, 
was  active  in  Democratic  politics.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  Mrs.  Norfleet  died  in 
Stewart  county,  Tennessee.  They  were  the 
parents  of  thirteen  children,  namely:  Ben- 
jamin Franklin,  our  subject;  David,  a 
farmer  in  Stewart  county,  Tennessee ;  Hen- 
ry A.,  a  farmer  in  Stewart  countv,  Tennes- 


see; George,  a  farmer  in  the  same  county: 
Virginia,  who  lives  in  the  same  county: 
Josephine  L.  also  lives  in  that  county; 
Mary  Elizabeth  became  a  resident  of  Wil- 
liamson county,  Illinois,  where  she  died. 
The  rest  of  the  children  are  all  deceased. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  only  a  lim- 
ited education,  obtained  in  the  subscription 
schools.  He  lived  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty-two  years  of  age.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  October  10,  1855,  to  Josephine 
Hamlett,  of  Montgomery  county,  Tennes- 
see, the  daughter  of  James  and  Jane  (At- 
kins) Hamlett,  the  former  of  North  Caro- 
lina, and  the  latter  of  Montgomery  county, 
Tennessee,  to  which  county  the  former  went 
when  ten  years  of  age.  He  was  a  carpen- 
ter and  cabinet  maker,  and  he  and  his  wife 
lived  in  that  county  the  rest  of  their  lives. 
They  were  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
namely:  James,  deceased:  Frank  is  a  car- 
penter in  Marshall,  Texas;  Mary  Jane  is 
deceased;  the  fourth  child  died  in  infancy; 
Jackson  is  deceased ;  Josephine,  the  sub- 
ject's wife;  Maria,  of  Nashville,  Tennes- 
see; Margaret,  of  Clarksville,  Tennessee. 

Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  one  of  whom  is  deceased, 
namely:  Emma  is  the  wife  of  F.  G.  Boggs, 
of  Raccoon  township,  whose  sketch  appears 
in  full  on  another  page  of  this  volume; 
Marmaduke,  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township, 
married  Lucy  Boggs :  Edgar,  who  is  con- 
nected with  "The  Houston  Post,"  at 
Houston,  Texas,  married  Belle  Clayburn; 
Ella  died  young;  Jefferson,  who  married 
Minnie  Brown,  is  a  farmer  at  Springfield, 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


479 


Illinois;  Dora,  who  married  Ira  Richard- 
son, lives  at  Muskogee,  Oklahoma;  Thomas 
M.,  who  is  an  engineer  in  a  coal  mine  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  married  Hattie  Few; 
Sidney,  a  carpenter  living  at  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, married  Nettie  Stader;  Beulah,  the 
widow  of  William  Stewart,  lives  at  Centra- 
lia,  Illinois;  Benjamin  F.,  Jr.,  who  lives  in 
Lexington,  Kentucky,  married  a  Miss  Mc- 
Murphy.  He  is  a  well  known  professor  in 
that  city,  being  connected  with  a  correspon- 
dence school  there.  Starkey.  the  youngest 
child,  who  married  Ava  Davis,  is  a  farmer 
at  Muskogee,  Oklahoma. 

After  our  subject  married  he  and  his  wife 
lived  in  Montgomery  county,  Tennessee, 
until  1865,  when  he  went  to  Trenton,  Ken-' 
tucky,  where  he  purchased  a  farm.  He  also 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  1870. 
He  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  lo- 
cating in  Raccoon  township,  on  Tennessee 
Prairie,  where  he  rented  land  for  one  year 
and  bought  eighty  acres  in  section  22  and 
twenty  acres  in  section  27,  on  which  he 
built  a  house  and  lived  there  for  twenty 
years,  when  he  bought  his  present  place  of 
forty  acres  known  as  the  Wesley  Willis 
place  in  Raccoon  township.  He  has  worked 
at  the  carpenter's  trade  since  he  was  sixteen 
years  old.  and,  being  thus  naturally  gifted, 
he  became  a  very  fine  workman.  He  has 
worked  at  his  trade  with  much  success.  He 
has  been  a  most  excellent  farmer.  He  re- 
tired in  1905.  He  learned  his  trade  from 
his  father.  A  great  deal  of  the  time  he  pre- 
ferred to  rent  his  land  and  follow  carpentry. 

Mr.    Norfleet    has    served    as    Highway 


Commissioner  for  five  years,  and  two  terms 
as  school  trustee ;  also  two  terms  as  director. 
He  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political  relations. 
Mrs.  Norfleet  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church  and  the  subject  is  a  member  of  the 
Free  Will  Baptist  church.  Members  of  the 
Norfleet  family  are  well  known  in  Marion 
county  and  they  have  a  modern  and  nicely 
furnished  home. 


THOMAS  B.  NEAL. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this  re- 
view is  one  of  the  leading  farmers  in  his 
community  in  Marion  county,  and  this 
volume  would  be  incomplete  were  there  fail- 
ure to  make  mention  of  him  and  the  enter- 
prise with  which  he  is  identified.  Tireless 
energy  and  honesty  of  purpose  are  the  chief 
characteristics  of  the  man. 

Thomas  B.  Neal,  a  native  of  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  was  born  October  31,  1830. 
the  son  of  Thomas  and  Rossanna  (Walters) 
Neal.  The  former  came  to  this  county  from 
Kentucky  about  1828  and  located  near 
Owens  Hill  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life,  having  made  a  comfortable  living 
from  his  farming  pursuits,  being  a  hard 
worker  and  a  man  of  highest  integrity.  The 
Walters  people  were  born  in  Georgia  and 
came  from  that  state  to  this  county.  The 
father  and  mother  of  our  subject  were  mar- 
ried in  Kentucky. 

Thomas  B.  Neal,  our  subject,  was  reared 
on  a  farm  which  he  helped  develop  from 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  wild  country  into  which  the  father  had 
moved,  but  this  was  an  industrious  family 
and  soon  a  good  and  productive  farm  was 
developed.  His  early  schooling  was  some- 
what limited  owing  to  the  fact  that  it  was 
necessary  for  him  to  work  on  the  farm  and 
schools  were  of  the  most  primitive  type  in 
those  days,  taught  only  a  few  months  out 
of  each  year.  Our  subject  showed  his 
loyalty  to  the  "old  flag  that  has  never 
touched  the  ground"  during  the  forties 
when  this  country  was  in  war  with  Mexico. 
Being  unable  to  restrain  his  patriotism  when 
he  heard  the  call  for  troops  to  fight  the 
descendants  of  the  Montezumas,  and  he  is 
today  one  of  the  few  highly  honored  sur- 
vivors of  that  famous  conflict  in  this  coun- 
try, and  it  is  indeed  a  privilege  to  meet  and 
to  show  proper  courtesy  to  such  heroes. 
Mr.  Neal  enlisted  in  Company  C,  First  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Regiment,  and  served  with 
marked  distinction  in  the  same  throughout 
the  war.  He  is  now  remembered  by  his 
government  with  a  pension  of  twenty  dol- 
lars per  month,  as  the  result  of  his  valor  in 
this  war.  The  only  other  living  Mexican 
war  veteran  in  Marion  county  besides  our 
subject  is  William  Bundy. 

After  his  experience  in  the  army,  Mr. 
Xeal  returned  home  and  was  married  in 
1851  to  Julia  H.  Chandler,  whose  people 
were  from  Wilson  county,  Tennessee.  To 
this  union  eight  children  were  born,  all  de- 
ceased but  four.  Mr.  Neal's  first  wife  passed 
away  May  2,  1898,  and  he  was  married 
again  April  10,  1900,  to  Manda  S.  Cozad. 
Xo  children  have  been  born  to  this  union. 


The  names  of  the  subject's  children  by  his 
first  wife  follow:  Alexander,  deceased; 
John  A.,  deceased;  Etta,  Delia,  Rose  A.,  de- 
ceased ;  Cora,  Charley  and  Ben,  deceased. 

Our  subject  has  six  grandchildren  and  six 
great-grandchildren,  of  whom  he  is  justly 
proud.  Mr.  Neal  owns  a  fine  farm  of  forty 
acres  in  Tonti  township,  which  he  has  de- 
veloped to  a  high  state  and  which  has  yield- 
ed him  a  comfortable  living  from  year 
to  year  and  enabled  him  to  lay  up  a  compe- 
tency for  his  old  age.  This  place  shows  that 
a  man  of  good  judgment  has  had  its  man- 
agement in  hand,  and  while  he  is  now  in  the 
evening  of  life  he  is  able  to  still  successfully 
manage  his  affairs.  He  lives  in  section  9 
of  Tonti  township  in  a  substantial  farm 
house  which  is  surrounded  by  convenient 
outbuildings,  and  his  farm  is  properly 
stocked  with  various  kinds  of  live  stock  and 
poultry.  He  delights  to  see  the  advance- 
ment of  his  community  and  county,  and  he 
formerly  took  an  active  part  in  the  affairs 
of  the  Democratic  party. 


THOMAS  A.   PATTON. 

For  various  reasons  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  deemed  eligible  for  specific  men- 
tion in  this  volume,  not  the  least  of  which 
is  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the  brave 
"boys  in  blue"  who  offered  his  services  in 
defense  of  his  country  during  the  dark  days 
of  the  sixties.  His  life  has  been  one  of  hon- 
est endeavor  and  filled  with  good  deeds 


BKIV^ERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


481 


throii£r''ljUt>  anc'  now  'n  its  golden  evening 
V,0  ir  enjoying  a  respite  in  his  serene  home 
in  Centralia  township,  Marion  county. 

Thomas  A.  Patton  was  born  in  Mt.  Ver- 
non  township,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  De- 
cember 8,  1837,  the  son  of  Austin  and  Ange- 
line  (Thorne)  Patton,  the  former  a  well 
known  physician,  both  natives  of  Virginia. 
of  which  state  William  Patton,  the  subject's 
grandfather,  was  also  a  native.  Austin 
Patton  grew  up  in  Virginia,  receiving  only 
a  limited  education,  but  he  was  ambitious 
and  became  self-educated,  reading  medicine 
with  Dr.  Frost,  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
beginning  practice  at  Walnut  Hill,  where  he 
located  about  1830.  He  secured  a  farm  of 
three  hundred  acres,  but  devoted  most  of 
his  time  to  his  practice,  which  was  always 
large.  He  became  widely  known,  and  is  re- 
membered as  a  very  jolly  man,  resulting  in 
his  winning  hosts  of  friends.  Although  a 
good  Democrat,  he  never  held  office.  His 
death  occurred  in  1896.  His  first  wife  died 
December  24,  1837,  and  he  was  married  a 
second  time  to  Ann  Bateman,  a  native  of 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  She  is  now  liv- 
ing at  Walnut  Hill.  Austin  Patton  and 
wife  were  the  parents  of  three  children, 
namely:  William,  deceased;  Mary,  also  de- 
ceased; Thomas  A.,  our  subject.  Nine 
children  were  born  to  Austin  Patton  and 
his  second  wife,  as  follows :  James  L.,  de- 
ceased, was  a  farmer  at  Walnut  Hill ;  Li- 
vona  J..  deceased:  Lewis  J.  is  a  farmer,  liv- 
ing at  Newton  county,  Kansas;  Joseph  T. 
is  a  farmer  in  Harvey  county,  Kansas : 
Iduma  A.,  deceased;  George  B.  is  a  farmer, 
3* 


living  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois;  Carula, 
who  first  married  Bell  Talbott  and  then 
Frank  Gore,  of  Walnut  Hill;  Ila  C,  who 
married  Wrilla  Copple,  of  Centralia  town- 
ship ;  Omer  P.  is  farming  on  part  of  the  old 
homestead  in  Centralia  township.  He  mar- 
ried Helen  Telford. 

Our  subject  had  only  a  limited  chance 
to  attend  school,  having  studied  in  a  sub- 
scription school  for  a  time.  Living  at  home 
until  he  was  twenty-three  years  old,  he  then 
started  in  business  for  himself  in  Centralia 
township,  section  36,  and  farmed  there  with 
great  success  for  seven  years,  when  he 
bought  a  farm  in  Raccoon  township,  con- 
sisting of  forty  acres  of  new  and  unim- 
proved land  on  which  he  remained  for  four 
years,  then  selling  it  and  renting  near  Wal- 
nut Hill  in  Jefferson  county.  In  1881  he 
bought  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  in  Rome 
township,  Jefferson  county,  which  he 
worked  with  most  gratifying  results  until 
he  retired  in  1902.  when  he  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Walnut  Hill,  having  since  lived 
retired. 

Mr.  Patton  was  first  united  in  mar- 
riage in  1 86 1.  to  Alena  Smith,  of  Walnut 
Hill,  and  she  passed  to  her  rest  May  19, 
1901.  He  married  again,  his  second  wife 
being  Augusta  Maltimore,  whom  he  married 
October  5,  1905.  She  was  the  widow  of 
Christopher  H.  Maltimore,  of  Ohio,  and 
she  was  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  F.Nelms, 
who  married  Nancy  Bailey,  the  former  was 
of  Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky. 
Benjamin  Nelms  was  the  son  of  Jerry 
Nelms,  a  native  of  Virginia.  His  father 


482 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILL' 


was  also  a  Virginian.  The  first  of  the  fam- 
ily to  come  to  Illinois  was  Jerry's  wife, 
Mary  A.  He  died  in  St.  Genevieve,  Mis- 
souri, and  his  wife,  in  1854,  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  located  on  a  farm  near 
Walnut  Hill,  where  she  died,  in  1897.  He 
now  lives  at  Decatur,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Pat- 
ton  had  one  daughter,  Mary  L.,  by  her  first 
marriage. 

Five  children  were  born  to  the  subject 
by  his  first  wife,  namely:  William  L.,  who 
is  living  in  Centralia  township  on  a  farm, 
and  who  married  Cordelia  Snow;  Zina  D. 
married  Alta  Kell.  and  is  living  on  a  farm 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois;  May  married 
Oscar  Breeze,  of  Jefferson  county;  Mary 
married  Edward  Watts,  of  Centralia,  Illi- 
nois; Frank  L.  is  a  stationary  engineer  in 
the  mines,  now  located  in  North  Dakota. 

Our  subject  has  always  been  a  farmer, 
and  being  interested  in  public  affairs,  he  has 
been  entrusted  with  various  local  offices. 
He  was  Highway  Commissioner  at  one  time 
and  School  Director  for  twenty  years.  He 
has  always  voted  the  Republican  ticket,  hav- 
ing cast  his  first  ballot  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln in  1860.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
having  been  identified  with  lodge  No.  710, 
at  Walnut  Hill  for  the  past  thirty-five  years. 
Our  subject  enlisted  August  12,  1862,  in 
Company  H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  at  Centralia,  under  Colonel  Allen. 
He  was  sent  to  Louisville,  and  later  to  Per- 
ryville,  Kentucky,  being  in  the  battle  there, 
October  8,  1862.  He  was  in  the  battle  of 
Stone  River,  also  at  Knoxville,  and  at  Chat- 


tanooga in  the  spring  of  1863.  -»<£  was 
picked  out  of  a  division  of  men  to  go  ou  ua 
expedition  into  Georgia.  At  Rome  the 
whole  number  of  men  on  this  expedition, 
consisting  of  fifteen  thousand,  were  cap- 
tured and  sent  to  Belle  Isle  Prison,  whefe 
they  were  held  for  fifteen  days  and  paroled. 
They  went  to  Camp  Chase,  Ohio,  where  they 
remained  for  ten  days,  when  they  were  sent 
to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  they  remained 
fifteen  days.  On  July  4,  1863,  they  reor- 
ganized and  went  to  Nashville,  Tennessee. 
They  opened  up  the  valley  leading  to  Look- 
out Mountain,  and  after  remaining  there 
for  about  forty  days,  they  went  to  Mission- 
ary Ridge  and  engaged  in  the  battle  there, 
also  at  Lookout  Mountain,  after  which  they 
went  into  winter  quarters  in  Chattanooga. 
The  subject  contracted  rheumatism  and 
could  not  go  on  the  Atlanta  campaign,  con- 
sequently he  was  transferred  to  the  veteran 
reserve  and  was  detailed  to  the  hospital 
steamer  for  Washington  City,  District  of 
Columbia,  and  was  sent  to  City  Point,  Vir- 
ginia, to  look  after  the  sick  and  wounded  of 
Grant's  army.  Part  of  the  time  the  sub- 
ject was  located  in  Washington  City,  New 
York,  Annapolis,  Fortress  Monroe,  Vir- 
ginia, having  served  in  this  capacity  until 
the  close  of  the  war,  and  was  discharged 
June  15,  1865,  at  Washington  City.  He  re- 
ceived two  scalp  wounds  and  was  shot 
through  the  hat  once.  These  wounds  have 
troubled  him  a  great  deal  since  the  war. 

Mr.  Patton  is  a  good  scholar,  is  well 
posted  on  current  topics  and  is  a  fine  con- 
versationalist. He  is  held  in  high  esteem 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


by  the  people  of  Marion  county  for  his  life 
of  industry,  his  honesty  and  friendly  man- 
ners. 


LUTHER  HOLT,  M.  D. 

Although  but  in  the  meridian  of  life  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  has  had  wonderful 
success  in  alleviating-  the  ills  and  sufferings 
of  his  fellow  men,  and  in  Haines  township, 
Marion  county,  he  is  regarded  as  a  credit 
to  the  noble  profession  in  which  he  has  been 
engaged  for  more  than  twenty  years.  His 
boyhood  days  were  spent  on  a  farm,  but 
early  in  life  he  showed  a  desire  to  become  a 
medical  practitioner,  and  when  his  school 
days  came  to  an  end  his  parents  decided  that 
the  longing  of  his  heart  should  be  realized. 

Dr.  Holt  was  born  in  Haines  township, 
May  14,  1862,  the  son  of  Charles  Wesley 
and  Violindia  (Wilkins)  Holt.  The  father 
of  the  subject  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in 
West  Virginia,  November  20,  1834,  and 
was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Elizabeth  (Jack- 
son) Holt,  the  latter  a  native  of  South  Caro- 
lina. Joseph,  after  going  South,  where  he 
was  married,  settled  in  Virginia,  and  final- 
ly removed  to  Tennessee,  where  he  lived 
until  1837,  when  he  decided  that  he  could 
better  his  condition  by  moving  further  west, 
and  as  a  result,  emigrated  to  Marion  coun-v 
ty.  settling  at  Centralia.  Later  he  took  up 
his  residence  in  Washington  county,  Il- 
linois, and  remained  there  until  the  death 
of  his  wife.  Elizabeth  (Jackson)  Holt, 
which  occurred  in  1847.  After  this  sad 


event  he  went  to  Texas,  and  died  there  a 
few  years  later.  The  couple  were  survived 
by  eleven  children,  Joseph,  John,  Eliza, 
Gordon  W.,  Lee,  Sarah  J.,  Thomas  J. 
Charles  W.,  Nathaniel,  Albert  and  Fletcher 
L. 

Charles  W.  Holt,  father  of  the  subject, 
has  spent  all  of  his  life  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois.  He  was  only  three  years  old  when 
the  family  removed  to  the  state,  making  the 
trip  with  an  ox  team  and  pack  horses. 
When  a  young  man  he  worked  on  farms, 
and  was  employed  at  times  as  a  laborer  on 
public  improvements.  He  helped  to  grade 
the  Illinois  Central  road  when  it  was  cdn^ 
structed,  and  this  work  was  done  with  shov- 
els and  wheel-barrows.  Later  he  began 
farming  for  himself  on  forty  acres  in  sec- 
tion 12,  settling  on  his  present  farm  in  sec- 
tion 15,  in  1865,  which  was  almost  an  un- 
broken prairie  at  the  time.  This  farm  now 
consists  of  220  acres  of  well  tilled  land. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  is  a  native  of 
Marion  county,  being  the  daughter  of  Ben- 
jamin and  Cloanna  (Brewer)  Wilkins,  the 
latter  a  native  of  Kentucky.  Her  parents 
were  early  settlers  of  Marion  county,  and 
are  both  dead.  The  father  and  mother  of 
the  subject  are  members  of  the  Baptist 
church  at  Pleasant  Grove.  Mr.  Holt  is  a 
Democrat  and  has  served  in  the  capacity  of 
school  director.  In  connection  with  the  cul- 
tivation of  his  farm,  he  gives  considerable 
attention  to  stock  breeding,  raising  a  high 
grade  of  mules,  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  hogs. 
Dr.  Holt,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  lives  on 
the  farm  with  his  father  and  mother,  upon 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


which  is  a  building  which  is  utilized  by  him 
as  an  office.  He  received  a  common  school 
education,  and  in  1884  entered  the  St. 
Louis  Medical  College,  and  three  years  later 
graduated  in  medicine  and  surgery.  He 
then  returned  to  Illinois  and  began  prac- 
ticing with  Dr.  A.  P.  Kell,  at  Fortville,  but 
after  a  short  time  went  to  Xenia,  Illinois, 
where  for  one  year  he  practiced  with  Dr. 
Shirley.  At  the  end  of  that  interval  he  re- 
turned to  his  father's  farm,  and  since  then 
has  conducted  his  practice  from  that  place. 
In  1889  the  subject  was  married  to  Josie 
Huff,  who  was  bom  and  raised  in  Haines 
township,  and  is  the  daughter  of  Thomas 
and  Emma  (Fulton)  Huff.  Seven  children 
were  born  to  the  subject  and  his  wife,  six 
of  whom  survive.  They  are  Hallie,  Althia, 
Edna,  Earl,  Edgar,  Ida  and  Roy.  Althia 
is  dead ;  Edna  lives  with  her  parents,  and 
Hallie  is  a  teacher  in  the  Marion  county 
schools.  Dr.  Holt  is  a  member  of  the  Ma- 
rion County  Medical  Society,  and  in  politics 
he  is  a  Democrat.  He  has  served  as  School 
Director,  and  is  a  stockholder  in  a  Salem 
bank.  He  has  always  taken  a  great  interest 
in  public  affairs. 


WILLIAM  K.  PARKINSON. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  comes  from  a 
family  whose  name  has  been  linked  with 
the  progress  of  the  township  in  which  he 
lives  for  several  decades.  He  was  born  on 
the  loth  of  February,  1858,  on  the  family 


farm  in  section  14,  Raccoon  township, 
Marion  county,  and  was  the  son  of  Brown 
and  Mary  J.  (Leuty)  Parkinson.  Brown 
Parkinson  was  a  native  of  Lincoln  county, 
Tennessee,  where  his  wife  was  also  born. 
John  and  Elizabeth  (Clark)  Parkinson,  with 
their  son  Brown,  came  to  the  county  in  the 
early  part  of  the  nineteenth  century  from 
Tennessee.  The  elder  Parkinson  was  born 
on  February  i,  1782,  and  his  wife  on  April 
6,  1787.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  them:  James,  born  March  i,  1807,  lived 
in  Raccoon  township ;  Mary,  born  Novem- 
ber 6,  1809,  married  James  Morton;  Cath- 
erine, born  on  August  9,  1812;  Hugh,  born 
June  i,  1814,  married  Margaret  Morton, 
lived  in  Raccoon  township;  John,  bom  on 
December  10,  1815,  married  Mary  A.  Paul 
and  lived  in  Raccoon  township;  Elizabeth, 
born  September  16,  1818,  lived  a  single  life; 
Brown,  father  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
was  born  September  i,  1820;  Martha  Jane 
was  born  January  6,  1823.  Brown  Parkin- 
son helped  his  parents  during  their  early 
struggle  in  Illinois.  His  education  was  re- 
ceived in  the  old  time  subscription  schools 
and  was  somewhat  limited.  Upon  his  mar- 
riage to  Mary  J.  Leuty  he  moved  into  Rac- 
coon township  and  began  farming  on  his 
own  account  in  section  14,  later  buying 
land  and  removing  to  section  23.  His 
father  died  September  30,  1860,  and 
his  mother  in  the  following  year  on 
July  31,  1 86 1.  Brown  Parkinson's  mar- 
ried life  was  a  very  happy  one.  He  raised 
a  family  of  ten  children,  one  of  whom  is 
the  subject  of  this  sketch.  In  consecutive 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


485 


order  they  were:  Elizabeth  A.,  born  Febru- 
ary 2,  1848,  died  in  infancy;  John,  born 
February  n,  1849,  married  Bertha  Burgess, 
and  is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township; 
James  T.,  born  November  27,  1850,  died  at 
the  age  of  eighteen  years;  Loretta  L.,  born 
January  24,  1855,  married  B.  F.  Mercer,  of 
Raccoon  township;  William  Knox  Parkin- 
son, who  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  came 
next;  Azariah  H.,  born  March  13,  1853, 
died  young;  Rebecca  Annabel,  born  Decem- 
ber 29,  1860,  also  died  in  infancy;  Rachael 
Annette,  born  January  21,  1863,  died  un- 
married; Charles  Andrew,  born  March  15, 
1865,  was  twice  married,  first  to  Ida  Little, 
and  afterwards  to  Bettie  Stone,  he  is  a 
teacher  in  Madison  county;  Joseph  C,  born 
February  23,  1869,  married  Flaura  March 
and  is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township. 
Brown  Parkinson  until  his  death  was  an 
influential  member  of  the  Reformed  Presby- 
terian communion.  He  led  an  industrious 
life,  built  the  house  he  lived  in,  and  other- 
wise improved  the  farmstead.  He  died  on 
the  2ist  of  October,  1883;  his  wife's  de- 
mise occurring  August  24,  1905.  The 
couple  were  well  known  and  respected,  and 
are  affectionately  remembered  by  their  old 
neighbors. 

William  Knox  Parkinson,  the  subject  of 
our  present  sketch,  attended  the  common 
schools  and  lived  at  home  with  his  father 
until  his  twenty-first  year.  July  15,  1880, 
marked  the  occasion  of  his  marriage  to  Mary 
E.  Smith,  the  favorite  daughter  of  Buckner 
Smith  and  his  wife,  whose  maiden  name  was 
Ibbie  Jane  Wyatt.  The  \\~yatts  originally 


belonged  to  Lincoln  county,  Tennessee,  com- 
ing to  Marion  county  about  1860.  Mrs. 
Parkinson's  father  was  all  his  life  engaged 
in  the  farming  business.  He  died  in  1866. 
His  wife,  who  bore  him  five  children,  sur- 
vived him  for  many  years,  eventually  mar- 
rying a  second  time,  William  M.  Morton. 
She  had  two  children  by  this  marriage, 
Oscar  W.  and  Elvin  R. 

Upon  his  marriage  in  1880,  William  K. 
Parkinson  left  the  family  farm  and  settled 
in  Haines  township.  In  the  year  1884  he 
changed  to  Raccoon  township,  there  buying 
eighty  acres  of  good  land  which  formerly 
belonged  to  William  Rainey.  Here  he  was 
not  content  with  the  state  of  the  property 
as  he  found  it.  He  set  about  making  an 
improvement  with  a  will.  In  1900  he  built 
a  substantial  house  for  his  family  and  put 
up  a  barn  in  1905.  All  through  life  he  has 
been  a  farmer  and  has  had  much  success  in 
his  calling.  His  energies  in  that  line  have 
been  principally  directed  towards  general 
farming  and  stock  raising. 

William  K.  Parkinson's  family  life  has 
flown  onward  with  the  swiftness  and  pla- 
cidity of  a  summer  stream  until  April  9, 
1906,  when  an  infant  son  but  a  few  days 
old  died;  his  wife's  death  which  caused  him 
much  sorrow  occurring  on  the  i7th  of  the 
same  month.  The  other  children  born  to 
their  marriage  were:  Burgess,  born  April 
4.  1 88 1.  who  died  on  August  4,  1900,  at 
the  family  residence:  Lena  Fern,  born  Au- 
gust 10,  1886,  still  lives  with  her  father; 
James  Leonard,  born  July  7.  1896.  also 
lives  on  the  homestead. 


486 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


In  religious  life  William  K.  Parkinson 
is  a  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
church,  his  religious  activity  dating  back  to 
1879.  He  is  a  forceful  and  influential  mem- 
ber of  that  persuasion.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Prohibitionist  and  is  filled  with  all  the  youth- 
ful vigor  and  enthusiasm  which  marks  the 
greater  majority  of  this  newly  developed 
party  in  our  political  arena.  In  past  years 
as  a  tribute  to  his  personal  and  public 
worthiness  as  a  citizen  he  held  different  of- 
fices in  the  gift  of  the  township. 


DAVID  M.  HESTER. 

Among  the  men  of  Marion  county  who 
have  appreciated  present  day  opportunities 
and  have  profited  by  his  ingenuity  and  per- 
sistency in  the  business  world  as  a  result  of 
the  favorable  conditions  existing  in  the 
great  commonwealth  of  Illinois,  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  David  M.  Hester,  who 
was  born  in  Centralia  township,  this  county, 
August  1 6,  1841,  the  son  of  Milton  P.  Hes- 
ter, of  Clark  County,  Indiana,  who  married 
Christina  Copple  in  1840  in  Centralia  town- 
ship. Matthias  Hester,  the  subject's  grand- 
father, was  born  in  Hanover,  Germany,  and 
came  with  his. parents  to  America.  He  mar- 
ried a  Susannah  Huckleberry.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  he  and  his  wife  lived  and  died 
in  Clark  county,  Indiana.  They  were  the 
parents  of  twelve  children.  Grandfather 
David  Copple  lived  near  Walnut  Hill,  Illi- 
nois, on  a  farm.  The  father  of  the  subject 


came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1839 
when  he  was  still  single  and  settled  near 
Centralia  on  a  farm,  remaining  here  until 
his  death  in  1905.  His  first  wife  died  in 
1855  and  he  was  again  married,  his  second 
wife  being  Martha  O.  Johnson,  of  near  Mt. 
Vernon.  She  died  in  1890.  He  was  noted 
as  a  great  stock  raiser.  In  politics  he  was 
a  Republican,  and  was  active  in  church 
work.  He  was  also  a  promoter  of  the  gen- 
eral good  of  the  public.  There  were  eight 
children  born  to  him  by  his  first  union, 
namely:  David  M.,  our  subject;  Julia,  de- 
ceased, who  married  Mark  Young,  who 
lived  in  Salem  township;  William  A.  is  liv- 
ing on  a  farm  near  Mt.  Vernon;  John  C. 
is  a  farmer  near  Jefferson,  Kansas ;  Sarah 
E.  married  A.  H.  Young,  of  Centralia; 
Isaac  is  single  and  living  on  a  farm  in 
Centralia  township;  Samuel  M.  is  living  on 
a  farm  in  Clinton  county,  Illinois;  Mary  is 
single  and  living  on  the  old  place.  Four 
children  were  born  to  Milton  P.  Hester  by 
his  second  wife,  namely :  Ella  is  single  and 
living  in  Centralia;  Albertus  V.  is  farming 
near  Dallas,  Texas;  Carrie  married  Mark 
Anthony,  who  is  a  lumber  dealer  in  Streator, 
this  state;  Lillian,  the  fourth  child,  is  the 
wife  of  George  Cams,  a  locomotive  engi- 
neer, living  in  Centralia. 

As  already  intimated  the  subject's  father 
located  on  a  farm  which  he  secured  from 
the  government  near  Walnut  Hill,  Marion 
county,  in  1839,  securing  from  five  hundred 
to  eight  hundred  acres.  Our  subject  lived 
at  home  attending  the  common  schools  in 
the  winter  months  until  he  was  twenty-one 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


487 


years  of  age.  He  then  went  to  Kansas  and 
located  in  the  eastern  part  of  that  state, 
where  he  remained  a  short  time.  When  the 
call  for  troops  was  issued  to  put  down  the 
rebellion  he  was  one  of  the  patriotic  sons  of 
the  North  who  responded,  having  enlisted  in 
November,  1861,  in  Company  H,  Ninth 
Kansas  Cavalry,  under  General  Blunt,  re- 
maining in  this  branch  of  the  service  for  two 
years.  He  was  in  many  battles  and  skir- 
mishes in  Arkansas  and  Missouri,  being 
wounded  in  the  left  arm  and  shoulder  at 
Cain  Hill.  He  was  laid  up  at  the  camp 
hospital  for  some  time  and  came  home  on  a 
furlough,  but  returned  to  the  service,  re- 
maining three  years  and  three  months,  hav- 
ing re-joined  his  regiment  at  Duvalls  Bluffs, 
Arkansas.  He  served  in  such  a  gallant  man- 
ner that  he  became  first  lieutenant.  After 
the  war  Mr.  Hester  returned  to  Kansas  and 
resumed  fanning  for  one  year  then  he  came 
back  to  Centralia.  He  had  a  farm  in  Kan- 
sas consisting  of  eighty  acres. 

Our  subject  married  Sarah  A.  Young, 
of  Salem  township,  in  1867.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Matthew  and  Sarah  (Ware) 
Young.  Nine  children  have  been  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife,  four  of  whom  are  de- 
ceased. Their  names  are:  Ella,  who  mar- 
ried J.  P.  Rogers,  of  Salem  township ;  Rose, 
who  married  William  Gaines,  of  Stevenson 
township;  Mathew  married  Pearl  Hopkins 
and  is  living  in  Salem  township ;  William  is 
living  on  a  farm,  having  married  Erne  Mc- 
Coy; Daisy  is  living  at  home.  These  chil- 
dren received  good  educations  at  the  home 
schools.  Mr.  Hester  is  considered  one  of 


the  best  farmers  in  his  community,  having 
made  all  the  improvements  on  the  excellent 
farm  which  he  has  owned  for  two  score 
years.  He  successfully  carries  on  general 
farming  and  raises  some  excellent  stock  of 
all  kinds.  He  has  about  five  hundred  acres 
of  excellent  land  all  in  Salem  township.  He 
is  a  loyal  Republican,  but  has  held  no  offices, 
being  content  to  lend  his  influence  in  placing 
the  best  men  available  in  the  local  offices, 
but  prefers  to  manage  his  business  affairs 
and  keep  out  of  politics  as  much  as  possible. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  Chandler  Post,  at  Salem. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  attend  the  Christian, 
church.  They  are  both  pleasant  people  and 
they  have  a  comfortable  home. 


JOHN  H.  WYATT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  joined  the  silent 
majority  March  20,  1886,  in  the  forty-sixth 
year  of  his  age,  at  a  time  when  he  was  be- 
ginning to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  a  life  of  tin-, 
usual  activity,  and  great  industry.  The  his- 
tory of  Mr.  Wyatt's  career  is  that  of  a  man 
inbued  with  a  determination  to  make  a  suc- 
cess in  the  world,  and  that  he  forged  his 
way  to  the  front  despite  all  obstacles  there 
is  no  question.  The  greater  portion  of  his 
life  with  the  exception  of  three  years  that 
he  spent  in  the  service  of  his  country  during 
the  war  of  the  Rebellion  was  devoted  to 
agricultural  pursuits. 

Mr.  Wvatt  was  born  in  Lincoln  county, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Tennessee,  August  15,  1840,  being  the  son 
of  John  and  Margaret  (Hamilton)  Wyatt, 
both  natives  of  the  same  state.  In  1860  his 
parents  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
settling  in  Raccoon  township,  and  at  once 
allied  themselves  with  the  Reformed  Pres- 
byterian church,  of  which  they  remained  ac- 
tive members  until  their  deaths.  The  father 
of  the  subject  died  in  1869,  and  the  mother 
survived  him  but  five  years.  There  were 
born  to  them  nine  children,  James,  Richard 
C.,  John,  Martha,  David,  Thomas,  Ann, 
Robert  and  William. 

The  subject  was  about  twenty  years  of 
age  when  his  parents  moved  to  Illinois,  and 
what  education  he  possessed  had  been  pro- 
cured in  the  old  subscription  schools  of  Ten- 
nessee, and  all  of  his  time  outside  of  school 
was  spent  in  doing  odd  jobs  upon  the  farm. 
He  was  an  exceptionally  apt  scholar,  and 
before  he  attained  his  majority  taught  one 
term  of  school.  Mr.  Wyatt  was  intensely 
patriotic,  and  in  August,  1862,  he  enlisted 
in  Company  A,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  un- 
til the  great  struggle  came  to  an  end.  He 
entered  as  a  private,  and  was  mustered  out 
as  a  sergeant.  He  took  part  in  all  of  the 
engagements  in  which  his  regiment  partici- 
pated, with  the  exception  of  a  few  weeks, 
when  he  was  in  the  hospital  on  account  of 
sickness. 

Mr.  Wyatt  was  wedded  December  22, 
1870,  to  Catherine  Morton,  daughter  of 
James  and  Mary  (Parkinson)  Morton.  Six 
children  were  the  result  of  this  union, 
namely:  Mrs.  Carrie  Murray,  widow  of  the 


late  William  Murray,  a  native  of  Randolph 
county,  Illinois;  Fred,  who  married  Ola 
Skinner,  and  is  the  father  of  five  children ; 
Opal,  Eva,  Russell,  Ruth  and  Donald;  Ida, 
the  third  child,  died  in  infancy;  Mabel,  the 
wife  of  Robert  McLaughlin;  John,  married 
Anna  Creel,  and  Iva,  wife  of  Victor  Boggs. 

Shortly  after  his  marriage  the  subject  and 
his  wife  moved  to  Missouri,  but  in  1882 
came  back  to  Haines  township,  and  settled 
upon  the  two  hundred  acres  upon  which 
his  widow  and  daughter,  Carrie,  now  live. 
This  land  was  unimproved,  and  the  work 
of  clearing  it  was  a  gigantic  task,  but  un- 
der the  skillful  hand  of  Mr.  Wyatt  it  was 
developed  into  one  of  the  finest  farms  in 
that  section  of  the  state.  The  farm  is  sit- 
uated about  two  miles  northwest  of  Kell, 
Illinois,  and  is  very  productive.  A  beauti- 
ful modem  dwelling  stands  upon  the  farm, 
being  equipped  with  all  of  the  latest  con- 
veniences to  be  found  in  the  up-to-date 
country  home.  Both  the  widow  and  her 
daughter  are  highly  intelligent  and  cultured 
ladies,  and  have  the  respect  of  the  entire 
community. 

Mr.  Wyatt  had  a  warm  spot  in  his  heart 
for  his  comrades  of  the  strenuous  days  of 
the  civil  strife,  and  was  a  most  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  be- 
ing a  regular  attendant  of  all  the  meetings 
and  reunions  of  the  post  to  which  he  be- 
longed. While  a  life-long  Republican,  he 
was  not  a  partisan  in  any  sense  of  the  word 
so  far  as  local  politics  was  concerned,  and 
always  voted,  as  he  deemed,  for  the  best 
interests  of  the  township  and  county  in 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


489 


which  he  lived.  The  death  of  the  subject 
was  greatly  deplored  by  the  people  of 
Haines  township,  and  Marion  county  for 
they  realized  that  they  had  lost  a  most  hon- 
orable and  valued  citizen. 


HON.  THOMAS  E.  MERRITT. 

During  the  dark  days  of  the  Revolution, 
the  colonies  had  no  defender  more  loyal 
than  Ebenezer  Merritt,  our  subject's  grand- 
father, who  served  with  valor  until  captured 
by  the  British  when  he  was  placed  in  an  old 
hulk  of  a  ship  in  New  York  harbor.  In 
after  years  he  was  wont  to  say  that  the 
sweetest  morsel  of  food  he  ever  tasted  was 
a  rotten  Irish  potato,  which  he  found  in  his 
prison. 

The  father  of  our  subject,  Hon.  John  W. 
Merritt,  was  born  in  the  city  of  Albany, 
New  York,  July  4,  1806,  and  in  his  early 
youth  evinced  a  very  decided  literary  taste, 
contributing  articles  to  many  of  the  most 
prominent  magazines  of  that  day.  Entering 
the  practice  of  law,  he  built  up  a  lucrative 
business  in  that  line  in  connection  with  J. 
J.  Brady.  Meantime  he  also  invested  in 
real  estate  and  so  fortunate  was  he  in  his 
speculations  that  he  became  independent  at 
a  comparatively  early  period  6f  life.  How- 
ever, the  crisis  of  1837  destroyed  the  value 
of  his  investments  and  made  him  a  poor 
man  once  more.  Deciding  to  seek  a  home 
in  the  West,  Mr.  Merritt  came  to  Illinois 
in  1840,  and  settling  in  St.  Clair  county  es- 


tablished The  Belleville  Advocate,  which  he 
successfully  conducted  from  the  year  1848 
until  1851.  Meantime  he  also  superin- 
tended the  management  of  his  farm  and  con- 
tributed to  eastern  magazines  and  New  York 
papers.  He  also  wrote  and  published  a 
novel  called  "Shubal  Darton."  Coming  to 
Salem  in  1851,  he  established  The  Advo- 
cate, of  which  he  was  proprietor  and  editor 
for  many  years. 

In  1 86 1  he  was  elected  Assistant  Secre- 
tary of  the  Constitutional  Convention  and 
in  the  following  year  became  a  member  of 
the  Legislature. 

The  State  Register  at  Springfield  having 
lost  its  prestige,  Mr.  Merritt  with  his  son, 
Edward  L.,  assumed  editorial  charge  of  the 
paper  in  January,  1865,  and  attempted  to 
place  it  upon  a  substantial  footing.  The 
enterprise  though  not  prudent  proved  a  suc- 
cess. For  some  years  Mr.  Merritt  conducted 
its  editorial  columns  with  great  ability  and 
during  a  portion  of  that  time  supplied  The 
St.  Louis  Republican  with  its  Springfield 
correspondence.  As  an  editor  he  justly  at- 
tained celebrity  throughout  the  country  and 
was  one  of  the  most  successful  journalists 
of  the  day.  His  county  may  well  feel  proud 
of  his  life  and  labors.  He  was  modest,  un- 
assuming, never  ambitious  for  worldly  dis- 
tinction and  preferring  the  success  of  his 
friends  to  his  own.  In  politics  he  was  an 
old-school  Democrat  and  was  one  of  the 
most  influential  workers  in  his  party 
throughout  the  state.  He  was  devoted  to 
the  doctrines  of  the  Episcopal  church  and 
was  a  faithful  member  of  that  denomination. 


490 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


In  disposition  mild,  he  never  used  profanity 
and  was  also  a  man  of  temperate  habits, 
never  tasting  intoxicating  liquor  through- 
out his  life.  He  married  in  Rochester,  New 
York,  in  August,  1827,  Julia  A.  De  Forrest, 
who  was  born  in  Oswego,  New  York,  and 
there  received  a  good  education.  Ten  chil- 
dren blessed  this  union,  of  whom  five  are 
now  living. 

During  his  residence  in  New  York,  John 
W.  Merritt  served  as  Alderman  and  aided 
in  formulating  a  new  plat  of  the  Fifth  Ward, 
which  he  represented  in  the  Council.  In 
1860  he  was  a  member  of  the  state  dele- 
gation to  the  National  Democratic  Conven- 
tion at  Charleston,  South  Carolina,  later 
was  present  at  the  recall  of  that  convention 
in  Baltimore,  Maryland,  where  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  was  nominated  for  the  Presidency. 
He  was  president  of  the  first  Press  Associa- 
tion held  in  the  state  of  Illinois,  and  was 
at  the  time  of  his  demise  the  oldest  Odd 
Fellow  in  Salem.  While  uniformly  success- 
ful in  business  enterprises,  he  nevertheless 
met  with  reverses  and  at  one  time  lost  by 
fire  two  valuable  blocks  of  buildings  in 
Brooklyn.  By  his  long  and  virtuous  life  he 
left  a  name  to  which  his  descendants  may 
point  with  pride  and  when,  November  16, 
1878,  he  departed  this  life,  he  left  many 
warm  friends  to  mourn  their  loss.  The  fu- 
neral services  were  largely  attended  by  the 
citizens  of  Salem  and  Marion  county,  as 
well  as  many  friends  from  a  distance. 

Thomas  E.  Merritt,  our  subject,  was 
born  in  the  city  of  New  York,  April  22, 
1832.  He  was  brought  in  childhood  to 


Illinois  and  received  a  good  education  in 
the  schools  of  Belleville.  Before  attaining 
his  majority  he  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 
learned  the  trade  of  carriage  and  omnibus 
painting  in  the  shops  of  Theodore  Salom, 
serving  a  three  years'  apprenticeship  at  the 
trade.  Afterward  he  followed  the  occupa- 
tion for  four  years  in  St.  Louis.  He  then 
came  to  Salem  and  in  1859  began  to  read 
law  with  P.  P.  Hamilton,  an  attorney  of  this 
place,  now  deceased.  In  1862  he  was  ex- 
amined before  the  Supreme  Court  and  was 
admitted  to  the  bar,  after  which  he  opened 
an  office  in  Salem  and  has  since  made  this 
city  his  home.  Always  a  stanch  Democrat, 
reared  in  the  faith  of  that  party,  Mr.  Merritt 
early  became  an  active  worker  in  its  ranks. 
In  1860  in  Romine  township,  Marion- 
county,  he  made  his  first  political  speech  and 
since  then  has  participated  in  every  cam- 
paign. Until  1875  he  stumped  every  town- 
ship in  the  county  each  campaign  year. 

The  first  National  Democratic  Conven- 
tion that  he  attended  was  held  in  St.  Louis 
when  S.  J.  Tilden  was  nominated  President 
in  1876.  Later,  he  was  sent  as  a  delegate 
for  the  state-at-large  to  the  convention  that 
nominated  Gen.  W.  S.  Hancock,  in  1880, 
and  the  night  before  the  convention  met  he 
made  a  speech  in  favor  of  Col.  W.  R.  Morri- 
son on  the  steps  of  the  Burnet  House,  Cin- 
cinnati. At  the  next  national  convention  he 
was  alternate-at-large,  and  as  Col.  W.  R. 
Morrison,  who  was  delegate-at-large,  was 
appointed  on  the  Committee  on  Resolutions, 
and  obliged  to  give  his  entire  time  to  the 
work  of  that  body,  Mr.  Merritt  took  his 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


491 


place  in  the  convention.  It  was  this  assem- 
bly that  nominated  Grover  Cleveland  at  the 
time  of  his  first  term.  Our  subject  was  a 
delegate  from  the  Nineteenth  Congressional 
District  to  the  convention  at  St.  Louis  that 
nominated  President  Cleveland  the  second 
term.  In  1892,  he  attended  as  a  citizen  the 
convention  at  Chicago  which  nominated 
Cleveland  the  last  time.  During  the  three 
campaigns  in  which  that  famous  man  was 
the  presidential  candidate,  our  subject  made 
fifty-six  speeches  in  Illinois,  and  at  the  time 
believed  that  his  party  promised  more  than 
it  could  fulfill. 

In  1868  Mr.  Merritt  was  elected  to  the 
State  Legislature  and  was  a  member  of  the 
House  of  Representatives  for  fourteen  con- 
secutive years.  In  addition  he  served  as 
State  Senator  for  eight  years,  from  1882  to 
1890,  thus  making  a  legislative  experience 
of  twenty-two  years.  He  was  a  member  of 
the  joint  session  which  elected  John  A.  Lo- 
gan three  times  and  defeated  him  once,  also 
the  joint  session  that  elected  Richard 
Oglesby  United  States  Senator  and  those 
that  elected  Shelby  M.  Cullom  and  John  M. 
Palmer.  In  1875,  he  was  a  leading  member 
of  the  House  when  the  city  judge  of  East 
St.  Louis  was  to  be  impeached,  and  through 
his  influence  the  measure  was  reconsidered 
and  laid  on  the  table.  During  the  same  year 
he  secured  the  passage  of  the  first  coal  mine 
bill  through  the  legislature,  which  was  the 
first  act  ever  passed  in  the  state  in  the  inter- 
est of  the  coal  miners.  Hon.  John  M.  Pal- 
mer, State  Auditor  and  Secretary  of  the 
State,  gave  to  Mr.  Merritt  the  honor  of 


passing  the  bill  assessing  the  capital  stock 
of  corporations,  and  he  was  banqueted  after- 
ward. In  1871,  he  introduced  and  secured 
the  passage  of  the  bill  compelling  railroads 
to  pay  for  burning  property  along  their 
lines,  which  has  since  been  warped  by  the 
construction  placed  on  that  act  by  the  Su- 
preme Court.  He  was  prominent  in  the  at- 
tack made  upon  state  officials  for  extrava- 
gant expenditures,  and  in  that  way  saved  to 
the  tax  payers  of  Illinois  more  than  enough 
to  pay  the  entire  expenses  of  that  General 
Assembly.  His  services  in  that  capacity 
were  so  greatly  appreciated  throughout  the 
state,  that  many  of  the  papers  advocated  his 
nomination  as  Governor  of  Illinois.  Another 
bill  introduced  by  Mr.  Merritt  was  that  of 
allowing  parties  to  sue  before  the  Justice  of 
the  Peace  for  killing  stock  along  the  rail- 
roads. The  anarchist  bill  introduced  by  him 
in  1887,  and  passed  June  i6th  of  that  year, 
was  the  cause  of  the  greatest  fight  of  his 
life.  Afterward  it  was  published  by  Great 
Britain,  France  and  Russia,  while  at  the 
meeting  of  the  United  States  National  Bar 
Association  at  Saratoga,  New  York,  the 
President  gave  one  hour  to  its  consideration 
before  that  body.  Mr.  Merritt  worked  long 
and  faithfully  upon  the  bill  which  finally 
passed,  receiving  one  hundred  and  eighteen 
votes  in  the  House. 

The  Anti-Trust  bill  January  22,  1889, 
was  the  first  ever  introduced  in  the  state. 
This  passed  the  Judiciary  Committee  by  one 
majority,  and  the  House  by  one  hundred 
votes,  but  was  hung  up  in  the  Senate  by 
the  two-thirds  rule.  While  a  member  of  the 


492 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Senate,  Mr.  Merritt  introduced  a  bill  to 
compel  insurance  companies  to  pay  the  full 
value  of  the  policy  for  destruction  of  prop- 
erty. This  he  passed  twice  through  the 
Senate,  and  it  was  defeated  in  the  House. 
He  passed  it  twice  in  the  House  and  it  was 
as  many  times  defeated  in  the  Senate.  In 
1868  he  introduced  in  the  House  a  bill  se- 
curing the  investigation  of  the  proceeds  for 
the  sale  of  lands  and  other  moneys  connected 
with  Irvington  Agricultural  College.  After 
investigation,  the  State  Auditor  and  Secre- 
tary of  State  took  possession  of  the  institu- 
tion, and  from  the  wreck  saved  to  the  state 
a  large  amount  of  money. 

In  1868  Mr.  Merritt  introduced  a  resolu- 
tion calling  upon  the  Secretary  of  State  to 
account  for  the  interest  received  by  him  on 
about  three  million  dollars  of  surplus  money 
that  was  lying  idle  in  the  treasury  and  could 
be  used  only  to  pay  off  the  old  state  indebt- 
edness which  was  held  by  English  capital- 
ists in  the  shape  of  state  bonds,  this  money 
being  set  aside  to  pay  the  bonds  as  they  be- 
came due.  It  had  been  collected  from  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  as  seven  per  cent, 
of  its  gross  earnings,  and  was  invested  in 
United  States  ten  per  cent,  gold  interest- 
bearing  bonds.  The  resolution  introduced 
by  Mr.  Merritt  was  to  the  effect  that  the 
Governor  and  Attorney-General  of  Illinois 
should  look  after  the  interest  of  this  money 
and  report  their  action  to  the  next  session 
of  the  General  Assembly.  He  passed  the 
resolution  through  the  House,  but  by  a 
strong  lobby  it  was  defeated  in  the  Senate. 


In  1872  three  million  dollars'  worth  of  these 
bonds  became  due  and  were  paid  in  New- 
York  in  gold,  to  the  English  bondholders, 
the  Secretary  of  State  haviag  to  purchase 
the  gold  in  New  York.  He  notified  Gould 
and  Fisk  that  he  would  require  so  much  gold 
on  that  day.  By  bulling  the  market,  gold 
advanced  one-third  of  one  per  cent.,  so  that 
the  three  million  dollars  paid  that  much 
premium.  The  State  Treasurer  making  by 
this  deal  the  interest  on  United  States  bonds 
that  this  money  was  invested  in,  came  out 
four  hundred  thousand  dollars  ahead,  which 
was  a  loss  to  the  people  of  the  state  by  the 
defeat  of  the  resolution  in  the  Senate. 

During  Mr.  Merritt's  entire  legislative 
experience,  covering  a  period  of  twenty-two 
years,  it  cannot  be  shown  that  he  ever  cast 
a  vote  against  the  interests  of  the  people. 
As  one  of  the  delegates  of  the  state-at-large, 
he  attended  the  conventions  at  St.  Louis  in 
July,  1892,  and  at  New  Orleans  in  Febru- 
ary. 1893,  in  reference  to  the  Nicaragua 
canal.  At  the  latter  place,  he  made  a  speech 
for  Illinois  before  the  convention.  He  was 
one  of  the  commissioners  to  locate  the  In- 
stitute for  the  Feeble  Minded  at  Quincy, 
Illinois  (now  at  Lincoln),  also  the  Asylum 
for  the  Incurable  Criminal  Insane  at  Ches- 
ter. For  ten  successive  years  he  served  as 
Alderman  of  Salem. 

From  the  above  account  it  will  be  seen 
that  Mr.  Merritt  has  been  one  of  the  most 
prominent  Democrats  in  Illinois,  and  he  still 
occupies  a  foremost  position  among  the 
leaders  of  that  party.  His  work  in  behalf 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


493 


of  the  people  of  the  state  entitles  him  to  a 
high  place  in  their  regard,  and  his  name  will 
be  deservedly  perpetuated  in  the  annals  of 
the  state  as  a  loyal,  able  and  eminent  man. 
From  the  press  of  the  country  he  has  re- 
ceived the  highest  of  commendation  for  his 
unwearied  services  in  the  interests  of  the 
people  as  well  as  for  his  great  ability. 

The  State  Register  said  of  him  that, 
"The  man  who  wields  the  keenest  satire  is 
Merritt,  of  Marion".  The  Mount  Vernon 
Free  Press  paid  him  the  following  tribute: 
"He  is  always  awake  to  the  interests  of 
southern  Illinois,  and  no  influence,  let  it 
come  from  what  source  it  may,  is  ever  able 
to  swerve  him  from  the  path  of  duty  to  his 
constituents  and  the  people  generally".  An- 
other paper  says  of  him :  "Merritt  is  a  wit, 
besides  he  is  a  good  fellow  and  everybody 
likes  him.  He  never  rises  but  he  commands 
the  attention  of  the  House.  He  is  a  Bour- 
bon of  Bourbons".  In  addition  to  his  other 
services,  previously  mentioned,  he  was  a 
member  of  various  committees  of  import- 
ance. To  him  belongs  the  honor  of  having 
nominated  both  William  R.  Morrison  and 
John  M.  Palmer  for  United  States  Senator. 

On  the  3d  of  February,  1862,  Mr.  Mer- 
ritt was  married  to  Alice  McKinney,  a  na- 
tive of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and  a 
daughter  of  William  McKinney,  who  was 
killed  in  battle  in  the  Civil  war.  Four 
daughters  and  three  sons  have  blessed  this 
union,  as  follows:  Addis  D.,  Frank  F., 
Clara,  Harriet,  Lottie,  Edith  and  Harold. 
In  religious  belief  Mrs.  Merritt  is  a  devoted 
member  of  the  Episcopal  church. 


JOHN  M.  SCHULTZ. 

X<>  man  in  Marion  county  is  more  de- 
serving of  the  success  he  has  attained  in 
business  and  political  circles  than  John  M. 
Schultz,  not  alone  because  of  the  splendid 
results  he  has  achieved,  but  also  because  of 
the  honorable,  straightforward  business  pol- 
icy he  has  ever  followed. 

John  M.  Schultz,  Circuit  Clerk,  was  bom 
in  Salem,  Illinois,  January  30,  1867.  He  is 
the  son  of  Ephraim  Schultz,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  who  came  to  Illinois  when 
a  young  man,  first  settling  in  Alma 
township  on  a  farm.  He  moved  to 
Salem  a  short  time  before  the  Civil  war, 
and  continued  to  live  in  this  place  up  to  his 
death  about  1895.  He  was  successful 
farmer  and  business  man  and  retained  the 
well-wishes  of  those  who  knew  him.  David 
Schultz  was  the  subject's  grandfather,  a  na- 
tive of  Germany.  Mrs.  Becky  Frizzell,  who 
is  living  in  Foster  township,  an  aunt  of  our 
subject,  has  reached  the  advanced  age  of 
ninety  years.  She  is  a  sister  to  Ephraim 
Schultz.  The  subject's  father  was  twice 
married,  his  second  wife  being  the  mother 
of  the  subject  of  this  sketch.  His  first  wife 
was  a  Miss  Crawford,  who  was  born  in 
Baltimore,  Maryland.  Five  children  were 
born  to  his  first  wife,  two  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing at  this  writing.  The  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject's father  was  Hannah  Hull,  who  was 
born  in  Hull,  England.  The  maiden  name 
of  the  subject's  mother  was  Kissie  Mar- 
shall, a  native  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to 
Marion  countv  in  an  earlv  dav.  She  was 


494 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


called  to  her  rest  twenty  years  ago,  in  1888. 
Eight  children  were  bom  to  the  father  and 
mother  of  the  subject,  four  of  whom  are 
living,  namely:  Mrs.  Millie  Siefman,  of 
Centralia,  Illinois;  Mrs.  Charles  Martin,  of 
Davenport,  Iowa;  Elizabeth  Schultz,  who 
is  living  in  Salem;  Joseph  Schultz,  de- 
ceased ;  Christian  and  Mary  died  in  infancy. 
David  and  Samuel  Schultz,  of  Salem,  Il- 
linois, who  were  both  in  the  Twenty-first  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry,  were  sons  of  a 
former  marriage,  also  John  Schultz,  who 
was  killed  when  seventeen  years  old  on  the 
battlefield  of  Resaca,  Georgia.  He  was  in 
the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  William  Schultz,  an- 
other son  of  the  first  marriage  is  de- 
ceased ;  also  a  daughter,  Lydia,  who  mar- 
ried George  Jennings,  of  Patoka,  this  coun- 
ty, and  died  several  years  ago.  Hannah 
Belle,  another  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Ephraim  Schultz,  and  sister  of  our  subject, 
who  became  the  wife  of  L.  G.  Finch,  was 
a  teacher  in  the  public  schools  of  Salem  for 
several  years.  She  passed  to  her  rest  two 
years  ago,  in  February,  1906. 

Joseph  Schultz,  a  brother  of  the  subject's 
father,  was  captain  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He 
was  afterward  Sheriff  of  Marion  county, 
also  postmaster  of  Salem  and  Revenue  Col- 
lector. David  Schultz,  another  brother  of 
Ephraim  Schultz,  was  wagon  master  in  the 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry. 

John  M.  Schultz,  our  subject,  spent  his 
boyhood  days  in  Salem,  attending  the  local 


schools  in  which  he  made  a  splendid  record, 
receiving  a  fairly  good  education. 

Mr.  Schultz  was  an  industrious  lad  and 
soon  cast  about  for  the  best  way  in  which  to 
direct  his  life  work.  He  decided  to  be  a 
mechanic.  He  is  always  a  very  busy  man, 
for  his  work  is  satisfactorily  done  and  his 
business  has  steadily  grown,  owing  to  the 
fair  treatment  he  accords  his  customers. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Wood- 
men. He  is  a  loyal  Democrat,  and  was 
nominated  and  triumphantly  elected  Circuit 
Clerk  in  1908,  his  election  being  regarded 
as  a  most  fortunate  one  by  his  many  friends. 
Mr.  Schultz  has  remained  unmarried.  His 
sister,  Elizabeth,  keeps  house  for  him.  He 
is  well  known  in  Marion  county,  being  in- 
terested in  whatever  has  tended  to  promote 
the  interests  of  the  county  in  any  way.  He 
is  accurate,  persistent  and  painstaking  in 
his  business  affairs. 


H.  N.  WOODWARD. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  man  of 
courage,  self-reliance  and  of  the  utmost  in- 
tegrity of  purpose,  as  a  result  of  which  he 
has,  during  his  entire  life  stood  high  in  the 
estimation  of  his  neighbors  and  friends  and 
is  therefore  deserving  of  a  place  in  this 
book. 

H.  N.  Woodward  was  born  in  Des 
Moines  county,  Iowa,  in  1855,  the  son  of 
Abner  M.  and  Silvia  (Scogin)  Woodward. 
His  paternal  grandfather  was  born  in  New 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


495 


Jersey.  He  moved  to  Ohio  and  devoted  his 
life  to  farming.  Like  all  his  people,  he  was 
a  Quaker  in  his  religious  affiliations.  Grand- 
mother Scogin  was  bom  in  Kentucky,  and 
lived  to  be  eighty-two  years  old,  rearing  a 
large  family  of 'fifteen  children.  She  was 
twice  married.  Grandfather  Scrogin  was 
born  in  November  in  the  memorable  year 
in  our  country's  history — 1812. 

The  father  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch 
was  born  in  Ohio  and  received  his  early  ed- 
ucation in  the  public  schools  there  and  after 
that  he  received  an  academic  education.  He 
left  Ohio  before  he  was  twenty-one  years 
of  age  and  went  with  his  mother  to  Iowa, 
and  settled  on  a  farm  near  Burlington, 
where  he  remained  for  some  time.  He 
later  went  South  about  the  close  of  the  war 
to  the  Polk  plantation,  for  the  purpose  of 
managing  negroes  under  the  Freemen's  Bu- 
reau, and  from  there  he  went  to  Mississippi, 
later  spending  two  years  in  Tennessee,  hav- 
ing spent  one  year  in  Mississippi  in  a  very 
responsible  position,  which  was  filled  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  the  Bureau.  They 
gave  him  fine  letters  commending  his  course 
and  the  results  of  his  work  while  there. 
He  then  bought  a  farm  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  in  1866,  and  farmed  with  much  suc- 
cess for  a  period  of  thirteen  years.  He  then 
formed  a  partnership  with  Colonel  Morri- 
son, in  Odin,  for  carrying  on  a  grain  busi- 
ness which  partnership  continued  for  a 
period  of  eight  years,  when  he  bought  out 
Colonel  Morrison's  interests  and  Mr.  Wood- 
ward retained  his  interest  until  his  death. 


In  1886  the  Odin  Coal  Company  was  put 
in  operation,  and  Mr.  Woodward  financed 
the  corporation.  He  was  secretary  and 
later  treasurer  of  the  same  and  always  a 
director,  having  remained  such  until  his 
death  which  occurred  in  1890.  He  was  a 
loyal  Mason.  The  mother  of  the  subject  is 
living  in  1908,  at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 
She  is  a  fine  old  lady  with  many  beautiful 
attributes.  There  are  six  children  in  this 
family,  four  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 

H.  N.  Woodward,  our  subject,  first  at- 
tended the  public  schools  in  Marion  county, 
but  thirsting  for  higher  learning  he  entered 
the  University  of  Illinois,  where  he  made  a 
splendid  record  for  scholarship.  After  leav- 
ing college  he  decided  to  continue  the  work 
which  he  knew  the  most  about — farming, 
and  he  followed  this  until  he  was  twenty- 
seven  years  old.  He  went  into  the  grain 
and  hay  business  by  purchasing  Colonel 
Morrison's  business.  He  was  successful  in 
this  from  the  first,  more  so,  in  fact,  than  at 
farming;  however,  every  year  he  devoted  to 
farm  work  added  to  his  competence,  for  he 
was  a  careful  and  conservative  manager.  He 
has  enlarged  his  latter  line  of  business  until 
he  now  carries  on  a  general  merchandising 
establishment.  In  1902  the  same  was  in- 
corporated since  which  time  Mr.  Woodward 
has  been  president  and  is  the  largest  stock- 
holder, being  the  active  manager,  under 
whose  able  direction  the  business  has  in- 
creased to  a  satisfactory  state  and  is  rap- 
idly growing. 

After  the  death  of  his  father,  our  subject 


496 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


was  director  and  treasurer  of  the  Odin  Coal 
Company,  which  position  he  ably  retained 
for  a  period  of  twelve  years.  He  is  at  pres- 
ent connected  with  the  Marion  County  Coal 
Company,  of  Junction  City,  a  corporation. 
Mr.  Woodward  was  a  director  in  the  same, 
but  is  not  at  present.  In  all  his  business  deal- 
ings he  has  been  regarded  by  every  one  as  a 
man  of  unusual  tact  and  shrewdness  and 
ever  fair  and  hone'st.  Success  seems  to  at- 
tend his  efforts  in  whatever  line  he  under- 
takes. 

Mr.  Woodward  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1883  with  Agnes  Ferguson,  daughter  of 
William  and  Eliza  (Hildreth)  Ferguson, 
natives  of  Ohio,  where  they  lived  on  a  farm. 
Five  children  have  been  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife,  named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows : 
Grace,  born  in  1884,  is  living  at  home  with 
her  parents ;  Lucile,  the  second  child,  was 
born  in  1886,  is  single  and  living  at  home; 
Nelson  was  born  in  1888,  and  is  deceased; 
having  died  in  1890;  Edwin  was  born  in 
1893,  and  is  attending  high  school  in  1908; 
Agnes,  who  was  born  in  1897,  is  also  a  pu- 
pil in  the  Odin  schools. 

Mr.  Woodward,  in  his  fraternal  relations, 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 
the  Woodmen.  In  politics  he  is  a  Repub- 
lican, taking  considerable  interest  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  party,  especially  in -reference  to 
the  local  officials.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
faithful  members  of  the  Methodist  church. 
The  former  takes  a  great  interest  in  educa- 
tional matters.  He  is  known  as  a  man  of 
industry  and  frugality.  He  has  a  beautiful 
home  at  Odin. 


SAMUEL  F.  PHILLIPS. 

Among  the  members  of  the  many  families 
of  early  settlers  who  have  forged  to  the 
front  in  the  realm  of  public  life  and  in  their 
daily  avocations  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
few  indeed,  have  reached  a  higher  standing 
than  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose  long 
life  has  ever  been  associated  with  the  prog- 
ress of  the  county,  especially  in  the  township 
where  he  resides. 

Samuel  F.  Phillips  was  born  October  20, 
1829,  in  the  vicinity  of  Clarksville,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Tennessee.  His  father, Jona- 
than Phillips,  came  of  a  well  known  family 
in  the  state  where  he  resided,  and  his  moth- 
er's maiden  name  was  Sarah  Fowler,  who 
came  of  a  family  equally  well  connected. 
Jonathan  Phillips'  father  was  Samuel  Phil- 
lips, who,  together  with  his  wife,  Nancy 
(Crow)  Phillips,  born  in  Virginia,  were 
among  the  earliest  settlers  in  Tennessee.  The 
elder  Phillips  was  a  hardy  and  industrious 
farmer  and  he  and  his  wife  lived  a  long  life 
on  their  farm  in  Davidson  county,  Tennes- 
see, where  they  reared  a  family  of  eight 
children;  four  sons  and  four  daughters. 
The  sons  were  David,  Thomas,  George  and 
Jonathan,  the  father  of  Samuel  F. 

Jonathan  Phillips  spent  the  early  part  of 
his  life  on  his  father's  farm,  and  he  re- 
ceived a  limited  education  in  the  common 
schools  in  the  neighborhood  of  his  home. 
When,  he  had  reached  manhood  he  married 
and  in  1831  he  and  his  wife  drove  in  the  an- 
tiquated vehicles  of  the  period  across  the 
long  stretches  of  country,  starting  from 


MRS.  XAXCY.  PHILLIPS. 


S.  F.  PHILIPS. 


,,NivEPSltY  0>   'IUNOIS. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


497 


Montgomery  county,  Tennessee,  finally 
landing  and  settled  in  section  i,  Centralia 
township,  Marion  county,  Illinois.  At  this 
time  he  obtained  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  government  land  at  one  dollar  and 
twenty-five  cents  per  acre,  which  farm  he 
added  to  at  different  times  until  he  had  six 
hundred  acres,  becoming  a  farmer  of  more 
than  average  industry  and  he  succeeded  in 
improving  and  changing  the  appearance  of 
the  property.  Though  well  known  and 
widely  respected  in  the  locality,  he  never 
aspired  for  public  patronage.  In  politics 
he  was  first  a  Whig  and  on  the  disappear- 
ance of  the  older  party  became  a  Democrat. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian 
brotherhood  in  religious  life  and  a  sturdy 
upholder  of  that  belief.  As  a  man  and  an 
active  farmer,  he  was  well  known  and 
widely  esteemed.  The  date  of  his  birth  was 
in  the  year  1799,  and  his  death  occurred 
on  April  2,  1856.  His  wife  was  born  July 
20,  1806,  and  died  July  10,  1893.  Her 
father,  William  Fowler,  lived  in  Montgom- 
ery county,  Tennessee,  where  he  died.  He 
had  married  a  Miss  Fyke  and  their  union 
brought  forth  four  children,  two  sons  and 
two  daughters,  namely:  Drury,  Richard, 
Sarah,  the  mother  of  the  subject  of  our 
sketch,  and  Mary. 

Jonathan  Phillips  and  his  wife  reared  six 
children,  James  George  Washington,  died 
1856,  was  a  farmer,  married  Margaret 
Sugg,  and  lived  at  homei  until  his  death. 
Another  was  Samuel  F.,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  William,  who  married  Rebecca  Al- 
len, was  a  farmer  in  Centralia  township 
32 


where  he  died  in  1859.  Joseph  R.  died 
April  2,  1862.  Nancy  married  Isaac  Phil- 
lips and  lived  at  Cobden,  Illinois.  She,  as 
well  as  her  husband,  is  dead.  John  P.,  a 
farmer  in  Centralia  township,  married  three 
times:  first,  Vitula  Cazy;  second,  Martha 
Norfolk ;  and  third,  Ida  Johnson. 

As  a  boy,  Samuel  F.  Phillips  had  little 
chance  to  go  to  school.  However,  he  attend- 
ed the  local  subscription  schools  at  infre- 
quent intervals.  The  circumstances  of  his 
youthful  schooling  did  not  affect  him  in  after 
life,  for  he  was  always  of  an  observant  and 
intelligent  turn  of  mind  and  in  this  way  as- 
similated much  useful  information.  He 
was  of  much  assistance  to  his  father  in  im- 
proving the  paternal  residence,  and  he  re- 
mained there  in  a  useful  capacity  until  his 
thirtieth  year.  In  1859  in  Davidson  county, 
Tennessee,  he  married  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Eliza  (Chad well)  Phillips,  of 
the  same  county  and  name,  his  wife's  firsi 
name  being  Nancy  Jane.  This  Phillips  fam- 
ily had  come  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  set- 
tling there  in  section  12,  Centralia  township, 
in  1852.  The  father  spent  his  life  on  the  farm 
in  his  new  surroundings  where  he  died; 
his  wife  died  in  Odin,  Illinois.  The  children 
of  the  marriage  were :  Nancy  Jane,  the  wife 
of  Samuel  F.  Phillips,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch;  Martha  E.,  who  married  Noah 
Wooters,  both  deceased :  Mary  K.,  who  was 
the  wife  of  James  Stroup,  both  of  whom 
are  dead;  Minerva  T.,  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  J. 
Fyke,  of  Odin;  Sarah  B.,  the  wife  of  W. 
D.  Farthing,  attorney-at-law,  at  Odin; 
George  died  young,  at  home;  William  H., 


498 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


druggist  at  luka,  Illinois,  lives  in  Centralia 
township.  He  married  Frances  Summer- 
ville;  Samuel  D.,  druggist  at  Odin,  married 
Jessie  Lester;  John  G.  married  Laura  John- 
son, and  lives  in  Oklahoma. 

Samuel  F.  Phillips  and  his  wife  lead  a 
happy  domestic  life  and  have  had  nine  chil- 
dren. His  sons  and  daughters  are  mostly 
all  married  and  are  important  factors  in  the 
life  of  the  community.  William  W.  is  a 
farmer  in  Centralia  township  and  is  married 
to  Malissa  Rial.  Sarah  E.  married  John 
H.  McGuire,  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  at  Centralia;  they  have  two  chil- 
dren, Tressa  and  Erma.  Etta,  the  widow 
of  G.  W.  S.  Bell  lives  near  Centralia. 
Patra  married  John  F.  Guymon,  of  Cen- 
tralia, and  they  have  one  daughter,  Beulah. 
Martha  B.  is  the  wife  of  Charley  Whit- 
church,  of  Centralia  township,  and  the  moth- 
er of  three  children,  Carl,  Boyd  and  Harry. 
Allie  married  W.  B.  Carr,  of  Raccoon  town- 
ship. Alphia  married  Joseph  L.  Hill,  of 
Ewing,  Illinois.  Samuel  T.  married  Nora 
Sutherland,  of  Centralia  township,  and  has 
two  children,  Hazel,  born  October  17,  1905, 
and  Samuel  Howard,  born  March  7,  1907. 
Samuel  T.  is  a  farmer  in  Centralia  township. 
George  Robert,  another  son,  who  is  at  home 
working  with  his  father,  is  unmarried. 

In  the  year  1860,  Samuel  F.  Phillips  lo- 
cated on  his  present  property.  Since  then 
he  has  striven  to  enhance  the  value  of  the 
land.  It  consists  of  two  hundred  and  fifty 
acres.  He  principally  engages  in  stock 
raising  and  does  a  general  farming  business. 

Samuel  F.   Phillips  is  a  member  of  the 


Missionary  Baptist  church  and  is  influen- 
tial in  church  advancement  matters.  In 
politics  he  gives  his  support  to  the  Demo- 
cratic party.  The  first  time  he  exercised  his 
right  to  vote  he  recorded  it  for  Granville 
Pierce. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  received 
fitting  public  recognition.  His  record  as  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  is  of  forty-four  years' 
standing,  and  he  has  been  a  Notary  Public 
for  fourteen  years.  He  has  been  associated 
with  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  Centralia 
township  for  twenty  years.  For  sixteen 
years  he  has  been  Township  Assessor. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  board 
of  township  high  school.  He  is  still 
in  harness,  his  seventy-nine  years  weigh 
but  lightly  upon  him,  and  it  is  the  wish 
of  a  large  circle  of  friends  that  he  be 
long  spared  to  his  affectionate  family,  and 
to  the  people  of  his  township  for  whom  he 
has  worked  so  diligently. 


ANDREW  SHANAFELT. 

Among  the  well  known  citizens  of  Ma- 
rion county  who  have  finished  their  labors 
and  gone  to  their  reward,  the  name  of  An- 
drew Shanafelt  is  deserving  of  especial  no- 
tice. He  was  a  pioneer  himself  and  the  son 
of  a  pioneer.  He  was  one  of  the  sterling  yeo- 
men, whose  labors  and  self-sacrifice  made 
possible  the  advanced  state  of  civilization 
and  enlightenment  for  which  southern  Illi- 
nois has  long  been  noted. 

Andrew   Shanafelt  was  born   August   5, 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


499 


1821,  iiii  Licking  county,  Ohio,  where  his 
parents,  Peter  and  Catherine  (Cover)  Shan- 
afelt,  settled  in  a  very  early  day,  making  the 
journey  from  their  native  state  of  Pennsyl- 
vania by  means  of  a  sled  and  experiencing 
many  hardships  and  suffering  on  the  way. 
Peter  Shanafelt  purchased  a  tract  of  heavily 
timbered  land  which  by  dint  of  hard  work 
he  finally  succeeded  in  clearing  and  reduc- 
ing to  cultivation  and  on  which  he  died, 
shortly  after  becoming  situated  so  as  to  live 
comfortably.  His  wife,  who  survived  him 
a  number  of  years  and  for  some  time  prior 
to  her  death,  which  occurred  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of  seventy-seven, 
made  her  home  with  her  children.  The  fam- 
ily of  Peter  and  Catherine  Shanafelt  con- 
sisted of  nine  children,  seven  sons  and  two 
daughters,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being 
the  youngest  of  the  number.  Both  parents 
were  of  German  extraction  and  representa- 
tives of  old  families  which  immigrated  to 
the  United  States  in  an  early  day  and  set- 
tled in  Pennsylvania,  where  numerous  de- 
scendants still  live. 

Andrew  Shanafelt  was  reared  on  the 
home  farm  in  Ohio,  early  learned  by  prac- 
tical experience,  the  true  meaning  of  hard 
work  and  grew  up  strong  and  vigorous  and 
well  able  to  cope  with  the  difficulties  and 
discouragements  which  life  had  in  store  for 
him.  After  remaining  in  his  native  county 
until  1847,  he  disposed  of  his  holdings  there 
and  came  to  Marion  county.  Illinois,  where 
for  some  time  he  labored  as  a  farm  hand, 
subsequently  renting  a  farm  near  the  vil- 
lage of  Odin.  On  March  22,  1849.  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Katherine  Johnson, 


of  Licking  county,  Ohio,  and  two  years  fol- 
lowing that  event,  purchased  forty  acres  of 
land  near  Odin,  on  which  he  lived  and  pros- 
pered until  the  summer  of  1856,  when  he 
sold  the  place  and  bought  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres,  which  he  made  his  home  to 
the  end  of  his  days  and  on  which  his  widow 
still  resides. 

Mr.  Shanafelt  labored  long  and  diligently 
to  reduce  the  latter  place  to  cultivation  and 
make  it  profitable,  the  land  being  about  half 
timber  and  half  prairie,  on  which  no  im- 
provements of  any  kind  had  been  previously 
attempted.  He  addressed  himself  resolutely 
to  his  task,  however,  and  after  working 
for  a  number  of  years  and  experiencing 
many  hardships  and  privations,  finally  suc- 
ceeded in  developing  a  fine  farm  and  placing 
himself  in  independent  circumstances. 
Methodical  in  directing  his  labors  and  emi- 
nently progressive  in  his  methods  of  cul- 
tivating the  soil,  he  became  widely  known 
as  a  model  fanner  while  in  business  matters 
his  sound  judgment  and  wise  forethought 
enabled  him  to  take  advantage  of  unfavor- 
able conditions  and  mould  them  to  suit  his 
purposes.  As  a  citizen  he  ranked  high  and 
was  ever  public  spirited  in  matters  relating 
to  the  material  improvement  of  the  county 
and  the  moral  progress  of  those  about  him. 
Few  men  in  the  community  were  as  much 
esteemed  or  showed  themselves  more  wor- 
thy of  the  regard  of  the  people  of  the  com- 
munity and  throughout  a  long  and  emU 
nently  useful  life  he  discharged  his  every 
duty  as  he  would  answer  to  his  conscience 
and  his  God. 

Mrs.  Shanafelt,  who  is  still  living  at  the 


5oo 


BRINKERHOFF'S.  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ripe  old  age  of  seventy-eight  years,  is  a 
daughter  of  William  and  Rachel  (McClel- 
land) Johnson,  the  former  a  native  of  Mary- 
land, the  latter  of  Licking  county,  Ohio. 
She  shared  her  husband's  fortunes  and  vicis- 
situdes, encouraged  him  by  her  wise  counsel 
and  judicious  advice  and  being  in  every 
sense  of  the  word  a  helpmeet,  contributed 
not  a  little  to  the  success  which  he  achieved. 
Ten  children  were  born  to  this  couple,  three 
of  whom  are  deceased,  viz :  Elizabeth,  Wil- 
liam and  Isaac;  those  surviving  are  Adam, 
a  farmer  of  Salem  township;  Rachel,  wife 
of  T.  M.  Branch,  of  Salem  township;  Mary, 
who  married  John  R.  Branch,  of  Marion 
county ;  Susanna,  now  Mrs.  Riley  Farthing, 
of  Salem;  Martha  J.,  wife  of  Frank  Young, 
also  of  Salem;  Samuel  and  David,  prosper- 
ous farmers  of  the  township  of  Salem. 

In  his  political  views,  Mr.  Shanafelt  was 
a  Democrat,  but  aside  from  serving  as 
School  Director  and  Supervisor,  never  as- 
pired to  public  position.  He  was  always  in- 
terested in  what  made  for  the  advancement 
of  the  county  and  the  development  of  his  re- 
sources, believed  in  enterprise  in  all  the  term 
implies  and  had  great  faith  in  the  future  of 
Marion  county  and  the  progress  of  its  peo- 
ple. He  lived  with  the  greatest  good  of  his 
fellow  men  ever  in  view  and  reached  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  eighty  years,  retaining  to  a 
marked  degree,  the  possession  of  his  phys- 
ical and  mental  powers.  On  May  ist  of 
the  year  1901,  he  died  very  suddenly  of 
heart  failure,  and  it  goes  without  the  say- 
ing that  his  loss  was  deeply  felt  and  pro- 
foundly regretted  by  the  large  circle  of 


neighbors  and  friends  with  whom  he  had 
been  so  long  associated.  Since  his  death, 
his  widow  has  resided  on  the  family  home- 
stead and  although  nearly  eighty  years  old, 
she  feels  few  of  the  infirmities  incident  to 
advanced  age,  having  remarkable  action, 
and  able  to  attend  to  all  her  household  du- 
ties, besides  manifesting  a  lively  interest 
in  the  labors  of  the  farm.  She  has  spent 
her  entire  life  within  the  geographical  lim- 
its of  Marion  county  and  has  yet  to  take  her 
first  ride  behind  a  locomotive.  Although 
circumscribed  within  a  narrow  area,  she  is 
quite  intelligent  and  well  informed  and 
keeps  in  touch  with  the  times  on  all  matters 
of  general  and  local  interest. 

William  Johnson,  father  of  Mrs.  Shana- 
felt, was  taken  to  Ohio  when  thirteen  years 
old,  and  grew  to  manhood  in  Licking 
county.  He  was  reared  a  farmer  and  in  due 
time  married  Miss  Rachel  McClelland,  who 
bore  him  four  children  before  he  disposed  of 
his  interests  in  Ohio  and  moved,  in  1842,  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois.  He  made  the  jour- 
ney to  his  new  home  by  wagon  and  after 
purchasing  eighty  acres  of  wild  prairie  land, 
addressed  'himself  to  the  labor  of  improving 
a  farm  and  providing  for  those  dependent 
upon  him.  His  first  dwelling  was  a  hewed 
log  building  with  a  large  fire-place  for  heat- 
ing and  cooking,  such  modern  articles  as 
stoves  and  carpets  'being  unknown  in  the 
pioneer  homes  of  those  days  and  the  good 
wife  and  mother  was  obliged  to  attend  to 
her  many  duties  with  but  few  of  the  con- 
veniences now  found  in  the  humblest  of 
households. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


501 


Mr.  Johnson  and  family  lived  after  the 
manner  of  the  typical  pioneers  of  the  early 
times  and  experienced  not  a  few  hardships 
and  privations  ere  the  farm  was  fully  devel- 
oped and  capable  of  producing-  a  comfort- 
able livelihood.  In  the  course  of  time,  how- 
ever, he  added  to  his  original  purchase  and 
became  one  of  the  enterprising  and  well-to- 
do  farmers  of  his  township,  besides  taking 
an  influential  part  in  the  development  of 
the  community  along  other  than  material 
lines.  He  lived  to  see  Marion  county  grow 
from  a  sparsely  settled  prairie  to  one  of  the 
most  enterprising  and  progressive  sections 
of  Southern  Illinois,  and  with  strong  arm 
and  clear  brain,  contributed  his  share  to- 
wards bringing  about  the  many  changes 
that  are  now  apparent.  He  departed  this 
life  at  the  ripe  old  age  of  eighty-one,  his 
wife  dying  several  years  later,  when  seventy- 
eight  years  old.  A  daughter,  Mrs.  Lavina 
Ross,  lives  on  the  family  homestead  at  the 
present  time  and  a  son  by  the  name  of 
Isaac  served  in  the  late  Civil  war  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  Mrs.  Shanafelt  being  one  of 
the  seven  surviving  members  of  the  family. 


FRANKLIN  GILBERT  BOGGS. 

The  subject  was  born  November  30, 
1854,  on  the  old  Boggs  homestead  in  Rac- 
coon township,  Marion  county,  the  son  of 
James  Clark  Boggs,  who  was  born  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  this  state,  April  3,  1828,  and 


reared,  educated  and  married  in  Marion 
county.  He  married  Margaret  Hicklin, 
who  was  born  February  23,  1834,  in  Lin- 
coln county,  Tennessee.  James  C.  Boggs 
was  the  son  of  Spruce  Boggs,  who  married 
Martha  H.  Kell,  January  21,  1825.  They 
were  of  North  Carolina.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  church, 
and  gave  the  land  on  which  to  build  the 
church,  and  were  active  in  church  work. 
He  was  born  May  9,  1808.  They  came  to 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  in  the  early  twen- 
ties and  were  the  first  settlers  in  Rome  town- 
ship, the  north  part.  He  got  wild  land  here, 
and  in  those  days  the  Indians  were  quite 
troublesome  and  ate  most  of  his  crop  the 
first  year.  There  was  an  abundance  of  wild 
game  then.  He  was  a  hard  working,  rugged 
man,  and  won  success  despite  obstacles, 
through  his  agricultural  labors.  He  and 
his  wife  died  on  the  place.  They  were  the' 
parents  of  fourteen  children,  seven  of  whom 
grew  to  maturity.  They  are  all  now  de- 
ceased. Those  who  grew  up  were :  Thomas, 
Clark,  William,  John,  Sarah,  Joseph  and 
Hugh.  The  subject's  grandfather,  William 
Hicklin,  was  a  native  of  South  Carolina. 
He  married  Ann  Sloan,  of  that  state.  They 
went  to  middle  Tennessee  where  they  re- 
mained for  a  number  of  years  after  their 
marriage,  and  they  went  later  to  Randolph 
county,  Illinois,  and  then  to  Marion  county, 
settling  in  Raccoon  township,  where  they 
secured  wild  land  in  section  27,  having  got 
eighty  acres  of  government  land,  which  they 
developed  into  a  good  farm,  and  on  which 
they  died.  They  were  the  parents  of  four 


502 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


children,  John,  Margaret,  Betsy  J.  became 
the  wife  of  T.  B.  Parkinson,  of  Raccoon 
township,  this  county;  Florida  A.  lives  in 
Raccoon  township,  the  widow  of  Benjamin 
Cook.  The  subject's  father  received  only  a 
limited  education.  However,  he  was  self- 
learned.  When  a  young  man  he  taught 
school.  He  was  reared  on  his  father's  old 
homestead  and  lived  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty-one  years  old,  after  .which  he  was  at 
different  places  for  awhile.  When  he  bought 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  section  34,  Raccoon 
township,  on  which  he  made  his  home  until 
in  April,  1862,  when  he  enlisted  in  Company 
H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
He  was  in  several  engagements,  among 
which  was  the  great  battle  of  Stone  River. 
In  fording  the  river  there  the  troops  had  to 
wade  the  water  up  to  their  arm  pits.  The 
subject's  father  was  very  warm  at  the  time, 
and  the  cold  water  caused  him  to  take  a 
severe  cold,  which  resulted  in  his  death  on 
April  6,  1863.  He  was  buried  in  the  Na- 
tional cemetery  at  Murfreesboro,  Tennessee. 
His  wife  remained  on  the  place  until  her 
death,  September  3,  1893.  They  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian  church. 
Mr.  Boggs  was  a  Justice  of  the  Peace  and  a 
Republican  in  politics.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  James 
Clark  Boggs  were  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren, namely:  William,  who  died  single  at 
the  age  of  nineteen;  Franklin  Gilbert,  our 
subject;  Mary  A.,  the  wife  of  E.  R.  Davis, 
who  now  lives  on  the  old  Boggs  place  in 
Raccoon  township;  Florida  married  Joseph 
C.  Telford,  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 


in  the  home  schools  and  lived  at  home  until 
he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-four  years. 
He  was  united  in  marriage  December  6, 

1877,  to  Emma  Norfleet,  who  was  born  in 
Tennessee,  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  F.  and 
Josephine    (Hamlett)     Norfleet,  who    now 
live  in  Raccoon  township,  and  whose  sketch 
appears  in  full  in  this  work.     Three  sons 
have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife,   as 
follows :    Vivian  O.,  was  born  December  25, 

1878.  He  is  in  the  mercantile  business    in 
Mounds  and  Dongola,  Illinois,  making   his 
home  in  the  latter  town.    He  married  Anna 
May  Eimer,  of  Bellville,  Illinois,  and  they 
have  one  son,  Leland.     Vivian  O.   was    a 
stenographer  and  teacher  previous  to  going 
into  the  mercantile  business.     He  attended 
school  at  Carbondale,  Illinois,  and  took    a 
business  course  at  Centralia.    He  is  a  bright 
young  business  man.     Victor,  the  subject's 
sdneco  child,  was  born  September  30,  1880. 
He  attended  school  at  Carbondale,  Illinois, 
and  at  the  University  of  Valparaiso,  Indi- 
ana, where  he  made  a  brilliant  record    for 
scholarship.     He  is  a  graduate  in  pharmacy. 
He  is  now  in  St.  Louis,  engaged  in  carpen- 
try and  building,  also  real  estate.     He  buys 
lots  and  builds  on  them  for  investment  pur- 
poses.    He  married  Iva  Wyatt  on  Septem- 
ber 24,  1908.     Earl,  the  subject's  youngest 
son,  was  born  August  22,   1887.     He  is  a 
farmer  and    carpenter  at    Fruti,    Colorado, 
where  he  is  doing  well.     He  attended    the 
Centralia  schools. 

After  1877  the  subject  located  on  his  pres- 
ent farm  in  section  34,  Raccoon  township, 
where  he  purchased  forty  acres.  It  was  a 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


new  place,  but  the  subject  was  a  hard 
worker  and  soon  developed  a  fine  farm,  well 
improved  in  every  respect,  and  his  home  is 
one  of  the  finest  in  Raccoon  township.  He 
does  most  all  his  own  carpenter  work,  being 
naturally  a  skilled  workman.  He  also  owns 
one  hundred  and  thirty-one  acres  of  well 
improved  and  very  productive  land  in  sec- 
tions 27,  34  and  35,  in  this  township.  He 
has  a  very  valuable  orchard.  He  raises  fine 
fruits  of  all  varieties,  and  he  used  to  raise  a 
great  many  strawberries.  No  small  part  of 
Mr.  Boggs'  income  is  derived  from  his  live 
stock.  He  always  keeps  a  good  grade,  his 
Duroc  and  Jersey  hogs  being  especially  well 
bred.  He  has  also  been  extensively  engaged 
in  the  poultry  business  for  the  past  seventeen 
years,  raising  mostly  Barred  Plymouth 
Rock-  chickens.  He  carries  on  a  general 
farming,  and  his  place  shows  thrift,  good 
management  and  industry,  being  all  in  all 
one  of  the  most  desirable  farms  in  the  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Boggs  is  a  stanch  Republican  and  a 
faithful  member  of  the  United  Presbyterian 
church.  He  is  well  read  on  modern  topics, 
and  he  makes  all  his  friends  and  acquaint- 
ances feel  at  home  when  they  visit  him. 


HARRISON  G.  HIZLIP. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  native  of 
Virginia  and  a  worthy  type  of  the  courte- 
ous, high  minded  and  honorable  class  of 
gentlemen  for  which  the  Old  Dominion  state 


has  long  been  distinguished.  Harrison  G. 
Hizlip  was  born  in  the  year  1805,  and  grew 
to  manhood  in  his  native  commonwealth, 
receiving  the  best  educational  advantages 
the  country  at  that  time  afforded,  and  re- 
maining on  the  family  homestead  until  at- 
taining his  majority.  When  twenty-one 
years  of  age  he  severed  home  ties  to  make 
his  own  way  in  the  world,  and  thinking  to 
improve  his  interests  in  the  West,  he  came  to 
Illinois  in  1826  and  settled  at  Vandalia, 
where  he  helped  lay  the  brick  in  the  first 
capital  building  of  the  state.  After  a  brief 
residence  in  that  town  he  went  to  Missouri, 
where  he  invested  his  ample  means  in  slaves, 
but  the  troublous  and  unsettled  times  pre- 
ceding the  Civil  war  caused  him  great  anx- 
iety, and  with  other  slave  holders  he  was 
made  the  object  of  persecution  by  the  Union 
element  of  the  country,  not  infrequently  ex- 
periencing rough  treatment  and  much  suffer- 
ing at  the  hands  of  those  fanatical  disturb- 
ers of  the  peace.  The  war  coming  on  and 
freeing  his  slaves,  he  was  seriously  crippled 
financially,  but  with  the  small  residence,  his 
fortune,  which  he  succeeded  in  saving,  he 
returned  to  Illinois  and  purchased  a  farm  in 
Marion  county,  several  of  his  erstwhile 
bondsmen  accompanying  him  north,  so 
greatly  were  they  attached  to  him  by  reason 
of  his  kind  treatment.  Some  of  these  ex- 
slaves  still  live  in  Marion  county  and  are 
greatly  esteemed  by  their  white  neighbors 
and  friends,  being  peaceable,  law-abiding 
and  industrious,  and  a  credit  to  the  commu- 
nities in  which  they  reside.  By  industry  and 
good  management  Mr.  Hizlip  succeeded  in 


5°4 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


recuperating  his  fortune  in  part,  and  during 
his  residence  in  the  country  he  was  consid- 
ered one  of  the  successful  farmers  and  en- 
terprising citizens  of  the  township  in  which 
he  lived.  After  a  few  years,  however,  he 
discontinued  agricultural  pursuits  and  re- 
moved to  Salem,  where  he  lived  in  honor- 
able retirement  until  his  death,  which 
occurred  in  1893,  the  meanwhile  attaining 
to  high  standing  as  a  neighbor  and  citizen, 
and  wielding  a  strong  influence  in  behalf  of 
whatever  made  for  the  advancement  of  the 
community  and  the  welfare  of  his  fellow 
men. 

Mr.  Hizlip  was  a  Democrat  in  the  broad- 
est meaning  of  the  term,  and  stood  ready  at 
all  times  to  make  any  sacrifice  within  his 
power  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  party, 
in  the  principles  and  doctrines  of  which  he 
was  a  sincere  and  uncompromising  believer. 
A  southern  man  in  sentiment  and  sympathy, 
he  nevertheless  accepted  with  good  grace  the 
results  of  the  war,  and  thereafter  was  firm 
in  his  devotion  to  the  Union,  and  a  great 
admirer  of  the  free  institutions  which  have 
had  such  a  marked  influence  in  reuniting 
the  former  hostile  sections  and  making  the 
American  government  a  model  of  its  kind. 
Mr.  Hizlip  was  a  man  of  strong  and  sincere 
religious  convictions,  and  for  many  years  a 
leading  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  South,  contributing  freely  of  his 
means  to  the  support  of  the  Gospel,  and  by 
his  upright  and  manly  conduct  doing  much 
to  induce  others  to  abandon  the  way  of  sin 
and  seek  the  higher  life.  A  marked  char- 
acteristic of  his  personality  was  his  fearless- 


ness in  his  devotion  to  what  he  considered 
the  right,  although  it  often  subjected  him  to 
much  contumely  and  disfavor,  but  his  sin- 
cerity and  honesty  were  beautiful  and  in 
every  respect  admirable.  During  the  period 
of  disintegration  preceding  the  great  Civil 
strife,  he  clung  tenaciously  to  his  principles, 
and  though  frequently  menaced  with  suffer- 
ing and  death,  he  manfully  faced  his  perse- 
cutors and  in  not  a  single  instance  did  he 
yield  to  their  threats  or  abandon  a  cause, 
which  by  nature  and  training  he  deemed 
just,  and  for  which  he  would  make  almost 
any  personal  sacrifice. 

Mr.  Hizlip  in  the  year  1882  contracted 
a  matrimonial  alliance  with  Mrs.  Rachel 
Robbins,  a  widow  of  the  late  Joseph  Rob- 
bins,  and  daughter  of  John  and  Jane  B. 
(Gardner)  Worthington,  of  North  Caro- 
lina, who  proved  a  true  wife  and  helpmeet  as 
well  as  an  able  and  judicious  counsellor  to 
the  end  of  his  days,  the  union  being  without 
issue.  After  a  long  and  useful  career  ex- 
tending over  a  period  of  eighty-eight  years, 
the  life  of  Mr.  Hizlip  came  to  a  close  in 
1893,  the  event  being  deeply  lamented  by 
the  people  of  Salem,  and  greatly  regretted 
by  all  who  felt  the  influence  of  his  person^ 
ality.  Those  who  knew  him  best  felt  most 
keenly  the  loss  which  the  public  at  large 
sustained,  for  in  his  death  there  passed  from 
earth  a  man  of  sterling  worth.  A  sincere 
Christian  gentleman  and  a  citizen  who  did 
much  for  his  kind,  and  made  the  world 
better  by  his  presence. 

Joseph  Robbins,  the  former  husband  of 
Mrs.  Hizlip,  was  a  North  Carolinian  by 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


505 


birth,  and  a  gentleman  of  unimpeachable 
integrity  and  high  social  standing.  Shortly 
after  his  marriage  with  Miss  Worthington, 
he  migrated  to  Kansas,  and  owing  to  the 
unsettled  condition  of  affairs  in  that  terri- 
tory, growing  out  of  the  slavery  question 
and  other  political  matters,  he  remained 
but  a  short  time,  removing  at  his  earliest 
convenience  to  Parke  county,  Indiana, 
where  he  resided  for  several  years  as  a 
tiller  of  the  soil.  Disposing  of  his  interest 
in  the  latter  state,  he  subsequently  moved 
to  Fayette  county,  Illinois,  where  he  pur- 
chased land  and  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  to  which  he  devoted  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  dying  in  the  year  1874,  re- 
spected and  honored  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Mr.  Robbins  was  a  man  of  influence  in  his 
community,  possessed  many  sterling  quali- 
ties and  his  character  and  good  name  were 
ever  above  the  suspicion  of  dishonor.  He 
measured  up  to  a  high  standard  of  citizen- 
ship, discharged  faithfully  and  well  every 
duty  incumbent  upon  him,  and  will  long 
be  remembered  for  his  activity  in  behalf  of 
justice  and  right  and  for  the  influence  he 
always  exerted  for  the  good  of  those  with 
whom  he  mingled.  Six  children  were  born 
to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Robbins,  namely: 
Ephraim,  of  Vandalia,  Illinois;  John,  de- 
ceased; Perry,  a  mechanic  of  Salem;  Shu- 
bal,  also  a  resident  of  Salem;  Claudie  and 
Lizzie,  the  last  named  dying  at  the  age  of 
nine  years. 

Since  the  death  of  Mr.  Hizlip  his  widow 
has  made  her  home  in  Salem  where  she  has 
a  large  circle  of  friends  who  prize  her  for 


her  many  estimable  qualities.  A  devoted 
friend  and  sincere  Christian,  her  life  has 
been  filled  with  good,  while  her  acts  of 
kindness  and  encouragement  towards  the 
poor  and  distressed,  and  her  liberality  in 
behalf  of  all  worthy  objects  for  the  ameli- 
oration of  human  suffering  have  endeared 
her  to  the  large  number  who  have  profited 
by  her  bounty. 


ELIJAH  M.  HAYS. 

Tennessee  has  furnished  many  sterling 
citizens  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  none 
who  have  come  here  benefitting  themselves 
and  the  community  alike,  have  stood  higher 
in  the  estimation  of  the  people  than  the  sub- 
ject, for  his  life  has  been  so  lived  that  it  not 
only  resulted  in  good  to  himself  and  fam- 
ily, but  to  all  his  neighbors  and  the  gen- 
eral public  as  well,  and  although  it  has 
been  brought  to  a  close  by  the  "grim 
reaper,"  his  influence  still  lives. 

Elijah  M.  Hays  was  born  January  15. 
1818,  in  White  county,  Tennessee.  He  was 
the  son  of  Samuel  Hays,  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee, of  Irish  descent,  who  came  to  Ma- 
rion county.  Illinois,  in  1829.  and  went  to 
Missouri  on  a  business  trip  and  died  in  that 
state.  He  married  Rachel  Huff,  a  widow, 
who  died  in  Raccoon  township,  this  county. 
They  were  the  parents  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Nicholas,  who  married  Zula  Crab- 
tree:  Aley  married  William  Hays:  Mary 
married  Nathaniel  Fields;  Samuel  married 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Betsy  Hendricks;  James  married  Jemima 
Chance;  Alex  married  Sarah  Crawford; 
William  first  married  Delila  Crawford  and 
later  a  widow  of  Thomas;  Elijah,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch;  Stephen  D.  married 
Nancy  Evans. 

Our  subject  had  but  a  limited  school- 
ing in  the  pioneer  schools.  He  lived  with 
his  parents  and  came  with  them  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1828,  the  Lovell  family 
also  came  with  them.  Samuel  Hays  located 
in  Haines  township.  Our  subject  lived  at 
home  until  he  married,  April  12,  1838,  his 
wife  being  Denisha  Deadmond,  who  was 
born  April  12,  1817,  in  Orange  county, 
North  Carolina.  He  purchased  the  farm 
where  his  wife  and  son  Charles  now  live 
in  Raccoon,  township,  in  1837.  He  pur- 
chased two  hundred  acres  on  which  was  a 
small  house  built  of  split  logs.  He  first 
built  a  double  log  house,  eighteen  feel 
square  and  later  one  eighteen  by  twenty- 
two  feet.  He  built  a  chimney  and  fire-place 
between  the  two  houses.  They  had  no 
stoves  in  those  days.  He  built  his  brick 
house  in  1873,  and  made  all  the  extensive 
improvements  on  the  place.  He  devoted  his 
long  life  to  farming  and  was  always  con- 
sidered a  most  excellent  one.  He  was  a 
loyal  Republican,  but  held  no  office.  He  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  Mrs.  Hays  has  lived  on  the  old 
place  now  over  seventy  years.  Nine  chil- 
dren were  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
namely:  Elizabeth  J.,  born  May  2,  1839, 
married  James  Huff,  who  is  now  deceased, 
but  she  is  living  at  Boyd,  Texas,  and  is 


the  mother  of  four  children,  Alonzo,  Eva- 
line,  Emily  and  Esther.  The  second  child 
of  the  subject  and  wife  was  Emily,  who  was 
born  August  12,  1841,  married  Samuel  Gas- 
ton.  She  is  now  deceased.  They  had  two 
children,  William  and  Lavina.  George  G.r 
the  subject's  third  child,  who  was  born  Jan- 
uary 7,  1844,  was  in  Company  E,  Seventieth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  having  enlisted 
January  6,  1862,  and  was  accidentally  shot 
through  the  heart,  September  3,  1862.  Fran- 
ces R.,  the  fourth  child,  was  born  February 
28,  1847,  married  I.  E.  Hodges,  of  Rac- 
coon township,  a  full  sketch  of  whom  ap- 
pears in  this  work ;  James  T.  was  born  Janu- 
ary 25,  1850,  married  Mollie  Bryant,  and 
they  have  two  children;  Charles  J.,  born 
November  14,  1852,  lives  on  the  old  place. 
He  married  October  3,  1883,  Lucy  R.  Mer- 
cer, who  was  born  in  Raccoon  township  in 
1856,  the  daughter  of  Silas  Mercer,  now  of 
Raccoon  township.  Charles  J.  Hays  has  al- 
ways lived  in  Raccoon  township,  being  a 
well  known  farmer.  He  and  his  wife  have 
four  children:  Mary,  Ivan,  Roy  and  Una. 
Mary  and  Una  are  attending  school  at  Car- 
bondale,  Illinois.  John  L.,  the  seventh  child 
of  the  subject,  was  born  June  30,  1856,  and 
he  married  Margaret  Boggs.  He  is  a 
farmer  in  Raccoon  township,  on  a  part  of 
the  old  Hays  place.  He  has  the  following 
children :  Herbert,  a  mail  clerk  on  the  Chi- 
cago &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad,  who  mar- 
lied  Dora  Helms;  Edith  married  Ernest 
Burt;  Ernest  is  a  farmer  in  New  Mexico; 
Edna  and  Elijah  are  attending  school  at 
Marion,  Illinois;  Clara  and  Carroll  are  the 


JINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


507 


youngest.  The  eighth  child  of  the  subject 
and  wife  was  G.  O.,  who  was  born  August 
13,  1859,  married  Nina  Watson.  He  is  at 
Kell,  Illinois,  where  he  runs  a  saw-mill  and 
threshing  machine.  He  has  five  sons,  Otho, 
Redus,  Frank,  Oscar  and  Elmer.  Elmer,  the 
youngest  child  of  the  subject  and  wife,  was 
born  May  29,  1862.  He  first  married  Laura 
Boggs,  and  one  son,  Ezra,  was  born  to  this 
union.  His  second  wife  was  Kate  Easley, 
and  four  children  were  born  to  this  union, 
namely:  Everett,  Gladys,  Isham  and  Ruby. 
Mrs.  Hays,  the  wife  of  the  subject,  has 
thirty-one  grandchildren,  thirty-six  great- 
grandchildren and  four  great-great- 
grandchildren. The  Hays  family  is  well 
known  and  prominent  in  Marion  county. 
Elijah  M.  Hays  was  known  as  a  man  of 
much  native  ability,  was  kind,  generous  and 
had  hosts  of  friends.  He  passed  to  his  rest 
March  31,  1893,  lamented  by  all  who  knew 
him. 


EDGAR  F.  BRUBAKER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  Edgar  F.  Bru- 
baker,  is  a  man  who  is  an  important  fac- 
tor in  the  farming  and  mercantile  business 
in  the  county  in  which  he  lives.  The  son  of 
one  of  the  pioneer  residents  of  Marion 
county,  a  man  who  held  a  record  as  a  large 
farmer  and  merchant,  and  as  a  church 
worker  and  a  prominent  citizen,  entitled 
him  by  birth  to  a  place  in  the  life  of  the 
community.  He  has,  however,  had  the  ad- 
vantages of  a  present-day  education,  and 


his  trained  brain  and  industrious  habits  have 
brought  him  success  in  life. 

Edgar  F.  Brubaker,  a  twin  brother  of 
Edwin  M.  Brubaker,  was  born  in  Alma 
township,  on  October  6,  1859,  and  was  the 
son  of  Eli  Brubaker  and  Mary  Warner,  his 
wife.  His  father,  who  was  born  December 
ii,  1818,  and  who  died  July  10,  1907,  was 
universally  known  and  respected  in  the  com- 
munity. He  was  one  of  the  pioneers  of  Ma- 
rion county,  where  he  made  a  name  for  him- 
self. He  helped  to  establish  a  Presbyterian 
church  in  Stevenson  township,  and  was  an 
active,  conscientious,  and  untiring  religious 
worker.  For  over  forty  years  he  held  the 
position  of  superintendent  of  Sunday 
schools,  after  which  he  was  elected  hono- 
rary superintendent  for  the  remainder  of 
his  life.  He  was  noted  and  known  through- 
out the  county  as  a  raiser  and  breeder  of 
Durham  cattle.  His  farm  at  one  time  com- 
prised fourteen  hundred  acres  of  as  good 
land  as  there  was  in  the  county.  For  many 
years  he  turned  his  attention  to  the  mer- 
cantile business  in  an  extensive  way  in  Sa- 
lem. He  was  a  life-long  Democrat  and  one 
of  the  most  popular  and  important  men  in 
his  section  of  the  county.  His  family  con- 
sisted of  seven  children.  They  were :  Isaac 
B.,  who  married  Dolly  Kagy,  and  has  one 
child;  Christian  M.,'who  married  Wood- 
son  Cheely  and  has  eight  children;  Anna 
B.,  who  married  Shannon  Kagy,  has  five 
children ;  William  A.  married  Marindy  Van 
Gilder,  and  has  five  children:  Edwin  M., 
the  twin  brother  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
married  Catherine  Byers  and  has  two  chil- 


508 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


dren ;  and  Logan  E.  married  Rachel  Kagy 
and  has  two  children. 

Edgar  F.  Brubaker  married  Marietta 
Kagy,  on  April  3,  1888.  No  children 
have  been  born  to  them.  In  his  youth 
he  was  educated  at  the  common  schools, 
afterwards  attending  Lincoln  University, 
where  he  took  a  scientific  course.  Like 
his  father  before  him,  he  started  ex- 
tensively in  the  farming  business  and  with 
much  success  until  about  eleven  years  ago, 
when  he  decided  to  go  into  the  mercantile 
business  in  Brubaker.  His  venture  along 
mercantile  lines  was  an  assured  success,  and 
his  business  has  a  turnover  now  of  about 
twenty  thousand  dollars.  In  addition  to  his 
large  mercantile  interests,  Edgar  F.  Bru- 
baker still  holds  about  four  hundred  acres 
of  land  and  is  a  breeder  or  Polled-Angus 
cattle  on  an  extensive  scale,  the  Polled-An- 
gus herd  which  he  now  has  on  his  farm 
being  of  a  remarkably  good  quality.  In 
the  past  he  has  been  quite  a  large  raiser  of 
sheep  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
shrewd  and  experienced  agriculturalist. 

In  politics  Edgar  F.  Brubaker  is  a  Demo- 
crat. In  the  political  life  of  his  township 
he  has  l>een  as  active  as  his  business  inter- 
ests could  permit  him  to  be.  He  has  served 
a  term  as  Road  Supervisor,  and  twice  as  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace.  His  reputation  along 
agricultural  lines  gained  him  the  distinc- 
tion of  serving!  on  the  Board  of  Agricul- 
ture at  the  State  Fair  at  the  time  of  its  be- 
ing held  at  Peoria,  Illinois.  In  the  social 
and  religious  life  of  the  township  and 
county,  the  names  of  Edgar  F.  and  Mrs. 


Brubaker  are  well  to  the  fore.  Their  names 
have  rarely  been  absent  from  social  and 
religious  functions  in  the  neighborhood.  As 
a  citizen  and  a  representative  business  man, 
the  subject  of  our  sketch  is  admired  and 
respected.  He  has  all  the  qualities  which  go 
to  the  making  of  the  desirable  and  conscien- 
tious member  of  the  community. 


JOSEPH  C.  PARKINSON. 

No  family  in  Marion  county  is  better  or 
more  favorably  known  than  the  Parkin- 
sons, who  have  been  identified  with  the 
growth  of  this  locality  since  the  early  pio- 
neer days,  and  who  have  in  every  instance 
played  well  their  parts  in  the  county's  his- 
tory. The  subject  of  the  present  sketch  is 
a  worthy  representative  of  his  ancestors. 

Joseph  C.  Parkinson  was  born  on  the  old 
Parkinson  homestead  in  Raccoon  township, 
February  27,  1869,  the  son  of  Brown  and 
Mary  J.  (Leuty)  Parkinson,  the  former  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  and  the  latter  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois.  He  married  in  Jef- 
ferson county  and  came  to  Marion  county, 
locating  in  Raccoon  township,  where  he  se- 
cured one  hundred  acres  of  land  in  section 
23,  all  wild  land,  but  he  was  a  hard  worker 
and  cleared  it,  making  a  good  home.  He  de- 
voted his  life  to  farming,  and  was  School 
Director,  a  Republican,  and  he  also  held 
several  minor  offices.  He  and  his  wife  were 
members  of  the  Reformed  Presbyterian 
church.  He  died  in  October,  1883,  and  his 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


wife  died  August  29,  1905.  The  father  of 
the  subject  was  not  only  well  known  but  well 
liked.  To  the  parents  of  the  subject  the 
following  children  were  born:  John,  a 
farmer  in  Raccoon  township,  living  on  part 
of  the  old  place;  Luella  married  B.  F.  Mer- 
cer, of  Raccoon  township;  William  K.  is  a 
farmer  in  Raccoon  township;  Nettie  is  de- 
ceased ;  Charles  A.  is  superintendent  of  the 
public  schools  at  Glen  Carbon,  Illinois;  Jo- 
seph C,  our  subject,  is  the  youngest  child. 

Joseph  C.  Parkinson  lived  at  home  with 
his  mother  until  he  was  twenty-two  years 
old.  He  attended  the  neighborhood  schools 
there  and  got  a  fairly  good  education.  He 
was  happily  married  February  5,  1891,  to 
Flaura  J.  March,  of  Raccoon  township,  the 
daughter  of  John  S.  March  (whose  sketch 
appears  in  full  in  this  volume).  To  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  seven  children  have  been  born 
as  follows:  Maude,  Hattie,  Harris,  Roy, 
Helen,  May  and  Merle. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Parkinson  located 
on  a  part  of  his  father's  farm  and  lived  on 
the  old  homestead,  making  a  success  of  his 
farming  operations  until  the  spring  of  1901, 
when  he  moved  to  the  south  line  of  the  old 
homestead,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
owns  fifty  acres  of  the  old  place  and  twenty- 
six  and  one-half  acres  adjoining  it,  making 
his  a  very  valuable  and  desirable  farm, 
highly  improved  and  one  of  the  most  pro- 
ductive in  the  township.  The  subject  car- 
ries on  a  general  farming  business.  He 
raises  all  kinds  of  grain,  horses  and  cattle, 
good  hogs;  his  cattle  are  Jersey  and  Dur- 
ham, and  his  hogs  are  Poland-China  and 


Duroc  Red.  His  fine  stock  is  known  all 
over  the  county,  and  no  small  portion  of  his 
income  is  derived  from  this  source.  He  has 
always  been  a  farmer  and  is  considered  an 
excellent  one  by  those  who  know  him.  He 
has  a  comfortable  home  and  convenient  out- 
buildings. 

Mr.  Parkinson  has  ably  served  his  com- 
munity as  Township  Clerk  for  two  years 
and  School  Director  for  three  years.  He  is 
a  stanch  Republican,  and  always  takes  an 
interest  in  the  affairs  of  the  county,  doing 
what  he  can  to  promote  his  interests, 
whether  politically,  socially  or  materially. 
He  and  his  wife  are  faithful  members  of  the 
United  Presbyterian  church. 


MISS  METTA  McCOLLUM. 

A  woman  of  unusual  business  tact  and 
ability  is  the  subject  of  this  review,  and  it 
is  safe  to  say  that  she  is  not  surpassed  in 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  by  any  of  her  sister- 
hood for  soundness  of  judgment  and  she  has 
made  a  success  in  the  management  of  a 
splendid  landed  estate  in  Tonti  township, 
and  her  pleasing  manner  has  won  many 
friends  in  this  locality  where  she  has  long 
maintained  her  home. 

Miss  Metta  McCollum  was  born  in  Alma 
township,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  Septem- 
ber 17,  1865,  the  daughter  of  Lemuel  and 
Margaret  (Kagy)  McCollum,  the  former 
having  been  born  February  14,  1828,  in 
Trumble  county,  Ohio.  The  great-grand- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


father  of  the  subject,  Robert  McCollum, 
was  also  a  native  of  Ohio.  He  and  his  good 
wife  were  of  Scotch-English  descent  and 
were  people  of  much  sterling  worth.  Lem- 
uel McCollum  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, in  1856.  He  was  a  student  of  Hiram 
College.  He  was  a  very  highly-gifted  man, 
having  both  taught  school  and  practiced 
medicine  with  marked  success  and  he  became 
a  man  of  much  influence  in  his  community. 
He  was  married  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
in  April,  1858,  when  thirty  years  of  age. 

Lemuel  McCollum  rented  a  farm  in  Alma 
township  and  later  purchased  a  valuable 
farm  there.  He  taught  school  for  many 
years,  becoming  well  known  as  an  able  in- 
structor and  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand. Believing  that  he  could  serve  hu- 
manity better  as  a  physician,  he  studied  med- 
icine, making  rapid  progress  and  began 
practice,  building  up  a  good  trade  and  win- 
ning a  reputation  for  his  skill  that  was  more 
than  local,  but  he  finally  gave  up  both  teach- 
ing and  medicine  to  return  to  the  quieter 
and  more  independent  life  of  the  farmer. 
He  was  called  to  his  rest  July  19,  1908,  af- 
ter an  eminently  useful  and  successful  life 
in  which  he  did  an  incalculable  amount  of 
good  for  his  fellow  men  and  laid  up  an  ex- 
cellent competency  for  his  children.  In 
politics  he  was  a  Republican,  and  he  faith- 
fully served  his  township  as  Assessor  for 
one  term. 

The  noble  mother  of  the  subject,  who  was 
noted  for  her  friendliness  and  beautiful 
Christian  character,  preceded  her  husband 
to  the  spirit  land  in  September,  1884.  Mr. 


McCollum  was  an  active  member  of  the 
Christian  church. 

Four  children  of  this  union  are  living  at 
this  writing  (1908),  named  in  order  of 
their  birth  as  follows:  Selma,  born  Sep- 
tember 4,  1859,  is  the  wife  of  John  Dover, 
who  lives  in  Kansas;  Metta,  our  subject, 
was  the  second  child ;  Elmer,  who  was  born 
April  4,  1868,  is  postmaster  at  Brubaker; 
Edward  was  born  February  22,  1874. 

Metta  and  Edward  McCullom  are  now 
owners  of  an  eighty-acre  farm  in  section  25, 
Tonti  township,  which  they  have  made 
themselves.  They  carry  on  general  farming 
in  a  most  successful  manner,  skillfully  ro- 
tating the  various  crops  so  as  to  get  the  best 
results,  and  at  the  same  time  keeping  the  soil 
from  growing  thin.  The  place  is  under  a 
fine  state  of  improvement  in  every  way,  and 
their  residence  is  nicely  furnished,  possess- 
ing an  air  of  cheerfulness  and  hospitality. 
She  has  a  very  wide  acquaintance  in  Tonti 
township,  and  the  highest  esteem  is  enter- 
tained for  her  by  all. 


MRS.   MIRIAM  LECKRONE. 

A  more  kindly  and  affable  woman  than 
the  subject  would  be  hard  to  find  within 
the  borders  of  Tonti  township,  Marion 
county,  where  she  has  long  maintained  her 
home,  and  where,  like  Dorcas,  the  well 
known  Bible  character,  "she  hath  clone 
what  she  could"  toward  the  uplifting  of 
the  community  in  lending  her  influence  for 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  progress  of  moral,  educational  and  re- 
ligious movements.  She  is  a  representa- 
tive of  a  prominent  and  praiseworthy  fam- 
ily. 

Mrs.  Miriam  Leckrone,  the  daughter  of 
William  and  Margaret  (McKibben)  Leck- 
rone, having  been  born  in  Allen  county, 
Ohio,  August  1 8,  1840.  Both  the  Leck- 
rone and  the  McKibben  families  were  na- 
tives of  Pennsylvania.  The  father  of  our 
subject  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
1864,  and  remained  here  until  his  death  in 
1887,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  to  the 
spirit  land  in  1874.  They  were  people  of 
much  sterling  worth,  and  by  hard  work 
and  economy  always  had  a  comfortable 
living,  and  they  spared  no  pains  in  giving 
their  children  every  advantage  possible. 

Our  subject  married  William  Leckrone 
in  1867,  in  the  house  where  she  now  lives. 
The  Leckrone  family  came  to  this  county 
from  Licking  county,  Ohio,  in  1842,  and 
settled  in  the  neighborhood  where  our  sub- 
ject now  lives.  William  Leckrone  was  a 
leading  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church,  Zion  church  being  the  one  in 
which  he  kept  his  membership.  It  was 
built  in  1869.  He  was  a  liberal  contribu- 
tor to  the  support  of  this  church  in  which 
he  was  an  active  member.  He  was  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  faithfully  served 
his  township  as  Highway  Commissioner  in 
a  manner  that  reflected  credit  upon  his  abil- 
ity and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  con- 
cerned. He  was  known  as  a  public-spirited 
man,  and  always  willing  to  do  what  he 
could  in  furthering  any  movement  look- 
ing to  the  betterment  of  the  community. 


He  was  thoroughly  honest  and  trust- 
worthy, a  good  business  man,  and  was 
well  and  favorably  known  to  all.  His  death 
occurred  March  i,  1883. 

Five  children  were  born  to  this  union  as 
follows:  Charles  W.,  whose  date  of  birth 
occurred  in  1870,  is  a  railway  postal  clerk 
on  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois  Railroad, 
his  run  being  from  Villa  Grove  to  Thebes; 
W.  M.,  who  was  born  in  1874,  married  Lot- 
tie McMackin,  a  native  of  Salem,  and  one 
child  has  been  born  to  them,  named  Eugene 
M.,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  February 
14,  1908;  Frank  H.,  was  bom  in  1876:  Ida 
R.,  was  born  in  1878;  Julia  was  born  in 
1868.  This  family  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  William  M., 
is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  He  is  a  stanch  Republican  and 
has  been  Assessor  of  his  township  for  one 
term,  performing  the  duties  of  this  office  in 
a  most  acceptable  manner.  The  brothers  of 
the  subject  are  now  engaged  in  the  dairy 
business.  Mrs.  Leckrone  lives  in  a  com- 
fortable and  nicely  furnished  home,  and 
she  is  known  as  a  woman  of  kindly  dispo- 
sition. 


GEORGE  MUNDWILER. 

Owing  to  the  honorable  and  very  active 
career  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and  also 
because  of  his  standing  in  the  community 
in  which  he  lives  in  Alma  township,  Marion 
county,  it  is  believed  that  the  publication  of 
this  sketch  regarding  his  life's  work  will  be 
greatly  appreciated  by  his  many  acquain- 
tances and  friends. 


512 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


George  Mundwiler  was  bom  in  Knox 
county,  Ohio,  May  27,  1838,  the  son  of 
Christopher  and  Polly  A.  (Kepple)  Mund- 
wiler, he  being-  the  fifth  of  a  family  of  eleven 
children.  The  father  of  the  subject  was 
born  in  Westmoreland  county,  Pennsyl- 
vania, and  the  subject's  mother  was  born  in 
Knox  county,  Ohio.  The  parents  of  the  sub- 
ject moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
1864,  and  bought  a  farm  of  two  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  improved  land  on  which 
they  made  a  comfortable  living  for  many 
years.  Christopher  Mundwiler  died  in  this 
county  at  the  age  of  seventy-eight  years. 

George  Mundwiler  moved  with  his  par- 
ents from  Knox  county  to  Seneca  county, 
Ohio,  when  one  year  of  age.  He  received 
his  education  in  Ohio  near  Tiffin,  in  the  dis- 
trict schools.  He  was  thirty-six  years  old 
when  he  accompanied  his  parents  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois. 

Believing  that  it  was  the  duty  of  every 
loyal  citizen  of  the  Union  to  shoulder  arms 
in  defense  of  the  flag  during  the  troublous 
days  of  the  sixties,  having  enlisted  in  1862 
at  the  age  of  thirty-four  years  in  Company 
C,  Twenty-seventh  Ohio  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, and  he  served  with  much  gallantry  as  a 
private.  However,  he  did  not  have  very  hard 
service.  Colonel  Churchill  was  in  com- 
mand of  this  regiment.  Our  subject  was 
never  wounded  or  sick  during  his  term  of 
enlistment.  After  the  war  he  returned  to 
his  farm. 

Mr.  Mundwiler  was  united  in  marriage 
in  1866  to  Savilla  J.  King,  and  one  child 
has  been  born  to  this  union,  Nora  E.,  who 


is  now  Mrs.  Spitler,  who  is  the  mother  of 
three  children,  two  boys  and  one  girl. 

The  second  marriage  of  our  subject  was 
to  Mary  W.  Burns,  April  11,  1883,  and  two 
children  have  been  born  to  this  union,  name- 
ly: Minnie  M.  and  Van  Cleveland.  The 
former  married  Edgar  Stevenson,  and  they 
have  three  children,  all  boys. 

Politically  our  subject  is  a  Democrat,  and 
while  he  is  deeply  interested  in  political 
matters,  especially  as  they  affect  his  own 
community,  he  does  not  take  a  very  great 
interest  in  conventions  or  elections,  prefer- 
ring to  merely  cast  the  honest  ballot  in  a 
quiet  way. 

The  parents  of  our  subject  were  Luther- 
ans, but  he  is  not  a  member  of  any  orthodox 
body,  but  he  is  a  man  who  believes  in  the 
principles  of  good  citizenship,  good  govern- 
ment and  strict  attention  to  his  own  affairs, 
and  as  a  result  of  his  honesty,  integrity,  in- 
dustry and  sociable  nature  he  has  won  his 
way  into  the  confidence  and  esteem  of  all 
who  know  him,  being  regarded  as  one  of 
the  substantial  and  worthy  citizens  of  Alma 
township. 


CHARLES  C.  SANDERS. 

The  subject  has  seen  the  development  of 
Marion  county  from  an  obscure  wild  prairie 
district  to  one  of  the  leading  counties  of 
the  state,  and  he  has  done  his  full  share  in 
promoting  the  industrial  and  civic  affairs  of 
the  county,  ranking  today  among  her  best 
known  and  most  highly  honored  citizens. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Charles  C.  Sanders  was  born  in  Centralia 
township,  Marion  county,  December  21, 
1848,  the  son  of  Robert  and  Nancy  (Cop- 
pie)  Sanders,  both  natives  of  Indiana.  The 
father  came  to  this  county  a  single  man  in 
an  early  day  and  married  here.  He  was  al- 
ways a  farmer  and  blacksmith,  having 
bought  a  farm  in  Centralia  township  which 
he  sold  and  went  to  Missouri,  where  he  re- 
mained a  short  time,  then  came  back  to 
Centralia  township  and  bought  another 
farm  on  which  he  lived  until  his  death  in 
1855.  His  wife  died  in  1854.  They  were 
the  parents  of  six  children,  namely:  Cath- 
erine, deceased;  Charles  C.,  our  subject; 
John,  deceased ;  Samuel,  Robert  and  the 
youngest  child  was  a  boy.  The  subject's 
parents  died  when  he  was  small  and  he  went 
to  live  with  John  Thomas  for  three  years  in 
Centralia  township,  also  three  years  with 
John  McClelland,  who  was  his  guardian 
until  1865. 

When  seventeen  years  old  our  subject 
went  to  enlist  in  the  Union  army  as  a  sub- 
stitute, but  his  uncle  prevented  him  from  en- 
listing. He  then  went  to  work  out  at 
different  places,  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
old.  On  December  28,  1867,  he  married 
Martha  Jane  Hudlow,  who  was  born  De- 
cember n,  1849,  i°  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, the  daughter  of  James  and  Roxanna 
(Hildibiddle)  Hudlow.  James  Hudlow 
died  in  1849.  His  widow  then  married 
Alexander  Garren;  her  third  husband  was 
John  Sprouse,  and  her  fourth  husband  was 
George  Birge.  She  died  in  1898.  Mrs.  San- 


ders had  one  sister  who  married  Thomas 
Groves.  She  lived  in  Indiana. 

After  his  marriage  the  subject  lived  on 
his  father's  place  for  a  time,  then  he  traded 
for  his  present  farm  in  section  25,  Centralia 
township,  where  he  has  one  hundred  and 
twenty  acres.  It  had  only  a  few  improve- 
ments on  it  when  he  took  charge,  but  being 
a  hard  worker  he  developed  a  good  home 
and  a  fine  farm,  about  half  of  the  place  now 
being  cleared,  on  which  highly  productive 
land  he  raises  corn,  hay,  apples,  peaches, 
pears  and  much  small  fruit,  and  he  also 
raises  some  good  horses,  hogs  and  cattle, 
and  carries  on  a  general  farming  business 
with  great  success,  being  a  good  manager. 
He  has  always  been  a  farmer,  but  he  found 
time  to  operate  a  threshing  machine  for 
twenty-seven  years  and  did  a  thriving  busi- 
ness. 

Mr.  Sanders  is  a  Democrat  and  he  has 
held  minor  offices,  having  served  on  the 
school  board.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church. 

The  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of 
six  children,  namely:  Robert  C.,  a  farmer 
in  Clinton  county,  this  state,  married  Addie 
J.  Cameron  and  they  have  five  children, 
namely :  Fred,  Dwight,  Claude,  Melinda  and 
Menzo.  Mary  Etta,  the  second  child  of  the 
subject,  married  Elmer  Satterfield,  of  Rac- 
coon township,  and  they  have  the  following 
children :  Frank,  Bert,  Clara,  James,  Sarah 
and  Ottie.  Nancy,  the  subject's  third  child, 
married  Edgar  Morrison,  lives  at  Odin,  Il- 
linois, and  has  three  children,  Jessie,  Charlie 


33 


5'4 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


and  Mary.  Lillie,  who  married  George 
Day,  lives  at  Odin,  Illinois,  and  has  one 
daughter,  Pearl;  Edgar  is  a  farmer  in  Rac- 
coon township,  this  county,  who  married 
Delle  Martin,  and  they  have  two  children, 
Ruby  and  Floyd;  Dicey  May  is  living  at 
home. 

Our  subject  is  a  well  known  man  in  this 
county  where  he  has  many  friends  and  bears 
an  exemplary  reputation. 


E.  P.  GARNER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  well  earned 
the  honor  to  be  addressed  as  one  of  the 
progressive,  public-spirited  men  of  Marion 
county.  His  early  labors  were  devoted  to 
railroad  work,  but  the  latter  years  up  to  the 
time  of  this  writing,  1908,  were  spent  in 
the  management  of  a  grocery  store  in  Salem, 
where  he  held  high  rank  as  a  merchant  and 
successful  business  man. 

E.  P.  Garner  was  born  in  Salem,  Illinois, 
March  4,  1856,  the  son  of  Albert  Garner,  a 
native  of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Illinois 
when  a  young  man,  settling  in  Salem.  He 
drove  a  stage  coach  on  the  old  Mayesville 
and  St.  Louis  lines ;  in  latter  years  he  was  a 
stock  trader  and  butcher.  He  died  in  Sa- 
lem after  an  active  and  useful  life  replete 
with  success  and  honor.  The  mother  of 
the  subject  was  known  in  her  maidenhood 
as  Letitia  Pace,  who  was  born  in  Mt.  Ver- 
non,  Illinois.  She  is  a  woman  of  beautiful 
Christian  character  and  admirable  traits  and 


is  living  in  Salem  in  1908,  at  the  age  of  sev- 
enty-five years.  The  parents  of  the  subject 
had  a  family  of  seven  children,  four  of 
whom  are  deceased  at  this  writing.  They 
are:  Florence,  deceased;  Ann,  deceased; 
Albert,  deceased;  E.  P.,  our  subject; 
Blanche,  deceased;  Maggie,  the  wife  of  J. 
H.  Vawter,  of  Salem;  Frankie,  who  is  liv- 
ing in  Salem. 

Mr.  Garner  was  reared  in  Salem,  having 
attended  the  common  schools  until  he  was 
fiften  years  old.  His  first  position  was  as  a 
brakeman  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Rail- 
road, on  a  passenger  train,  having  followed 
this  from  the  time  he  was  nineteen  until  he 
was  twenty-four  years  old.  He  then  fired  a 
locomotive  on  the  same  road  for  one  year, 
between  East  St.  Louis  and  Vincennes.  Af- 
ter this  he  went  to  work  for  the  Wabash 
Railroad  at  East  St.  Louis  as  a  car  account- 
ant, having  followed  this  up  to  1906,  on 
which  date  he  abandoned  railroading  and 
went  into  the  grocery  and  meat  business  in 
Salem,  which  business  he  has  handled  with 
success,  building  up  an  excellent  trade. 

Our  subject  was  happily  married  March 
8,  1883,  to  Janie  Jackson,  a  daughter  of 
John  W.  Jackson,  of  Frankfort,  Kentucky, 
who  is  a  brother  of  the  late  Capt.  James 
S.  Jackson,  of  Salem.  This  family  has 
always  been  influential.  Three  interesting 
children  have  been  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  as  follows:  Carrie  J.,  whose  date  of 
birth  occurred  March  17,  1884,  in  Salem; 
Sherrill  P.,  who  was  born  February  25, 
1889,  in  East  St.  Louis;  Ralph  E.,  born  De- 
cember 23,  1898,  in  Salem,  is  in  the  public 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


515 


schools  at  Salem.  These  children  have  re- 
ceived every  care  and  attention  at  the  hands 
of  their  parents  and  they  all  give  promise  of 
successful  futures. 

Our  subject  is  a  charter  member  of  the 
Modern  Americans,  and  in  his  religious  af- 
filiations he  subscribes  to  the  Christian 
church.  Mrs.  Garner  and  the  three  boys 
are  also  members  of  this  church. 

Mr.  Garner  was  on  the  Executive  Com- 
mittee of  Salem  township  in  1880,  with  W. 
J.  Bryan  at  the  organization  of  the  Hancock 
and  English  club.  This  was  Mr.  Bryan's 
first  political  act,  he  being  only  twenty  years 
old  at  that  time.  Mr.  Bryan  was  chairman 
of  the  committee  on  permanent  organization. 


W.  R.  WOODARD. 

The  subject  is  now  practically  living  re- 
tired in  Salem,  Illinois.  Through  his  long 
connection  with  agricultural  interests  he 
not  only  carefully  conducted  his  farm,  but 
so  managed  its  affairs  that  he  acquired 
thereby  a  position  among  the  substantial 
residents  of  the  community.  Moreover  he 
is  entitled  to  representation  in  this  volume 
because  he  is  one  of  the  native  sons  of  Ma- 
rion county,  and  his  mind  bears  the  impress 
of  its  early  historical  annals,  and  from  the 
pioneer  days  down  to  the  present,  he  has 
been  an  interested  witness  of  its  develop- 
ment. 

W.  R.  Woodard  was  born  in  Marion 
countv,  about  five  miles  northwest  of  Sa- 


lem, August  8,  1844,  the  son  of  Charles 
Woodard,  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  came  to 
Illinois  in  1840,  settling  on  the  farm  where 
our  subject  was  born,  and  he  continued  to 
live  there  until  1904,  developing  an  excel- 
lent farm  and  reaping  rich  rewards  for  his 
toil  from  year  to  year,  for  he  was  a  thrifty 
man  of  the  best  type  of  agriculturist.  In 
1904  he  moved  to  Salem  where  he  spent 
his  old  age,  surrounded  with  the  comforts 
of  life,  which  his  manhood  years,  in  the 
youth  and  "noon"  of  life  had  accumulated, 
having  passed  to  his  rest  in  Salem,  Febru- 
ary 10,  1907,  more  than  eighty-seven  years 
old.  He  was  at  one  time  postmaster  at 
Tonti. 

He  worked  in  a  carding  mill  in  Salem 
for  some  time,  and  had  the  weave  made  up 
into  clothes.  The  paternal  grandfather  of 
the  subject  was  Joshua  Woodard,  who  was 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and  who  migrated 
to  Ohio  and  then  to  Illinois  with  his  son, 
the  father  of  our  subject.  He  made  a  suc- 
cess of  whatever  he  undertook,  being  a  man 
of  sterling  qualities,  like  most  of  the  pio- 
neers of  the:  country  of  those  early  days. 
He  finally  went  back  to  Ohio  where  he  died. 

The  mother  of  our  subject  was  Ann  All- 
mon  in  her  maidenhood,  the  representative 
of  a  fine  old  family  in  Tennessee.  Her  peo- 
ple finally  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  she  passed  to  her  rest  in  1884.  Four 
children  were  born  to  the  subject's  parents, 
W.  R.,  our  subject;  A.  J.,  who  lives  on  a 
farm  near  the  old  home  place:  Elizabeth 
Ann.  widow  of  J.  H.  Scott,  living  near 
Tonti;  Ann,  who  died  in  infancy. 


BRINKERHOFF  S   HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Our  subject  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm  and  attended  the  country  schools  in 
that  neighborhood,  having  applied  himself 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  gain  a  fairly  good 
education  for  those  primitive  school  days. 
He  lived  on  the  old  farm  where  he  made  a 
decided  success  at  agricultural  pursuits  un- 
til he  moved  to  Salem  in  1904.  He  erected 
a  house  on  the  old  homestead  for  himself, 
where  he  spent  his  years  of  labor  in  com- 
fort and  plenty.  Mr.  Woodard  was  united 
in  marriage  in  1871  to  Mrs.  Martha  N. 
(Deeds)  Nichols,  whose  parents  came  to 
this  state  from  Virginia  when  she  was  one 
year  old.  She  was  always  known  as  a  wo- 
man of  many  fine  personal  traits.  Four 
children  were  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
all  deceased,  three  having  died  in  infancy, 
and  the  fourth  after  reaching  maturity. 
Our  subject  always  took  considerable  in- 
terest in  public  affairs  and  he  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  of  Tonti  after  his 
father  gave  it  up.  He  has  also  been  hon- 
ored with  township  offices  in  Tonti  town- 
ship. 

Mr.  Woodard  is  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  of  Salem, 
and  his  wife  is  also  a  consistent  member  of 
this  church,  both  ranking  high  in  the  con- 
gregation of  the  same.  Our  subject  has 
spent  his  long  and  useful  life  in  Marion 
county,  and  it  is  interesting  to  hear  him  tell 
of  the  early  days  when  Salem  was  a  small 
hamlet  with  but  a  few  houses  and  much 
wild  game  was  in  the  great  forests  and  on 
the  uncultivated  prairies  roundabout.  He 
has  been  a  man  of  good  business  judgment 


and  a  hard  worker,  consequently  he  has 
made  a  success  of  his  life  work  which  has 
always  been  carried  on  in  an  honest  man- 
ner. He  owns  a  good  residence  in  Salem, 
where  he  is  regarded  as  a  good  law  abiding 
citizen,  and  where  he  has  many  personal 
friends. 


JOHN  P.  WILLIAMS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  belongs  to  that 
class  of  men  who  win  in  life's  battles  by 
sheer  force  of  personality  and  determination, 
and  in  whatever  he  has  undertaken  he  has 
shown  himself  to  be  a  man  of  ability  and 
honor. 

John  P.  Williams  was  born  in  New  York 
City,  May  10,  1849,  the  son  of  Robert  Wil- 
liams, a  native  of  Wales,  who  came  to 
America  when  a  young  man.  He  was  a  pat- 
tern-maker and  ship  carpenter  of  great  skill. 
He  left  New  York  in  1853,  and  went  to 
Licking  county,  Ohio,  where  he  remained 
until  his  death  in  1854. 

The  subject's  mother  was  Margaret 
Parry,  also  a  native  of  Wales,  who  came 
to  America  when  very  young.  She  is  re- 
membered as  a  woman  of  many  fine  traits 
and  a  worthy  companion  of  Robert  Wil- 
liams. She  passed  to  her  rest  while  living 
with  our  subject  in  Salem,  July  10,  1882, 
to  which  place  she  had  come  four  years  pre- 
vious. Three  children  were  born  to  the  par- 
ents of  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  the  only 
one  living  being  John  P.  Williams.  Row- 
land H.,  his  brother,  died  in  Salem,  Decem- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


10,  1890.  He  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
Salem  by  President  Harrison,  and  his  death 
occurred  after  he  had  served  only  about 
eighteen  months.  Robert,  the  subject's  other 
brother,  died  March  10,  1877,  in  Licking 
county,  Ohio.  These  children  received  ev- 
erv  advantage  possible  that  their  parents 
could  give  them. 

John  P.  Williams  was  reared  in  Lick- 
ing county,  Ohio,  making  his  home  there 
from  the  time  he  was  three  years  old  un- 
til he  was  twenty-eight.  He  received  his 
education  in  that  county,  having  applied 
himself  in  a  manner  that  resulted  in  a  fairly 
good  common  school  education.  After  leav- 
ing school  Mr.  Williams  engaged  in  the  shoe 
making  business,  which  he  followed  for 
twelve  years  and  in  which  he  was  eminently 
successful.  He  came  to  Salem  in  1878  and 
worked  as  a  solicitor  for  his  brother  who 
was  then  in  the  monument  business,  fol- 
lowing this  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner 
until  1882  when  he  went  into  the  life  and 
fire  insurance  business,  spending  consider- 
able time  on  the  road  as  a  special  agent  in 
life  insurance  and  making  a  marked  success 
in  this  line  of  business. 

Mr.  Williams  was  appointed  postmaster 
of  Salem,  April  i,  1898,  in  which  capacity 
he  served  with  entire  satisfaction  to  the  au- 
thorities and  in  a  manner  that  reflected  much 
credit  upon  his  natural  executive  ability,  un- 
til 1907.  This  appointment  was  made  by 
President  McKinley,  and  he  was  re-ap- 
pointed by  President  Roosevelt.  After  leav- 
ing the  office,  Mr.  Williams  opened  a  real 
estate  and  insurance  office  in  1907  and  has 


been  conducting  the  same  to  the  present 
time,  building  up  an  excellent  patronage  and 
is  now  doing  an  extensive  business  through- 
out this  community.  He  represents  eight 
old-line  companies  and  the  business  of  these 
could  not  be  entrusted  to  better  or  abler 
hands,  owing  to  Mr.  Williams'  popularity 
in  Marion  county,  his  genuine  worth  and 
integrity. 

Our  subject  was  happily  married  in  1873 
to  Laura  A.  Ruton,  an  accomplished  daugh- 
ter of  E.  E.  Ruton,  a  native  of  New  York 
state.  The  ceremony  which  united  this  con- 
genial couple  was  performed  in  Ohio  and 
their  subsequent  life  history  is  one  of  the 
utmost  harmony  and  happiness,  and  to  this 
union  six  interesting  children  have  been 
born,  named  in  order  of  their  birth  as  fol- 
lows: Margaret,  the  wife  of  James  N. 
Chance,  a  merchant  tailor  of  Salem;  Lucy, 
the  wife  of  William  P.  Morris,  a  wholesale 
cigar  dealer  of  Salem;  Frances,  the  wife 
of  L.  W.  Fellows,  a  broker,  of  New  York 
City ;  Lena,  who  is  living  at  home ;  R.  Carl, 
who  is  a  train  dispatcher  on  the  Missouri 
Pacific  Railroad  at  Jefferson  City,  Missouri ; 
Rowland  L.,  who  is  living  at  home,  and  is 
assistant  time-keeper  for  the  Chicago  & 
Eastern  Illinois  Railroad  Company  at 
Salem. 

Mr.  Williams,  in  his  fraternal  relations, 
belongs  to  the  Salem  Blue  Lodge,  Council 
and  Chapter,  Masons,  and  judging  from  his 
daily  life  one  would  conclude  that  he  be- 
lieves in  carrying  out  the  noble  precepts  of 
this  ancient  and  praiseworthy  order.  Both 
he  and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Cum- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


berland  Presbyterian  church.  The  career  of 
Mr.  Williams  clearly  illustrates  the  possibili- 
ties that  are  open  in  this  country  to  earnest, 
persevering  men  who  have  the  courage  of 
their  convictions  and  are  determined  to  be 
the  architects  of  their  own  fortunes. 


GEORGE  C.  WELLS. 

The  fact  that  the  subject  was  one  of  the 
patriotic  sons  of  the  north  who  offered  his 
services  and  his  life,  if  need  be,  on  the  field 
of  battle  in  defense  of  the  flag  during  the 
dark  days  of  the  rebellion,  entitles  him  to 
the  high  honor  which  is  due  everyone  of 
the  gallant  boys  in  blue. 

George  C.  Wells  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Rhode  Island,  January  20, 
1844,  the  son  of  Peter  C.  and  Elizabeth 
(Stillman)  Wells,  both  natives  of  the  same 
county,  in  Rhode  Island.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  died  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  sixty-six 
years;  she  passed  away  in  July,  1888,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  The  sub- 
ject's parents  had  seven  children,  namely: 
Anna  Elizabeth;  Maria,  of  Alleghany 
county,  New  York;  Harriett,  living  in 
Rhode  Island;  George  Clark,  our  subject; 
Adeline,  Emeline  and  Oscar,  all  living  in 
Rhode  Island. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  home  schools  and  Alford  College, 
New  York.  In  July,  1862,  he  enlisted  for  a 
period  of  three  years  in  Company  A, 
Seventh  Rhode  Island  Volunteer  Infantrv, 


at  Hopkinton,  Rhode  Island.  He  was  in 
the  army  of  the  Potomac,  Ninth  Army 
Corps.  He  was  in  the  great  battle  of  Fred- 
ericksburg  and  was  shot  in  the  right  hip, 
December  13,  1862,  and  was  sent  to  Wash- 
ington, District  of  Columbia,  where  he  re- 
mained for  one  month,  and  he  was  in  the 
home  hospital  for  one  year,  was  then  dis- 
charged and  came  home.  He  served  six 
months.  After  the  war  he  went  to  Westerly, 
Rhode  Island  and  engaged  as  a  mechanic 
until  December  10,  1865,  when  he  came  west 
and  located  in  section  4,  Meacham  township, 
Marion  county,  Illinois.  He  first  bought 
forty-four  acres  of  land,  but  being  thrifty 
and  a  good  manager,  he  gradually  added  to 
this  until  he  owned  two  hundred  and  ninety 
acres.  He  made  all  of  the  improvements  on 
the  place  and  was  considered  one  of  the 
best  farmers  in  the  township. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  Feb- 
ruary 1 6,  1868,  with  Emma  L.  Brown,  a 
native  of  Niagara  county,  New  York,  and 
three  children  have  blessed  this  union, 
namely:  Oscar  C.,  who  married  Inez  Ran- 
dolph. He  is  a  farmer  and  poultry  raiser 
in  Meacham  township,  and  the  father  of 
five  children,  Gale,  Glenn,  Ora,  Elsie  and 
George.  Harriett,  the  subject's  second 
child,  is  living  at  home;  Lena,  the  young- 
est, is  also  a  member  of  the  home  circle. 
Oscar  Wells  taught  school  for  many  years. 
Lena  is  now  in  the  Farina  high  school. 

The  subject  carries  on  a  general  farm- 
ing business,  raises  Red  Polled  stock,  Red 
Comb  and  Brown  Leghorn  chickens,  Pekin 
ducks  and  several  varieties  of  good  live 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


519 


stock.  Since  1896  Mr.  Wells  has  been  liv- 
ing in  practical  retirement,  however,  he  still 
oversees  his  farm.  He  has  for  many  years 
dealt  very  successfully  in  poultry,  feed  and 
fertilizers.  He  has  held  several  of  the 
township  offices,  and  is  a  Republican  of 
pronounced  convictions. 

Mr.  Wells  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  No.  426,  at  Farina, 
Illinois.  He  has  been  commander  of  the 
same,  having  held  all  the  offices  of  this 
post.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Seventh  Day 
Baptist  church'  at  Farina.  Mr.  Wells  de- 
serves a  great  deal  of  credit  for  what  he 
has  accomplished.  He  started  life  poor, 
but  being  ambitious  he  worked  hard  and 
has  achieved  eminent  success, .  being  today 
one  of  the  solid  and  substantial  men  ot 
his  township  and  well  and  favorably  known 
by  every  one.  He  is  remembered  as  a 
teacher  of  more  than  ordinary  ability,  hav- 
ing taught  school  for  six  years,  one  year  in 
the  Farina,  Illinois,  high  school.  What  his 
hand  and  mind  have  found  to  do  he  has 
done  with  his  might,  and  having  attained 
a  commanding  position  among  his  content 
poraries  he  wears  his  honor  in  a  becoming 
manner. 


WINFIELD  S.  LACEY. 

Among  the  citizens  of  Meacham  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  whose  lives  have  been 
led  along  such  worthy  lines  of  endeavor 
that  they  have  endeared  themselves  to  their 
fellow  citizens,  thereby  being  eligible  for 


representation  in  a  volume  of  this  nature, 
is  the  gentleman  whose  name  appears 
above. 

Winfield  S.  Lacey  was  born  in  Morrow 
county,  Ohio,  September  30,  1849,  tne  son 
of  Hiram  G.  and  Sophia  (Sell)  Lacey,  the 
former  a  native  of  Ohio,  who  grew  to  man- 
hood there  and  married  before  leaving  that 
county.  He  lived  in  Ohio  until  1855, 
when  he  brought  his  family  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Meacham  town- 
ship. He  drove  through  the  country  from 
Ohio,  bringing  twenty-two  head  of  cows 
with  him,  also  three  teams.  He  secured 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land  in 
sections  10  and  15.  It  was  partly  improved 
and  had  an  old  house,  eighteen  by  thirty-six 
feet,  of  split  timber,  and  there  was  an  old 
log  stable.  These  soon  gave  way  to  com- 
fortable and  substantial  buildings,  and  the 
place  was  put  under  a  high  state  of  im- 
provements. Being  thrifty  he  soon  bought 
more  land  and  lived  on  this  place  until  his 
death.  His  wife  died  in  Farina,  this  state. 
They  were  Methodists.  Mr.  Lacey  was  a 
Republican,  but  never  aspired  to  office. 
The  following  children  were  born  to  them : 
Gabriel  S.,  who  lives  in  Meacham  town- 
ship; Mahala  also  lives  in  Meacham  town- 
ship; Thomas  S.  lives  in  the  same  town- 
ship; Francis  M.,  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  when  eighteen  years  old  and  served 
during  the  war.  After  the  war  he  mar- 
ried and  moved  to  Cowley  county,  Kansas; 
Abram  F.,  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Federal 
ranks,  who  served  three  years.  After  the 
war  he  returned  to  his  home  in  this  county, 


520 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


where  he  remained  until  his  death;  A.  H., 
resides  on  the  old  place,  and  was  also  a 
soldier;  Nancy  married  Michael  Butts, 
and  is  living  in  Meacham  township;  W.  S., 
our  subject;  Anthony  and  Catherine  were 
twins,  the  former  is  deceased,  and  the  lat- 
ter is  the  wife  of  Jacob  Althon,  of  Clay 
county,  Illinois;  Hiram  is  living  in  Meach- 
am township,  this  county;  Hugh  is  de- 
ceased; Mary  is  the  wife  of  Douglas 
Roberts,  who  lives  in  Fayette  county. 
Illinois. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  only  a  lim- 
ited education,  not  having  an  opportunity 
to  attend  school  very  long  in  his  youth.  He 
remained  a  member  of  the  parental  family 
circle  until  he  was  twenty-four  years  old. 
He  was  married  February  27,  1873,  to 
Nancy  Hitchcock,  of  Harrison  county,  Ohio, 
the  daughter  of  Jacob  and  Elizabeth  Hitch- 
cock. Her  parents  moved  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1870,  and  located  in 
Omega  township,  where  they  remained  two 
years  and  then  moved  to  Meachair.  town- 
ship, remaining  here  one  year,  then  they 
went  to  Iowa,  where  Mr.  Hitchcock  died. 
His  wife  is  living  at  this  writing  in  Ne- 
braska. Seven  children  were  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife  as  follows:  Edward,  who 
is  farming  in  Meacham  township,  married 
Margaret  Gotshall,  of  Ohio;  Lydia,  who  is 
now  deceased,  was  the  wife  of  Lon  Myres; 
Haman  is  living  in  Farina,  Illinois,  en- 
gaged in  the  hardware  business,  and  in  mar- 
ried to  Olive  Warren ;  Orville  is  deceased : 
Hugh  is  also  deceased;  Ollie  married  Jesse 
Norman,  and  is  living  in  Meacham  town- 
ship; Milton  is  living  at  home.  These 


children  attended  the  local  schools,  receiving 
fairly  good  educations. 

After  his  marriage  the  subject  bought 
forty  acres  of  land  in  Meacham  township 
and  lived  there  for  three  years,  when  he 
sold  out  and  bought  the  place  where  he  now 
lives,  in  section  4,  Meacham  township.  It 
was  raw  land,  but  Mr.  Lacey  was  always  a 
hardworker  and  a  good  manager,  and  he 
rapidly  improved  the  place  up  to  its  present 
high  state  of  efficiency.  The  subject  now 
owns  three  hundred  and  forty  acres,  which 
he  rents,  being  now  retired.  His  farm  is 
well  up  to  the  standard  of  Marion  county's 
choice  farms,  being  well  fenced,  and  in 
every  way  in  fust  class  condition.  He  has 
a  substantial  and  beautiful  dwelling  and  a 
good  barn  and  other  out  buildings. 

No  little  part  of  Mr.  Lacey's  income  has 
been  derived  from  live  stock,  raising  an  ex- 
cellent grade  of  hogs,  cattle  and  sheep.  He 
is  also  a  good  judge  of  horses  and  has  al- 
ways kept  some  fine  ones.  He  has  devoted 
his  life  to  farming,  consequently  he  has 
mastered  every  detail  of  this  class  of  busi- 
ness. In  politics  he  is  a  Populist,  but  has 
never  held  office.  He  started  in  life  in  a 
small  way,  but  he  is  now  one  of  the  sub- 
stantial men  of  the  township,  having  gained 
all  his  property  unaided,  by  his  careful  man- 
agement and  hard  work.  The  subject's  first 
wife  was  called  to  her  rest  in  February, 
1903;  and  he  married  Rebecca  Minard,  of 
Harrison  county,  Ohio,  in  October,  1905. 
Mr.  Lacey  is  known  by  the  people  of  Mea- 
cham township  for  his  honesty  and  useful 
life. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


SAMUEL   PUFFER. 

Prominently  identified  with  the  industrial 
and  civic  affairs  of  Marion  county  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  who  is  one  of  the 
leading  farmers  of  this  locality,  residing  on 
a  beautiful  farmstead  in  Meacham  township, 
which  he  has  improved. 

Samuel  Puffer  was  born  in  Effingham 
county,  Illinois,  June  n,  1848,  the  son  of 
John  Puffer,  a  native  of  Maury  county, 
Tennessee.  He  married  Martha  J.  Gray,  in 
Illinois.  He  was  the  son  of  Samuel  Puffer, 
a  native  of  the  New  England  states,  who 
came  to  Tennessee  in  an  early  day.  About 
1833  he  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
and  settled  near  Kinmundy.  His  father  came 
later  and  lived  with  him  until  the  latter's 
death.  His  wife  died  in  Tennessee.  He 
married  a  Miss  Eagan.  His  second  wife  was 
a  Miss  Caldwell.  He  had  two  sons  and  a 
daughter  by  his  first  wife  and  two  daughters 
by  his  second  marriage.  The  subject's 
father  located  in  Effingham  county,  Illinois, 
about  1836,  taking  up  government  land  on 
Fulfer  creek,  where  he  lived  until  about 
1857,  when  he  went  to  Collins  county, 
Texas,  where  he  secured  eighty  acres  of 
land  and  in  1862  he  went  to  Bates  county, 
Missouri,  where  he  owned  a  farm  of  one 
hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He  died  there 
in  1862,  having  been  preceded  to  the  other 
world  by  his  wife  in  1851.  He  married  a 
second  time,  this  wife  being  Lovina  New- 
man, who  died  in  Texas.  He  again  mar- 
ried, his  third  wife  being  a  Miss  Degraften- 
read,  of  Texas.  There  were  two  children  by 


his  second  wife,  one  dying  when  small 
John,  who  grew  to  maturity,  lived  in  Mis- 
souri, and  went  to  Colorado  in  1890. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  in  1862,  and  located 
near  Kinmundy,  where  he  lived  until  1878, 
when  he  bought  a  farm  of  one  hundred  acres 
in  Meacham  township,  section  7,  where  he 
has  since  lived.  He  made  all  the  improve- 
ments on  his  farm,  which  is  considered  equal 
in  every  way  to  any  in  the  county,  and  he  has 
a  beautiful,  well  furnished  and  comfortable 
home. 

On  February  12,  1872,  the  subject  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Sarah  Eagan,  of 
Kinmundy  township,  the  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Athlina  Tulley,  the  former  of  Tennes- 
see, where  his  youth  was  spent.  They 
were  pioneers  of  Marion  county,  first  set- 
tling at  Salem,  later  at  Kinmundy.  He  was 
the  owner  of  a  large  tract  of  land,  part  of 
which  is  the  present  site  of  Kinmundy.  He 
died  in  1874  and  his  wife  passed  away  in 
1888.  They  were  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, of  whom  four  are  living  at  this  writ- 
ing, namely:  John,  who  resides  in  Kin- 
mundy township;  Sarah,  the  subject's  wife; 
Ras,  of  Salem,  Illinois;  Harriett,  widow  of 
James  Hayworth,  of  Kinmundy.  Two  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
namely:  Myrtle,  the  wife  of  Charles  E. 
Wenck,  who  lives  east  of  Farina,  Illinois ; 
Mae,  who  was  maried  June  24,  1903,  to 
Mark  Boyd,  of  Meacham  township,  and 
who  is  the  mother  of  one  son,  Richard  F. 
Mark  Boyd  lives  with  the  subject  and  as- 
sists him  in  managing  the  place.  Mr.  Puffer 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


has  lived  on  his  present  place  since  1878.  He 
carries  on  general  farming  in  such  a  man- 
ner as  to  gain  a  comfortable  living  from 
year  to  year  and  lay  by  a  competency  for  his 
old  age.  His  farm  is  well  improved  and  he 
raises  not  only  good  crops  of  various  kinds, 
but  also  excellent  horses,  hogs  and  cattle.  He 
has  held  some  of  the  township  offices,  and  is 
a  loyal  Democrat.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church.  He  de- 
served a  great  deal  of  credit  for  what  he 
has  accomplished.  Having  started  in  life  a 
poor  boy,  he  has,  by  hard  work,  achieved 
success. 


LEWIS  COMBS. 

Eighty  years  have  dissolved  in  the  mists 
of  time  since  the  venerable  subject  of  this 
sketch  first  saw  the  light  of  day  and  they 
have  been  years  of  failures  and  triumphs, 
victories  and  defeats,  sorrows  and  joys,  but 
withal,  satisfactory  as  most  lives  of  honest 
endeavor  as  his  has  been. 

Lewis  Combs  was  born  in  Dubois 
county,  Indiana,  November  20,  1828,  the 
son  of  John  Combs,  of  Tennessee.  His 
mother's  name  was  Delila  Vancouver,  a  na- 
tive of  Scott  county,  Indiana.  John  Combs 
went  with  his  parents  when  a  boy  to  Du- 
bois county,  Indiana,  where  they  were  pio- 
neers. They  secured  wild  land  which  they 
cleared,  made  a  comfortable  home  and 
on  which  they  died.  John  Combs  lived 
to  about  1842.  He  came  by  wagon,  bring- 
ing seven  head  of  horses  to  Walnut  Prairie, 


Clark  county,  Illinois,  and  later  to  Marion 
county,  settling  in  Meacham  township  on 
Scritchfiekl  Prairie,  where  he  stayed  two 
years  and  went  back  to  Indiana,  remaining 
there  one  year  when  he  returned  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  six 
years.  Then  he  went  to  Missouri  where 
he  remained  for  two  years,  moving  then  to- 
Arkansas,  where  he  died.  His  wife  died  in 
Indiana.  They  were  the  parents  of  six 
children,  as  follows:  Lewis,  our  subject; 
Starling;  Wesley,  Smith,  Minerva  Lytle; 
the  last  four  named  are  all  deceased. 

Lewis  Combs,  our  subject,  had  no  chance 
to  go  to  school  and  learn  to  read  and  write. 
He  remained  with  his  father  until  twenty 
years  old  when  he  began  working  out  at 
various  places.  He  first  bought  forty  acres 
of  land  in  Omega  township,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  in  1864.  He  sold  this  the  following 
year  and  located  where  he  now  lives  in  sec- 
tion 35,  Meacham  township,  then  known  as 
Miletus  township.  He  served  as  postmaster 
for  a  period  of  fourteen  years.  He  was 
married  three  times,  first  to  Martha 
Schritchfield,  a  native  of  Indiana.  His  sec- 
ond wife  was  Isabelle  Simonds,  a  native  of 
Kentucky,  and  his  third  wife  was  Caroline 
Melton,  a  widow  of  Christopher  Melton  and 
a  daughter  of  Charles  and  Rebecca  Lock- 
hart.  The  latter  was  a  native  of  Orange 
county,  Indiana.  The  subject's  wife  was- 
born  in  Clay  county,  Illinois,  in  1841.  Her 
parents  located  in  Oskaloosa,  Illinois,  and 
in  1860  went  to  Arkansas.  Her  husband 
in  1862  enlisted  and  was  taken  sick  at 
Helena,  Arkansas,  and  died  at  St.  Louis  in 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


523 


a  hospital  in  October,  1862.  The  family 
came  to  Clay  county,  Illinois,  and  the 
mother  died  in  March,  1895.  Three  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  namely:  Martha, 
who  died  in  April,  1862 ;  Caroline,  the  wife 
of  our  subject;  May,  who  died  April  10, 
1863.  Our  subject  has  six  children  by  his 
first  wife,  namely :  Frances,  widow  of 
Thomas  Garner,  and  she  lives  near  Salem, 
Illinois;  Louisa  married  Austin  Hanks,  of 
Omega  township;  Logan  is  a  farmer  in 
Meacham  township;  Julia  is  the  wife  of 
Lorenzo  Phillips,  of  Omega  township;  Aus- 
tin is  a  farmer  in  Clay  county,  Illinois; 
Samuel,  the  sixth  child,  is  deceased.  The 
subject  had  four  children  by  his  second 
wife,  namely:  Nellie,  the  wife  of  Frank 
Dravance,  of  Effingham  county,  Illinois; 
Ella  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Smith,  living 
near  Salem,  Illinois;  Lee  is  a  farmer  in 
Omega  township;  Edgar  died  when  young. 
Two  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  his  third  wife,  namely :  Mae,  who 
is  the  wife  of  Jesse  Payon,  a  teacher  of 
Marion  county;  Bessie  is  the  wife  of  Loyd 
Hanks,  of  Meacham  township.  Mrs.  Combs 
had  eight  children  by  her  first  husband, 
six  of  whom  are  still  living,  namely :  Louisa, 
who  married  Allen  Smith,  of  Clay  county, 
Illinois;  Belle  is  deceased;  Emma  married 
Edward  Threewit,  of  Meacham  township; 
Lockhart,  of  Sharpsburg,  Illinois ;  Martha  is 
the  wife  of  Walter  King,  of  Meacham  town- 
ship; Franklin  is  living  in  McCoupin  county, 
Illinois,  and  he  is  engaged  as  engineer  in 
the  coal  mines;  James  is  deceased;  Ellen  is 
also  deceased. 


The  subject  of  this  sketch  purchased 
eighty  acres  of  land  where  he  now  lives  and 
first  started  to  make  a  home.  He  kept  add- 
ing to  this  by  thrift  and  economy  until  he 
now  has  a  farm  of  two  hundred  and  sixteen 
acres  in  Meacham  and  Omega  townships 
and  where  he  carries  on  a  general  farming 
in  such  a  manner  as  to  stamp  him  as  one 
of  the  leading  farmers  of  the  township.  He 
has  always  been  a  stock  dealer  and  is  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  best  judges  of  stock 
in  the  county.  His  farm  has  always  been 
kept  to  a  high  standard  of  excellence  and 
the  soil  has  been  so  skillfully  manipulated 
by  the  proper  rotation  of  crops  until  it  is 
as  rich  today  as  when  he  first  took  posses- 
sion of  it. 

Mr.  Combs  has  always  been  a  loyal 
Democrat  but  he  has  never  aspired  to  office, 
being  content  to  devote  his  time  to  his  work 
of  the  farm.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are 
faithful  members  of  the  Christian  church. 


HENRY   WILLIAM   SEE,   SR. 

Our  subject  is  the  representative  of  an 
honored  pioneer  family  of  Marion  county, 
so  that  a  consideration  of  his  genealogical 
and  personal  history  becomes  doubly  inter- 
esting and  doubly  apropos  in  connection 
with  the  prescribed  province  of  this  publi- 
cation. Mr.  See  is  one  of  the  prominent 
farmers  of  Kinmundy  township,  having  a 
finely  improved  landed  estate  of  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-four  acres  and  he  is  carrying 


S24 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY^    ILLINOIS. 


forward  his  operations  with  that  energy, 
foresight  and  careful  discrimination  which 
ever  betoken  the  appreciative  and  model 
yeoman. 

Henry  William  See,  Sr.,  is  a  native  of 
Marion  county,  where  he  has  been  satisfied 
to  spend  his  entire  life,  having  been  born 
April  30,  1849,  in  Kinmundy  township,  the 
son  of  Michael  See,  who  married  Elizabeth 
Allman  May  i,  1848,  and  to  this  union  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  was  born,  the  mother 
dying  when  the  son  was  seven  months  old. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  district  schools  of  his  native  county 
where  he  applied  himself  in  a  careful  man- 
ner to  his  studies.  He  spent  his  boyhood  on 
his  father's  farm  assisting  with  the  work 
about  the  place  until  he  reached  maturity 
when  he  was  married  to  Mary  Alice  Black- 
burn June  29,  1869,  in  Hillsboro,  Mont- 
gomery county,  Illinois,  the  ceremony  which 
made  them  one  having  been  performed  by 
a  Justice  of  the  Peace.  The  family  from 
which  Mrs.  See  came  were,  many  of  them, 
known  as  eminent  lawyers,  doctors  and 
preachers.  On  her  mother's  side  of  the 
house  many  of  the  family  were  Baptist 
ministers.  Mary  Alice  was  born  March  16, 
1849,  in  Medora,  Macoupin  county,  Illinois. 
Her  father  was  George  P.  Blackburn,  who 
was  born  in  Huntsville,  Alabama,  May  24, 
1826,  and  who  was  married  February  14, 
1848,  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  to  Emily  E. 
Farrow,  who  was  born  in  Mount  Sterling. 
Kentucky,  December  9,  1830.  Seven  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  five  girls  and  two 
boys,  all  of  whom  lived  to  be  grown  and  all 


married,  the  subject's  wife  being  the  oldest 
of  the  number. 

Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  named  in  order  of  their  birth 
as  follows:  Harry  M.,  deceased;  Ollie  E., 
who  married  James  Lasater;  they  live  in 
Redlands,  California,  and  are  the  parents  of 
six  children,  an  equal  number  of  boys  and 
girls.  Ernest  B.,  the  subject's  third  child, 
is  deceased ;  Sabyon  G.  is  also  deceased ; 
Mabel  I.  married  J.  R.  Kelly,  a  Baptist  min- 
ister of  Highland,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  four  sons ;  Emma  A.  married 
Dellis  Malone  and  is  the  mother  of  one  son. 
She  lives  in  Taibin,  New  Mexico;  Michael 
J.  and  Richard  E.  are  both  deceased.  These 
children  have  received  good  educations  and 
are  fairly  well  situated  in  life.  The  subject 
has  eleven  grandchildren,  all  living  but  one 
girl. 

Mr.  See  has  devoted  his  life  to  agricul- 
tural pursuits,  of  which  he  has  made  an 
eminent  success,  now  owning  a  fine  farm. 
No  small  part  of  his  income  from  year  to 
year  is  the  result  of  the  successful  handling 
of  stock,  he  being  an  extensive  breeder  of 
Polled-Angus  cattle,  and  good  horses.  His 
farm  is  also  well  stocked  with  many  fine 
varieties  of  chickens,  among  the  principal 
breeds  being  the  Black  Langshan,  which  has 
often  taken  prizes  at  fairs  and  poultry 
shows.  Mr.  See  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
best  farmers  in  Kinmundy  township  as  the 
general  thrifty  appearance  of  his  place 
would  indicate.  He  is  always  at  work  and 
never  neglects  anything  about  his  place  that 
needs  his  attention. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  See  is  a  Democrat  in  his  political 
relations  and  takes  considerable  interest  in 
political  affairs,  always  casting  his  ballot  for 
the  man  whom  he  believes  to  be  the  best 
fitted  morally  and  intellectually  for  the  of- 
fice sought.  He  and  his  family  are  Mis- 
sionary Baptists  as  was  also  his  ancestors, 
among  whom  was  one  minister.  The  Sees 
are  regarded  as  people  of  the  highest  in- 
tegrity and  are  known  as  substantial  citi- 
zens wherever  they  reside.  Our  subject's 
well  improved  property  is  a  monument  to 
his  thrift  and  well  directed  efforts.  He  is  a 
man  of  earnest  purpose  and  upright  life. 


JOHN  SMITH. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  early  in  life 
realized  the  fact  that  success  never  smiles 
upon  the  idler  or  dreamer  and  he  has  ac- 
cordingly followed  such  an  aphorism,  de- 
voting his  life  to  ardent  toil  along  lines  that 
cannot  but  insure  success.  The  prosperity 
which  he  enjoys  has  been  the  result  of  energy 
rightly  applied  and  has  been  won  by  com- 
mendable qualities. 

John  Smith,  one  of  the  progressive 
farmers  of  Tonti  township,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  was  born  in  this  locality  October  7, 
1838,  the  son  of  Britton  and  Mahala  (Fos- 
ter) Smith.  Great-grandfather  Smith  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  having 
taken  part  in  many  of  the  famous  battles 
and  strenuous  campaigns  of  the  same.  This 
old  family  finally  settled  in  North  Carolina, 


where  Britton  Smith  was  bom  in  1811,  on 
November  7.  He  came  to  Tennessee  and 
then  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1829, 
among  the  pioneers  and  overcome  the  ob- 
stacles always  to  be  encountered  in  such  a 
country,  however,  he  remained  here  only 
about  a  year  when  he  returned  to  Tennes- 
see, but  soon  returned  to  Illinois  bringing 
his  father,  having  been  enthusiastic  of  the 
prospects  in  the  new  country,  believing  that 
the  future  was  filled  with  great  possibilities. 
The  entire  family  made  the  trip  from  Ten- 
nessee as  soon  as  they  could  arrange  to  do 
so  and  they  set  to  work  at  once  making  a 
home  here,  where  their  labors  were  richly 
rewarded  by  mother  nature,  who  seldom 
fails  in  just  compensation  for  labor 
expended  in  her  domain. 

Our  subject's  father  was  united  in  mar- 
riage in  1836  to  Mahala  Foster  and  settled 
in  section  28,  in  Tonti  township.  His  wife 
was  the  daughter  of  the  well  known  Hon. 
Hardy  Foster,  who  was  an  early  settler 
in  this  county,  having  come  here  from 
Georgia,  becoming  popular  and  a  leader 
in  political  affairs,  having  represented 
this  district  in  the  legislature.  Fos- 
ter township  was  named  in  honor  of  this 
pioneer.  Britton  Smith  at  one  time  owned 
two  hundred  acres  of  land  in  this  county, 
being  one  of  the  best  known  farmers  in  this 
locality  and  he  also  took  much  interest  in 
local  politics,  having  served  as  Deputy 
Sheriff  of  Marion  county  for  about  seven- 
teen years,  during  which  time  he  rendered 
much  valuable  service  to  the  public.  He 
was  a  Democrat  in  his  political  faith.  From 


526 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


time  to  time  he  held  several  township 
offices. 

John  Smith,  our  subject,  was  born  here 
and  worked  upon  the  farm,  having  a  poor 
chance  to  receive  an  education.  However,  he 
applied  himself  as  best  he  could  and  has 
since  broadened  his  intellectual  horizon  by 
general  reading  and  travel. 

'\Yhen  twenty-one  years  old  Mr.  Smith 
went  to  Texas,  where  he  remained  a  short 
time.  In  1862  he  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Flotiller  Nichols,  who  passed  away 
fourteen  months  after  her  marriage,  and  on 
October  2,  1868,  Mr.  Smith  married  Eliza- 
beth Smith,  who  was  reared  in  this  part  of 
Illinois,  and  who  was  called  to  her  rest  in 
November,  1877.  Two  children  were  born 
to  the  subject,  one  of  whom,  Charles  B..  is 
living  in  this  county.  His  date  of  birth  oc- 
curred in  1873.  Our  subject  was  again 
married,  his  third  wife  being  Lenora  E. 
Coe,  who  is  also  now  deceased.  •  He  was 
married  a  fourth  time  to  Martha  C.  (Mea- 
don)  Lawson,  who  has  also  been  called  to 
her  rest.  Four  children  were  born  to  Mr. 
Smith  by  his  third  wife,  three  of  whom  are 
living.  Our  subject  has  devoted  his  life 
principally  to  fanning  with  the  result  that 
he  has  achieved  definite  success  in  this  field 
of  endeavor,  for  he  has  great  ability  in  ag- 
ricultural lines  and  is  a  hard  worker.  He 
at  present  owns  eighty-one  acres  of  land  in 
this  township,  which  have  been  developed 
into  an  excellent  farm,  being  very  produc- 
tive and  yields  excellent  crops  from  year  to 
year.  He  has  an  excellent  residence,  well 
furnished  and  all  the  necessary  equipments 


for  carrying  on  successful  farming  in  a 
general  way.  Although  Mr.  Smith  has  now 
retired  from  the  farm,  he  still  oversees  its 
management. 

Our  subject  is  a  faithful  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  South,  being 
one  of  the  Stewards  of  the  local  church,  and 
is  at  this  writing  (1908)  superintendent  of 
the  Sunday  school.  Fraternally  he  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows  at  Patoka,  Lodge  No.  860.  In  poli- 
tics he  is  a  Democrat  and  takes  a  lively  in- 
terest in  local  political  affairs,  having  served 
as  Township  Assessor,  also  as  Township 
Clerk,  and  Township  Treasurer,  which 
office  he  still  holds,  having  had  charge  of 
the  same  since  1885.  This  would  indicate 
that  he  has  given  entire  satisfaction  in  the 
dispensation  of  all  his  public  duties,  and  is 
held  in  strictest  confidence  by  his  constitu- 
ents else  he  would  not  have  been  entrusted 
with  so  many  important  public  offices,  nor 
retained  so  long. 


REV.  WILLIAM  JACKSON  SIMER. 

This  sterling  and  honored  citizen  of 
Omega  township,  Marion  county,  is  the 
owner  of  one  of  the  best  farms  in  this  com- 
munity and  is  a  local  minister  of  the  Gospel 
of  much  popularity,  having  for  many  years 
performed  a  grand  service  among  the  people 
whom  he  has  elected  to  serve,  burying  the 
friends  who  pass  over  the  mystic  river,  mar- 
rying the  young,  beginning  life's  more  seri- 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


5-; 


ous  walks,  and  in  many  ways  assisting  in 
ameliorating  the  condition  of  the  public  at 
large  and  his  character  has  from  his  youth 
up  been  unblemished  by  shadow  of  wrong, 
so  that  the  community  regards  him  as  one 
of  its  most  valuable  citizens. 

William  Jackson  Simer  is  a  native  of 
Marion  county,  having  been  born  here  Sep- 
tember 9,  1849,  and  is  therefore  fifty-nine 
years  old  at  this  writing  (1908).  His 
father's  name  was  Jason  R.  Simer,  a  Ten- 
nesseean,  who  came  to  Illinois  when  fifteen 
years  of  age  and  worked  by  the  month  until 
he  was  married  at  the  age  of  twenty-five 
years  to  Amelia  Gaston,  who  was  born  near 
the  Marion  County  Home  and  who  was 
called  to  her  rest  in  1866,  at  the  age  of 
forty  years.  Jason  R.  Simer  married  a  sec- 
ond time  to  Ruth  Carpenter  in  the  year 
1870.  Seven  children  were  born  to  him  by 
his  first  wife,  our  subject  being  one  of  the 
number;  and  three  children  were  born  of 
the  second  union. 

Our  subject  worked  out  among  the  neigh- 
bors until  he  was  seventeen  years  of  age, 
having  attended  the  local  schools  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  later  the  Huff  school,  in  the 
meantime  during  the  winter  months,  and 
received  a  good  foundation  for  an  education 
by  diligently  applying  himself  to  his  studies, 
and  he  has  now  become  a  well  read  man  by 
constant  home  study  and  personal  observa- 
tion. When  twenty-five  years  old  he  be- 
gan to  make  public  addresses  on  local  po- 
litical issues  and  so  well  did  he  speak  that 
when  his  name  was  announced  to  appear  on 
a  program  he  was  always  insured  a  large 


and  interested  audience,  and  his  powers  as 
an  orator  and  his  ability  as  a  political 
worker  were  soon  recognized  by  party  lead- 
ers and  he  was  invited  to  speak  in  other 
communities. 

Our  subject  has  always  been  more  or  less 
interested  in  farming  pursuits  and  he  early 
in  life  gave  marked  evidence  of  being  a  man 
of  affairs,  and  he  began  to  work  for  him- 
self when  seventeen  years  old.  He  now 
owns  a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  three 
acres,  forty  acres  being  in  timber,  the  rest 
being  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 

Rev.  Mr. ,  Simer  has  always  been  an  ac- 
tive church  worker  and  Sunday  school 
worker,  especially  so  since  1880,  and  he  is 
now  filling  the  pulpit  each  Lord's  day  at 
Lovel  Grove,  Smith's  Grove,  Bethel  in  Clay 
county,  and  at  Brubaker,  giving  a  fourth  of 
his  time  to  each  charge,  all  of  which  he  has 
built  up  and  greatly  strengthened. 

Our  subject  has  been  twice  married,  his 
first  wife's  name  being  Sarah  E.  Easley, 
to  whom  seven  children  were  born,  four  of 
whom  are  living,  the  family  being  com- 
posed of  six  sons  and  one  daughter.  His 
second  wife  was  Mary  Alice  Farson,  to 
whom  two  children  were  born,  both  living. 
Their  names  are  Clay  and  Frank.  The 
names  of  his  children  by  his  first  wife  fol- 
low :  The  first  child  died  in  early  infancy ; 
Leroy,  who  married  Goldin  Allen,  and  who 
had  three  children,  two  living,  a  son  and  a 
daughter ;  Hershel,  who  married  Jennie 
Tate  and  who  has  four  children,  two  sons 
and  two  daughters;  Charley,  who  married 
Ama  Hultz;  Hugh,  who  married  Minnie 


528 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Jennings,  and  who  has  one  son ;  Margaretta 
and  Rollie. 

Mr.  Simer  takes  a  great  interest  in  public 
affairs  and  is  serving  his  third  term  as  Su- 
pervisor of  Omega  township  in  a  manner 
that  reflects  much  credit  upon  his  ability  and 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned. 
He  is  greatly  interested  in  the  cause  of  edu- 
cation, and  he  has  taught  six  successful 
terms  of  school  in  his  own  neighborhood, 
gaining  considerable  praise  as  an  able  in- 
structor and  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand. He  is  a  very  versatile  man  on  almost 
any  topic  and  he  is  ever  ready  for  any  good 
work.  He  has  a  large,  well  arranged  and 
carefully  selected  library,  consisting  of  the 
best  books  of  modern  and  early  days  on  a 
wide  range  of  themes  among  which  much  of 
his  time  is  spent.  He  has  always  been  a 
close  student  of  the  Bible,  having  an  ardent 
desire  to  know  and  comprehend  the  same, 
being  anxious  to  know  and  do  the  will  of 
the  Heavenly  Father,  and  to  follow  His 
teachings  at  all  times.  In  matters  affecting 
the  general  welfare  Rev.  Simer  has  been 
most  active  and  influential. 


BENJAMIN  F.  RODGERS,  M.  D. 

In  giving  the  life  record  of  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  the  publishers  of  this  work  be- 
lieve that  it  will  be  an  incentive  to  the 
young  who  may  peruse  it  to  lead  nobler 
lives,  have  higher  ambitions  and  accomplish 
more  for  their  fellow  men,  for  his  life  has 


always  been  led  along  a  plane  of  high  en- 
deavor, always  consistent  with  the  truth  in 
its  higher  forms  and  ever  in  keeping  with 
honorable  principles.  He  is  the  scion  of 
pioneer  ancestors  of  the  most  sterling  qual- 
ities who  did  much  in  their  day  for  the  com- 
munities in  which  they  lived,  and  Doctor 
Rodgers  is  a  worthy  descendant  of  his  for- 
bears, thus  for  many  reasons,  not  the  least  of 
which  is  the  fact  that  he  was  one  of  the 
patriotic  sons  of  the  North,  who,  when  the 
tocsin  of  war  sounded,  left  his  hearthstone 
and  business  to  do  what  he  could  in  saving 
the  country  from  treason,  the  biographer  is 
glad  to  give  him  just  representation  in  this 
work. 

Dr.  Benjamin  F.  Rodgers  was  born 
in  York,  Pennsylvania,  in  1829,  the  son  of 
Joseph  D.  and  Mary  (Hamilton)  Rodgers. 
Grandfather  Rodgers,  who  came  to  America 
in  1776,  settling  in  Maryland,  was  a  weaver 
by  profession  and  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  He  lived  to  be  ninety-four 
years  old,  and  the  grandmother  of  the  sub- 
ject lived  to  her  ninety-sixth  year.  They 
were  the  parents  of  a  large  family. 

The  father  of  the  subject,  who  was  born 
in  Maryland,  moved  to  Pennsylvania  when 
a  boy,  later  to  Ohio,  where  he  spent  the  bal- 
ance of  his  days  on  a  farm.  There  were 
eleven  children  in  this  family,  six  of  whom 
lived  to  maturity.  The  subject's  parents 
were  Presbyterians  and  the  father  and  moth- 
er both  died  at  the  age  of  sixty-four  years. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  nine  years 
old  when  he  moved  to  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
ceived a  fairly  good  education  by  attending 


B.  F.  RODGERS,  M 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


529 


the  subscription  schools  of  his  community. 
He  clerked  in  a  store  in  Ohio  for  two  years, 
then  learned  to  be  a  shoemaker;  but  neither 
of  these  lines  seemed  to  suit  his  tastes,  be- 
lieving that  he  was  capable  of  rendering  a 
better  service  to  humanity,  consequently  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine,  in  which  he 
made  rapid  progress  and  he  soon  entered  a 
medical  college.  After  completing  the  pre- 
scribed course  with  honor,  he  began  prac- 
tice in  Ohio,  and  later  located  at  Elizabeth- 
town,  Kentucky,  having  soon  gained  a  firm 
foothold.  But  believing  that  better  oppor- 
tunities awaited  him  at  Belleville,  Illinois,  he 
removed  thereto  in  1849,  ar|d  afterwards 
removed  to  Jacksonville,  and  at  that  place 
the  doctor  enlisted  in  September,  1861,  in 
the  Union,  enlisted  in  September,  1861,  in 
the  Second  Illinois  Light  Artillery,  and  so 
efficient  were  his  services  that  he  was  com- 
missioned captain  of  Company  K.  His  rec- 
ord in  the  army  is  a  most  creditable  one.  He 
was  at  the  battle  of  Fort  Donelson,  at  Jack- 
son, Mississippi,  and  was  in  the  siege  of 
Vicksburg.  Engraved  on  a  monument  erect- 
ed at  Vicksburg,  Mississippi,  in  honor  of 
Company  K,  Second  Illinois  Light  Artillery, 
are  the  words : 

"Battery  K,  Second  Light  Artillery, 

Capt.  Benjamin  Rodgers, 
"Fourth  Division  Sixteenth  Corps. 
"Entered  Campaign  About  May  20, 
1863.     Served  with  the  Division  Dur- 
ing siege." 

He  takes  great  pride  in  his  military  life 
34 


and  relates  his  battery  was  nearer  the  en- 
emy's works  than  any  other  battery  of  the 
siege,  which  occupied  forty-two  days.  He 
was  Chief  of  Artillery  on  the  staff  of  Gen- 
eral Lauman,  Gen.  Crocker  Gresham, 
Logan,  and  was  Chief  of  Staff  of  General 
Ranson  at  Natchez. 

He  was  also  in  the  southwestern  cam- 
paign and  the  battles  subsequent  to  that.  He 
was  mustered  out  at  Memphis,  Tennessee, 
December  31,  1864.  After  the  close  of  the 
war  Doctor  Rodgers  located  in  Patoka, 
where  he  has  practiced  his  profession  ever 
since. 

Doctor  Rodgers  was  united  in  marriage 
on  November  3,  1848,  with  Mary  K.  Chiell, 
daughter  of  Casper  Chiell.  He  has  four 
children  living,  also  fourteen  grandchildren, 
and  seven  great-grandchildren.  Mrs.  Rod- 
gers was  called  from  her  earthly  labors  at 
the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  loyal  Repub- 
lican, and  he  has  ever  taken  a  great  interest 
in  public  affairs,  having  made  his  influence 
felt  for  the  good  of  his  community  in  many 
ways  and  served  in  a  most  able  manner  as 
postmaster  and  also  Mayor  of  Patoka;  in 
fact,  he  might  be  called  the  father  of  this 
town.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Grand  Army 
of  the  Republic,  and  has  been  commander  of 
the  local  post.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity,  the 
lodge  at  Jacksonville,  Illinois.  No  man  in 
this  part  of  Marion  county  is  better  or  more 
favorably  known  than  he,  known  for  his 
professional  skill,  his  public  spirit,  his  integ- 
rity and  kind  heartedness. 


530 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


JAMES  R.  JONES. 

During-  the  pioneer  epoch  in  the  history , 
of  Marion  county  the  Jones  family  was 
founded  within  its  borders,  and  the  name 
has-been  inseparably  identified  with  the  an- 
nals of  the  favored  section  of  which  this 
book  deals  for  more  than  half  a  century, 
while  its  representatives  have  figured  promi- 
nently in  its  development. 

James  R.  Jones  was  born  July  31,  1849, 
in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
Jackson  C.  Jones,  who  was  born  in 
Tennessee,  near  Knoxville,  January  17, 
1818,  a  member  of  a  large  family,  name- 
ly: Jackson  C.,  our  subject's  father;  Willis, 
Joseph,  Christopher,  Horace,  James,  Hen- 
derson B.,  Young,  and  Mary.  They  have 
all  passed  to  the  great  beyond.  Christo- 
pher, Joseph  and  Henderson  were  all  sol- 
diers in  the  Civil  war,  Christopher  having 
been  a  member  of  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Infantry,  and  Henderson 
of  the  Third  Illinois  Cavalry. 

Ross  Jones  was  the  grandfather  of  the 
subject.  He  was  born  in  North  Carolina, 
in  1/96,  and  lived  to  the  age  of  eighty-one 
years.  He  married  Edith  Barby. 

Our  subject's  mother  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Margaret  Whiteside  and 
was  born  on  the  line  between  Tennessee  and 
Kentucky,  July  22,  1822.  Eight  children 
were  born  to  the  parents  of  our  subject, 
three  boys  and  five  girls,  namely:  Francis, 
Tabitha,  Catherine,  James  R.,  our  subject; 
Sarah,  Samuel,  Anna  and  Mary.  They 
are  all  deceased  with  the  exception  of  our 


subject,  Samuel  and  Anna.  Grandfather 
Whiteside  came  to  Illinois  in  1833,  settling 
in  Marion  county. 

Mrs.  Jones  received  her  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  at  Mt.  Vernon,  and 
at  the  public  and  high  schools  of  .Kinmundy, 
where  she  applied  herself  in  such  a  manner 
as  to  elicit  the  approbation  of  her  teachers. 
Mr.  Jones  worked  on  the  home  place  during 
the  summer  months  until  he  reached  ma- 
turity, when  he  was  united  in  marriage  on 
September  2,  1871,  to  Mahala  Foster,  the 
daughter  of  W.  W.  Foster,  she  being  the 
only  child,  having  been  born  July  21,  1851, 
in  Marion  county.  Nine  children  have  been 
bom  to  this  union,  six  girls  and  three  boys, 
three  of  whom  have  passed  to  their  rest. 
Their  names  in  order  of  birth  follow :  Lizzie 
S.,  deceased;  Willie  C.,  deceased;  James  E., 
Mary  J.,  Frank  G.  and  Lora  N.,  all  living; 
Florence  P.,  deceased;  Rena  M..  and  Alta 
A.,  both  living.  These  children  are  all  well 
educated  and  some  are  filling  positions  as 
teachers  in  a  most  acceptable  manner. 

Mr.  Jones  carries  on  general  farming  on  a 
fine  farm  consisting  of  one  hundred  and 
thirty-five  acres  in  Kinmundy  township. 
He  always  keeps  some  good  stock  af  various 
kinds  on  the  place  and  feeds  a  great  deal  of 
his  corn  to  live  stock  which  he  prepares  for 
the  market.  Our  subject  is  a  Democrat  in 
his  political  faith,  but  has  not  been  an  aspi- 
rant to  political  offices.  He  is  affiliated 
with  the  Methodist  church  in  which  he  takes 
a  delight.  He  believes  in  education  and  his 
relations  with  the  world  of  business  have 
been  straightforward  and  nothing  savoring 


IJRIXKF.RIIOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    ilAKIOX    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


531 


in  the  least  of  dishonor  has  ever  been  as- 
sociajed  with  the  good  name  he  bears  or 
that  of  his  family. 


JAMES  K.  CRAIG. 

Among  the  men  who  have  been  largely 
instrumental  in  developing  and  advancing 
the  opulent  natural  resources  of  Marion 
•county,  Illinois,  stands  the  gentleman  whose 
name  initiates  this  review  and  whose  fine 
farm  property,  in  Omega  township,  is  one 
of  the  many  attractive  and  valuable  rural 
domains  of  this  favored  section  of  the 
Sucker  state. 

James  K.  Craig  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
December  28,  1824,  and  came  with  his  par- 
ents to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  at  the  age 
of  twelve  and  one-half  years.  The  father 
of  the  subject  was  James  Craig,  who  was 
born  in  the  Blue  Grass  state  June  i,  1784. 
His  mother  was  also  born  in  Kentucky  in 
April,  1787.  Her  maiden  name  was  Se- 
villa  Hanks,  being  a  sister  of  Lincoln's 
mother,  Nancy  Hanks.  They  were  people 
of  fine  traits  of  character  and  were  known  as 
hard  workers  and  kindly  disposed.  In  their 
family  were  nineteen  children,  our  sub- 
ject being  next  to  the  youngest  in  order 
of  birth.  James  Craig,  the  subject's  father, 
was  at  one  time  the  richest  man  in  Hardin 
county,  Kentucky,  but  he  lost  his  land  claim 
by  others  who  lawed  him  out  of  both  right 
and  title. 

Mr.  Craig  came  to  Illinois  in  1837    and 


settled  in  the  wilderness.  He  took  up  no 
land  for  all  was  common-  ground,  and  he 
decided  that  he  had  rather  not  have  any 
land  as  all  was  free  to  till,  hunt  on  and 
use  in  whatever  way  struck  the  pioneer's 
fancy.  There  was  no  difficulty  in  stirring 
up  a  large  herd  of  deer,  wolves  or  a  den 
of  rattle  snakes.  The  subject  was  often  in 
a  wolf  drive  with  a  hundred  or  more  men 
and  as  many  dogs.  Sometimes  a  dozen  or 
more  would  be  bagged  on  a  move,  and 
sometimes  not  a  one,  but  the  sport  was 
eagerly  sought  by  the  first  settlers.  In  those 
days  our  subject  hired  to  Alec  Kockrel  to 
work  in  hay  harvest  for  thirty-two  days  at 
twenty-five  cents  per  day  and  considered 
that  he  was  being  well  paid.  Hogs  fattened 
in  the  woods  on  the  mast.  Fortunately  the 
Indians  had  mostly  disappeared  and  they 
were  not  to  be  reckoned  with.  Samuel  H. 
Craig,  the  elder  brother  of  the  subject, 
captured  an  Indian  pony  at  Kellogg's 
Grove  and  brought  it  home  while  the  In- 
dians were  trying  to  burn  the  settlers' 
houses  in  that  vicinity. 

Money  was  very  scare  in  those  days,  be- 
ing for  the  most  part  in  small  bills,  called 
"shin  plasters."  There  was  some  gold,  but 
no  silver.  Our  subject  remembers  going 
five  and  one-half  miles  to  the  post-office, 
bareheaded  and  barefooted  and  paying 
twenty-five  cents,  the  price  of  postage,  be- 
fore receiving  his  letter.  No  letter  could  be 
received  until  this  amount  was  paid.  He  was 
for  many  years  the  only  man  in  his  com- 
munity who  took  a  paper,  a  weekly,  "The 
People's  Organ,"  now  called  the  St.  Louis 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Globe-Democrat.  It  cost  one  dollar  per 
year,  and  it  was  loaned  to  the  whole  neigh- 
borhood to  be  read. 

The  subject's  mother  was  an  educated 
woman  and  she  taught  her  children  so  that 
they  received  fairly  good  educations  for 
those  times  when  school-houses  were  few 
and  of  the  most  primitive  type.  Every  Sun- 
day morning  she  taught  them  the  Bible  with 
the  old  Calvanistic  Baptist  doctrine;  but  Mr. 
Craig  is  now  a  stanch  Methodist.  He  first 
heard  the  Rev.  John  Craig  when  a  small 
boy.  Rev.  Craig  was  known  as  a  powerful 
preacher  in  his  day  and  did  an  incalculable 
amount  of  good.  He  reached  the  remark- 
able age  of  one  hundred  and  three  years. 
In  early  days  the  Craig  family  were  promot- 
ers of  the  "Green  Back"  party  movement, 
but  later  were  all  loyal  Democrats. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Catherine  Wilkinson,  the  daughter  of  Jehu 
Wilkinson,  of  Scotch  descent,  the  day  of 
their  wedding  occurring  on  February  25, 
1847.  Nine  children  were  born  to  this 
union,  six  of  whom  are  living  in  1908.  Mr. 
Craig  has  fifteen  grandchildren  and  two 
great-grandchildren.  The  following  are 
the  names  of  the  subject's  children :  Ben- 
jamin D.,  James  H.,  Elizabeth,  Sarah,  Ann, 
Samuel,  Jehu,  Ida  and  John  E. 

James  K.  Craig  owned  at  one  time  four 
hundred  acres  of  land  which  he  had  im- 
proved and  developed  into  a  very  fine  and 
valuable  farm,  which  was  yielding  a  com- 
fortable income  from  year  to  year;  but  this 
land  has  been  divided  up  among  his  chil- 
dren, thirty-five  acres  having  been  retained 


for  a  home.  Our  subject  is  at  this  writing 
living  with  Thomas  M.  Spyker,  who  mar- 
ried one  of  the  subject's  older  daughters, 
Bettie,  who  has  one  child.  Mr.  Spyker  is 
now  fifty-three  years  old,  an  excellent 
farmer  of  good  repute  and  he  delights  in 
caring  for  our  aged  subject  who  is  in  his 
eighty-fourth  year.  The  Spykers  are  all 
Methodists,  and  in  politics  have  been  Demo- 
crats but  of  late  years  most  of  them  support 
the  Prohibition  ticket. 

Mr.  Craig  delights  to  assist  those  in  need 
and  to  promote  the  welfare  and  happiness 
of  others,  consequently  the  golden  evening 
of  his  life  is  serene  and  happy  and  he  can 
look  forward  to  a  richer  reward  in  the  great 
beyond  than  it  is  within  the  power  of  man 
to  bestow. 


CALVIN  BLAIR  KLINE. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  one  of  the 
scientific  representatives  of  the  agricultural 
industry  in  Marion  county  and  he  is  also 
known  as  a  man  of  sterling  character,  while 
his  specific  knowledge  concerning  the  line 
of  enterprise  to  which  he  is  now  devoting 
his  attention  is  of  both  technical  and  prac- 
ticable order,  for  he  has  made  a  careful 
study  of  agriculture  and  horticulture. 

Calvin  Blair  Kline  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, February  26,  1864,  the  son  of  Joseph 
S.  Kline,  who  was  also  a  native  of  the  old 
Keystone  state.  To  the  father  of  our  sub- 
ject six  children  were  born  by  his  first  wife, 
of  which  the  subject  is  the  second  son.  The 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


533 


name  of  the  first  wife  of  Joseph  S.  Kline 
was  Elizabeth  Patterson.  His  second  wife 
was  named  Martha  Beam.  Three  children 
were  born  to  this  union  with  his  second 
wife.  Our  subject  came  with  his  parents 
from  Pennsylvania  to  Iowa,  then  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1880,  having  settled  on  a 
farm  in  Alma  township,  later  moving  to 
Omega  township,  where  he  now  resides. 

Our  subject  remained  on  the  parental 
farm  assisting  with  the  work  until  he 
reached  maturity,  having  attended  first  the 
district  schools  in  Pennsylvania.  He  left 
school  when  nineteen  years  old  and  began 
farming  on  his  own  account  and  he  has 
since  devoted  his  time  to  this  line  of  work 
continuously  and  as  already  intimated  he 
has  made  a  great  success  of  this  work,  be- 
cause he  started  life  practically  empty  hand- 
ed and  today  he  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  landed 
estate  in  Omega  township,  consisting  of  two 
hundred  and  thirty-seven  acres,  all  under 
a  high  system  of  cultivation,  with  the  ex^ 
ception  of  seven  acres  in  timber. 

Calvin  Blair  Kline  was  united  in  mar- 
riage on  November  14,  1888,  to  Maggie  E. 
Harvey,  who  was  born  in  Alma,  September 
24,  1867.  the  daughter  of  John  B.  Harvey, 
who  was  born  in  Virginia  in  1820.  His 
family  consisted  of  four  children,  an  equal 
number  of  boys  and  girls  of  which  the  sub- 
ject's wife  was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth. 
The  maiden  name  of  the  mother  of  our  sub- 
ject's wife  was  Augusta  Shaffer,  who  was 
born  in  Germany,  and  who  came  to  Ameri- 
ca with  her  parents  when  she  was  eighteen 
years  old. 


Seven  children  were  born  to  our  subject 
and  wife,  named  in  order  of  birth  as  fol- 
lows: Lola  G.,  Ruby  T.,  Loren  E.,  Chester 
B.,  Garnet  O..  Lois  L..  and  Eugene  M. 
They  are  all  living  and  are  all  at  home  at 
this  writing  and  they  are  in  school,  making 
excellent  records  for  scholarship. 

Mr.  Kline  is  a  believer  in  educational  ad- 
vantages. In  their  religious  beliefs  this 
family  adheres  to  the  doctrines  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  South,  although  our  subject  is 
not  affiliated  with  any  church  he  is  a  be- 
liever in  the  principles  of  religion.  His 
wife's  family  were  Methodists,  most  of  them 
belonging  to  the  Northern  branch  of  this  de- 
nomination, while  the  subject's  wife  be- 
longs to  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
South.  Mr.  Kline  ever  advocates  whole- 
some environment  for,  children,  believing 
that  they  should  be  given  every  possible 
advantage,  both  in  religious  and  education- 
al training  and  in  good  citizenship.  Mr. 
Kline  is  well  known  in  this  section  and  is 
most  highly  honored  where  he  is  best 
known,  and  his  life  has  been  one  of  earnest 
endeavor  and  well  directed  effort. 


SAMUEL  G.  COPPLE. 

Mr.  Copple  is  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  in  Omega  township.  Marion  county, 
having  successfully  managed  a  store  and 
carried  on  other  lines  of  business  in  a  man- 
ner that  shows  him  to  be  a  man  of  unusual 
business  ability,  but  having  the  honored  an- 


534 


3RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


cestry  behind  him  of  which  he  can  boast, 
we  do  not  wonder  that  he  is  a  man  of  rare 
force  of  character,  for  in  the  genealogical 
history  in  both  the  paternal  and  maternal 
lines,  there  is  much  data  signally  germane 
to  a  compilation  of  this  sort. 

Samuel  G.  Copple  was  born  in  Washing- 
ton county,  Indiana,  April  24,  1849,  the 
son  of  Abraham  and  Rozan  (Hanger)  Cop- 
pie,  the  former  having  been  born  in  Indiana 
April  2,  1827,  and  was  the  father  of  nine 
children,  seven  girls  and  two  boys,  three  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  being  the  oldest  in  order  of  birth. 
Abraham  Copple  left  Indiana  in  1875,  and 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
farmed  on  a  parcel  of  land  which  he  pur- 
chased, and  also  rented  additional  land.  He 
was  called  from  his  earthly  labors  in  Omega, 
this  county,  February  17,  1892.  He  mar- 
ried Rosannah  Hauger  September  21,  1847, 
and  they  first  moved  to  Sullivan  county.  In- 
diana, then  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  Abraham  lived  for  over  thirteen 
years.  His  three  surviving  children  are : 
Samuel  G.,  our  subject;  Alice  M.,  and  Ma- 
hala  M.,  who  is  now  deceased. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  gained  in  the  district  schools  of 
his  native  county,  which  were  taught  from 
two  to  three  months  each  year  during  the 
winter,  in  log  school-houses,  the  windows 
of  which  were  made  of  greased  paper  for 
panes.  He  was  compelled  to  walk  four 
miles  to  school.  During  the  remainder  of 
the  year  he  worked  on  his  father's,  farm. 
When  he  had  reached  maturity  he  married 


Mary  C.  Sill,  the  daughter  of  Commodore 
and  Sarah  (Beard)  Sill,  of  Jackson  county, 
Illinois,  and  she,  too,  received  her  education 
in  the  district  schools  of  the  country  which 
she  attended  three  months  out  of  the  year. 
Sarah  Beard  was  born  in  Tennessee,  No- 
vember 6,  1820,  and  died  at  the  home  of 
her  daughter,  Mary  C.,  at  the  advanced  age 
of  eighty-eight  years.  Commodore  Sill  was 
torn  in  1822  and  lived  to  be  past  fifty. 
They  were  the  parents  of  nine  children,  five 
boys  and  four  girls,  of  whom  four  are  now 
living,  namely :  Marguerite  J.  Sellers,  whose 
home  is  in  Sandoval,  Marion  county;  Ace- 
nith  A.  Walker,  of  Jackson  county,  this 
state;  Ransom  M.  Sill,  living  at  Blue 
Mound,  Marion  county:  Mary  C.  Copple, 
living  at  Omega,  this  county;  Alice  Sill 
lives  in  Blue  Mound,  also;  Mahala  Solomon 
died  and  was  buried  in  Texas.  The  father 
of  the  subject's  wife  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, from  which  state  he  moved  to  Indi- 
ana, then  to  Illinois,  where  he  bought  a 
farm  in  Marion  county. 

Our  subject  and  wife  have  only  one  child, 
a  son,  named  Charles  E.,  who  is  married  to 
Etta  Kline;  they  have  one  son. 

Mr.  Copple  is  the  owner  of  sixty  acres 
of  good  land,  which  is  highly  improved  and 
lies  in  and  near  Omega.  It  is  a  valuable 
and  most  desirable  farm.  He  has  been  in 
the  general  merchandise  business  for  over 
twenty  years  at  Omega,  and  he  has  built  up 
an  excellent  trade  on  general  lines,  handling 
a  fine  quality  of  goods  and  giving  his  nu- 
merous customers  the  best  goods  possible 
for  the  money,  so  that  he  seldom  loses  a 


HRINKKRIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


535 


customer,  all  of  whom  he  treats  with  uni- 
form courtesy.  His  store  is  a  credit  to  the 
community  and  would  be  conspicuous  in  a 
much  larger  place.  He  also  manages  in  a 
most  successful  manner  the  hotel  at  Omega, 
which  has  become  known  to  the  traveling 
public  as  a  comfortable  place  for  transients, 
where  generous  treatment  is  always  accord- 
ed the  friend  or  stranger  alike.  Our  sub- 
ject also  conducts  an  up-to-date  feed  barn, 
and  manages  a  telephone  line,  and  he  is  re- 
garded by  everyone  as  an  enterprising  and 
accommodating  gentleman.  Although  these 
various  lines  of  business  occupy  most  of 
his  time,  he  does  not  neglect  his  duty  to  his 
county  or  state,  but  his  support  can  always 
be  depended  on  in  the  promotion  of  good 
government  and  honesty  in  politics.  Re- 
ligiously his  parents  were  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  he  has  followed  in 
their  footsteps.  Mrs.  Copple  is  a  member  of 
the  same,  as  was  her  mother.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Copple  set  a  worthy  example  in  all  religious 
and  mortal  matters  before  their  children  and 
the  community  where  they  live. 


JAMES  R.  ABERNATHY. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  is  a  man 
who,  by  his  career,  has  clearly  demonstrated 
his  versatility,  having  been  engaged  in  vari- 
ous lines  of  enterprise  and  in  whatever  di- 
rection he  has  turned  his  talents  he  has  been 
successful. 

James  R.  Abernathy  was  born  in  Fayette 


county,  Kentucky,  November  28,  1829,  the 
son  of  H.  T.  Abernathy.  His  mother's 
maiden  name  was  Martha  Barnes,  and  her 
mother  was  formerly  Elizabeth  Locke. 
Blackstone  Abernathy  was  the  subject's 
grandfather.  Blackstone  and  Elizabeth 
(Locke)  Abernathy  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  all  born  in  Fayette  county, 
Kentucky.  Grandfather  Blackstone  Aber- 
nathy was  born  in  Virginia  and  Elizabeth 
Locke  was  a  native  of  Tennessee.  She  was 
a  descendant  of  the  "Petroleum"  V.  Nasby 
family,  or  Daniel  R.  Locke.  Blackstone 
Abernathy's  father  and  two  brothers  settled 
in  Virginia  while  it  was  yet  a  colony.  H. 
T.  Abernathy,  father  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  Kentucky  in  1800  and  his  wife. 
Martha  Barnes,  also  of  the  Blue  Grass  state, 
was  born  in  1801.  They  moved  to  Law- 
rence county,  Illinois,  in  1835  and  bought 
eighty  acres  of  timber  land.  The  breaking 
was  done  after  the  land  was  cleared  with  a 
Carey  plow  which  had  a  wooden  mould- 
board  and  drawn  mostly  by  ox  teams.  Wild 
game  and  ravenous  wolves  were  very  abund- 
ant. The  woods  also  abounded  in  turkeys 
and  deer.  He  became  known  as  a  "rover," 
having  bought  and  sold  out  every  two  years 
for  some  time.  James  R.  Abernathy,  our 
subject,  was  the  third  son  in  a  family  of 
seven  sons  and  two  daughters. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  youth  on  his 
father's  farm  and  attended  for  a  time  such 
primitive  schools  as  the  times  afforded.  He 
married  Mary  E.  Abernathy,  daughter  of 
Dr.  Hutchinson  Abernathy,  of  Hopkins- 
vine,  and  to  this  union  was  born  seven  chil- 


536 


BKIXKERIIOFF  S   HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


dren,  four  sons  and  three  daughters.  His 
first  wife  was  called  to  her  rest  at  the  age 
of  seventy-two  years  while  living  in  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois,  in  1906. 

James  R.  Abernathy  enlisted  in  1862  in 
the  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry 
and  was  in  active  service  until  March  8, 
1864,  during  which  time  he  conducted  him- 
self as  a  brave  American  soldier  and  took 
part  in  many  a  hard  fought  field.  He  was 
first  sergeant  of  Company  E,  and  was  pro- 
moted to  first  lieutenant  of  Company  H, 
having  been  transferred.  Thomas  G.  Allen 
was  colonel  of  this  regiment,  and  he  was 
appointed  as  adjutant  of  the  Eightieth  Illi- 
nois Regiment  to  fill  the  vacancy  of  James  C. 
Jones,  who  died  and  which  position  he  held 
until  his  resignation  was  accepted.  He  re- 
ceived an  honorable  discharge  under  Gen. 
George  H.  Thomas,  who  commanded  the 
Army  of  the  Cumberland.  Mr.  Abernathy 
took  part  in  twenty-one  battles,  and  he  now 
gets  a  pension  of  twenty  dollars  per  month 
which  serves  to  keep  him  very  comfortably. 
Our  subject  has  always  been  a  great 
reader  and  is  therefore  a  well  educated  man. 
He  has  been  a  printer  since  1847,  but  is 
now  working  from  time  to  time  at  the  car- 
penter's trade.  He  is  a  leader  in  Repub- 
lican politics.  He  was  editor  of  "The  Green 
River  Whig"  for  three  years,  published  at 
Hopkinsville,  Kentucky,  and  he  next  pub- 
lished "The  Jackson  Republican"  at  Jack- 
son, Tennessee,  for  about  three  months. 
The  last  publication  he  established  was  "The 
Seymour  Republican"  at  Seymour,  Indiana, 
which  is  now  ably  edited  by  Dr.  Victor 


Monroe.  Our  subject  has  a  comfortable  and 
substantial  residence  which  he  erected  him- 
self in  which  he  lives  a  quiet  life  and  keeps 
bachelor  quarters.  The  latch-string  always 
hangs  on  the  outside  to  his  friends. 

Mr.  Abernathy  is  not  a  member  of  any 
church  or  society,  but  he  believes  that  man 
should  love  God  with  all  his  heart,  mind 
and  might  and  his  neighbor  as  himself,  the 
two  great  commands.  He  is  a  man  of  great 
breadth  of  character,  depth  of  mind,  and 
power  to  command  men,  and  as  a  result  of 
his  fine  attributes  of  character  he  has  a  host 
of  warm  friends.  Although  well  advanced 
in  years  Mr.  Abernathy  has  a  keen  percep- 
tive faculty;  his  eyes  sparkle  with  the  fire 
of  youth  and  he  is  a  very  pleasant  and  in- 
teresting man  to  know. 


SAMUEL  H.  GRAHAM. 

One  of  the  substantial  citizens  of  Marion 
county  is  the  gentleman  to  a  review  of 
whose  life  work  we  now  call  the  attention  of 
the  reader.  Mr.  Graham  is  a  man  who, 
while  advancing  his  own  interests  does  not 
lose  sight  of  the  fact  that  it  is  his  duty  to 
lend  his  influence  in  furthering  the  interests 
of  his  community. 

Samuel  H.  Graham  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Indiana,  in  1855.  the  son  of  John 
and  Sarah  Elizabeth  (Oldharri)  Graham. 
Grandfather  Graham  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania. He  came  to  Butler  county.  Ohio, 
and  then  to  Rush  countv.  Indiana,  where 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


537 


he  died,  after  a  busy  and  .useful  life  as  a 
farmer.  He  had  a  large  family.  Grand- 
father Oldham  was  an  early  settler  in 
Marion  county,  Indiana,  where  he  had  a 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He 
also  raised  a  large  family,  some  of  his  sons 
becoming  soldiers  in  various  Indiana  regi- 
ments. The  father  of  the  subject  was  bom 
in  Butler  county,  Ohio,  and  moved  to  Rush 
county,  Indiana,  when  ten  years  of  age, 
having  been  reared  to  manhood  in  that 
county.  He  then  went  to  Fayette  county, 
rented  a  farm  and  later  moved  to  Marion 
county,  Indiana,  where  he  bought  eighty 
acres  on  which  he  lived  for  three  years,  and 
it  was  while  living  there  that  our  subject 
was  born.  He  then  sold  this  farm  and 
moved  to  Franklin  county,  Indiana,  where 
he  lived  for  twenty  years  and  then  came  to 
Clay  county,  Illinois,  where  he  bought  a 
farm  on  which  he  spent  the  balance  of  his 
life,  dying  April  i,  1888,  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
four  years,  his  wife  having  preceded  him 
to  the  narrow  house  on  August  9,  1881, 
while  on  a  visit  in  Indiana.  .  She  was  fifty- 
two  years  old.  Fourteen  children  were 
born  to  this  family,  six  boys  and  eight  girls, 
eleven  of  them  reaching  maturity.  The 
subject's  father  affiliated  with  the  Baptist 
church  and  his  mother  was  a  Methodist. 
John  Graham  was  a  Democrat,  and  was 
School  Director,  and  always  supported  the 
schools. 

Samuel  H.  Graham,  our  subject,  attended 
the  public -schools  in  Indiana,  remaining  in 
the  common  schools  until  he  was  twenty 
years  old,  attending  high  school  at  Harts- 


ville,  and  later  the  University  at  Valparaiso. 
He  applied  himself  diligently  and  became 
a  well  educated  man  and  commenced  teach- 
ing on  June  7,  1876,  which  he  continued 
for  twenty-five  years  and  in  all  these  years 
he  never  taught  in  more  than  eight  different 
districts.  However,  his  services  were  much 
sought  after,  his  reputation  as  an  able  in- 
structor having  been  widely  known.  After 
his  career  as  a  teacher,  Mr.  Graham  for  a 
short  time  engaged  in  agricultural  business 
in  Fayette  county,  Indiana,  but  moved  to 
Clay  county,  Illinois,  when  yet  a  single  man 
and  resided  with  his  father  up  to  the  time 
of  his  death  in  1888,  then  moved  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1890.  He  had  been  living 
in  Clay  county,  this  state,  since  1881,  and 
then  came  onto  the  farm  which  he  had  pre- 
viously bought  and  where  he  has  since  re- 
sided, his  present  highly  improved  farm 
consisting  of  ninety-nine  acres.  He  was 
administrator  on  his  father's  estate  in  Clay 
county.  Our  subject  carries  on  farming  of 
a  general  nature  and  handles  some  good 
stock. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  on 
May  ii,  1890,  with  Eunice  K.  Wilkinson, 
a  native  of  Iowa,  and  the  daughter  of  Ste- 
phen and  Lois  (Maak)  Wilkinson,  natives 
of  Ohio,  who  moved  to  Iowa,  and  then  back 
to  Ohio,  later  to  Indiana  and  then  to  Van 
Wert,  Ohio.  Mrs.  Wilkinson  died  in  Ham- 
ilton county,  Ohio,  and  Mr.  Wilkinson  at 
Van  Wert.  There  were  fifteen  children  in 
this  family,  seven  of  them  living  to 
maturity. 

Five  children  have  been  born  to  Mr.  and 


538 


BRINKERHOK!--  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Mrs.  Graham  as  follows:  Elsie  Floy,  born 
in  1891.  and  died  the  following  July;  Wal- 
ter T.,  who  was  born  in  1892,  is  living  at 
home  with  his  parents;  Earl,  who  was  born 
in  1894,  is  also  a  member  of  the  family 
circle;  Harold  was  born  in  1897;  Roy  Syl- 
vester was  born  in  1901. 

Mr.  Graham  in  his  farternal  relations  is 
a  member  of  the  Woodmen  and  the  Royal 
Xeighbors.  He  has  been  Auditor,  serving 
with  much  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  sat- 
isfaction of  all  concerned.  In  politics  he 
is  a  Democrat  and  has  been  County  Chair- 
man of  the  Board  since  April,  1908;  also 
has  been  Supervisor  of  his  township  and 
has  been  Town  Clerk  for  eight  or  nine 
years;  also  Town  Collector,  School  Direc- 
tor for  fifteen  years.  He  still  holds  the  po- 
sitions of  the  Chairman  of  the  Board  and 
School  Director  and  Supervisor.  He  was  a 
Justice  of  the  Peace  for  four  years,  and  a 
delegate  to  the  state,  judicial  and  county 
conventions.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Board  of  Review  of  the  county.  In  religion 
our  subject  subscribes  to  the  Baptist  faith, 
while  his  wife  affiliates  with  the  Methodists. 


SAMUEL  W.  LOVELL 

Following  is  the  life  history  of  one  who 
if  for  no  other  reason,  merits  recognition 
in  this  connection  by  virtue  of  his  having 
been  a  life-long  resident  of  Marion  county 
and  a  representative  of  one  of  its  sterling 
pioneer  families.  He  has  attained  to  a 


position  of  no  inconsiderable  prominence  in 
connection  with  the  industrial  activities  of 
the  county,  being  a  successful  farmer  and 
stock  grower,  while  he  is  honored  as  one 
of  the  upright  citizens  of  his  native  county, 
having  a  fine  farm  house  in  the  township  of 
Omega. 

Samuel  W.  Lovell  was  born  one  mile 
south  of  Omega,  September  20,  1839,  and 
was  therefore  sixty-nine  years  old  at  this 
writing,  1908.  He  is  the  son  of  Markham 
C.  and  Polly  D.  Lovell,  the  former  having 
been  born  in  Tennessee  in  1801.  He  first 
moved  to  Kentucky  and  then  to  Illinois,  in 
which  state  he  passed  to  his  reward  ApriT 
5,  1880,  at  the  age  of  seventy-nine  years. 
He  was  the  father  of  six  children,  two  sons- 
and  four  daughters,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  being  the  third  child  in  order  of 
birth.  Four  members  of  this  family  are 
still  living.  The  maiden  name  of  the  sub- 
ject's mother  was  Polly  D.  Hensley,  who 
was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1810,  and  who 
passed  away  in  Omega,  Illinois,  in  1872, 
at  the  age  of  sixty-two  years.  Her  father 
was  Joseph  Hensley,  who  married  Lucy 
Covington.  They  owned  the  noted  Walnut 
Hill  farm,  said  to  be  one  of  the  finest  in 
the  state  of  Illinois,  if  not  the  finest.  The 
Hensley  family  came  to  America  in  1690 
from  Wales  and  the  Covingtons  came  from 
Scotland.  Grandfather  Hensley  came  to 
Madison  county,  Kentucky,  at  the  age  of 
twelve  years  in  1770,  having  been  born  in 
Virginia,  Culpeper  county,  in  1758. 
Grandmother  Hensley  was  five  years  old  at 
the  time  of  moving  to  Culpeper  county. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


539 


She  was  born  in  1765.  Great-grandfather 
Hensley  was  an  officer  in  the  Revolution- 
ary war.  There  were  twenty-one  children 
in  this  remarkable  family,  his  first  wife  be- 
ing the  mother  of  sixteen  children  and  there 
were  five  children  by  his  second  wife. 

Samuel  W.  Lovell  remained  under  the 
parental  roof  until  maturity,  having  at- 
tended such  primitive  schools  as  the  country 
afforded  in  those  early  times.  When  the. 
fierce  fires  of  rebellion  were  sweepnig  over 
the  Southland  he  enlisted  in  defense  of  the 
old  flag  in  the  three  months'  service,  but 
at  the  end  of  thirty  days  he  came  home, 
having  taken  typhoid  fever  and  he  did  not 
re-enlist  until  August  of  1862,  when  he  en- 
listed for  three  years.  He  was  in  seventeen 
engagements  and  skirmishes  under  Gen. 
James  S.  Martin,  of  the  famous  One  Hun- 
dred and  Eleventh  Illinois  Regiment,  under 
whose  command  he  engaged  in  seventeen 
skirmishes  and  eight  battles.  The  record 
of  this  regiment  as  given  by  Mr.  Lovell  is 
as  follows:  Forty-six  killed,  one  hundred 
and  forty-four  wounded,  eleven  died  in  pri- 
son, ninety-three  in  hospitals  and  seventy- 
one  discharged  for  disability,  the  total 
loss  being  three  hundred  and  sixty-five.  The 
regiment  marched  one  thousand  eight  hun- 
dred and  thirty-six  miles,  was  transported 
by  water  six  hundred  and  fifty  miles  and  by 
rail  one  thousand  two  hundred  and  fifty 
miles,  from  the  time  our  subject  left  Camp 
Marshall  at  Salem,  Illinois,  until  he  was 
mustered  out  at  Camp  Butler,  at  Springfield, 
June  27,  1865.  This  is  according  to  the 
adjutant  general's  report.  This  regiment 


was  in  the  Fifteenth  Corps  under  Gen.  John 
A.  Logan  and  Gen.  William  T.  Sherman, 
whom  the  regiment  followed  from  Atlanta 
to  the  sea.  Mr.  Lovell  carries  the  remark- 
able record  of  never  having  been  in  the  hos- 
pital during  the  whole  time  of  his  enlist- 
ment. He  is  today  hale  and  hearty,  happy 
and  jovial,  and  enjoys  the  hospitality  of  the 
old  guard  and  friends  in  his  nice  home  in 
Omega  where  he  lives  a  serene  and  con- 
tented life  with  his  faithful  life  companion 
whom  he  married  November  10,  1861.  Her 
maiden  name  was  Nancy  Hoskins,  daughter 
of  Harrison  and  Frances  (Kain)  Hoskins. 
Her  father  was  born  in  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, in  1803  and  died  in  1865,  at  the  age 
of  sixty-two  years.  Frances  Kain  was 
born  in  Pittsburg,  Pennsylvania,  in  1807, 
and  passed  to  her  rest  in  1887.  at  the  age 
of  eighty  years.  There  were  five  children 
in  the  family  of  our  subject's  wife's  parents, 
three  of  whom  are  now  living,  Nancy  be- 
ing the  second  child  in  order  of  birth.  The 
early  education  of  our  subject's  wife  was  re- 
ceived in  Clay,  near  Xenia,  Illinois.  Thus 
they  have  led  a  happy  and  harmonious  mar- 
ried life  of  forty-six  years.  No  children 
have  been  born  to  this  union. 

Mr.  Lovell  has  spent  most  of  his  life  in 
agricultural  pursuits,  making  a  pronounced 
success  of  the  same,  being  regarded  as  one 
of  the  leading  farmers  of  his  community. 
He  still  owns  forty-two  and  one-half  acres 
of  good  land.  In  1891  he  moved  to  Omega 
in  honorable  retirement.  He  followed  farm- 
ing until  fifty-three  years  of  age,  .then  he 
retired.  He  has  served  his  county  as  High- 


540 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


way  Commissioner  and  School  Director  for 
several  terms  in  a  most  efficient  and  consci- 
entious manner.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Army  of  the  Republic,  post  at  Kin- 
mundy,  and  is  a  member  of  the  Anti-Horse 
Thief  Association  of  the  state.  Politically 
he  believes  in  good  government  and  voted 
his  first  ballot  for  Abraham  Lincoln  in  Mc- 
Lean county,  Illinois,  in  1860.  Religiously 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
gets  a  service  pension  of  twelve  dollars  per 
month.  No  one  in  Omega  or  this  township 
is  better  known  than  our  subject. 


MRS.  NANCY  C.  BOYCE. 

This  estimable  lady  ranks  as  one  of  the 
popular  women  of  Marion  county,  where  she 
has  spent  her  entire  life,  having  lived  in 
such  a  manner  as  to  gain  the  undivided  re- 
spect and  good  will  of  all  who  know  her. 
She  is  a  woman  of  gracious  presence  and 
true  refinement,  and  the  family  home  over 
which  she  presides  is  a  center  of  generous 
cheer  and  hospitality — one  of  which  it  may 
well  be  said,  in  the  colloquial  phrase  of  the 
early  days,  that  the  latch  string  is  always 
out.  Her  life  has  been  one  of  mingled  joy 
and  sorrow,  but  withal  comfortable  and 
happy  and  she  can  now  at  the  threshold  of 
old  age  look  back  over  her  career  with  no 
compunction  or  regrets  for  wrong  doing  of 
any  kind. 

Nancy  C.  Boyce  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  May  13,  1856,  the  daughter 


of  John  and  Mary  J.  (See)  Boyce.  The  for- 
mer was  born  in  West  Virginia  in  1823, 
and  died  in  1872.  The  maiden  name  of  the 
subject's  mother  was  Mary  J.  French,  who 
was  born  in  Tennessee  in  1823,  and  who 
moved  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1832 
with  her  parents,  she  being  in  her  tenth 
year,  but  she  in  her  old  age  could  distinctly 
remember  the  primitive  condition  of  the 
.  country  and  much  regarding  the  manner  in 
which  they  lived  in  their  new  home  in  those 
pioneer  days. 

Our  subject  spent  her  maidenhood  under 
the  parental  roof  and  attended  such  primi- 
tive schools  as  the  times  afforded  for  a  few 
months  in  each  year  until  she  received  a 
fairly  good  common  school  education. 

The  subject's  parents  were  married  in 
1848,  and  reared  a  family  of  ten  children, 
four  of  whom  are  still  living  in  1908.  two 
boys  and  two  girls.  They  are  Elizabeth 
Pownas,  who  lives  in  Oklahoma:  John  S., 
lives  in  Omega  township,  and  Mason  G. 
See  lives  in  Arkansas;  our  subject  is  the 
fourth  one.  They  are  all  married  and  fair- 
ly well  situated  in  reference  to  this  world's 
affairs. 

George  R.  Boyce  married  Nancy  C.  See 
June  i,  1888,  and  two  sons  were  born  to 
this  union,  both  bright  and  interesting, 
namely:  Charles  W.  and  Chester  E.,  twins, 
who  were  bom  April  n.  1891. 

Mrs.  Nancy  C.  Boyce  is  the  owner  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  good  land  in 
Omega  township,  which  is  highly  improved 
and  under  a  fine  system  of  cultivation.  It 
has  been  most  carefully  managed  and  ex- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


541 


cellent  crops  are  reaped  off  the  same  from 
year  to  year.  The  crops  are  rotated  in 
proper  order  so  that  the  soil  is  not  per- 
mitted to  become  thin  or  wash  away.  A 
good  orchard  and  garden  are  also  on  the 
place,  and  the  subject's  residence  is  a  com- 
fortable, substantial  and  elegantly  furnished 
home. 

Our  subject  has  been  a  woman  of  heroic 
mould,  for  she  has  struggled  to  raise  her 
children  and  pay  for  the  farm,  but  she  has 
by  rare  business  acumen,  careful  manage- 
ment and  the  exercise  of  sound  judgment, 
succeeded  in  doing  both  and  she  is  now 
reaping  the  fruits  of  her  labors,  being  com- 
fortably situated  in  every  respect  and  her 
sons  have  been  given  every  possible  ad- 
vantage so  that  it  is  safe  to  predict  that 
they  will  have  successful  and  happy  futures. 
Mrs.  Boyce  has  a  host  of  warm  personal 
friends  in  her  community,  where  she  is  held 
in  high  esteem  by  everyone. 


JAMES  S.  HANKS. 

When  it  is  stated  that  the  subject  of  this 
review  had  made  his  home  for  more  than 
half  a  century  on  the  fine  farmstead  in  Ome- 
ga township,  where  he  now  resides,  there 
comes  the  incidental  revelation  that  he  is  to 
be  numbered  among  the  pioneers  of  the 
county,  although  he  was  not  of  that  body 
of  stern-visaged  men  who  blazed  the  trails 
of  the  early  settlers.  However,  Mr.  Hanks 
was  among  those  who  followed  in  the  foot- 


steps of  the  first  settler  and  helped  carry 
on  the  glorious  work  which  they  began  to 
such  opulent  issues  as  we  see  today. 

James  S.  Hanks  was  born  in  Warrick 
county,  Indiana,  August  14,  1851,  the  son 
of  Nicholas  A.  and  Cassinda  (Anderson) 
Hanks,  being  the  second  son  in  order  of 
birth  in  a  family  of  eight  children,  com- 
posed of  an  equal  number  of  boys  and  girls. 
The  early  education  of  our  subject  was  ob- 
tained in  the  district  schools  of  his  own 
home.  He  left  the  school  room  when 
eighteen  years  old  and  went  to  work  for  his 
father  on  the  farm.  Nicholas  A.  Hanks 
was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1799.  His  father, 
William  Hanks,  was  the  brother  of  Nancy 
Hanks,  mother  of  Abraham  Lincoln.  Nich- 
olas A.  Hanks  died  at  the  age  of  eighty-one 
years  in  the  year  1880,  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois. 

When  James  S.  Hanks  .reached  maturity 
he  married  his  first  wife,  Nancy  Simons, 
October  24,  1878,  and  to  this  union  three 
children  were  born,  namely :  Lulu,  deceased ; 
Ollie  married  Maud  Phillips  and  lives  in 
Xenia,  Clay  county,  Illinois ;  Lloyd  married 
Bessie  Combs  and  they  live  in  Omega  town* 
ship.  The  subject's  first  wife  passed  to  her 
rest  March  10,  1885,  and  Mr.  Hanks  was 
married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being 
Mrs.  Laura  Connelly,  of  Clay  county,  Il- 
linois. Her  maiden  name  was  Laura  Moni- 
cal,  the  daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Eliza- 
beth (Allen)  Monical,  she  being  the  eighth 
child  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  eight 
children,  an  equal  number  of  boys  and  girls. 
To  our  subject's  second  marriage  the  fol- 


542 


BHINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILL1NO1- 


lowing  children  were  born:  Fred  and  Guy, 
both  living  at  home. 

James  S.  Hanks  owns  the  old  homestead 
where  he  lives  a  very  prosperous  and  com- 
fortable life,  having  lived  here  for  the  past 
fifty-five  years,  during  which  time  he  has 
noted  the  great  progress  that  has  taken 
place  in  the  community  around  him,  and  he 
has  so  carefully  managed  this  farm  that  it 
is  as  productive  today  as  it  was  when  he 
first  took  charge  of  it.  He  owns  two  hun- 
dred and  forty-five  acres,  nearly  all  of 
which  is  under  cultivation.  He  has  a  fine 
orchard  of  two  acres,  consisting  of  a  splen- 
did variety  of  trees.  He  owns  a  good  grade 
of  live  stock,  being  an  especially  good  judge 
of  cattle  and  horses  which  are  well 
bred,  having  some  horses  sired  from 
Bonny  Blaze.  Eclipse,  Junior;  also  Mor- 
gan and  Coach,  all  well  known  and  much 
admired  by  all  who  have  seen  them.  He 
also  owns  some  fine  running  stock  which 
are  prize  takers.  He  always  keeps  a  large 
number  of  fine  Poland  China  hogs  which 
he  prepares  for  market,  feeding  the  corn 
that  the  place  produces  to  them  and  his 
other  stock.  His  cattle  are  mostly  Here- 
fords  and  Durhams. 

There  is  a  vast  improvement  in  Mr. 
Hanks'  place  compared  with  half  a  century 
ago,  when  he  first  began  to  work  on  it.  He 
cleared  the  major  portion  of  the  same  and 
placed  it  under  the  plow  and  harvester.  He 
has  shown  by  his  able  management  of  the 
farm  and  the  business  connected  therewith 
that  he  possesses  great  natural  ability  as  an 
agriculturist,  and  never  neglects  his  oppor- 


tunities. He  has  served  his  county  most 
efficiently  as  Supervisor  of  Omega  township 
for  two  terms;  as  Highway  Commissioner 
for  one  term. 

Politically  he  is  a  Democrat  and  always 
takes  a  great  interest  in  his  party's  affairs, 
believing  in  placing  the  best  men  possible 
in  the  local  offices.  He  cast  his  first  vote 
for  Horace  Greeley.  In  religious  matters  his 
mother  and  wife  are  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church.  His  father  was  never  a  mem- 
ber of  any  orthodox  body  of  believers, 
neither  was  our  subject.  He  carries  his 
'Christianity  in  his  deeds  of  kindness  and 
good  cheer  and  actual  benevolence.  He 
loves  nature  in  all  its  forms,  and  is  a 
pleasant  man  to  meet. 


WILLIAM  A.  JONES. 

To  indulge  in  prolix  encomium  of  a  life 
which  is  one  of  distinctive  modesty  and  un- 
pretentiousness  would  be  most  incongruous, 
and  yet  in  reviewing  the  career  of  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  who  is  one  of  the  ster- 
ling agriculturists  of  Omega  township.  Ma- 
rion county,  and  who  holds  a  position  of 
unequivocal  confidence  and  esteem  in  the 
community  in  which  he  has  long  lived  and 
labored  to  so  goodly  ends,  feelings  of  ad- 
miration are  prompted.  He  is  of  the  after- 
math of  the  hardy  pioneers  who  laid  the 
foundations  of  this  civilization. 

William  A.  Jones  was  born  in  Clay  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  April  4,  1859,  the  son  of  D.  G. 


iRINKERHOFF's    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


543 


and  Rebecca  (Ferris)  Jones,  being  the  fifth 
child  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  consist- 
ing of  eleven  children,  four  girls  and  seven 
boys.  The  subject's  parents  were  people  of 
many  praiseworthy  characteristics,  and  tried 
to  raise  their  children  to  be  noble  men  and 
women,  giving  them  every  advantage 
possible. 

The  early  education  of  our  subject  was 
obtained  in  the  district  schools  of  the  county 
of  his  birth  which  he  attended  until  he  was 
nearly  twenty-one  years  old.  In  the  mean- 
time he  was  assisting  with  the  farm  work 
at  home. 

When  he  reached  manhood  he  went  to 
work  for  his  father  on  the  home  place,  hav- 
ing been  given  a  chance  to  make  his  own 
way  in  the  world.  When  twenty-one  years 
old  he  was  united  in  marriage  on  March  2, 
1881,  to  Clara  Turner,  the  daughter  of  Al- 
fred and  Sarah  A.  (Perry)  Turner.  In  her 
family  were  eleven  children,  eight  girls  and 
three  boys,  Clara  being  the  fourth  child  in 
order  of  birth,  the  date  of  her  birth  having 
occurred  September  9,  1856,  in  Terre 
Haute,  Indiana.  This  union  has  been  a 
happy  and  harmonious  one  and  has  resulted 
in  the  birth  of  five  children,  four  of  whom 
are  living,  an  equal  number  of  boys  and 
girls,  namely:  Grover  C,  Murry,  Jessie 
and  Georgie  F.  These  children  are  all 
bright  and  are  living  at  home,  the  girls 
being  in  school  at  this  writing  (1908). 

D.  G.  Jones,  father  of  our  subject,  is  a 
lineal  descendant  of  Cherokee  Indians,  and 
the  family  is  proud  of  their  Indian  blood, 
and  they  should  be,  since  the  Cherokee  In- 


dians are  universally  regarded  as  the  most 
intelligent  and  highly  civilized  and  best  of 
all  the  Indian  tribes.  Some  of  the  ances- 
tors of  the  Jones  family  were  Marshalls. 
The  subject's  father  was  called  from  his 
earthly  labors  in  1886.  The  subject's 
mother,  a  fine  old  lady  of  beautiful  Chris- 
tian character,  is  living  in  Centralia,  this 
state,  at  the  advanced  age  of  eighty  years. 

William  A.  Jones  is  the  owner  of  two 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  well  improved 
land,  which  constitutes  one  of  the  finest 
farms  in  this  locality.  It  is  well  drained 
and  well  fenced,  and  the  crops  have  been 
so  rotated  as  to  preserve  the  original 
strength  of  the  soil.  General  farming  is 
carried  on  in  such  a  way  as  to  reward  our 
subject  with  rich  harvests  and  a  comfortable 
income  from  year  to  year.  Twenty-five 
acres  of  this  land  are  set  in  orchard  trees 
and  no  small  portion  of  the  income  off  the 
place  is  derived  from  them,  when  the  season 
is  favorable  for  fruit  growing.  Mr.  Jones 
takes  a  great  interest  in  his  orchard  and  is 
one  of  the  best  horticulturists  in  Omega 
township. 

Mr.  Jones  has  ably  served  his  community 
as  Township  Commissioner  for  a  period  of 
six  years,  as  School  Director  for  four  terms 
and  as  Township  Trustee  for  two  terms. 
He  has  been  frequently  called  to  adjust  and 
appraise  property.  In  all  the  capacities  in 
which  he  has  served  the  public  he  has  given 
entire  satisfaction  and  has  been  as  conscien- 
tious as  if  he  had  been  laboring  on  his  own 
affairs.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat  and 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Gen.  Winfield  Han- 


544 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


cock.  He  has  ever  taken  much  interest  in 
the  deliberations  of  his  party  and  given  his 
time  and  influence  to  its  support.  In  re- 
ligious matters  Mr.  Jones'  parents  were 
members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
South,  but  he  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  while  his  wife  is  a  faithful  supporter 
of  the  Southern  Methodist  church.  No 
man  in  Omega  township  is  better  or  more 
favorably  known  that  Mr.  Jones. 


J.  W.  SKIPWORTH. 

This  venerable  and  highly  hnored  citi- 
zen of  Centralia  is  eminently  entitled  to  con- 
spicuous mention  in  this  history,  owing  to 
the  fact  that  he  might  properly  be  called  a 
pioneer  of  this  section,  having  seen  and  par- 
ticipated in  the  development  of  the  same 
from  the  early  days  and  the  life  he  has  led 
is  one  of  commendation  and  worthy  of  emu- 
lation by  younger  generations,  for  it  has 
been  led  along  lines  of  usefulness  and  integ- 
rity. 

J.  W.  Skipworth  was  bom  in  Maury 
county,  Tennessee,  September  25,  1823, 
therefore  he  is  at  this  writing  in  his  eighty- 
sixth  year,  hale  and  hearty  as  a  boy,  active 
and  in  possession  of  all  his  faculties  as  if  he 
were  many  years  younger.  His  parents, 
Hosea  and  Cassander  (Ward)  Skipworth, 
were  both  natives  of  North  Carolina,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  1776.  The  pa- 
ternal grandfather  of  the  subject,  Nathan 
Skipworth,  was  in  the  American  army  at 
the  time  of  the  Revolutionary  war  for  a  pe- 


riod of  six  years.  Our  subject  was  present 
at  his  death.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
the  parents  of  the  subject,  four  boys  and 
an  equal  number  of  girls.  J.  W.,  the 
youngest  of  the  number,  is  the  only  one  liv- 
ing in  1908. 

Captain  Ward,  the  father  of  our  subject's, 
mother,  owned  and  operated  a  merchant 
sailing  vessel  on  the  Atlantic  ocean  from 
Wilmington,  Delaware,  to  Liverpool  , Eng- 
land. This  was  before  the  days  of  the  Revo- 
lution. 

Hosea  Skipworth,  the  subject's  father  left 
Tennessee  and  came  to  Illinois  because  he 
was  opposed  to  slavery  and  the  seceding  of 
the  Southern  states  from  the  Union. 

Our  subject  was  five  years  old  when  his 
parents  moved  to  Lebanon,  Illinois,  settling 
on  .a  farm.  Hosea  Skipworth  died  at  Leb- 
anon in  1832,  his  widow  having  survived 
until  1846,  having  died  two  miles  south  of 
Centralia,  Marion  county.  Our  subject's 
education  was  obtained  at  Centralia.  He 
lived  in  that  vicinity  until  he  was  sixty  years 
old,  when  he  moved  to  Centralia  in  1873. 
He  followed  farming,  trading  and  stock 
shipping.  Our  subject  saw  Centralia  grow 
from  a  wilderness  which  abounded  in 
wolves,  deer,  wild  cats  and  some  bear,  when 
there  were  no  houses  except  cabins  in  the 
woods,  from  one-half  to  three  miles  apart. 
The  country  round  about  was  open  prairie. 
Most  of  the  residents  of  this  community 
lived  on  wild  meats  during  the  winter,  such 
as  deer,  prairie  chicken,  quail,  wild  turkey 
and  squirrels.  Often  as  many  as  one  thou- 
sand prairie  chickens  were  seen  in  one  flock. 
Deer  was  more  plentiful  than  cattle  is  now. 


J.  W.  SKIPWORTH. 


liKlXKKKHOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLTNO1? 


545 


The  wolves  killed  the  sheep  and  pigs.  The 
bridges  were  all  built  by  the  nieghbors,  being 
constructed  of  heavy  logs. 

The  subject  recalls  the  campaign  of  James 
K.  Polk  for  President,  when  the  wagons 
throughout  the  country  were  decorated  with 
polk-berry  stain  and  those  taking  part  in 
the  parades  and  rallies  used  polk-stalks  for 
canes.  The  market  post  for  all  trade  was 
sixty-five  miles  away,  St.  Louis.  The  hogs 
were  fattened  for  the  most  part  on  wild' 
nuts  or  mast.  It  was  then  the  custom  for 
several  neighbors  to  place  their  hogs  in  one 
drove  and  drive  them  to  St.  Louis  for  mar- 
ket. Mr.  Skipworth  says  that  the  amuse- 
ments in  those  days  consisted  principally  in 
shooting-matches,  dances  or  "hoedowns," 
also  horse  races.  The  first  choice  of  a  beef 
was  its  hide,  tallow  and  horns;  meat  was 
the  second  choice.  July  4th  always  called 
for  a  big  barbecue  of  beeves,  mutton  or 
pork,  cooked  in  large  trenches.  The  Dec- 
laration of  Independence  was  always  read, 
the  drum  and  fife  were  very  popular  and 
the  orator  of  the  day  was  in  evidence.  Dur- 
ing election  times  the  candidates  furnished 
kegs  of  whisky,  which  was  poured  into 
buckets,  by  which  sat  a  tin  cup,  and  each 
one  helped  himself.  The  bucket  always 
bore  the  name  erf  the  candidate.  Where  the 
railroad  yard  is  now  located  in  Centralia 
our  subject  says,  he  once  saw  a  thousand 
wild  geese  and  as  many  ducks  in  the  water. 
The  swampy  place  was  filled  with  cinders 
and  made  solid. 

It  was  1835  when  our  subject  came  to 
Marion  county,  through  which  no  railroad 
35 


was  built  until  1854.  Coal  mines  were  then 
unknown  and  government  land  and  "squat- 
ter sovereignty"  were  the  conditions  prevail- 
ing here.  Not  one  man  in  twenty  owned  his 
land.  It  was  the  cheaper  not  to  own  land, 
for  then  there  were  no  taxes  to  pay. 
The  first  land  sold  for  one  dollar  and  twen- 
ty-five cents  per  acre,  then  two  dollars  and 
fifty  cents  per  acre.  When  the  Vandalia 
Railroad  came  through  in  1852  the  farmers 
bid  in  all  their  land;  then  came  the  specu- 
lators. This  land  now  sells  for  one  hun- 
dred dollars  per  acre. 

Mr.  Skipworth  was  married  to  Martha 
Crabtree,  daughter  of  William  and  Mary 
Crabtree,  who  lived  in  Jefferson  county,  lat- 
er moved  to  Southwest  Missouri.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  children,  the  subject's 
wife  being  next  to  the  youngest  in  order  of 
birth.  The  date  of  the  subject's  wedding 
was  January  3,  1841.  The  subject's  wife 
had  three  brothers  in  the  Mexican  war.  Four 
children  were  born  to  our  subject  and  his 
first  wife,  namely:  Julian,  deceased;  John 
H.,  deceased;  Ellen,  living;  Virenda,  de- 
ceased. The  first  wife  of  the  subject  passed 
away  April  4,  1854,  and  on  May  29,  1855, 
Mr.  Skipworth  was  married  to  Nellie  Hos- 
kins.  Eight  children  have  been  born  to  this 
union,  namely :  Louisa,  who  married  Phillip 
Straus,  living  in  Chicago;  Charles,  who  died 
in  1875 ;  Rhoda  married  Edward  Root,  liv- 
ing in  Chicago,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
one  son,  Charles.  The  other  five  children 
of  the  subject  and  his  last  wife  have  all 
passed  away. 

Mr.   Skipworth  ably  served  his  commu- 


546 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


nity  as  School  Director  for  a  period  of  fifteen 
years.  He  first  voted  for  John  Crane,  of 
Nashville,  then  the  county  seat,  Mr.  Crane 
making  the  race  for  the  Legislature  from 
Washington  county.  Our  subject  was  then 
eighteen  years  old.  He  cast  his  first  vote  for 
President  for  James  K.  Polk  in  1844,  and 
voted  for  Abraham  Lincoln  twice,  but  since 
then  has  voted  the  Democratic  ticket.  Relig- 
iously he  was  reared  a  Protestant  Methodist, 
but  is  not  a  member  of  that  church,  and  he 
was  at  one  time  an  Odd  Fellow,  of  the  Cen- 
tralia  lodge.  Our  subject  has  been  prosper- 
ous during  his  long  and  active  life,  and  he 
now  owns  three  valuable  lots  in  Centralia,  on 
which  he  makes  his  home,  surrounded  by 
poultry  and  pigs,  and  he  enjoys  the  peaceful 
retirement  of  his  twilight  of  life,  happy  in 
the  thought  that  his  life  has  been  well  spent 
and  his  old  age  is  free  from  regret  or  trouble. 
He  is  known  as  a  man  of  scrupulous  honesty, 
careful  and  judicious  in  all  his  dealings  with 
his  fellow  men,  and  he  enjoys  wide  acquaint- 
ance throughout  the  county,  where  he  num- 
bers his  friends  by  the  hundreds. 


WILLAM   H.   GRAY. 

An  enumeration  of  the  enterprising  men 
of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  who  have  won 
recognition  and  success  for  themselves  and 
at  the  same  time  have  conferred  honor  upon 
the  community  would  be  incomplete  were 
there  failure  to  make  mention  of  the  popu- 
lar gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this  re- 


view. He  holds  worthy  prestige  in  business 
circles,  and  has  always  been  distinctively  a 
man  of  affairs  and  wields  a  wide  influence 
among  those  with  whom  his  lot  has  been 
cast,  having  won  definite  success  and  shown 
what  a  man  with  lofty  principles,  honesty 
of  purpose  and  determination  can  win  while 
yet  young  in  years.  In  both  banking  and 
agricultural  circles  Mr.  Gray  stands  in  the 
front  rank  of  the  men  who  honor  these 
callings  in  this  county  and  because  of  his 
industry,  integrity  and  courtesy  he  is  a  man 
to  whom  the  future  holds  much  of  promise 
and  reward. 

William  Harvey  Gray  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1876,  the  son 
of  James  Robert  and  Nancy  Illinois  Gray 
(nee  Boothe).  James  Harvey  Gray,  grand- 
father of  our  subject,  was  born  in  Maury 
county,  Tennessee,  and  was  brought  to  this 
county  by  his  parents  when  four  years  of 
age.  His  father,  James  Gray,  was  the  son 
of  William  Gray,  the  great-great-grand- 
father of  our  subject.  William  Gray  was 
born  in  North  Carolina  and  moved  to 
Maury  county,  Tennessee.  He  married  a 
young  lady  by  the  name  of  McNabb  in  the 
year  of  1776.  Five  sons  were  born  to  them, 
James,  Joseph,  William,  John  and  Samuel. 
William  Gray  was  a  soldier  in  the  American 
Revolution  and  was  also  in  the  Indian  wars 
of  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  He  was  a 
farmer  by  occupation.  He  had  one  brother 
by  the  name  of  James  Gray.  William  Gray 
died  when  about  the  age  of  eighty-three. 

James  Gray,  great-grandfather  of  our 
subject,  was  born  in  Maury  county,  Ten- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


547 


nessee,  June  20,  1789.  He  married  Martha 
Den  ton  in  the  year  1808  and  moved  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1828,  and  settled 
the  old  homestead  on  section  10,  being  one 
of  the  first  settlers  of  the  county.  They  had 
four  sons,  Joseph,  William  Harrison, 
James  Harvey  and  Isaac  Denton.  James 
Gray  was  called  into  the  United  States'  ser- 
vice by  the  Governor's  proclamation  dated 
April  19,  1832.  He  enlisted  as  second  lieu- 
tenant of  Spy  Battalion,  First  Brigade  of 
the  Illinois  Mounted  Volunteers.  He  had 
one  horse  shot  from  under  him  and  was  on 
furlough  August  n,  1832,  and  honorably 
discharged  August  i6th,  having  served  un- 
der Capt.  William  N.  Dobbins.  He  also 
served  in  the  Creek  and  Indian  war  and  the 
Black  Hawk  war.  He  was  a  powerful  man 
physically,  having  measured  six  feet  two 
inches  and  weighing  two  hundred  ten 
pounds.  He  was  the  first  Justice  of  the 
Peace  in  Kinmundy  township,  which  office 
he  held  until  his  death.  He  also  sowed  the 
first  timothy  seed  in  this  township  in  1843. 
He  and  his  brother  Joseph  furnished  to 
the  settlers  the  first  sawed  lumber,  which 
they  sawed  with  a  whipsaw.  He  also 
taught  school  in  a  cabin  in  the  neighborhood. 
The  early  preachers  of  the  Baptist  and  Cum- 
berland Presbyterian  denominations  held 
meeting  in  his  home.  He  died  suddenly  by 
an  accident  on  October  3,  1835,  leaving  a 
widow  and  family  of  eight  children. 

His  widow,  Martha  Gray,  entered  eighty 
acres  of  land  February  13,  1837,  where 
they  started  their  improvements.  It  was  the 
west  half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 


10,  Kinmundy  township.  The  following 
fall  she  entered  forty  acres  more  in  the 
same  section.  She  was  born  in  April,  1786, 
and  departed  this  life  May  27,  1844. 

James  Harvey  Gray,  the  grandfather  of 
our  subject,  was  born  in  Maury  county, 
Tennessee,  April  25,  1825,  and  as  stated 
above  came  to  this  county  when  four  years 
old.  He  began  life's  struggle  at  the  age 
of  ten  by  first  making  a  crop  for  his  mother. 
Full  of  ambition,  grit  and  energy  he  was 
successful  from  the  start,  though  so  young. 
At  the  age  of  eighteen,  it  may  be  said,  he 
commenced  life  for  himself,  purchasing  a 
yoke  of  cattle  and  a  horse  on  credit.  He 
remained,  however,  on  the  old  place  putting 
in  crops  until  ready  to  invest  in  a  piece  of 
land,  which  he  did  at  the  age  of  twenty-six 
by  making  a  purchase  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres,  partly  paying  therefor  with 
money  borrowed.  From  that  time  his  ca- 
reer was  onward.  He  rapidly  accumulated 
property  by  his  just  and  upright  dealings, 
adding  acre  to  acre  until  he  could  look  over 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  land,  all  of  which 
was  in  one  body,  and  call  it  his  own.  He 
also  had  other  valuable  property.  He  was 
a  man  of  powerful  mental  ability  and  men 
would  go  to  him  for  advice  and  he  was 
always  glad  to  aid  his  fellowman.  Mr. 
Gray  at  the  age  of  nineteen  years  and 
seven  months  was  married  November  28, 
1844,  to  Susanna  Jane  Hanna,  who  was 
born  October  18,  1824,  and  departed  this 
life  December  24,  1862.  To  this  union 
five  children  were  born.  A  second  marriage 
was  contracted  with  Margaret  Lucinda 


548 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Hanna  in  1863.  This  lady,  to  whom  three 
children  were  bom,  died  in  1871.  In  the 
year  of  1872  Mr.  Gray  united  in  marriage 
with  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Boothe,  widow  of  Col. 
James  W.  Boothe,  who  commanded  the 
Fortieth  Illinois  Infantry  during  the  Civil 
war.  Before  this  he  was  first  lieutenant  in 
the  Mexican  war  and  was  at  the  battle  of 
Vera  Cruz  and  Cerro  Gordo.  Mr.  Gray  did 
not  enjoy  the  advantages  of  an  education, 
being  too  early  deprived  of  a  father  and 
compelled,  being  the  eldest  son  at  home,  to 
care  for  the  family.  He  was  a  natural 
mathematician  and  could  calculate  mentally 
the  amount  of  anything  almost  instantly. 
He  was  six  feet  tall,  stood  erect  and  was 
well  formed.  His  temperament  was  bilious, 
nervous  and  sanguine.  He  was  fitted  for  the 
execution  and  power  to  endure  both  mental 
and  physical  labor.  Mr.  Gray  was  one  of 
the  original  stockholders  of  the  Farmers' 
and  Merchants'  Bank  of  Kinmundy,  which 
was  organized  in  January,  1870,  soon  after- 
wards became  president,  which  position  he 
held  during  his  life.  It  was  known  as  a 
co-partnership  or  private  bank.  The  stock 
was  held  by  himself,  his  widow  and  T.  \V. 
Haymond,  cashier,  at  the  time  of  his  death. 
Mr.  Haymond  died  shortly  after  Mr.  Gray. 
The  bank  was  closed  by  Mrs.  Gray,  the  only 
surviving  stockholder,  through  the  subject 
of  our  sketch.  Mr.  Gray  was  a  man  that 
enjoyed  his  home  life  and  visitors  were  sure 
of  receiving  a  warm  welcome  at  his  fire- 
side. He  belonged  to  Kinmundy  Lodge 
No.  398,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Ma- 
sons, also  a  member  of  Rosedale  Lodge  No. 


354.  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows. 
In  his  religious  views  he  was  a  Cumberland 
Presbyterian.  In  politics,  he  was  a  Demo- 
crat of  the  old  Jeffersonian  school.  He  lived 
on  the  old  homestead  seventy-two  years, 
outliving  all  of  his  children.  He  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-six  years  and  six  months  on 
October  25,  1901. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gray,  widow  of  James  H. 
Gray  and  grandmother  of  our  subject,  was 
born  May  13,  1827,  in  Indiana,  later  com- 
to  Illinois  in  February,  1858,  locating  in 
Kinmundy.  Daniel  Clark,  the  father  of 
Mrs.  Gray  and  a  blacksmith  by  trade,  lived 
to  be  over  seventy  years  old.  Her  mother 
lived  to  be  about  ninety-six  years  of  age. 
Mrs.  Gray  was  first  married  to  James  W. 
Boothe  May  i,  1851.  To  this  union  five 
children  were  bom.  Mr.  Boothe  was  born 
October  9,  1820,  and  died  February  17, 
1863.  Mrs.  Gray  married  James  H.  Gray 
in  1872.  At  this  writing  Mrs.  Gray  is  hale 
and  hearty  and  her  mind  is  clear,  quick  and 
active.  Since  1901  she  has  made  two  trips 
to  the  Pacific  coast  and  is  now  past  the 
eighty-first  mile-stone  in  her  journey 
through  life.  As  time  passes  swiftly  she 
pieces  quilts  and  makes  fancy  pillows  so  as 
not  to  have  any  idle  moments  in  her  life.  In 
her  religious  views  she  is  a  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  and  is  a  member  of  that 
church. 

James  Robert  Gray,  father  of  our  sub- 
ject, was  born  July  2,  1854,  on  the  old 
homestead.  He  married  Nancy  Illinois 
Boothe  August  19,  1875.  Two  sons  were 
born  to  them,  William  Harvey,  our  subject, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


549 


and  James  Lemon,  who  died  when  about 
six  months  old.  James  R.  Gray  departed 
this  life  September  8,  1880,  after  a  use- 
ful and  active  career  filled  with  good  deeds. 
William  Harvey  Gray  was  born  April  12, 
1876,  as  indicated  in  a  preceding  paragraph. 
He  attended  the  district  school  near  the  old 
homestead,  later  attending  the  public 
school  in  Kinmundy,  and  from  there  to  St. 
Louis,  where  he  completed  a  thorough 
course  in  banking  and  general  business  in 
the  Bryant  and  Stratton  Business  College. 
After  graduating  from  this  institution  he 
went  to  Raymond,  Illinois,  and  engaged  in 
the  general  mercantile  business  for  two 
years,  when  he  sold  out  on  account  of  his 
grandfather's  death  and  the  death  of  Mr. 
Haymond,  returning  to  Kinmundy  to  set- 
tle up  the  business  of  the  Farmers'  and  Mer- 
chants' Bank,  of  which,  at  that  time  as 
stated  before,  Mrs.  Elizabeth  Gray  was  the 
sole  surviving  partner.  He  settled  up  the 
affairs  of  that  institution,  paying  the  de- 
positors in  full  in  less  than  sixty  days  from 
the  time  the  bank  was  closed  on  December 
4,  1901.  He  then  was  a  main  factor  in  or- 
ganizing The  Haymond  State  Bank,  becom- 
ing cashier  of  the  same  and  holding  that 
position  until  its  consolidation  with  the 
First  National  Bank  on  August  15,  1906. 
During  this  time  he  assisted  in  the  settling 
up  of  his  grandfather's  large  estate.  After 
the  consolidation  of  the  banks  our  subject 
resigned,  taking  the  active  management  of 
his  real  estate  properties  which  were  ex- 
tensive. He  now  owns  two  hundred  and 
eighty  acres  of  the  old  homestead  property 


which  has  never  left  the.  control  of  the 
Gray  family  from  the  time  the  grandfather 
bought  it.  In  all  he  owns  one  thousand 
acres  of  improved  land,  mostly  prairie.  He 
rents  this  out,  reserving  the  control  of  the 
method  of  cultivation  so  that  the  soil  may 
be  kept  in  good  productive  condition.  The 
fences  are  mostly  of  wire,  the  fields  drain 
naturally  and  general  farming  is  successfully 
carried  on.  Mr.  Gray  is  one  of  the  directors 
of  the  Kinmundy  Building  and  Loan  As- 
sociation, having  been  first  elected  in  1902, 
being  elected  treasurer  in  1907  and  presi- 
dent in  1908.  He  was  married  on  March 
20,  1900,  to  Mrs.  Winifred  Grady  (nee 
Shultz),  of  Olney,  Illinois.  She  is  the  rep- 
resentative of  a  well  known  and  influential 
family  of  that  place.  Mrs.  Grady's  father, 
Charles  Shultz,  came  to  America  from  Ger- 
many when  fourteen  years  of  age,  settling 
first  in  New  York  City,  later  coming  to 
Olney,  Illinois,  where  he  now  lives  engaged 
in  general  merchandise  business.  Mr. 
Shultz  was  married  in  Olney  to  Sarah  Eliza- 
beth Gaddy  and  ten  children  were  born  to 
this  union,  Mrs.  Gray,  our  subject's  wife, 
being  the  seventh  in  order  of  birth.  The 
commodious  and  well  furnished  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Gray  has  been  blessed  with 
the  presence  of  three  bright  and  interesting 
children,  Elizabeth,  Anna  Winifred  and 
James  Harvey.  One  singular,  interesting 
and  enjoyable  feature  in  the  life  of  our 
subject  is  that  for  fifteen  years  there  were 
four  generations  living  under  one  roof,  and 
for  the  past  eight  years,  and  at  the  present 
time,  there  are  four  generations  living.  Our 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


subject  is  the  only  one  left  to  perpetuate 
the  name  of  his  grandfather,  James  H. 
Gray.  He  is  a  member  of  Kinmundy 
Lodge  No.  398,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons;  Salem  Chapter  No.  64,  Royal 
Arch  Masons;  Cyrene  Commandery  No. 
23,  Knights  Templar,  Centralia,  Illinois ; 
Oriental  Consistory,  S.  P.  R.  S.,  and  Me- 
dina Temple,  Ancient  Arabic  Order  Nobles 
of  Mystic  Shrine,  Chicago,  Illinois.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  being  a  trustee  in  the  same  and  was 
treasurer  of  the  building  committee  when 
the  new  structure  was  erected  in  1905.  In 
politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  while  he 
has  never  aspired  to  positions  of  public 
trust  at  the  hands  of  his  fellow  voters,  in 
matters  pertaining  to  the  welfare  of  his 
township,  county  and  state  he  is  greatly 
interested  and  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  the 
general  progress  has  been  far-reaching  and 
beneficial.  Mr.  Gray's  name  is  associated 
with  progress  in  the  county  of  his  birth 
and  among  those  in  whose  midst  he  has 
always  lived  he  is  held  in  the  highest  es- 
teem by  reason  of  an  upright  life  and  of 
fidelity  to  principles  which  in  every  land  and 
clime  command  respect. 


CHARLES  DEAN. 

Americans  are  not  hampered  by  the 
shackles  of  class  distinction  and  it  is  every 
one's  privilege  to  build  the  structure  of  his 
life  as  he  sees  fit.  This  gives  us  what  is 


often  termed  the  self-made  man,  a  good  ex- 
ample of  which  is  found  in  the  subject  of 
our  sketch,  Charles  Dean,  of  Alma  township, 
Marion  county.  Mr.  Dean  is  a  descendant 
of  that  sturdy  type  of  pioneers  that  pushed 
westward  along  the  highway  marked  out  by 
Daniel  Boone  in  the  early  days  of  our 
country's  history.  His  father,  Samuel 
Dean,  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  and  his 
mother,  Cerena  (Bishop)  Dean,  was  born 
in  Tennessee.  When  he  was  quite  young  his 
mother  died,  leaving  the  father  surviving 
with  several  children.  Thrown  largely  upon 
his  own  resources  thus  early  in  life,  the  boy 
developed  that  spirit  of  self-reliance  and 
energy  that  forms  such  a  marked  character- 
istic of  the  self-made  American. 

In  1875  Mr.  Dean  was  married  to  Sarah 
E.  Rush,  who  was  born  in  Marion  county. 
Illinois,  November  14,  1851.  She  was  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Rebecca  (Hatfield) 
Rush,  the  latter  still  living  at  the  age  of 
seventy-three  years,  in  1908. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Dean  have  become  the  par- 
ents of  three  children,  two  of  whom,  Dollie 
and  Daisy,  died  when  quite  young;  the 
third,  Noah,  is  now  a  practicing  physician 
at  Alma.  As  a  boy  he  showed  a  keen  in- 
terest in  his  studies  and  manifested  consid- 
erable aptitude  for  the  study  of  natural 
phenomena. 

As  he  approached  manhood  he  decided  to 
make  medicine  his  profession,  and  his  suc- 
cess in  this  field  demonstrated  his  fitness  for 
his  chosen  calling.  He  resolved  to  pursue 
his  medical  studies  at  some  school  of  un- 
impeachable reputation,  and  finally  entered 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


551 


the  Iowa  State  Medical  College,  Keokuk, 
Iowa.  Here  he  applied  himself  so  vigorous- 
ly that  he  soon  attracted  the  interest  of  the 
instructors  and  won  the  admiration  of  his 
classmates.  His  previous  experience  of 
four  years  as  a  teacher  in  the  Marion  county 
public  schools,  gave  him  a  broad  founda- 
tion for  his  later  efforts  and  he  finished  his 
work  with  a  standing  of  third  in  the  gradu- 
ating class.  Since  establishing  himself  in 
practice  he  has  joined  in  marriage  to  Miss 
Ester  Delassus,  of  Patoka,  a  lady  of  most 
excellent  culture  and  accomplishments. 

As  a  result  of  his  years  of  hard  and 
steady  work,  Charles  Dean  has  brought  his 
farm  of  eighty  acres  to  a  high  degree  of 
productiveness  and  has  gained  a  wide  repu- 
tation as  a  stockdealer,  rivaling  in  this  re- 
spect the  excellent  reputation  of  his  father 
before  him.  Although  a  Democrat  in  poli- 
tics, Mr.  Dean  has  never  given  any  atten- 
tion to  questionable  political  methods,  stand- 
ing at  all  times  for  a  square  deal  for  every- 
body concerned.  He  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  denomination  and  are 
held  in  high  esteem  by  both  neighbors  and 
friends. 


MRS.  HARRIET  TUBES. 

One  of  the  most  highly  respected  and  be- 
loved of  the  elderly  ladies  now  living  in 
Omega  township  is  she  whose  name  intro- 
duces this  biography,  a  woman  whose  life 
path,  like  many  another,  has  led  along  val- 
levs  and  hill  crests  of  sunshine  and  shadow. 


but  it  has  been  replete  with  happiness  and 
her  skies  have  held  more  blue  than  gray, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  early  in  life  she 
adopted  principles  of  right  living,  posses- 
sing a  beautiful  Christian  character  and  al- 
ways ready  to  bear  her  just  share  of  the 
necessary  burdens  and  household  duties  as 
the  years  filed  past,  and  as  a  result  of  such 
a  noteworthy  career  Mrs.  Tubbs  has  always 
made  and  retained  hosts  of  warm  personal 
friends. 

Mrs.  Harriet  Tubbs  was  born  in  Jennings 
county,  Indiana,  July  3,  1820,  and  will, 
therefore  be  eighty-nine  years  old  her  next 
birthday.  Her  maiden  name  was  Harriet 
Smith,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Jennie 
Smith,  a  member  of  a  family  of  ten  chil- 
dren, an  equal  number  of  boys  and  girls, 
all  living  to  manhood  and  womanhood,  our 
subject  being  the  fifth  child  in  order  of 
birth.  Her  mother's  maiden  name  was  Jen- 
nie Jones,  who  came  from  New  Albany, 
New  York,  where  her  parents  spent  the  ma- 
jor portion  of  their  lives  and  where  their 
four  children  were  born  and  reared.  Thomas 
Smith,  her  father,  was  born  near  New  Al- 
bany on  a  farm,  where  he  grew  to  manhood. 
His  father,  Samuel  Smith,  served  as  a  sol- 
dier for  seven  years  in  the  Revolutionary 
war.  In  1829  he  came  to  Jennings  county, 
Indiana,  where  he  spent  the  last  days  of  his 
life  with  his  son  and  family  of  Thomas 
Smith.  He  lived  to  be  ninety  years  of  age. 

Harriet  Smith  spent  her  youth  at  home, 
and  received  her  education  in  the  subscrip- 
tion schools  of  that  community,  where  she 
received  a  fairly  good  education,  having  ap- 


552 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


plied  herself  in  a  diligent  manner,  despite 
the  disadvantages  encountered,  sometimes 
having  to  go  through  blazed  trails  in  the 
woods  three  or  four  miles  on  the  farm 
which  her  father  had  taken  from  the  gov- 
ernment. In  is  interesting  to  hear  our  sub- 
ject tell  of  those  early  times  when  the  coun- 
try was  yet  overrun  with  Indians  and  deer 
abounded  in  great  herds,  and  there  was  also 
plenty  of  bear  and  other  wild  animals.  Her 
father  and  uncle  took  six  hundred  and  forty 
acres  of  timbered  land,  which,  by  hard  work 
they  developed  into  fine  farms.  This  family 
was  of  Methodist  faith.  Preachers  were 
very  scarce  and  were  often  called  "saddle- 
bag ministers"  from  the  fact  that  they  al- 
ways rode  with  a  leather  pouch  on  their 
saddle  in  which  their  Bible  and  hymn  books 
were  carried.  Her  parents  crossed  Sand 
Creek  in  a  canoe  in  order  to  attend  church 
in  the  school-house  where  it  was  then  held, 
also  sometimes  in  the  houses  of  the  set- 
lers. 

At  the  advanced  age  of  eighty-eight,  in 
1908.  our  subject's  mind  is  remarkably 
clear  and  she  reverts  to  these  early  times 
with  much  pleasure  and  clearly  elucidates 
upon  them.  She  is  hale  and  hearty,  sleeps 
well,  eats  heartily  and  sees  and  hears  well, 
retaining  to  a  remarkable  degree  all  her  fac- 
ulties, and  she  assists  with  the  work  in  the 
home,  that  of  her  son,  Calvin,  and  daughter, 
Ella,  who  live  on  a  sixty  acre  farm,  forty 
of  which  lie  in  this  timber,  the  other  part 
being  under  good  cultivation,  producing  ex- 
cellent crops  from  year  to  year  and  yielding 
the  family  a  comfortable  living.  Politically 
her  parents  were  Republicans. 


\Yhen  the  Indians  visited  Grandma  Tubbs 
in  an  effort  to  get  something  to  eat,  she  al- 
ways gave  them  good  measure  and  they  al- 
luded to  her  as  "good  squaw."  She  was 
never  stingy  with  them  and  she  always  had 
their  good  will. 

Mrs.  Tubbs'  husband  has  been  dead  over 
thirty-four  years,  since  which  time  she  and 
her  son  have  kept  the  farm  running  and 
have  made  the  living  for  the  household. 

Our  subject  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, about  forty-five  years  ago  and  settled 
one  and  one  fourth  miles  west  of  Omega, 
on  a  forty  acre  farm.  She  is  the  mother  of 
six  children,  two  boys  and  four  girls,  named 
in  order  of  birth,  as  follows :  Calvin,  who 
was  born  in  1842;  Bula,  who  was  born  in 
1844;  Mary,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred 
in  1846;  Jennie,  who  first  saw  the  light  of 
day  in  1850;  Ella,  whose  date  of  birth  fell 
in  1856;  George,  who  was  born  in  1859. 
They  are  all  living.  Bula  married  Wil- 
liam Garges,  living  near  luka,  Illinois,  and 
has  a  family  of  three  sons.  Mary  married 
Hiram  Chesley,  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
who  lives  in  Louisville,  Illinois.  Jennie 
married  William  Switzer,  and  they  have 
four  children,  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
Lena  married  Irvin  Jones,  and  who  has 
two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl.  George 
Tubbs  married  Florence  Robison  and  they 
have  one  son,  Elmer.  Mrs.  Harriet  Tubbs 
has  seven  grandchildren  and  four  great- 
grandchildren, all  living  in  Illinois.  "Grand- 
ma Tubbs,"  as  she.  is  often  familiarly  called 
in  her  community,  is  much  admired  by  all 
classes  and  her  very  comfortable  home 
is  often  visited  by  her  many  friends,  who 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


553 


delight  in  showing  her  every  courtesy  and 
to  share  her  optimistic  mind  and  the  sun- 
shine of  her  nature. 


WILLIAM  H.  LESEMAN. 

From  many  parts  of  the  world  people 
have  come  to  enjoy  the  advantages  of  the 
great  state  of  Illinois,  and  few  have  re- 
gretted their  coining.  Although  the  per- 
centage of  Prussians,  compared  with  the 
number  of  inhabitants  of  that  country  and 
the  number  of  immigrants  from  her  sister 
nations  who  have  settled  in  the  land  of  the 
free,  is  not  large,  those  found  in  this  state 
are  most  progressive  and  they  are  always 
regarded  as  loyal  and  law-abiding  citizens. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  no  exception  to 
the  general  rule. 

William  H.  Leseman  was  bom  in  Price 
Ninon,  near  Backonen,  Prussia,  October  10, 
1834,  and  when  ten  years  of  age  was 
brought  to  America  by  his  parents  in  1843, 
first  settling  in  Washington  county,  this 
state,  but  not  finding  conditions  exactly  to 
their  tastes  there,  finally  came  on  to  Marion 
county,  where  they  located  in  August  of 
1884,  and  where  they  soon  became  assim- 
ilated with  the  new  conditions  and  civiliza- 
tion, developing  a  good  farm  from  the  un- 
improved soil  which  they  secured. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Henry  and 
Christina  Leseman,  whose  family  consisted 
of  three  sons  and  an  equal  number  of 
daughters,  William,  our  subject,  having 


been  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  He  is 
the  only  one  of  the  family  now  living. 

After  receiving  what  education  he  could 
in  the  common  schools  of  this  county  and 
working  on  his  father's  farm,  until  he  had 
reached  manhood,  our  subject  married 
Catherine  Dewyer  June  18,  1862,  and  soon 
thereafter  began  to  work  for  himself  on  the 
farm.  James  and  Catherine  Dewyer  were 
the  parents  of  our  subject's  wife.  There 
were  eight  children  in  this  family,  an  equal 
number  of  boys  and  girls,  Catherine,  the 
wife  of  the  subject,  being  the  youngest  and 
the  only  one  of  the  children  now  living. 

The  following  children  have  been  born 
to  our  subject  and  wife,  there  being  eight, 
seven  of  whom  are  still  living ;  Eddie,  de- 
deased ;  Katie,  Henry,  James,  Albert.  Wil- 
liam. Alice  and  Walter. 

Mr.  Leseman  is  the  owner  of  one  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  of  very  fertile  land,  lo- 
cated in  Alma  township,  all  under  a  high 
state  of  cultivation.  He  carries  on  a  general 
farming  with  that  discretion  and  energy 
that  always  insure  success  and  as  a  result 
of  his  able  management  of  the  place  he 
reaps  excellent  harvests  from  year  to  year, 
making  a  comfortable  living,  and  laying  up 
an  ample  competency  for  his  old  age.  He 
keeps  his  fields  in  an  excellent  condition, 
carefully  rotating  his  crops  and  thereby  re- 
taining the  original  richness  of  the  soil.  He 
has  a  good  and  comfortable  dwelling  which 
is  nicely  furnished,  and  also  a  good  barn, 
and  considerable  farming  machinery,  and 
good  stock.  All  this  he  has  made  himself 
by  his  own  energy  and  wise  economy. 


554 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


In  politics  our  subject  is  a  loyal  Repub- 
lican and  takes  a  great  interest  in  political 
affairs.  In  his  religious  belief  he  seems  to 
favor  the  Methodist  denomination,  how- 
ever, his  parents  were  always  Lutherans  in 
the  Fatherland.  The  faith  of  the  subject's 
wife's  people  was  that  of  the  Catholic  be- 
lief, however,  they  later  turned  Protestant, 
and  are  now  Methodists.  Our  subject  has 
always  been  known  as  a  man  of  honesty  and 
integrity  and  he  has  many  friends  in  his 
community  as  a  result,  of  his  well  regulated 
life. 


WILLIAM  THOMAS  WILKINSON. 

In  the  subject  of  this  review  we  have  a 
representative  of  one  of  the  most  honored 
pioneer  families  in  Marion  county  and  one 
who  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  most  pro- 
gressive farmers  of  his  locality,  owning  and 
operating  in  a  most  successful  manner  at 
this  time  three  farms  of  great  value.  He  is 
regarded  by  all  who  know  him  as  being  a 
most  capable  and  energetic  man,  broad 
minded  and  sound  in  his  business  principles. 

William  Thomas  Wilkinson  was  born  in 
Meacham  township,  this  county,  January 
21.  1859,  tne  son  of  H.  C.  Wilkinson,  who 
was  born  in  Kentucky  in  1825,  and  who 
passed  to  his  rest  at  the  early  age  of  forty- 
six  years,  but  not  until  he  had  stamped  his 
individuality  upon  the  community  where  he 
lived.  He  was  the  father  of  seven  children, 
three  sons  and  four  daughters,  three  of 
whom  are  now  living,  the  subject  being  the 


third  in  order  of  birth.  Our  subject's 
mother's  name  in  her  maidenhood  was  Har- 
riet A.  Nichols.  She  married  H.  C.  Wil- 
kinson in  Marion  county,  Illinois. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  life  on  the 
home  farm  and  attended  the  district  schools 
where  he  applied  himself  in  an  able  manner 
and  gained  a  fairly  good  education. 

Mr.  Wilkinson  has  devoted  his  life  to- 
agricultural  pursuits  and  he  has  been  emi- 
nently successful  in  his  chosen  work,  hav- 
ing by  sheer  force  of  individuality,  business 
acumen  and  persistency  won  his  way  from 
an  humble  beginning  to  a  place  of  promi- 
nence and  comparative  affluence  in  his 
county,  owning  three  farms,  consisting  col- 
lectively of  three  hundred  and  sixty-eight 
acres.  One  hundred  and  forty  acres  is  in 
Meacham  township,  one  hundred  and  forty 
acres  in  Alma  township  and  sixty-eight 
acres  in  Kinmundy  township.  All  these 
farms  are  under  a  high  grade  of  cultivation 
and  yield  the  owner  a  comfortable  compe- 
tency from  year  to  year.  They  all  show  that 
the  owner  is  a  man  of  the  best  modern 
methods  of  agriculture.  On  each  of  these 
is  located  a  good  house  and  out  buildings. 
Mr.  Wilkinson  has  various  kinds  of  good 
stock  on  the  farms. 

Mr.  Wilkinson  married  Prudence  Kenedy 
on  August  17,  1882,  in  Marion  county' Illi- 
nois. She  is  a  native  of  Washington 
county  and  the  daughter  of  James  P.  and 
Elizabeth  (McBride)  Kenedy,  the  former 
a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter  of  Ran- 
dolph county.  Illinois.  The  wife  of  the  sub- 
ject was  one  of  a  family  of  eleven  children, 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


555 


she  being  the  eighth  in  order  of  birth.  Her 
parents  were  United  Presbyterians  but  she 
worships  with  her  husband,  as  do  all  the 
family,  in  the  Methodist  church,  of  which 
Mr.  Wilkinson  is  a  steward. 

The  following  children  have  been  born 
to  the  subject  and  wife:  Bert  E.  is  a  tele- 
graph operator  in  Wyoming  in  the  employ 
of  the  Union  Pacific  Railroad;  Claude  E., 
Jennie. P.,  Charles  H.,  Irene.  Bert  E.  mar- 
ried Alice  Hiddleson,  living  in  Cheyenne, 
Wyoming,  and  they  have  one  child.  Claude 
E.  married  Stella  Danison,  Jennie  P.  mar- 
ried John  R.  Telford,  who  lives  in  Kin- 
mundy  township.  Claude  is  a  teacher  in  the 
county  schools,  and  he  farms  one  of  his 
father's  places.  He  has  a  good  wife  and 
a  nice  home.  He  was  educated  in  the  Kin- 
mundy  high  school. 

Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Democrat,  and  he 
has  faithfully  and  conscientiously  served  his 
community  as  Township  Collecter  and  as 
Road  Commissioner  for  three  terms.  He 
has  always  taken  a  deep  interest  in  public 
affairs  and  his  support  can  always  be 
counted  on  in  all  movements  looking  to  the 
general  good  of  the  locality  where  he  lives. 
Considering  the  hardships  and  obstacles  of 
his  early  life  he  deserves  a  great  deal  of 
credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished,  for  his 
father  died  when  he  was  fourteen  years  old 
and  he  and  John  H.,  his  brother,  had  to  help 
their  mother  raise  the  rest  of  the  children. 
This  developed  a  strong  independent  and 
sturdy  manhood  and  a  frugal  and  thrifty 
mentality  which  is  very  largely  re- 
sponsible for  his  subsequent  success  in  life. 
Prosperity  seems  to  have  attended  every 


worthy  effort  he  has  made,  with  the  result 
that  before  the  evening  of  life  advances 
upon  him  he  finds  himself  and  family  very 
comfortably  situated,  and  the  future,  what- 
ever it  may  have  in  store  for  him  and  his, 
inspires  no  shadow  of  fear  in  his  breast. 


WILEY  ROSE. 

One  of  the  fascinating  features  of  the 
farming  industry  is  the  opportunity  it  af- 
fords for  individual  effort  and  experiment. 
One  can  not  only  till  the  soil  in  raising  the 
usual  routine  of  crops,  but  he  can  also 
specialize  along  certain  lines  and  thus 
broaden  his  own  knowledge  by  experiment 
and  in  this  way  contribute  to  the  knowledge 
and  advancement  in  such  special  fields. 
We  make  mention  in  this  connection 
of  the  name  of  the  subject  of  this  brief  re- 
view, \Viley  Rose,  a  life-long  resident  of 
this  county.  Mr.  Rose  has  not  only  farmed 
but  has  devoted  special  attention  to  the 
raising  of  poultry  and  has  given  this  subject 
considerable  thought  and  study.  As  a  re- 
sult he  has  become  thoroughly  familiar  with 
the  business  and  is  good  authority  on  the 
various  phases  of  the  industry.  Mr.  Rose 
was  born  on  the  I2th  day  of  September, 
1857,  being  the  son  of  James  and  Peggy 
Ann  (Burkette)  Rose,  who  were  the  parents 
of  four  children,  our  subject  being  the  third. 

Mr.  Rose  was  brought  up  on  the  farm,  an 
environment  which  is  now  and  always  has 
been  a  most  wholesome  one  for  growing 
youth.  He  received  his  education  in  the 


556 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


neighboring  district  schools,  and  as  he  grew 
to  manhood  he  made  up  his  mind  to  make 
farming  his  chief  occupation. 

On  September  7,  1879,  he  was  joined  in 
marriage  to  Serelda  Wooten,  who  was  born 
in  Ohio  in  October,  1861,  being  one  of  a 
family  of  nine  children.  This  union  has 
been  blessed  with  a  family  of  six  children. 
Nora  M.  was  born  on  January  7,  1881,  and 
has  become  the  wife  of  William  Wantland 
and  is  the  mother  of  one  boy;  Gertrude  A. 
was  born  on  the  26th  of  J-une,  1884,  and 
was  married  to  Frank  Schaffer,  being  the 
mother  of  two  sons ;  Pearl  M.  was  born  on 
the  26th  of  March,  1886,  and  was  joined 
in  marriage  to  Miss  Laura  Smith ;  Fannie 
B.  was  born  on  the  8th  of  October,  1888, 
and  has  become  the  wife  of  Albert  Smith; 
Elmer  L.  and  Mormon  E.  are  still  at  home, 
the  former  being  born  on  June  23,  1892, 
and  the  latter  on  June  12,  1895. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rose  are  members  of  the 
Cumberland  Presbyterian  church,  and  are 
held  in  high  esteem  by  the  members  of  the 
congregation.  They  stand  well  in  the  com- 
munity, being  most  accommodating  in  their 
dealings  and  ready  at  all  times  to  lend  a 
helping  hand  to  whoever  opportunity  af- 
fords. Mr.  Rose  has  been  a  lifelong  Demo- 
crat, but  is  most  pronounced  in  his  stand 
for  a  fair  and  honest  discharge  of  all  offi- 
cial duties.  He  maintains  that  service  in 
public  office  is  not  only  a  privilege  but  a 
sacred  obligation,  and  should  not  be  looked 
upon  in  any  other  light,  except  the  one 
calling  for  the  highest  integrity  and  con- 
scientiousness. 


GEORGE  C.  WILSON. 

The  day  of  the  pioneer  in  this  country  is 
gone,  and  we  are  in  the  midst  of  a  settled 
stability  and  permanency.  Nevertheless,  as 
we  look  about  us,  we  find  a  few  represen- 
tatives of  the  early  days,  who  become  at 
once  the  center  of  interest  because  they 
carry  in  their  minds  recollections  of  our 
hardy  forefathers.  In  this  connection  we 
make  reference  to  one  of  the  sturdy  farm- 
ers of  this  county,  George  C.  Wilson.  This 
gentleman  was  born  in  Pike  county,  Ohio, 
on  November  9,  1840,  being  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Eliza  (Foster)  Wilson,  the 
former  having  been  born  on  April  15,  1804, 
and  the  latter  on  the  i7th  of  May,  1806 
The  other  children  of  the  family  were 
John,  born  August  10,  1828;  Richard,  born 
August  1 8,  1831;  Harriet,  born  February 
12,  1833;  Rachel,  born  May  5,  1836;  Sa- 
rah, born  July  18,  1838;  George,  our  sub- 
ject ;  Tilton  and  Thornton,  twins,  born 
May  27,  1843 :  Margaret,  bom  September 
20,  1846. 

In  1842  the  family  removed  to  Illinois, 
where  George  was  married  October  20, 
1864,  to  Mary  J.  Leckrone,  the  daughter 
of  Mathias  and  Julia  (Johnson)  Leckrone, 
the  former  having  been  born  in  Fayette 
county.  Pennsylvania,  June  18,  1815,  and 
the  latter  in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  Janu- 
ary 24,  1821.  The  following  list  gives  the 
children  of  the  Leckrone  family:  William, 
born  November  10.  1838;  Mary  J..  Decem- 
ber. 1840:  John,  May  i,  1843:  Harvey. 
August  29,  1847,  born  in  Illinois;  Sarah, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


557 


January  25,  1852;  George,  July  30,  1861. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Wilson  have  become  the 
parents  of  the  following  children :  Theo- 
dore Edgar,  a  teacher,  and  who  is  now  an 
acting  Justice  of  the  Peace,  was  married  to  a 
Miss  Appleman;  Samuel  M.,  married  to 
Myrtle  Maxfield;  Harry  E.  married  Louise 
See,  and  is  now  practicing  medicine  at  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois;  Frank  O.  married  Carrie 
Coombs  and  is  now  filling  the  pulpit  of  the 
Methodist  church  at  Bunker  Hill;  two 
children,  Harvey  and  Emma,  are  deceased. 
Mr.  Wilson  has  followed  farming  all  his 
life  and  has  been  not  only  successful  but 
progressive  as  well.  He  has  taken  good 
care  of  himself  in  every  way,  never  having 
used  tobacco  or  liquors  in  any  form.  Look- 
ing back  over  the  vista  of  his  years  he  often 
speaks  of  the  little  log  cabin  of  his  early 
days  and  the  pioneer  experiences  of  the 
times.  A  precious  as  well  as  interesting 
family  relic  in  this  home  is  a  chair  made  in 
1846  by  his  father,  who  was  a  tanner.  The 
bottom  is  made  of  calf-skin,  sewed  with 
whang,  and  the  leather  is  as  good  as  new 
today.  Mrs.  Wilson  takes  pleasure  also  in 
bringing  out  a  china  plate  given  to  her  by 
her  mother  upon  her  marriage  to  Mr.  Wil- 
son. Those  were  the  days  of  the  loom  and 
the  spinning  wheel,  and  the  old  wheel  now 
set  aside  as  a  family  treasure  was  kept  busy 
for  many  a  year  by  the  skillful  hands  of 
Mrs.  Wilson  herself.  She  spun  all  the 
clothing  for  the  men,  and  has  today  a  quilt 
of  three  colors,  red,  white  and  blue,  spun 
by  her  own  hands.  There  was  no  need  in 
those  days  for  schools  of  manual  training, 


as  each  household  was  a  school  in  itself, 
and  one  not  excelled  by  the  later  day  insti- 
tutions. Xo  roads  nor  bridges  were  in  es- 
istence  at  that  time,  and  experiences  with 
all  kinds  of  wild  game  were  quite  common. 
WUd  forests  and  untilled  land  occupied  the 
places  where  the  neighboring  towns  now 
stand,  and  Mr.  Wilson  speaks  of  the  time 
when  he  had  to  go  to  Salem  to  vote.  Doctor 
Wilson,  brother  of  our  subject,  at  one  time 
hauled  his  oats  to  St.  Louis  and  sold  them 
for  fifteen  cents  per  bushel. 

Mr.  Wilson  adheres  to  the  tenets  of  the 
Republican  party,  and  together  with  his 
wife,  affiliates  with  the  Methodist  church. 


GEORGE  W.  STRATTON. 

It  affords  great  pleasure  and  satisfaction 
to  anyone  to  be  able  to  refer  to  his  an- 
cestors as  worthy  representatives  of  noble 
character  or  specific  achievement.  Perfiaps 
one  of  the  most  interesting  and  universally 
admired  characteristics  of  many  of  our 
forefathers  was  their  bravery  and  self-sacri- 
fice when  our  Republic  was  in  danger  and 
the  great  willingness  on  their  part  to  stake 
their  all  in  its  defense.  This  is  especially 
true  when  we  find  that  our  line  of  fore- 
fathers includes  members  of  the  Revolu- 
tionary troops.  Viewed  through  the  per- 
spective of  the  years  that  have  gone  by,  we 
are  almost  amazed  at  their  heroic  spirit.  A 
descendant  of  one  of  these  heroes  is  George 
W.  Stratton,  of  Alma  township,  this  county, 


558 


5RIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  Stratton  was  born  in  Columbia 
county,  Pennsylvania,  on  the  last  day  of  the 
year  1832.  As  intimated  above  his  grand- 
father was  an  officer  in  the  Continental 
army  under  Washington,  and  did  valiant 
service  in  the  cause  of  liberty  and  union. 
His  father  was  William  Stratton  and  his 
mother  Mary  Farley.  They  were  devout 
members  of  the  Christian  church.  George 
received  his  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  the  neighborhood  and  early  be- 
gan work  on  his  own  responsibility.  He 
was  the  second  of  five  children  and  came 
to  Marion  county  in  1875.  He  has  devoted 
the  most  of  his  time  to  fanning  and  stock 
raising  and  has  succeeded  in  carrying  out 
his  ideas  and  methods  to  a  most  successful 
issue. 

On  February  16,  1854,  he  was  united  in 
marriage  to  Catherine  M.  Alperman,  and 
this  union  has  resulted  in  the  birth  of  the 
following  children :  Mary  J.,  wife  of  Rob- 
ert Wright,  of  Oklahoma,  and  the  mother 
of  one  child.  She  was  again  married  after 
his  decease;  Elias  B.,  deceased,  married 
Anna  Eaton,  to  whom  were  born  three  chil- 
dren ;  Alice  E.,  wife  of  Aaron  Hutchinson ; 
Philip  R.  married  Marie  Marshall,  and  they 
are  the  parents  of  five  children,  two  of  whom 
are  deceased;  William  Edwin  married  Dor- 
othy 'Kagy,  and  has  a  family  of  two  chil- 
dren ;  Emma,  deceased.  Mrs.  Stratton  was 
one  of  a  family  of  six  children,  she  being 
the  second  in  order  of  birth. 

The  Stratton  farm  of  eighty  acres  is  one 
of  the  best  kept  and  productive  homesteads 
in  the  neighborhood  and  stands  as  a  tes- 


timonial  to   what  hard   work   and   steady, 
intelligent  application  can  accomplish. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stratton  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church  and  are  willing  and 
efficient  workers.  No  one  receives  from 
them  anything  but  kind  and  considerate 
treatment  and  the  social  atmosphere  of  the 
home  is  one  appreciated  by  their  many 
friends  and  neighbors.  Politically  Mr. 
Stratton  is  a  believer  in  Democracy,  and  ad- 
heres to  the  party's  principles,  though  never 
an  aspirant  to  public  preferment. 


ANDREW  NEEPER. 

Our  subject  has  devoted  his  life,  which 
has  been  a  long  and  busy  one,  to  farming 
in  Ohio  and  this  state,  having  maintained 
his  home  in  Marion  county  for  over  forty 
years,  where  he  has  prospered  and  has  done 
much  for  the  upbuilding  of.  the  community 
at  large,  and  as  a  result  of  his  honorable 
record,  his  public-spirit  and  his  genial  man- 
ners, he  has  won  a  position  of  honor  and 
trust  in  this  county  that  will  be  permanent. 

Andrew  Neeper  was  born  in  Brown 
county,  Ohio,  August  26,  1834,  the  son  of 
Thomas  Neeper,  who  was  born  December 
29,  1809,  in  Westmoreland  county,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  he  was  three  years  old  when 
his  mother  brought  him  to  Ohio,  settling  in 
Brown  county.  There  were  seven  children 
in  this  family,  all  of  whom  lived  to  matu- 
rity. The  maiden  name  of  the  subject's 
grandmother  was  Dorcas  Kerr.  The  maid- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


559 


en  name  of  the  subject's  mother  was  Lucy 
Shelton,  daughter  of  Thomas  Shelton,  who 
was  born  in  West  Virginia,  and  he  came  to 
Kentucky  where  Lucy  was  born  January 
n,  1811.  The  family  of  the  subject's  par- 
ents consisted  of  eleven  children,  six  boys 
and  five  girls,  all  having  grown  to  maturity 
except  one,  and  all  lived  in  Ohio,  Andrew, 
our  subject,  having  been  the  second  child 
in  order  of  birth. 

The  early  education  of  our  subject  was 
partly  obtained  in  Kentucky,  where  he  at- 
tended Woodlawn  Seminary  in  Mason 
county.  He  later  attended  Antioch  Col- 
lege in  Greene  county,  Ohio,  under  the  di- 
rection of  the  great  scholar  and  eminent 
president,  the  late  Horace  Mann  of  literary 
fame,  which  college,  it  will  be  remembered, 
was  the  second  college  to  be  established  in 
the  United  States  to  believe  in  the  co-educa- 
tion of  girls  with  their  brothers,  Oberlin 
being  the  first. 

After  gaining  an  excellent  education, 
Mr.  Neeper  began  his  career  as  a  teacher, 
and  successfully  taught  in  common  schools 
for  a  period  of  four  years,  in  the  meantime 
he  followed  farming. 

Our  subject  says  he  weighed  only  one 
and  one-half  pounds  at  his  birth,  could 
turn  a  summersault  in  a  quart  cup,  but  he 
has  outlived  many  of  his  sturdier  col- 
leagues, is  now  in  his  seventy-fourth  year, 
is  hale  and  hearty  and  able  to  carry  on  busi- 
ness affairs  with  that  discretion  and  energy 
that  have  always  characterized  his  life  work. 
He  is  now  in  active  work  writing  the  history 
of  the  Keith  familv  or  the  house  of  Keith 


of  Scotland.  This  is  from  his  wife's  line- 
age, and  the  Randolph  and  the  Pocahontas 
people  were  their  ancestors  in  the  early  Vir- 
ginia days.  This  family  is  also  related  to 
Chief  Justice  Marshall  of  the  United  States. 
Besides  this  work,  Mr.  Neeper  works  daily 
on  his  fine  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twenty 
'acres,  which  he  has  well  improved  and  suc- 
cessfully managed  until  it  is  one  of  the  best 
in  the  township.  It  is  intersected  by  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad.  In  his  home 
may  be  found  a  good  library  of  as- 
sorted and  well  selected  books,  many 
kinds  of  periodicals  and  magazines,  possi- 
bly more  than  can  be  found  in  the  homes 
of  any  five  men  in  the  township.  He  lives 
alone  at  present,  and  rents  his  farm,  how- 
ever, he  oversees  its  management. 

Mr.  Neeper  came  to  Marion  county  in 
1866,  when  thirty-two  years  old,  and  pur- 
chased land  of  D.  C.  Moore,  who  bought  it 
of  the  railroad  company  which  was  formerly 
state  government  land. 

Andrew  Neeper  was  united  in  marriage 
on  February  2,  1857,  to  Mary  Lattitia 
Keith,  who  was  born  in  Mississippi,  Sep- 
tember 1 6,  1836,  and  who  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky with  her  parents  where  she  grew  to 
womanhood  and  was  educated,  and  where 
she  married  our  subject.  She  was  a  woman 
of  many  beautiful  attributes  of  character 
and  mind.  She  was  called  to  her  rest  while 
living  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1884, 
at  the  age  of  fifty  years.  Their  union  was 
happy  and  most  harmonious  withal,  al- 
though one  that  was  fraught  with  nearly 
all  the  vicissitudes  of  early  pioneer  experi- 


56o 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


ences.  To  this  union  seven  children  were 
born,  three  having  died  in  infancy  or  youth. 
They  are:  Lucy,  who  first  married  Alexan- 
der Lock,  by  whom  she  had  one 
child,  Mary  E.  Her  second  marriage  was 
with  William  Burkett,  by  whom  two  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  a  boy  and  a  girl. 
Thomas  K.,  was  the  second  child  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife.  He  married  Kate  Tay- 
lor, and  they  became  the  parents  of  three 
children,  two  of  whom  are  living,  one  being 
deceased.  Noble  H.,  the  third  child,  married 
Polly  Conant,  and  they  have  seven  children : 
Clement  G.  married  Margaret  Conant,  sis- 
ter of  Polly,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one 
child,  a  son.  The  other  three  children  are 
deceased. 

Politically  Mr.  Neeper  claims  to  be  an 
anarchist,  but  he  votes  the  Democratic- 
Socialist  ticket.  He  was  formerly  affiliated 
with  the  Greenbackers.  He  is  also  a  Populist 
party  man,  but  none  of  these  give  the  full 
idea  to  his  mind,  being  a  liberal  thinker 
and  widely  read  on  all  current  questions  of 
the  day.  He  does  not  believe  in  war  or 
harm  to  any  man  or  child.  He  holds  that 
parents  have  no  authority  to  punish  their 
children,  only  to  teach  or  direct  them.  In 
his  educational  work  he  never  would  and 
never  did  punish  a  pupil,  and  he  says  he  has 
had  no  occasion  to  do  so.  Religiously  he 
has  never  belonged  to  any  church.  However, 
he  is  not  opposed  to  the  church  in  principle, 
but  is  opposed  to  the  manner  in  which  they 
are  conducted. 

Mr.  Xeeper  took  no  side  in  the  war  be- 
tween the  states,  remaining  neutral,  as  war 


was  opposed  to  his  code  of  moral  principles. 
He  was  drawn  into  the  Ohio  state  militia, 
but  never  carried  a  musket.  He  is  a  very 
interesting  man  in  his  conversation,  being 
a  deep  thinker  and  widely  read,  and  he  is 
honored  by  all  who  know  him,  for  his  con~ 
sistent  and  well  regulated  life,  his  honesty, 
sincerity  and  genuine  worth,  and  he  has 
hosts  of  friends  throughout  the  county. 


ALLEN  COPE. 

For  nearly  half  a  century  the  subject  of 
this  review  was  a  well  known  resident  of 
Marion  county.  He  was  a  man  of  many 
talents,  having  been  a  successful  lawyer  for 
several  years  prior  to  1861,  at  which  time 
he  located  upon  a  farm  in  Tonti  township 
and  turned  his  attention  to  agricultural  pur- 
suits. He  also  became  an  enthusiastic  stu- 
dent of  horticulture  and  for  many  years  was 
recognized  as  one  of  the  leading  authorities 
upon  this  subject  in  Southern  Illinois,  as  well 
as  a  practical  demonstrator  of  the  same.  He 
was  one  of  the  first  citizens  of  Marion 
county  to  engage  in  the  fruit  business  upon 
an  extensive  and  systematic  scale,  develop- 
ing one  of  the  largest  and  most  successful 
fruit  industries  in  the  pioneer  history  of  hor- 
ticultural pursuits  in  the  county. 

Allen  Cope  was  born  near  New  Water- 
ford,  Columbiana  county,  Ohio,  August  4. 
1827,  where  he  resided  until  1845.  For  nine 
years  he  resided  at  Salem,  Ohio,  where  he 
was  engaged  in  a  mercantile  business.  In 


ALLEN  COPE. 


SARAH  A.  COPE. 


UBRARV 
OF  THE 
iTV  °r  'MINOIS. 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


1854  he  came  to  Fairfield,  Illinois,  where 
he  studied  and  practiced  law  with  Judge 
Charles  Beecher. 

Owing  to  ill  health  he  retired  from  the 
law  in  1860  and  the  following  year  located 
upon  a  farm  in  Tonti  township,  Marion 
county,  where  he  developed  one  of  the  finest 
fruit  farms  in  the  county.  It  was  here  that 
he  passed  to  his  reward,  October  24,  1907, 
at  the  age  of  eighty  years. 

Mr.  Cope's  career  as  a  horticulturist  be- 
gan with  his  removal  to  Marion  county.  He 
planted  forty  acres  of  apples  in  the  springs 
of  1861  and  1863,  a  very  large  area  indeed 
for  that  period.  It  is  worthy  of  note,  too, 
in  this  connection  that  he  was  one  of  the 
first  to  plant  largely  of  the  Ben  Davis  vari- 
ety. This  venture  proved  successful  and  as 
this  orchard  began  to  fail  he  planted  again 
from  time  to  time,  and  indeed  his  labors 
ceased  only  with  the  coming  of  his  long 
rest.  Mr.  Cope  was  an  active  member  of 
the  State  Horticultural  Society  and  of  its 
subordinate  society,  the  Southern  Illinois 
Horticultural  Society. 

He  was  a  member  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  and  was  born  and 
reared  a  Quaker. 

Originally  a  Whig  in  politics  and  a  strong 
abolitionist,  it  was  but  natural  that  he  should 
become  a  Republican  upon  the  birth  of  that 
party,  and  for  many  years  he  was  an  ardent 
supporter  of  its  principles  and  an  active 
worker  in  the  ranks.  In  late  years,  how- 
ever, he  espoused  the  cause  of  Democracy, 
believing  that  the  latter  party  adhered  more 
closely  to  the  principles  of  Lincoln  Repub- 
36 


licanism.  Having  been  a  lawyer  of  more 
than  ordinary  ability  and  always  a  student 
and  an  observer,  Mr.  Cope  wielded  no  small 
amount  of  influence  in  his  community  and 
his  opinions  upon  the  leading  questions  of 
the  day  were  always  treated  with  great  re- 
spect. He  was  a  man  of  many  sterling 
qualities,  successful  in  business  and  influen- 
tial in  his  community,  and  was  also  known 
as  a  public  spirited  man  of  the  most  scrupu- 
lously honest  type. 

Mr.  Cope  was  united  in  marriage  at  Sa- 
lem April  1 6,  1856,  with  Miss  Sarah  A. 
Ray,  who  was  born  near  London,  Madison 
county,  Ohio,  June  30,  1834,  Mrs.  Cope  be- 
ing a  daughter  of  Jesse  and  Helen  (Warner) 
Ray.  The  Ray  family  was  of  English  de- 
scent, the  grandparents  on  the  Ray  side  be- 
ing natives  of  Virginia,  who  later  settled  in 
Madison  county,  Ohio.  The  Warners  were 
of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  the  great-grandfa- 
ther of  Mrs.  Cope  having  been  born  in  Dub- 
lin. 

Jesse  Ray,  the  father  of  Mrs.  Cope,  was 
one  of  the  well  known  and  highly  honored 
pioneers  of  Marion  county,  having  secured 
land  from  the  government  near  Salem  and 
locating  thereon  in  1839.  He  entered  seven 
hundred  acres  of  land  in  Tonti  township,  the 
present  Cope  home  being  a  portion  of  the 
original  grant.  Mr.  Ray  developed  and  im- 
proved a  good  farm  and  became  one  of  the 
largest  and  most  successful  farmers  and 
stock  growers  in  the  county.  He  moved 
from  the  farm  to  Salem  in  order  to  give  his 
children  an  education,  where  he  operated  a 
hotel  and  also  engaged  in  merchandising,  in 


564 


BRINKERILOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


His  father,  Francis  Embser,  was  bom  on 
April  22,  1833.  in  Prussia,  Germany.  His 
experiences  would  form  an  interesting 
story  if  taken  up  in  detail.  Before  coming 
to  America  all  the  family  except  Francis 
and  one  brother  fell  victims  to  the  dreaded 
plague  that  swept  over  Europe  at  that  time. 
Having  survived  this,  the  next  problem 
that  faced  the  boys  was  the  service  in  the 
regular  army.  On  account  of  its  position 
and  the  hostility  of  the  surrounding  na- 
tions, Germany  is  compelled  to  maintain  an 
extensive  military  system.  This  involves  a 
great  expense  and  causes  a  steady  drain  on 
the  resources  of  the  people.  Not  only  that, 
but  it  makes  it  necessary  for  the  govern- 
ment to  require  military  service  from  all  of 
its  male  population.  Hence  all  able  bodied 
men  must  enter  the  national  service,  most 
of  them  for  a  term  of  at  least  three  years. 
No  one  is  exempted  except  for  physical  in- 
capacity. As  the  time  approached  for 
Francis  to  enroll  in  the  regular  army  he 
began  to  dread  the  prospects  and  tried  to 
bethink  himself  of  some  plan  by  which  he 
might  avoid  this  protracted  confinement  to 
the  life  of  the  soldier.  Fortunately  for  him, 
he  had  an  uncle  who  was  captain  of  a  ves- 
sel that  plied  between  Germany  and  Amer- 
ica. It  was  to  him  that  Francis  made 
known  his  desires,  the  result,  being  that 
plans  were  made  to  smuggle  the  boy 
through.  This  was  carefully  arranged  and 
successfully  carried  out,  and  after  six 
weeks  of  sailing  on  the  Atlantic,  he  arrived 
at  New  York. 

Before  leaving  the  Fatherland    he    had 


served  his  apprenticeship  as  a  shoemaker, 
and  upon  coming  to  America  he  continued 
his  work  in  that  capacity.  After  going  to 
Pennsylvania,  he  took  up  fanning  in  con- 
nection with  his  trade,  and  continued  thus 
to  combine  his  work  even  after  he  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois.  He  soon  became 
well  known  as  a  man  of  superior  intelli- 
gence and  an  excellent  workman,  and  ere 
long  the  neighbors  made  it  a  point  to  bring 
their  repairing  to  Mr.  Embser,  at  his  shop 
on  the  farm,  and  to  spend  the  evenings  in 
such  discussions  and  diversions  as  would 
spontaneously  spring  up  in  their  midst. 
Every  one  for  miles  came  to  know  and  love 
"Old  Frank  Embser".  He  was  not  a  be- 
liever in  orthodox  religion,  and  ended  his 
days  in  this  county,  in  1905. 

Jerome  Embser's  mother,  Elizabeth 
(Driesbaugh)  Embser,  was  born  in  Penn- 
sylvania and  is  still  living.  Her  father, 
John  D.  Driesbaugh,  was  a  prominent  citi- 
zen in  western  Pennsylvania,  was  the  owner 
of  several  flour  mills,  located  on  streams  in 
order  to  utilize  the  running  water  for  power 
purposes.  Her  mother's  name  was  Katie 
Shoop, 

Mr.  Embser  joined  in  marriage  Jessie 
N.  Spiese,  daughter  of  Wilfred  and  Alice 
(Heaton)  Spiese,  to  whom  have  been  born 
five  children,  namely:  Alice  E.,  Francis 
W.,  John  T.,  Anton  J.,  and  Leon. 

Mr.  Embser's  education  was  limited  to 
that  of  the  common  schools  of  the  neigh- 
borhood, but  he  learned  early  in  life  to  be 
self-reliant  and  industrious,  and  as  he  ad- 
vanced in  years  he  applied  these  traits  to 


BRINKERHOFFS   HISTORY  OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


565 


his  daily  life,  with  the  result  that  he  has  a 
most  excellent  country  homestead,  a  mag- 
nificent farm,  and  an  intelligent  family. 
He  has  the  full  confidence  of  neighbors  and 
friends,  having  been  asked  to  serve  his 
community  as  Township  Treasurer,  High- 
way Commissioner  and  School  Trustee.  In 
all  of  these  duties  he  has  shown  himself  an 
able  manager  and  a  man  of  unimpeachable 
integrity. 


THOMAS  M.  HARGRAVE. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  one  of  the 
sturdy  spirits  who  has  contributed  largely 
to  the  material  welfare  of  the  township  in 
which  he  resides,  being  a  farmer  and  stock 
raiser,  and  as  a  citizen,  public-spirited  and 
progressive  in  all  the  terms  imply.  For  a 
number  of  years  he  has  been  actively  iden- 
tified with  the  agricultural  interests  of  the 
county.  He  represents  that  class  of  earn- 
est, foreign  born  citizens,  who  have  done 
so  much  for  the  development  of  the  United 
States,  while  at  the  same  time  they  have 
benefited  themselves  in  a  very  material  man- 
ner. 

Thomas  M.Hargrave  was  born  in  Eng- 
land October  20,  1851,  and  was  ten  years 
old  when  he  came  to  America  with  his 
father  and  only  brother,  George,  who  now 
lives  in  Fayette  county,  Illinois,  is  married 
and  the  father  of  five  children. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  this  country,  but 
leaving  school  when  sixteen  years  of  age  he 


did  not  have  the  opportunity  to  take  a  high 
course,  but  is,  notwithstanding  this  fact,  a 
well  educated  man,  having  always'  been  a 
close  observer  and  an  extensive  reader, 
keeping  well  posted  on  current  events  at  all 
times. 

Mr.  Hargrave  has  won  his  way  to  a  po- 
sition of  prominence  and  comparative 
affluence  in  his  community  by  reason  of  his 
own  individual  efforts.  Starting  life  with 
but  little  means,  he  has  succeeded  admir- 
ably well  and  is  today  the  owner  of  a  fine 
farm  consisting  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres,  all  under  an  excellent  system  of 
fencing  and  a  high  state  of  cultivation,  for 
he  understands  well  the  proper  rotation  of 
crops  so  as  to  preserve  the  natural  quality 
of  the  soil  and  the  many  other  methods 
known  to  up-to-date  farmers.  His  farm  is 
located  in  Kinmundy  township,  and  it  ranks 
well  with  the  other  excellent  farms  of  this 
community.  He  has  a  number  of  good 
horses  and  herds  of  other  stock,  besides 
much  good  poultry,  in  fact  he  carries  on  a 
general  farming  and  stock  raising  industry 
with  that  discretion  and  industry  which  al- 
ways insures  ultimate  success.  Mr.  Har- 
grave has  a  comfortable,  well  furnished 
and  substantial  residence,  which  is  neatly 
kept,  and  it  is  surrounded  by  a  sufficient 
number  of  convenient  out  buildings. 

When  twenty-five  years  old  Mr.  Har- 
grave was  united  in  mariage  with  Anna 
McHatton,  the  representative  of  an  excel- 
lent family,  and  she  passed  to  her  rest  when 
forty-four  years  old.  Our  subject  has  four 
children,  all  boys,  namely:  John,  Emmett, 


566 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Harry  and  Roy.  The  first  two  named  are 
both  married.  Emmett  lives  in  Alma  town- 
ship on  a  good  farm,  and  is  the  father  of 
one  son.  John,  who  is  employed  on  the  Il- 
linois Central  Railroad,  lives  in  Clinton, 
Illinois.  Mrs.  Hargrave  was  one  of  a  fam- 
ily of  three  children.  She  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Our  subject  has  always  taken  a  great  in- 
terest in  the.  affairs  of  his  children,  and 
has  spared  no  pains  in  assisting  them  in 
life's  struggle. 

Mr.  Hargrave  is  a  man  of  com- 
manding personal  appearance,  easy  in 
disposition,  courteous  in  manner,  and 
possessing  a  large  social  nature  and 
is  regarded  by  all  his  neighbors  as 
a  most  excellent  citizen.  He  believes  in 
good  government  and  honorable  citizen- 
ship. He  was  raised  by  Methodist  parents 
and  consequently  is  a  believer  in  the  funda- 
mental principles  of  Christianity.  In  his 
political  relations  he  is  a  stanch  Republican. 


A.  J.  PARRILL. 

An  enumeration  of  those  men  of  the 
present  generation  who  have  won  public 
recognition  for  themselves,  and  at  the  same 
time  have  honored  the  locality  to  which 
they  belong,  would  be  incomplete  were 
there  failure  to  make  mention  of  the  one 
whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this 
sketch,  who  is  a  respected  and  substantial 
citizen  of  Meachum  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois. 


A.  J.  Parrill  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
this  state,  in  1857,  the  son  of  Silas  and 
Susan  (Day)  Parrill.  Grandfather  Parrill 
was  born  in  Ohio,  having  reared  his  fam- 
ily there  on  a  farm.  He  died  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  having  reached  an  ad- 
vanced age.  His  family  consisted  of  eleven 
children,  all  living  to  reach  maturity  and 
raising  families  of  their  own.  The  mater- 
nal grandparents  of  the  subject  lived  in 
Virginia.  The  father  of  the  subject  was 
reared  in  the  Buckeye  state,  and  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1841,  when  thirty-five 
years  of  age.  He  was  twice  married  and 
had  six  children,  one  of  whom,  Absalom, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  who 
served  out  a  full  term  of  enlistment.  There 
were  four  children  by  Silas  Parrill's  second 
marriage,  our  subject  having  been  the 
youngest  of  these.  The  father  of  the  sub- 
ject attended  the  common  schools  in  Ohio 
and  received  a  fairly  good  education.  He 
entered  one  hundred  and  seventy  acres  of 
land  and  by  habits  of  industry  was  able  to 
add  to  this  from  time  to  time,  until  he  had 
a  fine  farm  of  two  hundred  and  fifty  acres, 
two  Presidents  having  signed  the  patents 
to  his  land,  Millard  Fillmore  and  Franklin 
Pierce. 

All  of  the  children  lived  to  maturity. 
Both  father  and  mother  were  Episcopal 
Methodists.  The  father  was  at  first  a  Whig, 
and  later  a  Republican.  He  reached  the 
advanced  age  of  eighty-three  years  and  his 
faithful  life  companion  was  called  to  her 
rest  when  seventy-seven  years  old. 


1.     Andrew  J.  Parrill.         2.     Mrs.  Maggie  E.  Parrill.        3.     Delia   Cruse.       4.     Raymond  H.  Cruse. 
5.     La  Rue  J.  Parrill.         6.     Marinda    Parrill.         7.     Henry   Andrew   Cruse. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


567 


A.  J.  Parrill,  our  subject,  attended  the 
district  schools  until  he  was  eighteen  years 
of  age,  diligently  applying  himself  to  his 
studies,  he  received  a  fairly  good  education 
and  remained  on  his  father's  farm  until  he 
was  twenty-five  years  old,  where  he  was 
taught  the  principles  of  agriculture  and  re- 
ceived many  valuable  lessons  that  have 
aided  him  in  life's  subsequent  battle.  Then 
he  bought  a  farm  in  Marion  county  and 
has  since  devoted  his  attention  exclusively 
to  farming,  with  the  greatest  success  attend- 
ing his  well  directed  efforts.  He  now  owns 
the  old  home  place  which  consists  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  acres,  being  the  first  of 
several  purchases  of  his  father,  the  heirs 
quit  claimed  the  land  to  the  present  owner, 
so  that  he  is  the  second  owner  of  the  land 
in  .fee  simple  from  the  government.  He  has 
added  twenty  acres  since  that  time.  He 
carries  on  general  farming  and  feeds  stock 
for  the  market.  For  the  past  twelve  years 
he  has  shipped  one  carload  of  cattle  annu- 
ally for  the  butcher. 

Mr.  Parrill  was  happily  married  in  1883, 
to  Maggie  McClure,  a  native  of  this  county, 
the  daughter  of  J.  W.  and  Harriet  (La 
Rue)  McClure,  natives  of  Ohio,  who  came 
to  this  county  in  1855,  and  have  spent  their 
lives  on  a  farm,  having  bought  land  in 
1865.  Mr.  McClure  is  seventy-nine  years 
old  at  this  writing,  1908,  and  his  wife  is 
seventy-five.  They  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  and  have  a 
family  of  eight  children,  all  of  whom  lived 
to  maturity. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 


ject and  wife  named  in  order  of  their  birth 
as  follows:  Delia,  born  in  1884,  is  the 
wie  of  Ray  Cruse  and  the  mother  of  one 
child ;  the  second  child  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife  died  in  infancy;  La  Rue,  who  was 
born  in  1889,  is  single;  Marinda,  born  in 
1892,  is  still  a  member  of  the  family  circle. 
Mr.  Parrill  in  his  fraternal  relations  is 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  Order  and  the 
Modern  American,  holding  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal offices  in  the  latter.  In  politics  he  is  a 
loyal  Republican,  but  has  never  aspired  for 
public  preferment. 


JACOB  A.  BAYLIS. 

General  farming  is  the  kind  that  has  made 
the  subject  of  this  biography  the  eminently 
successful  farmer  that  he  is.  His  worldly 
possessions  when  he  came  to  Marion  county 
did  not  amount  to  a  great  deal.  Now  he 
is  the  owner  of  two  hundred  and  thirty 
acres  of  land,  finely  equipped,  well  im- 
proved and  most  completely  stocked  with  all 
the  various  species  of  live  stock  to  be  found 
on  any  well  regulated  farm,  breeding  from 
year  to  year  blooded  hogs,  and  cattle  that 
always  attract  admiration.  He  was  one  of 
the  loyal  sons  of  the  North  who  went  forth 
during  the  dark  days  of  our  nation's  his- 
tory to  defend  the  flag  which  had  been  in- 
sulted. 

Jacob  A.  Baylis  was  born  in  Decatur 
county,  Indiana,  November  30,  1848,  the 
son  of  Enoch  Baylis,  who  was  born  in 


568 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Franklin  county,  Indiana,  in  1822,  and  died 
in  Decatur  county,  that  state,  at  the  early 
age  of  forty-six  years.  He  was  the  father 
of  nine  children,  six  boys  and  three  girls, 
all  reaching  maturity  but  one,  and  all  mar- 
ried. They  are:  John,  Sara  E.,  deceased; 
Jacob  A.,  our  subject;  William  T.,  George, 
Mary,  James  H.,  Quincy,  Mellissa.  Their 
father  believes  in  education.  One  of  these 
daughters  is  a  teacher  and  the  other  chil- 
dren are  well  equipped  for  life's  duties. 

The  early  education  of  our  subject  was 
obtained  from  the  district  schools  of  Deca- 
tur county,  Indiana.  He  engaged  in  farm 
work  during  the  summer  months,  and  when 
the  war  between  the  states  began  he  deemed 
it  his  privilege  and  his  duty  to  do  what  he 
could  in  suppressing  the  great  rebellion, 
consequently  he  enlisted  in  Company  H  of 
the  Fifty-third  Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry 
and  served  seven  months,  when  he  was  hon- 
orably discharged.  His  discharge  being 
necessary  on  account  of  illness.  His  brother 
John  was  in  the  Thirty-seventh  Indian  Vol- 
unteer Infantry  for  three  months;  then  he 
re-enlisted  in  the  regular  service,  but  was 
discharged  on  account  of  sickness  and  died 
of  consumption  at  home  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
six  years. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  first 
with  Lucinda  Bass,  who  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette  county,  Illinois,  in  1848,  and  who 
passed  to  her  rest  in  1877.  She  was  the 
mother  of  one  child,  Haly  J.,  who  died  in 
her  eighth  year.  His  second  wife's  maid- 
en name  was  Susanna  Eagan,  who  was 
born  in  Marion  county,  November  4, 


1857.  Our  subject  is  the  father  of  eleven 
children,  namely:  Maud  M.,  Mamie  M., 
Bunnie,  Josie,  Lottie,  Alva  B.,  Jacob  A., 
Jr.,  Delia  A.,  Milton  C.  The  ninth  child 
died  in  infancy.  Mildred,  the  next  in  order 
of  birth,  is  also  deceased. 

Jacob  A.  Baylis  has  resided  in  Marion 
county  since  1867,  and  as  already  indicated, 
has  devoted  his  life  to  farming,  being  now 
the  owner  of  a  very  valuable  farm  in  Kin- 
mundy  township,  all  of  which  is  under  cul- 
tivation, the  soil  having  been  kept  to  a 
high  standard  through  the  efficient  manage- 
ment of  our  subject,  who  is  certainly  abreast 
of  the  age  in  agricultural  matters,  having 
his  fields  well  kept,  well  drained  and  well 
fenced.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  raising 
hay.  He  also  devotes  a  great  deal  of  time 
to  his  stock,  especially  his  cattle,  which  are 
mostly  Red  Polled-Angus.  Mr.  Baylis  has 
a  modern,  substantial  and  nicely  furnished 
residence,  a  beautiful  lawn,  a  good  orchard 
and  many  convenient  out  buildings,  in  fact, 
his  farm  shows  decided  thrift  and  excellent 
management,  and  is  one  of  the  model  farms 
of  this  locality. 

Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Democrat,  and  he 
sewed  with  much  satisfaction  as  Highway 
Commissioner  for  a  period  of  six  years, 
and  was  Assessor  of  the  township  for  one 
term,  and  is  Justice  of  the  Peace  at  the  pres- 
ent time,  being  known  as  a  fair  and  impar- 
tial judicial  officer,  his  decisions  having  sel- 
dom been  reversed  at  the  hands  of  a  higher 
tribunal.  In  all  positions  of  public  trust  he 
has  been  found  worthy  of  the  honors  im- 
posed upon  him,  and  has  discharged  his 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


569 


duties  with  the  careful  consideration  and 
wise  discernment  that  has  characterized  his 
own  business  affairs. 

Our  subject's  parents  on  his  mother's 
side  of  the  house  were  Methodists,  and  on 
his  father's  side  they  were  Baptists.  Mr. 
Baylis  is  a  believer  in  the  principles  of 
Christianity,  in  fact,  he  is  in  every  sense 
a  man  of  progress  and  is  patriotic  for  the 
good  of  all. 


SIMEON  W.  MEADOR. 

It  is  a  privilege  of  which  any  one  should 
be  proud,  but  one  of  which  few  can  boast 
who  have  reached  old  age,  to  live  on  the 
place  where  they  were  born.  This  our  sub- 
ject has  done  for  more  than  three  score  and 
ten  years,  and  it  is  well  that  "his  sober 
wishes  never  learned  to  stray",  for  he  has 
been  eminently  successful  right  at  home. 
His  life  has  been  one  of  usefulness,  com- 
parative ease  and  happiness. 

Simeon  W.  Meador  was  born  August  3, 
1832,  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  on  the 
same  place  where  he  now  lives,  as  already 
intimated,  the  son  of  Jepthie  and  Sarah 
(Hier)  Meador,  the  former  having  been 
bom  May  8,  1787,  near  Richmond,  Vir- 
ginia, and  the  latter  was  born  in  1791,  also 
in  Virginia,  both  being  representatives  of 
old  Southern  f-amilies.  They  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  in  1829,  and  settled 
on  the  place  where  the  subject  now  lives. 
The  subject's  father  entered  one  hundred 


and  sixty  acres,  and  his  wife  forty  acres  of 
land,  later  purchasing  some  land  from  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company.  Jep- 
thie Meador  was  a  blacksmith  and  local 
preacher  as  well  as  a  farmer,  and  he  was  a 
man  who  exercised  great  good  in  his  com- 
munity. He  conducted  his  shop  on  his  farm 
for  the  accommodation  of  his  neighbors. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jepthie  Meador  were  the  par- 
ents of  the  following  children:  Ambrose, 
born  in  1811,  died  in  infancy;  Mathew, 
born  in  1813,  married  Sarah  Parsons  and 
they  were  the  parents  of  seven  children : 
Joel,  born  in  1816,  married  Malinda  Holt, 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  ten  chil- 
dren; Elias  was  born  in  1819,  married 
Nancy  Walton,  and  they  were  the  parents 
of  five  children;  Martin,  born  in  1822, 
married  Sarah  Epperson,  and  they  had  sev- 
en children ;  Granville  was  born  in  1825. 
married  Loche  Binion  and  there  were  six- 
children  in  their  family ;  Mary  Ann,  born  in 
1829,  died  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years; 
Simeon  W.,  our  subject,  was  the  youngest 
member  of  the  family. 

All  the  education  our  subject  received 
was  during  one  or  two  terms  in  an  old  log 
school  with  puncheon  floor  and  seats,  lo- 
cated on  his  own  farm.  When  he  reached 
maturity  he  married  Frances  Lawrence. 
December  28,  1852.  and  to  this  union  the 
following  children  were  born:  Mary,  who 
died  in  infancy:  Emily,  who  died  at  the 
age  of  sixteen  years;  Isabelle,  who  died 
when  fourteen  years  old;  Albert  married 
Lotta  Epperson,  who  lives  three  miles  west 
of  Vernon,  and  thev  have  ten  children : 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Wilber.  who  is  married,  lives  northeast  of 
Vernon. 

Our  subject  was  twice  married,  his  sec- 
ond wife  being  Sarah  Howell,  daughter  of 
Philip  and  Anna  Howell.  The  wedding  oc- 
curred December  28,  1869.  The  subject's 
second  wife  was  bom  in  1838.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  this  union: 
Elzora,  who  married  Edgar  Grylich,  has 
six  children,  two  of  whom  are  living  in 
Marion  county;  Sophie,  who  married  Wil- 
liam Curran,  is  the  mother  of  four  children, 
three  of  whom  are  living  in  Fayette  county ; 
Philip  married  Maude  Crowder,  and  they 
are  living  with  the  subject  and  his  wife, 
being  the  parents  of  three  children;  Tinnie 
married  James  Watlow,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  four  children. 

Simeon  \V.  Meador  was  one  of  the  brave 
number  who  went  forth  to  defend  his  na- 
tion's integrity  during  the  troublous  days 
of  the  sixties,  having  enlisted  in  Company 
D,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  on  August  n,  1862,  under 
the  command  of  Captain  Foster,  and  he 
served  in  a  most  gallant  manner  for  three 
years.  He  was  in  Andersonville  prison  for 
a  period  of  nine  months  and  six  days,  hav- 
ing been  captured  at  the  battle  of  Atlanta, 
where  General  McPherson  was  killed.  Mr. 
Meador  took  part  in  the  battles  of  Dallas 
and  Resaca  and  many  other  notable  engage- 
ments. He  was  on  a  skirmish  line  for 
twenty-eight  days  and  nights  without  rest, 
in  plain  hearing  of  the  field  artillery.  He 
was  in  prison  when  the  war  closed,  and 
while  there  contracted  the  scurvy  on  ac- 


count of  which  he  has  since  been  disabled. 
He  draws  a  pension  of  twenty  dollars  per 
month. 

The  farm  which  has  been  Mr.  Meador's- 
home  during  his  busy  and  useful  life,  con- 
sists of  one  hundred  and  thirty  acres  in 
section  14.  It  is  under  a  high  state  of  im- 
provement and  cultivation,  and  shows  that 
our  subject  has  been  a  good  manager  and 
a  hard  worker.  He  is  a  grand  old  charac- 
ter, and  is  well  known,  highly  respected 
and  liked  by  everybody  in  Marion  county. 


WILLIAM  GRIFFIN. 

While  the  life  of  this  venerable  and 
highly  respected  citizen  of  Patoka  township, 
Alarion  county,  Illinois,  has  not  been  one 
filled  with  the  tragic  and  the  spectacular,  it 
has  been  replete  with  much  good.  He  has 
seen  this  country  develop  in  all  its  stages 
from  the  primeval  forest  and  the  virgin 
prairie  sod  to  populous  cities  and  towns, 
and  as  rich  farms  as  the  world  affords,  and 
he  has  taken  no  small  part  in  this  great 
transformation. 

William  Griffin  was  born  in  Belmont 
county,  Ohio,  March  n,  1822,  and  he  came 
to  Shelby  county,  Illinois,  in  1852,  and  to 
Marion  county  in  1865.  He  is  the  son  of 
James  and  Hannah  (Rosinson)  Griffin. 
James  Griffin  entered  land  where  the  sub- 
ject now  lives.  The  farm  now  owned  by 
our  subject  consists  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  of  well  improved  and  highly 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


productive  land  in  section  27.  He  has  made 
all  the  improvements  on  the  place  and  de- 
veloped it  into  one  of  the  leading  farms  of 
the  township. 

The  father  of  the  subject  was  born  in 
Ireland  in  1795,  and  came  to  America  at 
the  age  of  eleven  years  on  a  sailing  vessel. 
He  first  settled  in  Belmont  county,  Ohio, 
and  he  died  within  two  miles  of  the  place 
where  his  father  built  the  first  log  cabin  in 
that  country.  He  received  most  of  his  edu- 
cation in  Ireland.  He  was  appointed  a 
special  juryman  in  1840.  The  mother  of 
the  subject  was  also  born  in  Ireland,  thirty 
miles  from  famous  Londonderry,  the  date 
of  her  birth  being  1795,  and  she  died  about 
1895,  rounding  out  a  century  milestone. 
The  parents  of  our  subject  married  in  Har- 
rison county,  Ohio.  Our  subject  was  the 
second  of  a  family  of  the  following  chil- 
dren :  Robert,  deceased ;  William,  our  sub- 
ject; Thomas,  Mary,  James,  Elizabeth  and 
Margaret. 

Our  subject  received  what  education  he 
could  in  the  schools  of  the  pioneer  times  of 
this  country,  and  assisted  about  the  home 
place  with  the  work.  When  he  reached 
maturity  he  married  on  August  n,  1853, 
Margaret  Jane  Gilmore,  who  was  born 
April1  25,  1835,  the  daughter  of  Francis 
Gilmore  and  a  Miss  Sheimer.  They  married 
in  Harrison  county,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
turned for  her  after  spending  a  year  in 
Shelby  county,  Illinois.  Nine  children  have 
been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife  as  fol- 
lows: James  C,  born  June  15,  1854,  mar- 
ried Emeline  Wright,  who  lives  in  Patoka, 


and  have  three  children;  Francis  M.,  who 
was  born  in  December.  1856,  married  first 
Emoline  Nichols.  His  second  wife  died 
the  year  after  they  were  married.  His 
third  wife  was  Flora  Foster.  They  have 
two  children  living.  This  couple  make 
their  home  in  Fosterburg.  Samuel  H.,  the 
third  child  of  our  subject  and  wife,  bom 
May  16,  1858,  is  living  in  Missouri,  and  he 
married  Laura  Robb,  being  the  parents  of 
four  children;  Amanda  Elizabeth  was  bom 
October  3,  1859;  George  W.  was  born  Au- 
gust i,  1861,  and  died  in  infancy;  Anson 
A.,  was  born  April  19,  1863,  married 
Emma  Peacock;  they  live  in  Patoka  town- 
ship, and  have  three  children ;  Ida  A.  was 
born  August  7,  1865,  married  Jay  Suther- 
land ;  they  have  four  children  and  live  in 
Jasper  county,  Illinois;  Oscar  was  born 
September  4,  1868;  the  ninth  child  died  in 
infancy.  The  subject's  wife,  after  a  happy 
and  congenial  life,  passed  to  her  rest  Oc- 
tober 25,  1875. 

Mr.  Griffin  likes  to  tell  of  the  condition  of 
the  country  in  Patoka  township  when  he 
first  came  here.  It  was  very  wild,  unculti- 
vated and  vast  swamps  and  forests  stretched 
in  every  direction.  There  was  no  settlement 
then  of  any  kind  in  this  locality.  There 
was  one  small  store  in  Patoka  and  a  grist 
mill  nearby.  Our  subject  was  of  a  hardy, 
sterling  spirit,  and  loved  to  develop  a  farm 
from  the  primitive  condition  of  the  coun- 
try. He  first  voted  for  James  K.  Polk  and 
has  continued  to  vote  the  Democratic  ticket 
ever  since.  He  has  long  been  a  member  of 
the  Odd  Fellows  at  Patoka,  and  has  been 


572 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


through  all  the  chairs  of  the  same,  and  has 
been  honored  by  being  sent  to  represent  it 
to  the  grand  lodge  five  times.  He  ably 
served  his  township  as  Highway  Commis- 
sioner for  three  years.  His  parents  were 
Presbyterians  and  he  has  continued  to  walk 
in  this  faith.  Although  our  subject  is 
slightly  feeble  from  the  weight  of  his  ad- 
vanced years,  he  has  a  good  memory,  is 
comparatively  active  and  is  enjoying  the 
fruits  of  a  well  spent,  honest  and  useful 
life  and  the  friendship  of  all  who  know 
him. 


CAPT.  ABNER  S.  GRAY. 

Xo  man  in  Patoka  township  is  better 
known  or  held  in  higher  esteem  than  Cap- 
tain Gray,  who  is  a  man  of  such  sterling 
attributes  that  he  has  been  all  his  life  an 
example  worthy  of  emulation.  A  born  lead- 
er of  men  and  conscientious  in  whatever  he 
undertakes,  he  carries  his  plans  to  comple- 
tion with  rare  success. 

Capt.  Abner  S.  Gray  was  born  two  miles 
north  of  Kinmundy  in  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois, December  5,  1838,  the  son  of  John 
H.  and  Nancy  (Eddington)  Gray.  John 
H.  Gray  was  born  October  15,  1815,  in  Wil- 
son county,  Tennessee,  and  he  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  in  1828  to  engage  in 
farming.  He  left  the  farm  in  1859  to  en- 
gage in  the  mercantile  business  in  Patoka, 
in  which  town  he  built  the  first  house.  Dur- 
ing the  drouth  of  1854  he  went -to  the  north- 
ern part  of  the  state  and  bought  corn  to 


send  into  Marion  county,  and  people  from 
all  the  surrounding  country  came  to  him  to 
buy  corn.  He  was  a  public  man  and  became 
widely  known.  He  was  Associate  Judge  for 
two  terms  before  the  county  was  laid  out 
in  townships.  He  was  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  many  years  here  and  administrator  for 
many  estates.  He  was  one  of  Marion  coun- 
ty's most  prominent  and  popular  men  in  his 
day.  He  was  still  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness when  he  died  in  1878. 

Nancy  Eddington  Gray,  mother  of  our 
subject,  was  born  six  miles  southwest  of 
Patoka  in  1819,  and  she  passed  to  her  rest 
six  miles  from  where  she  was  born  in  1904, 
after  a  long  and  useful  life,  being  a  woman 
of  beautiful  Christian  character.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Lucy  (Nichols) 
Eddington,  both  of  whom  died  when  about 
eighty-seven  years  old. 

Our  subject  spent  his  early  life  on  the 
farm,  but  left  the  farm  when  still  quite 
young,  before  the  Civil  war.  Being  fired 
with  patriotic  fervor  and  unable  to  remain 
away  from  the  seat  of  conflict  when  the  na- 
tion was  in  need  of  men  to  defend  its  flag, 
our  subject  organized  Company  F  and  en- 
listed in  August,  1862,  being  assigned  to 
the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry  at  Salem,  Illinois,  and  went 
to  the  front  with  his  company  under  com- 
mand of  Colonel  Martin,  of  Salem.  He  re- 
signed his  command  in  February,  1865,  aft- 
er most  gallant  and  efficient  service  in  order 
to  come  home  and  help  his  aged  .father  in 
the  mercantile  business.  He  was  with  Sher- 
man on  his  march  to  the  sea  and  was  in  the 


T.  E.  IRVIN. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


573 


battles  of  Resaca,  Peach  Tree  Creek,  Atlan- 
ta and  Jonesboro,  but  the  worst  fight  he  was 
in  was  that  of  Ft.  McAllister.  Captain  Gray 
is  said  by  his  comrades  to  have  been  one  of 
the  finest  commanders  and  one  of  the  ten- 
derest  hearted  men  in  the  army.  He  is  re- 
membered by  his  government  with  a  pen- 
sion. 

Our  subject's  early  education  was  gained 
in  a  log  school-house,  whose  floor  was  dirt. 
He  never  went  a  day  to  a  free  school.  But 
conditions  with  him  were  even  better  than 
those  of  his  parents,  who  had  in  their  youth 
the  children  of  Indians  to  play  with  in  great- 
er numbers  than  those  of  the  whites.  His 
father  hauled  everything  for  his  store  in 
wagons,  drawn  by  oxen,  from  St.  Louis. 
These  were  often  driven  by  our  subject. 

After  returning  from  the  army  Captain 
Gray  remained  in  the  mercantile  business 
with  his  father,  assisting  to  build  up  an  ex- 
tensive trade,  until  about  1888.  Since  1881 
Captain  Gray  has  been  engaged  in  the  in- 
surance business,  having  a  lucrative  patron- 
age in  this  line.  He  ably  served  as  postmas- 
ter at  Patoka  for  four  years  under  Cleve- 
land's administration. 

Captain  Gray  was  united  in  marriage  De- 
cember 30,  1858,  to  Nancy  Johnson  in  Rich- 
view,  Washington  county,  Illinois,  and  to 
this  union  five  children  have  been  born, 
namely:  Clara  C,  born  February  6,  1860. 
who  married  R.  N.  Gray  and  who  became 
the  mother  of  eleven  children ;  John  A.,  born 
March  15,  1862,  died  when  one  year  old; 
Amanda  S.,  born  April  29,  1864,  married  V. 
V.  Crosby,  and  they  are  living  three  miles 


west  of  Vernon;  Alfred  M.,  born  July  28, 
1866,  died  October  14,  1869;  Edwin  S., 
born  October  i,  1868,  married  Mary  Fen- 
ster,  of  Kinmundy.  They  have  one  child 
and  are  living  in  Weeleetka,  Oklahoma. 

Our  subject  is  still  actively  engaged  in 
the  insurance  business  and  he  is  a  hale  and 
hearty  old  man  for  his  age.  Everyone  knows 
old  Captain  Gray  and  everybody  highly  re- 
spects him.  He  is  a  Mason  and  a  member 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  His 
wife  is  prominent  in  the  Eastern  Star,  hav- 
ing been  matron  for  two  terms,  and  assisted 
in  organizing  several  lodges  at  different 
places.  She  is  a  fine  old  lady  of  beautiful 
attributes  and  affable  characteristics.  The 
subject's  insurance  office  is  in  Patoka  and 
it  is  the  gathering  place  for  numerous  cus- 
tomers and  friends,  and  he  carries  on  a 
good  business. 


THOMAS  E.  IRVIN. 

Among  the  representatives  of  the  busi- 
ness interests  of  Patoka  township  few  have 
attained  as  distinctive  prestige  as  Thomas 
E.  Irvin,  whose  life  history  is  herewith  pre- 
sented. He  is  engaged  extensively  in  the 
lumber  and  builders'  supply  business  and 
has  become  known  throughout  Marion  coun- 
ty, from  all  parts  of  which  his  customers 
come,  as  a  conscientious  and  careful  busi- 
ness man  who  employs  no  unscrupulous 
methods. 

Thomas  E.  Irvin  was  born  in  Carrigan 
township  March  28,  1869,  the  son  of  John 


576 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


of  stock  and  no  small  portion  of  his  annual 
income  from  year  to  year  is  derived  from 
this  source.  Our  subject  deserves  much 
credit  for  what  he  has  accomplished,  having 
had  but  limited  opportunities  in  his  youth, 
being  compelled  to  remain  at  home  and 
work,  but  he  has  been  an  industrious  man 
and  has  succeeded  by  careful  management 
and  hard  work. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rogier  are  members  of  the 
Baptist  church.  In  politics  our  subject  is  a 
Republican.  He  ably  served  as  Supervisor 
of  his  township  and  has  been  School  Director 
for  many  years.  He  also  served  in  this  ca- 
pacity in  Sebastopol,  Illinois.  No  family 
in  Patoka  township  stands  in  higher  esteem 
of  the  public  than  that  of  our  subject,  being 
regarded  as  honest  and  industrious. 


LANDON  M.  BOSTWICK. 

It  is  always  pleasant  and  profitable  to 
contemplate  the  career  of  a  man  who  has 
made  a  success  of  life  and  won  the  honor 
and  respect  of  his  fellow  citizens.  Such  is 
the  record,  briefly  stated,  of  the  well  known 
and  progressive  gentleman  whose  name 
forms  the  caption  of  this  article,  than  whom 
a  more  whole-souled  or  popular  man  it 
would  be  difficult  to  find  in  the  business  cir- 
cles within  the  limits  of  Marion  county, 
where  he  has  long  maintained  his  home  and 
whose  interests  he  has  ever  had  at  heart,  for 
in  all  the  relations  of  life  he  has  proven  true 
to  every  trust  reposed  in  him  and  few  cit- 
iens  of  the  county  are  worthier  of  the  high 


esteem  which  they  enjoy  than  Mr.  Bost- 
wick,  who  is  known  as  one  of  the  leading 
lumbermen  of  this  part  of  the  state. 

The  subject  of  this  review  is  descended 
from  a  long  line  of  sturdy  ancestors,  the 
earliest  generations  being  easily  traced  to 
the  settlement  of  the  Bostwick  family  at 
Stratford,  Connecticut,  prior  to  1650.  John 
Bostwick,  the  subject's  great-great-great- 
great-grandfather,  was  born  at  Stratford, 
Connecticut,  May  4,  1667,  an<l  ne  became 
Deputy  to  the  General  Court  of  Connecticut, 
serving  during  twenty-one  sessions,  from 
September,  1725,  to  October,  1740,  and  he 
served  in  the  army  as  lieutenant  and  major. 
The  great-great-great-grandfather  of  the 
subject,  Ebenezer  Bostwick,  was  born  in 
1693,  and  he  was  captain  of  the  First  Com- 
pany or  train  band,  of  Danbury,  Connecti- 
cut, in  October,  1743.  Edmond  Bostwick, 
the  great-great-grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  born  September  15,  1732,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 2,  1826.  The  subject's  great-grand- 
father, Ebenezer  Bostwick,  was  born  June 
22,  1753,  and  died  March  16,  1840.  He 
had  an  excellent  war  record,  like  his  an- 
cestors, having  been  an  orderly  sergeant  in 
the  Revolutionary  army  and  he  was  a  pen- 
sioner until  his  death.  This  family  remained 
in  the  state  of  Connecticut  through  many 
generations  and  the  subject's  grandfather, 
Andrew  Bostwick,  was  born  at  New  Mil- 
ford,  that  state,  November  3,  1778,  but  he 
migrated  to  the  West  and  died  at  Berrien 
Springs,  Michigan,  October  21,  1838.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  a  merchant  at 
Niles,  Michigan,  his  store  having  been  the 


LIBRARY 

MIINOIS. 


RESIDENCE  OF  L.  M.  BOSTWICK. 
Centralia,  Illinois. 


L.  M.  BOSTWICK. 


UNIVERSITY 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


577 


first  brick  building  in  that  town.  At  Pres- 
ident Lincoln's  call  for  volunteers  he  en- 
listed as  a  private  in  Company  E,  Twelfth 
Michigan  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  he  was 
made  a  prisoner  of  war  at  the  battle  of. 
Shiloh  and  served  nine  months  in  Ander- 
sonville  and  Libby  prisons.  After  his  re- 
lease he  received  several  promotions  and 
finally  was  made  captain  of  the  company, 
serving  as  such  in  a  very  creditable  manner 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  He  died  at  Niles, 
Michigan,  in  the  year  1876,  when  fifty-six 
years  old,  and  was  given  a  military  and 
Masonic  funeral,  which  was  very  largely 
attended. 

Among  the  subject's  ancestors  on  the  ma- 
ternal side  of  the  family  was  Rev.  Peter 
Pruden,  one  of  the  founders  of  the  colony 
at  Milford,  Connecticut,  and  in  1639  the 
founder  of  the  First  Church  of  Christ. 
When  the  two  hundred  and  fiftieth  anni- 
versary of  Milford  was  celebrated,  a  memo- 
rial window  was  placed  in  the  church  in 
honor  of  his  memory.  There  is  also  in  the 
memorial  bridge  a  stone  in  his  memory, 
bearing  the  text  of  his  first  sermon,  "The 
voice  of  one  crying  in  the  wilderness."  Of 
him  the  noted  Cotton  Mather  says,  "His 
death  was  felt  by  the  colony  as  the  fall  of 
a  pillar  which  made  the  whole  fabric  to 
shake."  Another  distinguished  ancestor  of 
the  subject's  mother  was  Capt.  Thomas 
Willets,  the  first  Mayor  of  the  city  of  New 
York. 

Landon   M.   Bostwick,   one  of  the  fore- 
most business  men  of    Centralia,    Illinois, 
was  born  December  i,   1862.    He  received 
37 


his  early  education  in  the  public  schools  and 
afterward  was  instructed  in  the  higher 
branches  by  a  private  tutor,  the  course  of 
study  including  some  travel.  The  death  of 
the  subject's  father  made  it  necessary  for 
him  to  give  up  study  and  seek  means  of 
self-support,  which  he  found  in  the  locomo- 
tive department  of  the  Michigan  Central 
Railroad,  becoming  an  engineer  at  the  early 
age  of  nineteen  years.  While  serving  in  the 
capacity  of  fireman  and  engineer,  he  took 
a  course  in  mechanical  mathematics  and 
draughting,  and  "otherwise  fitted  himself  for 
work  other  than  locomotive  engineering. 
At  the  age  of  twenty-four  he  designed  and 
built  the  machinery  plant  at  the  Michigan 
State  prison  at  Jackson,  Michigan,  which, 
at  this  writing,  twenty-two  years  after  com- 
pletion, is  still  in  active  service  with  prac- 
tically no  alteration  or  change. 

After  acting  as  manager  of  this  plant  for 
one  year,  Mr.  Bostwick  was  offered,  and 
accepted,  a  position  as  engineer  on  the 
Panama  Canal,  when  it  was  owned  by  the 
French  government,  and  was  being  con- 
structed by  the  famous  French  engineer  De 
Lesseps;  but  by  a  curious  turn  of  fortune's 
wheel,  Mr.  Bostwick  gave  up  the  Panama 
Canal  project,  while  enroute  and  also  the 
mechanical  line  of  business  in  which  he  had 
so  successfully  launched.  At  this  time  the 
South  was  just  beginning  to  be  called  upon 
to  take  the  place  of  the  North  in  supplying 
lumber,  and  Mr.  Bostwick  grasped  an  op- 
portunity to  become  a  lumberman,  making 
his  initial  beginning  in  the  backwoods  of 
Howell  county,  Missouri.  The  pay  was 


578 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


poor  and  the  work  was  hard,  but  opportu- 
nity had  knocked  at  the  door  and  the  sum- 
mons were  willingly  and  gladly  answered. 

After  working  up  through  every  depart- 
ment to  the  position  of  manager  and  finally 
stockholder  in  some  of  the  best  mills  of  the 
South,  he  has  no  regrets  over  the  humble 
beginning  in  the  backwoods  of  Missouri. 

The  Bostwick  Lumber  Company  of  Cen- 
teralia,  Illinois,  is  a  corporation  of  which  cur 
subject  is  president  and  the  heaviest  stock- 
holder. He  knows  the  lumber  business  thor- 
oughly and  always  gives  his  customers  a 
fair  deal,  consequently  his  trade,  which  has 
steadily  grown,  is  now  very  extensive. 

Landon  M.  Bostwick  was  happily  married 
February  3,  1892,  to  Frances  Pease,  a  na- 
tive of  Wilson,  New  York,  the  daughter  of 
A.  Douglas  and  Abigail  Pease.  One  of  her 
ancestors  received  a  grant  of  land  from 
King  George,  this  family  having  been 
originally  from  England.  The  subject  and 
wife  are  the  parents  of  three  children,  name- 
ly: Willard  D.,  born  January  26,  1893,  and 
who  is  at  this  writing  attending  the  public 
schools;  Dorothy  was  born  November  17, 
1900;  the  date  of  Allen  L.'s  birth  is  Oc- 
tober 1 8,  1903.  They  are  interesting  chil- 
dren and  add  much  sunshine  to  the  modern 
and  pleasant  home  of  the  Bostwicks. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Bostwick 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  lodge  at  Cen- 
tralia,  No.  201,  Ancient  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  Centralia  Chapter  No.  93;  also 
Centralia  Council  No.  28,  and  Cyrene  Com- 
mandery  No.  23;  he  also  belongs  to  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks, 
No.  493,  and  the  United  Commercial  Trav- 


elers; the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the  Hoo- 
Hoo,  the  latter  an  organization  of  lumber- 
men, purely  social,  now  consisting  of  nearly 
thirty  thousand  members.  The  mystic  num- 
ber of  this  association  is  nine,  every  mem- 
ber having  a  number,  and  is  fortunate  if 
there  is  a  nine  in  it.  President  Roosevelt's 
number  is  9999.  The  Bostwick  family  for 
iTjany  generations  have  been  members  of 
the  Episcopal  church.  Mr.  Bostwick  is  now 
and  for  many  years  has  been  senior  ward- 
en of  St.  John's  Episcopal  church  at  Cen- 
tralia. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Episcopal 
church  as  is  also  his  estimable  wife.  In  pol- 
itics Mr.  Bostwick  is  a  Republican,  and 
while  he  has  not  been  prominent  in  the  af- 
fairs of  his  party,  he  has  ever  assisted  in 
whatever  way  he  could  the  furthering  of 
good  city  government  and  the  welfare  of 
his  community.  He  is  now  president  of  the 
Board  of  Education. 

Whatever  of  success  has  attended  our 
subject's  efforts  has  been  entirely  owing  to 
his  own  endeavors,  his  energy,  industry  and 
natural  ability.  From  small  beginnings  he 
has  gradually  attained  a  prominence  in  his 
county  which  entitles  him  to  be  regarded  as 
one  of  its  leading  citizens. 


THOMAS  K.  DICKEY. 

In  analyzing  the  character  of  the  well 
known  gentleman  whose  name  heads  this 
paragraph  we  find  many  elements  worthy 
of  commendation.  He  did  not  ask  for  for- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


579 


tune's  favors,  but  set  out  to  win  them  by 
honest  work,  and  the  success  which  ever 
crowns  earnest,  honest  toil  is  today  his.  He 
started  out  in  life  practically  unaided,  de- 
pending almost  solely  upon  his  own  ingenu- 
ity for  the  start  which  he  had. 

Thomas  K.  Dickey  was  born  in  Coving- 
ton,  Kentucky.  February  6,  1843,  the  son  of 
Ethel bert  W.  S.  and  Mary  Hannah  (Ken- 
nedy) Dickey,  both  of  whom  were  born  in 
Kenton  county,  Kentucky,  the  former  in 
1814,  who  spent  his  life  near  Covington,  hav- 
ing devoted  his  time  to  his  farm  and  his 
home,  never  taking  part  in  public  life.  He 
died  in  1848.  Alexander  Dickey  was  the 
grandfather  of  the  subject.  The  mother  of 
•our  subject  was  born  January  21,  1822,  the 
daughter  of  Thomas  D.  and  Nancy  E. 
(Davis)  Kennedy,  the  former  having  been 
born  in  Kenton  county,  Kentucky,  and  the 
latter  in  Lancaster,  Pennsylvania.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  the  parents  of 
our  subject:  Milus  W.,  born  February  4, 
1841,  died  April  30,  1842;  Ethelbert  L., 
born  in  1846,  died  in  March,  1848;  Thomas 
K.,  our  subject,  being  the  youngest  now 
living. 

Soon  after  the  death  of  her  first  husband 
the  subject's  mother  married  W.  H.  Gage, 
of  the  wire  and  nail  trust,  and  the  follow- 
ing children  were  born  to  them:  Berton  H., 
Fred  C,  Luelen  Howell,  Mary.  The  moth- 
er of  our  subject  passed  to  her  rest  in  1900 
at  Anderson,  Indiana. 

Thomas  K.  Dickey  received  his  early  ed- 
ucation at  Covington,  Kentucky,  having 
made  an  excellent  record  in  the  common 
schools  there.  However,  he  did  not  have 


an  opportunity  to  get  a  high  education.  He 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  with  his 
mother  in  1868.  He  remained  here  two  years 
and  then  went  back  to  Covington,  Kentucky, 
for  a  short  time,  later  returning  to  Marion 
county  for  the  purpose  of  engaging  in  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising,  at  which  he  was  emi- 
nently successful.  For  many  years  he  was 
an  extensive  hay  and  grain  dealer  in  Ver- 
non.  He  has  helped  very  materially  to  build 
the  little  village  of  Vernon,  always  being  lib- 
eral with-  his  money  for  improvements.  He 
is  regarded  as  a  very  important  man  in  this 
part  of  the  county.  He  has  never  cared  to 
take  part  in  politics  to  any  extent.  He  has 
held  the  office  of  School  Director, 
and  was  one  of  the  first  Trustees 
of  the  town  of  Vernon.  He  has  al- 
ways stood  for  progress  and  public  im- 
provement and  he  has  made  his  home  in 
Vernon  since  1872,  having  a  modern  and 
comfortable  dwelling  surrounded  by  a  beau- 
tiful lawn,  trees,  convenient  out-buildings 
and  everything  that  goes  to  make  a  home 
comfortable  and  pleasant  as  well  as  attract- 
ive. Cement  walks  lead  to  and  around  the 
house.  Everything  about  the  place  shows 
prosperity.  Mr.  Dickey  is  the  owner  of  one 
hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  very  valuable 
and  productive  land  in  section  16  and  eighty 
acres  in  section  9.  He  made  all  the  improve- 
ments on  these  places  himself.  His  land  is 
equal  to  any  in  Marion  county,  being  kept  in 
a  high  state  of  improvement.  Mr.  Dickey 
is  an  excellent  judge  of  stock  and  always 
handles  good  varieties.  At  present  he  is  en- 
gaged in  handling  of  fine  stock  of  all  kinds, 
keeping  standard  bred  stock,  which  are 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


much  admired  by  all  who  see  them.  He 
has  rare  business  foresight  and  sagacity,  is 
quick  to  formulate  his  plans  and  to  carry 
them  into  execution,  and  he  seldom  makes 
a  mistake  in  his  transactions. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  first 
to  Alice  Murfin,  March  i,  1870.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Warren  and  Emily  Murfin 
and  was  born  January  I,  1851,  and  she 
passed  to  her  rest  January  23,  1894.  Two 
children  were  born  to  this  union,  Edith 
Estelle,  born  November  25,  1870,  married 
Edward  P.  Cockrell,  who  is  assistant  gen- 
eral passenger  agent  of  the  Monon  Railroad, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  children; 
Warren  Kennedy  was  born  July  21,  1872. 
He  is  a  widower,  living  in  California.  The 
subject's  second  wife  was  Flora  Walton, 
daughter  of  Joel  T.  Walton  (whose  sketch 
appears  in  full  in  another  part  of  this  vol- 
ume). Two  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  his  second  wife,  namely:  Ma- 
mie Gedge,  who  was  born  January  16,  1901 ; 
and  Thomas  Ethelbert,  whose  date  of  birth 
was  September  17,  1902.  They  are  both 
bright  and  interesting  children.  Mrs.  Dickey 
is  a  woman  of  culture  and  refinement,  and, 
like  her  husband,  has  hosts  of  friends  in 
Marion  county. 


GARNETT  E.  NORRIS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
substantial  and  representative  citizens  of 
Marion  county,  having  made  his  home  here 


for  over  a  quarter  of  a  century  and  devoted 
much  valuable  time  to  the  development  of 
the  county's  interests  in  many  ways.  A  well 
defined  purpose  has  caused  him  to  succeed 
where  less  courageous  souls  would  have 
gone  down  in  defeat. 

Garnett  E.  Norris  was  born  in  Clermont 
county,  Ohio,  January  15,  1863,  the  son  of 
John  Pierce  and  Maggie  Norris,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  Brown  county,  Ohio, 
February  8,  1832.  He  was  a  school  teacher 
and  professor  nearly  all  his  life,  having  be- 
come widely  known  as  an  able  educator.  He 
spent  a  few  years  as  a  traveling  salesman. 
•He  received  his  education  at  Felicity  Acad- 
emy, in  Ohio,  also  Wesleyan  University,  in 
which  institution  he  took  a  scientific  course 
and  where  he  graduated.  He  had  no  perma- 
nent residence  in  his  younger  years,  for  he 
never  taught  long  at  one  place.  He  was 
principal  of  the  schools  at  Manchester,  Ohio, 
Higginsport,  Georgetown  and  Moscow, 
Ohio;  also  Falmouth  and  Foster,  Kentucky, 
and.  many  other  places  before  coming  to 
Marion  county.  He  taught  one  term  in  Pa- 
toka.  He  was  compelled  to  give  up  educa- 
tional work  on  account  of  failing  health  in 
his  later  years.  He  died  suddenly  in  Marion 
county  in  1902.  He  was  a  well  educated 
and  unusually  intelligent  man  and  was 
prominent  wherever  he  lived.  He  was 
known  especially  as  a  great  mathematician. 
He  married  Maggie  Norris  (no  relation)  in 
1858  in  Pendleton  county,  Kentucky.  She 
was  born  about  1842  in  Pendleton  county, 
Kentucky.  His  wife,  who  is  now  living, 
was  a  twin  to  Francis  Norris,  deceased.  Mrs^ 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


58] 


John  P.  Norris  keeps  house  for  our  subject, 
her  son.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  the  parents  of  the  subject :  Garnett  E.,  our 
subject,  being  the  oldest  in  order  of  birth, 
who  has  remained  unmarried,  and,  as  already 
stated,  lives  with  his  mother  in  Vernon; 
Earnest  N.  lives  in  Patoka,  was  thirty-eight 
years  old  in  1908.  He  married  Lizzie  Foster 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  five  children.  The 
third  child,  Tula  M.,  is  thirty-four  years  old 
and  is  the  wife  of  Dr.  J.  S.  Morton,  who 
lives  in  Vernon ;  Cora,  thirty  years  old,  mar- 
ried Dr.  H.  D.  Ryman,  who  lives  in  Vernon, 
and  has  two  children.  John  B.,  twenty-five 
years  old,  married  Mabel  Hullinger.  They 
live  in  St.  Jose,  Illinois,  where  Mr.  Norris  is 
cashier  of  a  bank. 

This  family  of  children  received  every 
possible  opportunity  and  careful  educational 
training,  all  developing  into  school  teachers 
of  ability.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  fifty- 
three  years  of  teaching  has  been  done  by  this 
family,  twenty-two  years  by  the  father,  eight- 
een by  the  subject,  ten  years  by  Ernest  and 
Lulu  and  three  years  by  Cora.  John  was 
preparing  to  teach  when  he  accepted  a  cleri- 
cal position.  They  are  all  bright  and  well 
educated  people  and  all  Democrats.  The 
subject  has  been  on  the  stump  in  the  inter- 
est of  his  party,  but  has  refused  all  political 
offices  of  the  county,  although  often  urged 
to  accept  them.  He  has  long  been  promi- 
nent throughout  this  district  and  his  talents 
were  recognized  by  the  public  when  he  was 
quite  young. 

Mr.  Norris  received  most  of  his  educa- 
tion in  Clermont  county,  Ohio,  and,  as  al- 


ready intimated,  has  spent  most  of  his  life 
engaged  in  teaching,  having  become  widely 
known  as  an  able  instructor  and  his  serv- 
ices are  always  in  great  demand.  He  gave 
up  teaching  a  few  years  ago,  since  which 
time  he  has  been  identified  with  the  Henry 
R.  Hall  Lumber  and  Grain  Company.  He 
owns  some  valuable  land  in  sections  8  and 
67.  Mr.  Norris  has  been  Mayor  of  Vernon 
since  it  was  incorporated  in  the  spring  of 
1908,  and  he  is  also  School  Director.  He 
owns  a  beautiful,  modern  and  well  furnished 
home  in  Vernon,  where,  surrounded  by  his 
books  and  all  conveniences,  he  spends  a  quiet 
life,  enjoying  the  association  of  his  grand 
old  mother,  a  woman  of  beautiful  attributes 
and  Christian  character.  They  are  highly 
esteemed  by  all  who  know  them  for  their 
hospitality,  friendliness  and  integrity. 


CAPT.  WILLIAM  T.  JOHNSON. 

There  can  be  no  greater  honor  or  privi- 
lege than  to  conscientiously  serve  one's  coun- 
try during  its  days  of  peril.  It  requires 
something  more  than  patriotic  zeal  for  a 
man  to  forsake  home,  business,  the  pleasures 
of  social  or  public  life  and  voluntarily  as- 
sume the  hardships  of  the  camp  and  the 
field,  much  less  risk  one's  life  in  the  brunt 
of  battle,  and  the  younger  generation  of  to- 
day are  apt  to  not  give  the  respect  due  the 
brave  "boys  in  blue"  who  saved  the  nation's 
integrity  and  who  did  so  much  for  them. 
The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  those 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


whose  name  is  to  be  found  on  the  scroll  of 
honor  in  this  connection. 

Capt.  William  T.  Johnson  was  born  in 
Scott  county,  Indiana,  October  29,  1841,  the 
son  of  Stephen  and  Levina  (Williams) 
Johnson,  the  former  having  been  born  in 
Lexington,  Indiana,  in  1815  when  Lexing- 
ton was  the  county  seat  of  Scott  county.  The 
subject's  paternal  grandfather  secured  land 
in  Scott  county  just  as  the  Indians  were 
leaving  there.  Elijah  English  also  secured 
land  nearby  at  the  same  time,  which  land 
is  owned  at  present  by  Capt.  W.  E.  English, 
of  Indianapolis.  The  father  of  the  subject 
was  a  cabinetmaker,  a  preacher  and  a  farm- 
er, and  quite  a  prominent  man  of  that  time. 
He  was  a  great  admirer  of  Millard  Fillmore. 
He  turned  to  the  Republican  party  late  in 
life,  but  never  sought  political  office.  He 
was  called  to  his  rest  in  1870.  Levina  Wil- 
liams Johnson,  mother  of  our  subject,  was 
born  in  the  memorable  year  of  1812.  Her 
uncle  was  an  Indian  fighter  for  many  years 
and  was  with  Lewis  and  Clark  in  their  raid 
through  Indiana.  Her  uncle's  name  appears 
on  a  monument  in  the  West  where  the  last 
raid  was  made  on  the  Indians  in  the  battle 
of  Tippecanoe.  She  had  four  brothers  and 
four  sisters.  The  parents  of  the  subject  mar- 
ried in  1835.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
them,  all  living  at  this  writing,  namely : 
Sarah,  William  T.,  our  subject;  Caroline, 
John  and  David,  twins;  Martha,  Mary  and 
James. 

The  subject's  paternal  grandfather  was  a 
"minute  man"  under  Washington. 

William  T.  Johnson  was  educated  in  the 


public  schools  of  his  native  community. 
However,  his  schooling  was  somewhat  lim- 
ited. He  worked  about  the  home  place  un- 
til the  time  he  enlisted  in  the  army.  He 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1870,  to 
engage  in  farming  and  has  lived  in  Patoka 
township  ever  since.  He  was  for  several 
years  in  the  dairy  and  stock  raising  business, 
having  made  a  pronounced  success  of  what- 
ever he  undertook,  being  a  man  of  great  in- 
dustry and  rare  soundness  of  judgment.  He 
always  kept  his  farm  in  first  class- condition 
and  it  was  well  tilled  and  produced  excel- 
lent crops.  For  the  past  eleven  years  Mr. 
Johnson  has  lived  in  quiet  retirement  in  a 
beautiful  and  comfortable  home  in  Vernon. 

Mr.  Johnson  was  first  married  to  Saman- 
tha  Gray  in  the  year  1866.  There  are  no  liv- 
ing children  from  this  union.  Mr.  John- 
son's second  wife  was  Addie  Gray,  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Amanda  (Carroll)  Gray. 
Amanda  Carroll  was  a  distant  relative  of 
Charles  Carroll,  one  of  the  signers  of  the 
Declaration  of  Independence.  The  second 
wife  of  Mr.  Johnson  was  the  fifth  child  in 
a  family  of  twelve.  One  girl  and  one  boy 
have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife :  Tina, 
who  married  Warren  Murfin;  Biness,  the 
son,  is  single  and  living  at  home. 

As  intimated  above  our  subject  was  one 
of  the  gallat  defenders  of  the  flag  during 
the  dark  days  of  the  sixties,  having  enlisted 
in  1 86 1  in  Company  C,  Thirty-Eighth  Indi- 
ana Volunteer  Infantry,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Schribner,  and  was  sent  at  once  to 
General  Sherman's  command.  Walter  Q. 
Gresham  was  in  line  with  the  subject  as  a 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


583 


private  at  the  organization  of  the  regiment. 
He  engaged  in  a  skirmish  lasting  thirty 
days  before  the  battle  of  Stone  River,  in 
which  great  battle  our  subject  was  wounded. 
At  the  battle  of  Chickamauga  our  subject 
was  under  the  command  of  Colonel  Thomas 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Forty-Ninth  Regi- 
ment. He  was  captured  at  Chickamauga  and 
sent  to  Libby  prison  for  six  months,  but  he 
was  one  of  the  six  men  who  dug  out  of  that 
prison  and  escaped.  Twenty  men  made  the 
effort,  but  the  others  failed.  They  worked 
in  relays  of  five  men  and  tunnelled  under 
the  wall  from  the  basement  of  the  old  ware- 
house where  they  were  confined.  They  had 
nothing  but  an  old  chisel  to  work  with. 
Those  who  escaped  were,  beside  our  sub- 
ject, Charles  Vaughn,  Thomas  A.  Morrison, 
Alex  Lorington,  T.  McVey  and  D.  Laporte. 
They  spent  seventeen  days  and  nights  dig- 
ging their  way  to  freedom.  The  subject 
was  thirty-six  days  and  nights  getting  back 
to  the  Union  lines.  He  remained  in  hiding 
during  the  day  and  traveled  at  night.  He 
came  out  of  the  army  in  October,  1865,  a 
captain  and  acting  adjutant  at  the  time.  He 
is  said  by  his  comrades  to  have  been  a  most 
gallant  soldier  and  never  flinched  from  duty. 

Our  subject  was  captain  of  Company  D, 
in  Pittinger's  Provisional  Regiment,  dur- 
ing the  Spanish-American  war. 

The  above  is  a  record  of  which  anyone 
should  be  proud.  Captain  Johnson  has  been 
Justice  of  the  Peace  since  living  in  Vernon 
and  his  court  has  been  a  popular  one,  his 
decisions  being  fair  on  all  matters  submitted 
to  him.  He  is  a  loyal  Republican  and  is 


known  to  all  classes  for  his  honesty,  in- 
tegrity, public  spirit  and  good  natured  per- 
sonality, which  makes  him  one  of  the  most 
highly  esteemed  men  in  Patoka  township. 


ELBRIDGE  ROBINSON. 

The  life  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  has 
not  been  of  an  unusual  character,  nothing 
strange  or  tragic  about  it,  but  rather  the 
antithesis,  quiet  and  unostentatious,  a  life 
that  has  resulted  in  no  harm  to  those  who 
have  come  under  the  influence  of  the  sub- 
ject. He  is  one  of  the  "boys  in  blue",  to 
whom  all  honor  is  due. 

Elbridge  Robinson  was  born  in  Morgan 
county,  Ohio,  January  7,  1844,  on  a  farm. 
He  came  to  Marion  county  after  the  war. 
Mr.  Robinson  is  the  son  of  Israel  and  Mar- 
garet (Warne)  Robinson,  the  former  hav- 
ing been  born  March  3,  1804,  in  Brook 
county,  West  Virginia,  who  came  to  Ohio 
when  six  years  old,  a  pioneer  of  the  woods. 
He  became  a  public  man  and  served  one 
term  in  the  Legislature.  He  was  a  Whig.  Is- 
rael Robinson  was  one  of  eleven  children,  a 
prominent  man  in  his  locality.  He  died 
in  1872.  The  mother  of  the  subject  was 
born  in  Muskingum  county,  Ohio,  in  1812, 
being  a  member  of  a  family  consisting  of 
twelve  children,  six  girls  and  an  equal  num- 
ber of  boys.  The  parents  of  the  subject 
married  December  31,  1829.  Our  subject  is 
the  only  one  of  six  children  living. 

Elbridge  Robinson  spent  his  early  life  on 


584 


BRINKERHOFF  S   HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  farm.  His  education  was  secured  in  the 
common  school  and  at  Roos  College  at  Sha- 
ron, Ohio.  When  only  sixteen  years  old  he 
obtained  a  certificate  to  teach,  and  success- 
fully taught  school  both  before  and  after 
the  war.  His  services  were  in  great  demand 
for  he  gained  quite  a  reputation  as  an  able 
educator. 

As  already  intimated,  Mr.  Robinson  was 
one  of  the  brave  sons  of  the  North  who  of- 
fered his  life  in  defense  of  his  country,  hav- 
ing enlisted  in  Company  C,  One  Hundred 
and  Twenty-second  Ohio  Volunteer  Infan- 
try, in  August,  1862,  under  the  command 
of  Colonel  Ball,  a  judge  at  Zanesville,  Ohio, 
and  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war  with 
much  credit.  He  was  wounded  at  Cold 
Harbor,  June  3,  1864,  which  wound  did 
not  heal  until  after  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  in  the  battles  of  Milroy's  Defeat  in 
June,  1863,  Locust  Grove  in  November, 
1863,  also  fought  at  the  Wilderness  and 
at  Spottsylvania,  and  several  other  en- 
gagements, some  of  his  comrades  having 
been  killed  in  every  battle.  He  was  all 
through  the  strenuous  Wilderness  cam- 
paign. He  has  a  congressional  medal  of 
honor  for  heroic  service,  having  saved  a 
fallen  comrade  from  being  captured  by  the 
Confederates.  The  unfortunate  man  was 
Price  Worthington  of  Company  B,  One 
Hundred  and  Twenty-second  Regiment,  the 
same  as  that  of  our  subject.  Mr.  Robinson 
rushed  back  in  the  face  of  the  enemy's  fire 
through  their  lines  and  saved  Mr.  Worth- 
ington. After  his  return  he  was  warmly 
congratulated  by  the  officers  and  men  for 


his  heroic  deed.  He  was  then  only  nineteen 
years  old.  He  is  remembered  by  his  gov* 
eminent  by  a  pension. 

Mr.  Robinson  was  united  in  marriage  on 
March  3,  1870,  to  Moretta  Reichert  and  to 
this  union  the  following  children  were  bom : 
Fora,  born  February  21,  1872,  married 
Mamie  Smith;  they  are  living  in  Vernon, 
and  are  the  parents  of  two  children ;  Lewis 
was  born  April  12,  1874,  and  died  January 
13,  1898;  Harry  was  born  October  21, 
1877.  The  subject's  first  wife  died  in  1877. 
He  was  again  married,  his  second  wife  be- 
ing Martha  L.  Peddicord,  the  daughter  of 
A.  M.  and  Mary  Peddicord.  No  children 
were  born  to  this  union.  But  a  little  child, 
Bertrice  Reynolds,  whose  parents  and  fam- 
ily had  just  moved  to  the  village  in  very 
destitute  circumstances  with  mother  sick, 
the  little  six  months'  old  Bertrice  was  found 
by  Mrs.  Robinson  while  on  one  of  her  visits 
of  charity  in  an  out  building  with  scarcely 
any  clothing  or  attention.  Her  sympathetic 
nature  prompted  her  to  carry  the  little  waif 
to  her  home  and  assume  the  duties  of 
mother.  By  proper  consent  she  has  ever 
since  remained  with  her  new  found  parents 
to  scatter  sunshine  in  their  home,  and  with 
her  affectionate  disposition  and  loving 
words  cheer  their  declining  years  down 
life's  shaded  pathway. 

The  life  of  our  subject  has  been  spent  on 
a  farm  and  in  the  mercantile  business,  both 
of  which  he  made  a  pronounced  success  of, 
and  was  enabled  to  lay  up  an  ample  compe- 
tence for  his  old  age  which  he  is  spending 
in  comfort  and  peace  in  quiet  retirement. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


585 


He  is  the  owner  of  four  hundred  and  fifteen 
acres  of  valuable  land  in  a  High  state  of  cul- 
tivation and  highly  improved,  being  one  of 
the  model  farms  in  Patoka  township.  He 
has  a  substantial  and  well  furnished  home, 
an  excellent  barn  and  convenient  out  build- 
ings, and  he  always  keeps  good  stock  of 
various  kinds.  He  lives  in  Vernon  at  this 
writing. 

Mr.  Robinson  has  always  been  a  Repub- 
lican, however,  he  has  never  aspired  to  po- 
sitions of  public  trust,  preferring  to  lead  a 
quiet  life  and  devote  his  time  to  his  individ- 
ual business.  He  is  a  great  reader,  keeping 
posted  on  all  current  events.  He  is  a  deep 
thinker,  has  an  excellent  memory  and  is  a 
very  interesting  conversationalist.  He  is 
held  in  high  esteem  by  all  who  know  him. 


ELI  W.  JONES. 

The  honored  subject  of  this  sketch  has 
lived  to  see  Marion  county  develop  from 
the  wild  prairie  and  primeval  forests  in- 
habited by  wild  animals  and  a  few  pioneer 
settlers  to  its  present  magnificent  prosperity, 
its  elegant  homes,  comfortable  public  build- 
ings, fertile  farms  and  thriving  cities;  and 
he  has  played  no  small  part  in  this  great 
work  of  transformation. 

Eli  W.  Jones  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  April  20,  1839,  the  son  of  James 
and  Laura  (Luelen)  Jones,  the  former  hav- 
ing been  born  in  October,  1795,  in  Georgia, 
near  where  Atlanta  now  stands.  He  came 


to  Illinois  in  1814  and  was  in  the  War  of 
1812,  having  served  two  short  terms  guard- 
ing the  surveyors  when  the  state  was  sur- 
veyed. He  was  in  Captain  Schurtz's  com- 
pany. He  married  in  Bond  county,  Illinois, 
at  Keysport,  in  1823,  and  came  to  Marion 
county  soon  afterward,  where  he  settled 
among  the  earliest  pioneers  and  where  he 
lived  until  his  death,  August  29,  1865.  He 
devoted  his  life  to  farming.  He  was  a  very 
pious  man,  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  an  exhorter.  He  entered  gov- 
ernment land  in  this  county  which  he  im- 
proved and  put  a  part  of  it  in  cultivation. 
There  were  some  Indians  here  at  the  time. 
He  was  a  Democrat  until  the  time  of  Frank- 
lin Pierce,  when  he  turned  Republican.  He 
was  always  opposed  to  slavery.  He  never 
took  much  interest  in  politics,  but  devoted 
his  time  to  the  farm  and  the  church.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  born  in  Kentucky, 
December  i,  1806,  and  died  February  26, 
1885. 

Eli  W.  Jones  spent  his  boyhood  days 
much  like  the  other  boys  of  his  time,  in  as- 
sisting with  the  work  on  his  father's  farm 
and  attending  school  in  the  country  district 
for  a  short  time  during  the  winter,  receiv- 
ing a  meager  education. 

When  the  national  government  was  in 
need  of  loyal  supporters  to  defend  its  in- 
tegrity it  found  no  more  willing  patriot  than 
our  subject,  who  enlisted  in  1861  at  the 
beginning  of  hostilities  in  the  Twenty- 
sixth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  being  as- 
signed to  Company  H,  under  command  of 
Colonel  Loomis  and  Capt.  A.  B.  Morrison. 


586 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


He  faithfully  and  gallantly  served  for  four 
years  when  he  had  a  leg  shot  off,  having 
been  shattered  by  a  minie-ball  in  Sherman's 
last  big  fight,  which  fact  causes  him  to 
wear  an  artificial  leg.  He  never  missed  a 
battle  or  a  inarch  until  losing  his  leg.  He 
was  in  the  famous  march  to  the  sea,  in  the 
battle  of  Corinth,  the  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
the  battle  of  Missionary  Ridge  and  out  of 
fifty-seven  smaller  engagements  was  never 
defeated.  He  is  remembered  by  his  gov- 
ernment for  his  gallantry  with  a  pension  of 
forty-six  dollars.  He  was  never  in  the  hos- 
pital a  day  while  in  the  army  until  he  was 
wounded.  He  spent  ten  days  in  the  ambu- 
lance beore  finding  a  hospital. 

Mr.  Jones  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  Rymon,  August  28,  1860.  When  he 
went  away  to  war  he  left  a  little  baby,  three 
months  old.  His  wife  was  born  December 
31,  1839,  the  daughter  of  Justus  R.  Rymon, 
who  was  born  November  14,  1808.  The 
mother  of  the  subject's  wife  was  Martha 
Dickens  in  her  maidenhood.  She  was  born 
July  26,  1816.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rymon  were 
married  May  4,  1836.  Mr.  Rymon  was  a 
preacher  and  a  doctor  and  was  a  prominent 
man  in  his  community.  He  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  February  24,  1878,  and 
his  wife  passed  to  her  rest  January  i,  1881. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jones:  J.  T.,  a  well  known 
physician  of  Salem,  Illinois,  who  is  at  pres- 
ent unable  to  practice  on  account  of  failing 
health.  He  married  Carrie  E.  Bennett  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  children.  Logan 
M.,  the  subject's  second  child,  was  born 


November  i,  1864,  and  died  in  1873;  Flora 
was  born  May  10,  1868,  and  died  Novem- 
ber 9,  1873. 

Our  subject  was  for  many  years  a  breeder 
of  fine  horses  and  hogs  and  the  owner  of 
some  high  grade  imported  stallions  and 
others  of  fine  variety. 

Mr.  Jones  has  always  been  a  loyal  Re- 
publican, having  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln.  In  1872  he  was  elected  Cir- 
cuit Clerk  of  Marion  county,  being  the  first 
Republican  clerk  the  county  ever  had. 
This  shows  Mr.  Jones's  great  popularity  in 
his  own  county.  He  faithfully  served  in 
this  capacity,  giving  entire  satisfaction  to 
all  concerned.  He  has  also  served  his  town- 
ship as  School  Trustee,  was  the  first  Town 
Clerk  of  Foster  and  is  at  present  Justice 
of  the  Peace.  He  is  regarded  as  being  en- 
tirely fair  in  his  decisions.  He  served  as 
Supervisor  of  Patoka  township  for  one  term 
of  two  years.  He  is  well  known  politically, 
and  he  is  held  in  high  favor  by  all  who 
know  him. 


JAMES  S.  MORTON,  M.  D. 

Concentration  of  purpose  and  persistently 
applied  energy  rarely  fail  of  success  in  the 
accomplishment  of  any  task  however  great, 
and  in  tracing  the  career  of  Dr.  Morton, 
a  well  known  physician  of  Vernor,  Marion 
county,  it  is  plainly  seen  that  these  things 
have  been  the  secrets  of  his  rise  to  a  po- 
sition of  prominence  and  respectability. 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Moreover  he  possesses  genuine  love  for  his 
work  and  regards  it  as  a  privilege  to  carry 
comfort  and  aid  to  the  sick  and  suffering. 
Dr.  James  S.  Morton  was  born  in  Clin- 
ton, Alabama,  September  8,  1864,  the  son  of 
Samuel  and  Julia  (Bizzell)  Morton.  His 
father  was  born  in  Belfast,  Ireland,  March 
28,  1827,  and  came  to  the  United  States 
in  1852,  landing  in  New  Orleans,  soon  af- 
terward coming  on  to  Clinton,  Alabama, 
where  he  remained  for  a  short  time  when 
he  began  the  study  of  medicine,  later  attend- 
ing the  University  of  Pennsylvania  from 
which  institution  he  graduated  with  honor, 
after  which  he  returned  to  Alabama  and 
became  one  of  the  state's  niost  able  physi- 
cians. He  came  to  Patoka,  Illinois,  in  1868 
and  went  to  farming,  five  miles  northwest 
of  that  town.  He  came  to  Vernon  in  1872 
for  the  purpose  of  resuming  the  practice  of 
medicine  which  he  continued  with!  much 
success  until  his  death  July  10,  1906.  He 
was  one  of  a  family  of  ten  children  and  he 
came  to  America  unaccompanied.  The 
mother  of  our  subject  was  born  near  Golds- 
borough,  North  Carolina,  in  1841.  The 
parents  of  our  subject  were  married  in  1860, 
and  to  them  the  following  children  were 
born :  Andrew  B.,  who  became  a  physician, 
died  at  the  age  of  thirty-eight;  James  S. 
was  the  second  in  order  of  birth ;  John  died 
in  infancy;  Eliza  P.,  who  is  thirty-eight 
years  old  at  this  writing,  married  William 
Binnion.  They  have  three  children  and  are 
living  in  Vernon,  Illinois.  Samuel,  the  third 
child  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Samuel  Morton,  died 
when  three  years  old;  George  died  in  in- 


fancy ;  Anna  is  thirty-five  years  old,  is  single 
and  living  with  the  subject. 

Doctor  Morton  received  his  early  educa- 
tion in  Vernon,  this  county,  where  he  at- 
tended the  common  schools  and  made  a 
splendid  record.  Being  ambitious  to  follow 
in  the  footsteps  of  his  worthy  father  in  the 
medical  profession,  he  went  to  Valparaiso, 
Indiana,  where  he  took  a  course  in  the  uni- 
versity from  1880  to  1883,  after  which  he 
entered  Rush  Medical  College  in  Chicago  in 
1884,  from  which  institution  he  graduated 
with  high  honors  in  1887,  and  he  has  been 
engaged  in  practice  in  Vernon,  Illinois,  ever 
since,  being  the  oldest  doctor  here. 


CHARLES  E.  BLANKINSHIP. 

He  whose  career  we  now  take  under  con- 
sideration and  to  whom  the  reader's  atten- 
tion is  respectfully  directed  is  numbered 
among  the  progressive  and  successful  busi- 
ness men  of  Marion  county,  of  which  he  has 
been  a  resident  for  many  years,  while  he  has 
gained  prosperity  through  his  own  honest 
efforts  in  connection  with  the  development 
of  the  natural  resources  and  the  subsequent 
business  prosperity. 

Charles  E.  Blankinship  was  born  in  Fay- 
ette  county,  Illinois,  August  8,  1861,  the  son 
of  Edward  and  Susannah  (Lollar)  BJank^ 
inship.  Grandfather  Blankinship  was  a  na- 
tive of  Tennessee,  who  came  to  Illinois 
about  1837  and  settled  in  Fayette  county, 
on  a  farm  and  where  he  lived  until  his  death 


S88 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


in  1860.  The  father  of  the  subject  was 
bom  in  Tennessee  and  was  brought  here  by 
his  parents  when  a  child.  After  he  reached 
manhood  he  first  engaged  in  farming  and 
later  engaged  in  merchandising  the  balance 
of  his  life,  having  passed  to  his  rest  in  1871, 
at  the  age  of  thirty-four  years.  The  sub- 
ject's mother  was  also  about  the  same  age 
when  she  died  in  1877.  The  father  was  a 
member  of  the  Methodist  church  and  the 
mother  of  the  Christian  church.  The  for- 
mer was  a  Democrat.  They  were  the  par- 
ents of  five  children,  all  having  died  young 
except  our  subject. 

Charles  E.  Blankinship  attended  the  pub- 
lic schools  at  Patoka  until  he  was  seven- 
teen years  old.  He  then  attended  school  at 
Valparaiso,  Indiana,  and  at  Eureka,  Illinois, 
receiving  a  good  education,  having  made  a 
splendid  record  in  each. 

After  leaving  school  he  went  to  farming 
on  his  own  account.  He  inherited  a  farm 
from  his  father  in  Marion  county  on  which 
he  remained  for  a  period  of  five  years,  mak- 
ing agriculture  a  paying  business.  He  then 
moved  to  Patoka  and  became  postmaster 
under  President  Harrison,  and  served  four 
years  under  that  appointment  and  four 
years  under  McKinley's  administration.  He 
made  a  most  efficient  public  servant  and  won 
the  approbation  of  all  in  the  community, 
and  the  high  favor  of  the  Post  Office  De- 
partment. 

Since  he  left  the  office  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  the  hay,  grain  and  coal  business, 
also  has  been  handling  farming  implements 
and  is  still  in  this  line  of  business  which  he 


has  built  up  until  he  has  a  lucrative  patron- 
age, his  trade  constantly  growing  by  reason 
of  his  sound  business  principles  and  his 
courteous  and  kind  consideration  of  custo- 
mers. He  is  vice-president  of  the  local 
bank. 

Mr.  Blankinship  was  married  on  March 
9,  1882,  to  Albertine  F.  Clark,  daughter  of 
Henry  I.  and  Mary  J.  Clark.  Her  parents 
were  natives  of  Virginia,  who  settled  in 
McLean  county,  Illinois.  Her  father  died 
in  Woodford  county,  this  state.  He  was 
over  eighty  years  old  at  the  time  of  his 
death  and  he  had  been  a  soldier  in  the  War 
of  1812.  Her  mother,  a  woman  of  fine 
traits,  is  still  living  at  the  age  of  eighty 
years.  The  subject's  wife  has  one  brother, 
two  sisters  and  two  half-sisters. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  namely:  Leta  C,  whose  date 
of  birth  occurred  in  January,  1883,  is  the 
wife  of  Robert  A.  Ward,  and  the  mother  of 
one  son ;  Dean  Francis,  who  was  born  in 
August,  1885,  is  now  cashier  of  the  bank 
at  Patoka  and  is  married:  Nellie  M.,  who 
was  born  in  1887,  is  the  wife  of  Albert  J. 
Earl  and  the  mother  of  one  son;  Clark  J., 
who  was  born  in  October,  1898,  is  living  at 
home. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  great  Ma- 
son, belonging  to  six  lodges  in  this  frater- 
nity, namely:  Patoka  lodge  No.  613,  An- 
cient, Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Centralia 
Chapter  No.  93,  Cyrene  Commandery, 
Knights  Templar,  No.  23,  Centralia  Coun- 
cil No.  29,  Royal  and  Select  Masters,  Ori- 
ental Consistory  (thirty-second  degree) 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


of  Chicago;  also  Chapter  253  Order 
of  the  Eastern  Star,  of  Patoka.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men. He  has  filled  all  the  chairs  in  the 
local  lodge  of  the  Free  Masons. 

Mrs.  Blankinship  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church.  Our  subject  has  long 
taken  an  active  part  in  political  and  public 
affairs,  having  served  as  Supervisor  of  the 
township,  also  Township  Collector.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  School  Board  for  nine 
consecutive  years,  and  was  Mayor  of  Patoka 
for  two  terms.  In  all  these  public  offices 
he  served  the  people  in  a  most  capable  and 
praiseworthy  manner,  eliciting  nothing  but 
favorable  comment  from  everyone,  and  be- 
cause of  his  past  honorable  record,  his  in- 
tegrity and  his  successful  enterprises,  to- 
gether with  his  gentlemanly  bearing  to  both 
stranger  and  friend,  he  is  popular  with  all. 


HERBERT  D.  RYMAN,  M.  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  although  yet  a 
young  man,  has  won  a  wide  reputation  in 
the  medical  profession  and  shown  what  a 
man  of  careful  mental  training,  honesty  of 
purpose  and  an  abundance  of  zeal  and  per- 
sistence can  accomplish,  although  his  early 
advantages  were  none  too  flattering.  He  is 
naturally  endowed  with  the  capacities  of 
the  successful  practitioner  of  medicine,  at 
least  this  would  be  inferred,  judging  from 
the  eminent  success  he  has  attained. 

Dr.  Herbert  D.  Ryman  was  born  April 


II,  1878,  in  Vernon,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
Samuel  T.  and  Martha  S.  (Jones)  Ryman, 
the  former  having  been  born  near  Salem, 
this  county,  in  1850.  He  was  a  successful 
merchant  in  Vernon  for  many  years,  but  in 
later  life  was  a  farmer,  having  died  on  his 
farm  in  1882.  He  was  a  well  known  Re- 
publican and  took  quite  an  active  part  in 
local  political  affairs  in  Marion  county.  He 
ably  served  as  Collector,  Assessor,  Super- 
visor and  in  many  other  township  offices. 
He  was  the  son  of  old  Doctor  Ryman,  of 
Salem,  who  was  known  to  everyone  in  the 
county  during  his  residence  here.  The  Ry- 
man family  came  from  Heidelburg,  Ger- 
many, being  the  descendants  of  the  royal 
family.  One  of  them  who  was  entitled  to 
high  rank  in  Germany  died  in  1882.  The 
grandmother  of  our  subject  on  his  father's 
side  was  a  direct  descendant  of  Charles 
Dickens,  the  famous  English  novelist.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  bom  in  Foster 
township  in  1860  and  passed  to  her  rest  in 
1902.  She  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  The  subject's  paternal  grand- 
father was  a  preacher,  a  doctor  and  a  tailor 
at  Salem. 

The  subject  had  (one  brother  who  is  de- 
ceased; one  sister  also  deceased,  and  two 
half  sisters,  one  of  whom  is  deceased.  Our 
subject  is  from  a  family  of  physicians  and 
it  is  quite  natural  that  he  should  take  to  the 
medical  profession.  He  is  the  cousin  of 
Doctor  Jones,  of  Salem,  and  the  grandson 
of  old  Doctor  Ryman,  of  Salem.  His  grand- 
mother's father  was  also  a  physician. 

Dr.  Herbert  D.  Ryman  received  his  early 


590 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


education  in  Marion  county,  first  attending 
the  public  school  at  Vernon.  Being  an  am- 
bitious lad  he  applied  himself  in  a  most  as- 
siduous manner  and  made  rapid  strides  in 
his  studies.  He  entered  the  medical  col- 
lege at  Topeka,  Kansas,  from  which  he 
graduated  with  high  honors.  He  is  both  a 
registered  physician  and  pharmacist  of  Kan- 
sas and  a  registered  doctor  of  Illinois. 

After  leaving  college,  Doctor  Ryman 
practiced  for  a  short  time  in  Shawnee  coun- 
ty, Kansas,  with  much  success  from  the  first. 
Then  he  moved  back  to  Vernon,  Illinois, 
and  has  been  engaged  in  practice  here  ever 
since,  having  built  up  an  excellent  patron- 
age. 

Only  about  two  years  of  the  subject's  life 
was  spent  out  of  the  school  room  since  he 
was  six  years  old.  He  taught  school  for 
several  years  in  Kansas  where  he  became 
known  as  an  able  educator.  He  was  prin- 
cipal of  the  Richmond,  Kansas,  schools.  He 
was  also  principal  of  the  schools  at  Roches- 
ter, just  north  of  Topeka.  Through  years 
of  study  and  experience  in  teaching  and 
practice  he  has  become  a  well  educated  man 
and  is  an  interesting  conversationalist.  His 
practice  is  not  confined  to  Patoka  township, 
but  it  extends  to  remote  parts  of  the  county, 
being  often  called  on  serious  cases  and  in 
counsel  with  other  physicians,  and  his  ad- 
vice is  invariably  followed  with  flattering 
results. 

Doctor  Ryman  was  happily  married  to 
Cora  B.  Norris,  of  Vernon,  this  county, 
September  7,  1898.  She  is  an  accomplished 
and  refined  lady,  the  representative  of  an  ex- 


cellent family,  being  the  daughter  of  J.  P. 
Norris,  whose  sketch  appears  in  full  in  this 
work.  Two  interesting  children  have  been 
born  to  our  subject  and  wife,  namely : 
Christene,  who  was  six  years  old  in  Febru- 
ary, 1908;  and  Lucile,  who  was  two  years 
old  in  June,  1908.  Our  subject  was  mar- 
ried at  high  noon  and  left  at  one  o'clock 
for  Kansas.  His  wife  is  also  a  teacher  of 
much  ability,  having  taught  school  in  Kan- 
sas with  her  husband.  Doctor  Ryman  served 
as  Town  Clerk  in  Richmond,  Kansas.  He  is 
a  loyal  Republican.  The  future  to  such  a 
man  as  our  subject  holds  much  of  promise, 
for  he  is  a  man  of  genuine  worth,  ambi- 
tious and  popular,  being  well  liked  by  all 
who  know  him. 


THOMAS  J.  FOSTER. 

Success  has  been  worthily  attained  by  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  as  a  result  of  the 
methods  he  has  pursued — methods  which 
will  insure  success  to  any  man  of  honor  and 
indomitable  courage,  which  he  undoubtedly 
possesses. 

Thomas  J.  Foster  was  born  in  Foster 
township  on  the  old  Foster  homestead, 
where  he  now  resides,  his  birth  occurring 
September  20,  1839.  He  is  the  son  of  An- 
drew H.  and  Betsy  (McConnell)  Foster,  the 
former  a  native  of  Georgia,  having  been 
born  near  Atlanta,  and  the  latter  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  having  been  born  just  southeast 
of  Nashville.  The  father  of  Andrew  H. 


imi.XKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


591 


Foster  died  when  he  was  a  small  boy  and 
he  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  when 
he  was  eleven  years  old  with  Hardy  Foster, 
with  whom  he  lived  until  his  marriage.  The 
subject's  mother  came  with  her  parents, 
Hezekiah  McConnell  and  wife,  to  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  having  been  pioneers  there 
where  they  secured  wild  land  on  which  they 
lived  until  their  deaths.  The  subject's  father 
had  only  a  limited  education  which  he  pro- 
cured in  the  Marion  county  district  schools. 
He  married  and  settled  in  section  20,  Fos- 
ter township,  where  he  got  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  which  was  wild  and  which  he 
cleared  and  improved  a  great  deal.  He  was 
a  farmer  of  ability  and  also  conducted  a  saw 
mill  for  quite  a  while.  He  raised  large 
numbers  of  live  stock.  He  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  in  1873,  and  his  first  wife 
passed  away  in  1863.  He  married  a  sec- 
ond time,  his  last  wife  being  Mary  C.  Dick- 
ens, of  Tennessee,  and  she  died  in  1895.  Five 
children  were  born  to  each  union,  namely : 
Mary,  deceased,  married  Squire  Farmer,  of 
Patoka,  Illinois;  Thomas  J.,  our  subject; 
Louisa,  deceased,  married  Iradell  Walton, 
who  is  also  deceased;  Elizabeth  married 
Noah  Cruse  and  they  live  in  Appleton  City, 
Missouri;  Lucinda  is  deceased,  as  is  also 
her  husband,  Alonzo  Hitchcock;  Hattie 
married  Hamilton  Armstrong,  of  Foster 
township ;  Edward  is  a  farmer  near  Clinton, 
Iowa;  Minnie  Rassinos  Arnold,  of  Foster 
township;  Silas  V.,  who  is  single,  is  living 
in  Foster  township;  Claude  is  single  and 
is  living  in  Foster  township. 

Our  subject  had  little  chance  to  attend 


school,  having  to  work  hard  when  a  boy. 
He  lived  at  home  until  his  first  marriage 
in  1859,  to  Martha  Jones,  of  Foster  town- 
ship, daughter  of  S.  B.  and  Mary  Ann 
(Wright)  Jones,  of  this  county.  The  sub- 
ject's first  wife  died  in  1883  and  he  was 
married  a  second  time  in  1891  to  Mrs. 
Martha  Smith,  widow  of  John  Smith. 
Eight  children  were  born  to  the  subject  by 
his  first  wife,  four  having  died  young. 
Their  names  are:  Andrew  W.,  a  farmer  in 
Foster  township,  who  married  Ella  Scrokey ; 
Mary  B.,  who  married  Monroe  Arnold; 
Addie  married  Russell  Caldwell,  who  is  de- 
ceased, but  she  is  living  in  Patoka;  Arby 
was  in  Cheyenne,  Wyoming1,  when  last 
heard  from. 

About  1859  the  subject  located  on  part 
of  his  father's  old  homestead  in  Foster 
township,  where  he  has  since  resided.  He 
has  always  been  a  farmer,  however,  he  en- 
gaged in  the  mercantile  business  in  Patoka 
for  three  years.  He  has  a  well  improved 
farm  which  yields  rich  harvests  as  a  result 
of  the  careful  management  he  gives  it. 

Mr.  Foster  is  a  veteran  of  the  Civil  war, 
having  been  one  of  the  patriotic  defenders 
of  the  flag  during  the  dark  days  of  the  Re- 
bellion. He  enlisted  in  August,  1862,  in 
Company  D,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  at  Patoka,  and 
went  into  camp  at  Central  City,  Illinois, 
where  they  drilled  and  soon  afterward  did 
guard  duty  at  Paducah,  Kentucky.  They 
were  assigned  to  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps 
under  General  Logan,  and  were  in  service 
until  the  close  of  the  war,  having  been  dis- 


592 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


charged  June   28,    1865,   after  performing 
gallant  service. 

Mr.  Foster  has  very  creditably  held  the 
office  of  Supervisor  of  Patoka  township  for 
a  period  of  two  terms.  He  was  also  As- 
sessor and  held  other  minor  offices,  all  to 
the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  He 
is  a  loyal  Democrat.  He  keeps  well  posted 
and  he  has  many  warm  friends  in  Marion 
county  or  wherever  he  is  known. 


WILLIAM  F.  BUNDY. 

Holding  distinctive  prestige  among  the 
enterprising  citizens  of  Marion  county,  is 
William  F.  Bundy,  whose  record  here  briefly 
outlined,  is  that  of  a  man  who  has  been  the 
architect  of  his  own  fortunes,  a  self-made 
man,  who,  by  the  exercise  of  talents  with 
which  nature  endowed  him,  has  successfully 
surmounted  unfavorable  environment  and 
rose  to  the  position  he  now  occupies  as  one 
of  the  influential  attorneys  of  the  city  hon- 
ored by  his  residence.  He  is  a  creditable 
representative  of  one  of  the  old  and  highly 
esteemed  pioneer  families  of  southern  Il- 
linois, and  possesses  many  of  the  admirable 
qualities  and  characteristics  of  his  sturdy 
ancestors  who  figured  in  the  history  of  the 
early  days  in  this  section  of  the  great 
Prairie  state.  Isaac  Bundy,  the  subject's 
father,  was  born  October  4,  1828,  in  Rac- 
coon township,  this  county,  where  he  de- 
voted his  manhood  years  to  agricultural 
pursuits  and  became  known  as  a  most  ex- 
emplary citizen,  for  many  years  a  minister 
in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  always 


doing  his  full  share  in  the  promotion  and 
growth  of  his  part  of  the  county.  On  June 
7,  1849,  ne  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Amanda  M.  Richardson,  after  he  had  re- 
turned home  from  the  Mexican  war,  in 
which  he  served  with  distinction,  having  en- 
listed in  Colonel  Newby's  First  Regiment, 
on  June  8,  1847,  and  soon  afterward  began 
the  long  and  arduous  march  from  Kansas 
City,  Missouri,  to  Albuquerque,  New  Mex- 
ico; after  the  close  of  hostilities,  marching 
back  over  the  same  route.  John  A.  Logan, 
afterwards  a  conspicuous  general  in  the  war 
between  the  states,  was  then  a  second  lieu- 
tenant of  Company  H,  of  the  famous  First 
Regiment,  which  did  such  effective  work  in 
the  land  of  the  ancient  Montezumas,  in 
which  regiment  Mr.  Bundy  served  until  his 
honorable  discharge  on  October  13,  1848, 
having  been  a  member  of  Company  C.  This 
was  usually  referred  to  as  the  Illinois  Foot 
Volunteer  Regiment,  in  which  General 
James  S.  Martin,  whose  sketch  appears  in 
this  volume,  was  a  private.  Isaac  Bundy 
was  also  in  the  Civil  war,  having  enlisted 
as  a  private  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  Novem- 
ber 1 8, 1 86 1,  remaining  at  Camp  Butler,  near 
that  city  for  a  time.  He  was  appointed 
chaplain,  October  7,  1862,  and  after  serving 
faithfully  until  October  24,  1864,  resigned 
on  account  of  illness  and  returned  home  in 
Raccoon  township,  where  he  spent  the  re- 
mainder of  his  life,  passing  to  his  rest  De- 
cember 13,  1899,  his  death  having  been 
deeply  lamented  by  the  people  among  whom 
he  had  so  long  lived  and  by  whom  he  was 
held  in  such  high  esteem. 

Amanda  M.  (Richardson)  Bundy,  moth- 


I'.RINKLKllOFF  S    HISTORY    UK    MARION    COl/XTY.    ILLINOIS. 


593 


er  of  the  subject,  was  the  daughter  of  Rev. 
James  I.  Richardson,  of  the  Methodist  Eis- 
copal  church,  who  came  to  this  state  in  an 
early  days,  and  for  some  time  was  presiding 
elder  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Conference, 
of  the  above  mentioned  denomination,  hav- 
ing been  located  at  Salem,  McLeansboro, 
Benton,  Spring  Garden,  Central  City  and 
many  other  charges  in  the  southern  part  of 
the  state.  Although  his  education  was 
gained  by  the  pine  knot  and  tallow  candle, 
with  a  short  term  in  the  common  schools, 
he  developed  a  strong  mind,  and  this,  coupled 
with  an  indomitable  will,  enabled  him  to  sur- 
mount many  obstacles  and  accomplish  much 
good.  He  was  a  large  man  physically,  hav- 
ing stood  six  feet  two  inches  in  height.  Be- 
ing a  strong  Abolitionist,  he  took  an  active 
part  in  "underground  railroad"  work,  as- 
sisting to  free  the  negro  from  slavery  when- 
ever an  opportunity  came.  His  talents  at- 
tracted public  attention  wherever  he  went, 
and  he  was  sought  for  positions  of  public 
trust  and  very  ably  served  as  a  member  of 
the  sixteenth  General  Assembly,  from  Ma- 
rion county.  Many  of  his  associates  in  the 
House  at  that  time  later  became  noted  in 
many  walks  of  life.  Reverend  Richardson 
served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  of  1832,  hav- 
ing been  a  member  of  the  Spy  Battalion, 
Mounted  Volunteers,  under  Capt.  William 
Dobbins,  which  was  mustered  in  June  17, 
1832,  taking  part  in  the  battle  of  Kellogg's 
Grove,  eight  days  later,  June  25th,  under 
eral  Atkinson,  in  which  engagement  this 
company  had  fourteen  horses  killed,  six 
wounded  and  three  captured.  The  Spy  Bat- 
38 


talion,  which  was  first  organized  in  Marion 
county,  May  4,  1832,  was  mustered  out  on 
August  1 6th,  following.  For  his  war  rec- 
ord, his  political  service  and  his  ministry, 
covering  a  period  of  over  thirty  years,  Rev- 
erend Richardson  was  a  noted  character  in 
Southern  Illinois. 

The  subject's  paternal  great-grandfather, 
Jonathan  Bundy,  was  also  a  well  known 
character  in  this  part  of  the  state  in  its  earli- 
est pioneer  period.  He  came  from  North 
Carolina  in  1817,  having  made  the  trip  over- 
land with  his  family,  consisting  of  the  fol- 
lowing sons:  William,  Robert,  Frederick 
and  John.  William,  who  remained  single 
all  his  life,  was  a  soldier  in  the  War  of  1812, 
having  fought  at  New  Orleans,  under  Gen- 
eral Jackson.  Robert  and  Frederick  reared 
families,  the  descendants  of  whom  still  live 
in  Marion  county,  among  whom  is  Wil- 
liam K.,  the  oldest  son  of  Frederick  Bundy. 
John  Bundy's  family  consisted  of  five  sons, 
namely:  Isaac,  Bailey,  Alexander,  George 
and  Samuel. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Bundy,  parents 
of  our  subject,  the  following  children  were 
born :  Elizabeth  Jane,  who  married  Noah 
E.  Barr,  is  living  near  Salem,  Dent  county, 
Missouri,  their  family  consisting  of  four 
boys  and  three  girls;  Asbury  and  Samuel 
both  died  in  infancy;  Laura  Alice  married 
James  N.  Adams,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  four  boys  and  one  girl,  namely:  Ernest 
J.  Sanford,  James  O.,  Rollin  and  Maud,  all 
living  in  Centralia,  with  the  exception  of 
James  O.,  who  is  living  in  Idaho.  William 
F.,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  fifth  in 


594 


I1KIXKEKIIOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


order  of  birth,  having  been  born  in  Rac- 
coon township,  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
June  8,  1858.  He  was  educated  in  Southern 
Illinois  Normal  University,  at  Carbondale, 
Illinois,  and  decided  to  study  law.  He  was 
married  to  Mary  E.  McNally,  daughter  of 
James  J.  and  Sarah  A.  (Carter)  McNally. 
Mr.  McNally  was  born  in  Ireland,  Septem- 
ber 8,  1836.  After  coming  to  America,  he 
located  in  New  York  state,  and  when  the 
Civil  war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  the  Thir- 
ty-fifth New  York  Infantry  and  later  in  the 
Twentieth  New  York  Cavalry.  In  the  latter 
he  became  second  lieutenant  in  Company  E. 
Mrs.  McNally  was  born  in  Constableville, 
Lewis  county,  New  York,  April  16,  1843. 
She  married  Me  McNally  September  21, 
1862. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  F.  Bundy  the 
following  children  have  been  born :  Donald 
M.  (deceased)  ;  Dorothy  E.,  Sarah  Pauline, 
and  Margaret  M. 

Politically  Mr.  Bundy  is  a  Republican, 
and  he  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  in  va- 
rious official  capacities,  among  which  was 
that  of  City  Attorney,  also  City  Clerk  of 
Centralia,  for  several  terms  each.  When  he 
was  young  in  the  practice  of  his  profession 
he  represented  the  Forty-second  District  of 
Illinois  in  the  General  Assembly  in  the 
House  of  Representatives,  both  in  the  forty- 
second  General  Assembly  (1901  to  1903), 
and  in  the  forty-third  General  Assembly, 
(1903  to  1905).  During  the  forty-second 
General  Assembly  he  was  chairman  of  the 
important  committee  of  Senatorial  Appoint- 
ment and  he  was  also  a  member  of  the 


Steering  Committee  of  the  Republican 
party,  and  in  the  forty-third  General  As- 
sembly he  was  chairman  of  the  Committee 
on  Judicial  Department  and  Practice.  Mr. 
Bundy  took  a  very  active  part  in  the  Legis- 
lature while  a  member  and  won  a  record  of 
which  anyone  might  be  justly  proud.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Republican  State  Cen- 
tral Committee  for  the  Twenty-third  Con- 
gressional District  of  Illinois  from  1906  to 
1908.  Under  the  appointment  of  the  Gov- 
ernor, our  subject  is  serving  as  one  of  the 
trustees  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Normal 
University  at  Carbondale,  his  alma  mater, 
having  been  appointed  early  in  1908.  He 
has  ever  kept  in  touch  with  the  interests  of 
his  city  and  county  and  is  an  ardent  advo- 
acte  and  liberal  patron  of  all  worthy  enter- 
prises, making  for  their  advancement  and 
prosperity.  As  a  lawyer  he  is  easily  the  peer 
of  any  of  his  professional  brethren  through- 
out the  southern  part  of  the  state  and  the 
honorable  distinction,  already  achieved  at 
the  bar  is  an  earnest  of  the  still  wider  sphere 
of  usefulness  that  he  is  destined  to  fill,  as 
he  is  yet  in  the  prime  of  manhood  and  a 
close  observer  of  the  trend  of  the  times  and 
an  intelligent  student  of  the  great  questions 
and  issues  upon  which  the  thought  of  the 
best  minds  of  the  world  are  centered. 


JOSEPH  H.  WALKER. 

The  life  of  this  venerable  and  highly  re- 
spected citizen  has  been  led  along  lines  of 
honorable  and  useful  endeavor  and  has  re- 


INKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


595 


suited  in  the  accomplishment  of  much  good 
not  only  to  himself  but  to  those  with  whom 
he  has  been  associated.  He  has  seen  the 
development  of  the  West  and  has  taken  a 
leading  part  in  it,  consequently  in  his  old 
age  he  can  look  back  over  a  life  well  spent 
and  for  which  one  should  have  no  regrets. 

Joseph  Hill  Walker  was  born  in  Beaver 
county,  Pennsylvania,  twenty  miles  from 
Pittsburg,  October  19,  1822,  and  he  lived 
there  until  1848  when  he  moved  to  Jackson 
county,  Ohio,  and  then  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  in  1862.  Our  subject  is  the  son  of 
William  Walker,  who  was  born  in  Beaver 
county,  the  old  Keystone  state,  in  1773.  He 
was  a  Democrat  and  a  Presbyterian.  Our 
subject  is  one  of  nine  children,  six  boys  and 
three  girls. 

Joseph  Walker  obtained  what  education 
he  could  in  the  pioneer  schools  of  his  day. 
He  bought  land  in  Marion  county  and  be- 
gan farming,  but  when  the  war  between 
the  states  began  he  gladly  left  his  work 
and  his  home  and  offered  his  services  in  de- 
fense of  the  flag,  enlisting  in  the  army  in 
the  quartermaster's  department  and  served 
three  enlistments  as  a  wagon  maker,  one 
in  West  Virginia,  one  at  Nashville,  Tennes- 
see, and  one  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  hav- 
ing been  foreman  of  the  wagon  department 
at  the  last  named  place.  He  learned  the 
trade  of  wagon  making  in  Pittsburg,  in 
which  city  he  worked  at  his  trade  for  many 
years.  After  the  war  he  returned  to  Marion 
county  and  resumed  fanning.  He  has  been 
a  hard  worker  and  has  made  all  the  ex- 
tensive improvements  on  his  farm  which 


ranks  well  with  Marion  county's  excellent 
farms.  He  has  a  good  residence  and  barn 
and  everything  about  his  place  shows  thrift. 
Our  subject  was  married  to  Josephine 
Miles,  who  was  born  in  Jackson,  Ohio,  Sep- 
tember 17,  1834.  She  came  to  this  county 
when  twenty-six  years  old.  There  was  no 
town  where  Vernon  now  stands  when  she 
came  here.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Bran- 
son and  Angeline  (Sargent)  Miles.  Bran- 
son Miles  was  born  in  1808,  in  Shenandoah 
valley  in  Virginia.  His  wife  was  born  in 
Ohio  in  1821.  Our  subject  and  wife  mar- 
ried October  9,  1850.  His  wife  and  family 
drove  from  Ohio  to  Vandalia  on  the  old 
National  Turnpike  and  from  Vandalia  to 
Marion  county  during  the  war.  The  follow- 
ing children  have  been  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife.  Angeline,  born  December  3,  1851, 
married  Abner  Moore,  who  is  in  the  real 
estate  and  insurance  business  at  Irving,  Illi- 
nois. They  are  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren. Frank,  the  subject's  second  child, 
was  born  in  1854,  and  died  in  March,  1875 ; 
Miles,  born  August  29,  1857,  married  Emily 
Johnson.  He  is  engaged  in  the  creamery 
business  in  Ewing,  Missouri.  They  have 
four  children.  Thomas  B.,  born  February 
25,  1860,  married  Nora  Jackson,  later  mar- 
rying Mary  Taylor,  three  children  having 
been  born  by  the  first  union  and  one  by  the 
second  union.  Thomas  B.  is  station  agent 
at  Patoka.  Ellen,  the  subject's  fifth  child, 
was  born  June  5,  1864.  She  married 
Charles  King,  a  factory  manager  in  Chi- 
cago, and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  living 
sons;  Henry  was  born  April  26,  1868,  mar- 


596 


BRINKF.R1IOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


ried  Mary  Mealy.     They  live  in  St.  Louis 
and  are  the  parents  of  three  children. 

Mr.  Walker  has  devoted  his  life  to  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising  with  great  success,  and 
he  now  lives  retired  in  Vernon.  In  politics 
he  is  a  stanch  Republican,  having  first  voted 
for  Henry  Clay  in  1844,  although  our  sub- 
ject never  took  a  very  active  part  in  politics. 
In  religion  he  is  a  faithful  supporter  of  the 
Methodist  church.  Mr.  Walker  is  widely 
known  in  this  section  of  the  country  and  he 
numbers  his  friends  by  the  score,  for  he  is 
known  to  be  thoroughly  honest,  a  fine  and 
friendly  old  gentleman  to  meet,  making  all 
feel  at  home  who  visit  him. 


ANDREW  M.  PEDDICORD. 

The  life  record  of  this  venerable  citizen 
of  Patoka  township  is  one  of  interest  and  in- 
struction, for  it  has  been  active,  always  so 
modulated  as  to  be  of  the  greatest  service 
to  those  whom  it  touched.  He  has  lived  to 
see  the  transformation  of  a  great  country 
from  the  primeval  forests  and  the  wild 
prairies  and  he  has  performed  well  his  part 
in  this  great  work. 

Andrew  M.  Peddicord  was  born  May  9, 
1822,  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky,  where 
he  lived  in  1851,  when  he  came  to  Jackson- 
ville, Illinois,  having  farmed  sixteen  miles 
from  Jacksonville,  paying  only  two  dollars 
per  acre  for  rent  of  land,  the  first  cash  rent 
ever  paid  for  land  in  that  part  of  the  county. 
He  was  at  the  first  state  fair  ever  held  in 


Jacksonville.  A  few  years  later  he  came  to 
Marion  county  for  the  purpose  of  engaging 
in  farming.  He  first  landed  in  Salem  and 
bought  wild  land  here,  which  he  improved. 

Our  subject  is  the  son  of  Andrew  and 
Delilia  (Eaton)  Peddicord,  being  one  of 
fourteen  children  born  to  them,  consisting 
of  seven  boys  and  an  equal  number  of  girls. 
They  were  said  to  be  the  healthiest  and 
finest  looking  family  in  Kentucky.  The  sub- 
ject's father  was  born  in  Mason  county, 
Kentucky,  and  the  subject's  mother  was. 
born  in  Harrison  county,  the  Blue  Grass 
state,  both  being  representatives  from  large 
families. 

Mr.  Peddicord  was  united  in  marriage  on 
August  29,  1845,  to  Mary  Foley,  born 
September  29,  1829,  the  daughter  of  Daniel 
and  Mildred  (Mastison)  Foley,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  Virginia  and  the  latter 
in  Kentucky.  Ten  children  have  been  born 
to  our  subject  and  wife  as  follows :  Daniel 
E.,  born  May  18,  1848,  married  Katherine 
Weeks  and  they  are  living  in  Decatur,  Il- 
linois; William  M.,  born  November  27, 
1851,  married  Mary  Tune;  they  are  living 
in  Vernon  and  are  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, two  children  being  deceased ;  Mollie 
L.  married  E.  Robinson;  James  L.,  born 
January  i,  1854,  married  Belle  Mann,  they 
have  one  son  and  live  near  Odin;  Martha 
L..  was  born  November  22,  1855;  Ora  An- 
na, bom  March  20,  1858,  married  Charles 
Tillman,  and  they  live  in  Springfield;  Clay- 
brook  B.  was  born  October  31,  1860,  and 
died  in  infancy ;  Charles  M.  was  born  Sep- 
tember 26,  1862,  and  is  deceased;  John 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


597 


Henry  was  born  May  21,  1865,  married 
Ulga  Friar,  and  they  have  three  children. 
He  is  engaged  in  the  livery  business  at 
Vernon. 

Mr.  Peddicord  was  one  of  those  brave 
sons  of  the  great  Prairie  state,  who  offered 
his  assistance  in  saving  the  nation's  integ- 
rity during  the  dark  days  of  the  sixties,  hav- 
ing enlisted  in  Company  G,  Seventh  Illinois 
Cavalry  in  1865,  and  served  with  credit 
until  the  close  of  the  war. 

Our  subject  is  a  great  lover  of  horses  and 
he  has  always  kept  some  good  ones  about 
him.  His  place  used  to  be  stocked  with  very 
fine  ones.  He  was  said  to  have  been  the 
finest  horseman  in  Marion  county  in  his 
younger  days.  He  had  the  reputation  of 
bringing  more  good  stock  to  Marion  county 
than  any  other  man.  He  was  a  well  known 
character  in  his  younger  days,  and  is  today 
possibly  the  best  known  man  in  the  county. 
He  was  a  loyal  friend  of  Judge  Bryan, 
father  of  William  J.  Bryan.  Our  subject 
saw  the  great  Commoner  when  he  was  only 
three  days  old.  Mr.  Peddicord  has  been  a 
man  of  thrift,  unusual  business  ability  and 
foresight  and  he  laid  up  an  ample  compe- 
tence to  insure  his  old  age  free  from  want. 
He  has  been  living  in  quiet  retirement  for 
the  past  ten  years.  He  has  been  a  stanch 
Mason,  having  been  identified  with  the  or- 
der in  Mason  county,  Kentucky.  He  is  a 
good  Democrat,  but  notwithstanding  his 
ability  and  popularity  he  never  took  much 
interest  in  politics.  Our  subject  has  been 
a  very  able  bodied  man  in  his  day,  strong, 
of  fine  appearance  and  much  endurance,  but 


now  his  great  weight  of  years  is  telling  on 
him  and  his  eyesight  and  hearing  have  failed 
considerably.  He  is  an  uncle  of  A.  M.  Ped- 
dicord in  Carrigan  township,  a  well  known 
man  whose  sketch  appears  in  full  in  this 
work. 

Mr.  Peddicord  has  a  comfortable  home  in 
Vernon.  He  gets  a  pension  of  twenty  dol- 
lars a  month.  He  has  numerous  friends 
who  are  always  glad  to  pay  him  the  respect 
due  a  man  of  his  years  and  who  has  led  a 
useful  and  influential  life. 


AMEL  LUCAS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  is  one  of 
the  well  known  fanners  of  Foster  township, 
is  a  scion  of  one  of  the  sterling  French  fam- 
ilies whose  presence  in  America  has  always 
been  most  desirable,  for  it  is  a  well  known 
fact  that  the  French  people  are  thrifty,  en- 
ergetic and  intellectual  wherever  found, 
therefore  they  always  contribute  much  to 
the  development  of  any  country,  and  the 
subject's  people  were  not  unlike  the  rest  of 
the  immigrants  from  that  country. 

Amel  Lucas  was  born  in  Southern  France 
on  January  16,  1842,  the  son  of  Pascale 
and  Louisa  Lucas,  both  natives  of  Sonti, 
France,  the  former  being  a  farmer  and  came 
to  America  in  1855  on  a  sailing  vessel  which 
was  thirty  days  in  making  the  voyage,  hav- 
ing landed  in  New  York  City.  He  went 
from  there  to  Taylor  county,  West  Virginia, 
and  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres.  It 


598 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


was  partly  improved.  He  lived  on  this 
place  until  1871  when  he  sold  out  and 
moved  to  Grafton,  West  Virginia,  where  he 
conducted  a  hotel  until  his  death  in  August, 
1892.  His  wife  died  in  August,  1904.  They 
were  members  of  the  Catholic  church.  He 
was  a  man  who  started  in  life  in  a  small 
way  and  by  hard  work  and  good  manage- 
ment  he  became  well  situated  before  his 
death.  Eight  children  were  born  to  the  sub- 
ject's parents,  namely;  Marie,  Frank  and 
Mary  Ann,  all  three  deceased;  Amel,  our 
subject;  Victor,  who  is  living  in  Taylor 
county,  West  Virginia,  on  a  farm;  John, 
who  is  living  at  the  same  place,  is  a  butcher ; 
Albert  is  an  engineer  on  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Railroad  at  Grafton,  West  Virginia, 
having  been  an  engineer  on  this  road  for  the 
past  thirty  years,  in  1908;  Louisa  is  living 
in  Grafton,  West  Virginia. 

Our  subject  had  only  a  limited  education. 
However,  he  attended  the  common  schools 
for  several  terms.  He  lived  at  home  until 
he  was  twenty  years  old  and  worked  at 
teaming  for  several  years.  He  saved  his 
money  and  in  1872  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  located  in  Carrigan  township, 
where  he  secured  one  hundred  and  twenty 
acres  of  land  on  which  he  lived,  making  a 
success  at  farming  for  ten  years,  when  he 
sold  out  and  moved  to  Foster  township, 
where  he  got  two  hundred  acres  at  first  and 
being  thrifty  and  a  good  manager,  he  added 
to  this  until  now  he  has  a  very  fine  farm  of 
three  hundred  and  sixty  acres.  It  was 
known  as  the  old  Lee  place.  The  subject 
built  a  comfortable,  substantial  and  commo- 


dious home,  also  a  convenient  barn  and  in 
many  ways  improved  the  place,  making  it 
equal  to  any  in  this  township;  everything 
about  the  place  shows  thrift  and  prosperity. 
He  carries  on  general  farming  with  that 
discretion  and  foresight  that  always  insures 
success.  He  is  also  considered  an  excellent 
judge  of  live  stock  and  devotes  much  of  his 
time  to  stock  raising,  no  small  part  of  his 
income  being  derived  from  this  source.  No 
more  up-to-date  farm  is  to  be  found  within 
the  borders  of  Marion  county,  and  no  better 
farmer  than  Mr.  Lucas  lives  in  this  locality. 

Our  subject  was  happily  married  March 
15,  1870,  to  Sarah  E.  Osborne,  of  Mononga- 
hela  county,  West  Virginia.  She  is  the  re- 
fined and  affable  daughter  of  Richard  and 
Elinore  (Britt)  Osborne.  They  formerly 
lived  in  Pennsylvania,  then  came  to  West 
Virginia  and  lived  there  the  remainder  of 
their  lives.  Mr.  Osborne  was  a  wheel- 
wright, wagon  maker  and  carpenter.  He 
died  in  1881  and  his  wife  passed  to  her  rest 
in  1851.  Mrs.  Lucas  was  their  only  child. 
They  were  known  as  influential  and  highly 
respected  people  in  their  community. 

To  the  subject  and  wife  eight  children 
have  been  born,  namely :  Theodore  Britt, 
who  runs  teams  and  a  dray  at  Cement, 
Oklahoma;  Frank  is  a  farmer  in  Foster 
township ;  Lou  married  E.  Lynch,  of  Foster 
township;  Mollie  is  the  wife  of  Isaac  Walk- 
er, of  Patoka  township;  Annie  is  the  wife 
of  Otis  Davidson,  of  Tonti  township;  Os- 
borne, Magnes  and  Millicent  are  all  living 
at  home. 

Mr.   Lucas  served  very  creditably  as  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


599 


member  of  the  local  school  board  of  Foster 
township  for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  dur- 
ing which  the  cause  of  education  in  this 
township  received  an  impetus  which  had 
never  before  been  known.  He  has  held 
other  minor  offices,  always  with  credit.  He 
is  a  loyal  Democrat. 

Mr.  Lucas  deserves  much  credit  for  what 
he  has  accomplished  in  the  business  world, 
having  started  life  a  poor  man,  and  he  has 
gained  a  position  of  ease  and  prominence  in 
his  community  through  his  own  unaided  ef- 
forts, by  hard  work,  good  management  and 
sound  common  sense  which  always  brings 
tangible  results  when  properly  exercised. 
Because  his  industry,  his  honesty  of  pur- 
pose and  his  public-spirit  and  his  loyalty  to 
all  movements  looking  to  the  good  of  the 
locality  where  he  lives,  he  is  highly 
respected  by  all  who  know  him. 


IRA  C.  MORRIS. 

It  is  a  pleasure  to  investigate  the  ca- 
reer of  a  successful,  self-made  man.  Pe- 
culiar honor  attaches  to  that  individual  who, 
beginning  the  great  struggle  of  life  alone 
and  unaided,  gradually  overcomes  unfavor- 
able environment,  removes  one  by  one  the 
obstacles  from  his  pathway  to  success  and 
by  the  force  of  his  own  individuality  suc- 
ceeds in  forging  his  way  to  the  front  and 
winning  for  himself  a  position  of  esteem 
and  influence  among  his  fellow  men.  Such 
is  the  record,  briefly  stated,  of  the  popular 


citizen  of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  to  a  brief 
synopsis  of  whose  life  and  character  the 
following  paragraphs  are  devoted,  and  while 
yet  a  young  man  has  shown  himself  to  be 
able  to  successfully  compete  with  all  classes 
of  men  in  the  business  world. 

Ira  C.  Morris  was  born  in  Marion  county, 
May  5,  1883,  the  second  son  of  William  and 
Elizabeth  Morris,  whose  family  consisted  of 
six  children. 

Our  subject  attended  the  public  schools  in 
his  native  community  where  he  diligently  ap- 
plied himself  and  where  he  made  much 
headway  in  his  studies.  He  also  went  one 
term  to  Alma  College  in  Marion  county. 
After  leaving  school  he  decided  that  the  life 
of  the  farmer  offered  the  greatest  ad- 
vantages for  a  man  of  his  temperament,  con- 
sequently he  soon  entered  this  work  and  has 
devoted  his  time  and  undivided  attention 
to  it  ever  since  with  the  result  that  he  is 
today  one  of  the  most  progressive  and  sub- 
stantial of  the  younger  farmers  of  Kin- 
mundy  township,  where  he  owns  a  fine  and 
highly  productive  farm  of  sixty-seven 
acres. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Laura  Lewella  Lamborn,  the  pleasant  and 
congenial  daughter  of  I.  M.  and  Margaret 
Lamborn,  both  natives  of  Jasper  county, 
Indiana.  The  subject's  wife  was  born  in 
Indiana,  being  a  native  of  Jasper  county  at 
Rensselaer,  November  28,  1882.  Her 
mother  is  deceased.  Mr.  Lamborn  is  living 
in  Tennessee.  Mrs.  Morris  has  three 
brothers  and  one  sister  living,  all  married 
with  the  exception  of  one  of  the  brothers. 


6oo 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


She  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  of 
her  native  city  and  her  subsequent  life  has 
been  filled  with  good  deeds  to  others,  being 
a  woman  of  gracious  demeanor  and  kind 
hearted  to  anyone  in  need. 

Two  children  have  been  born  to  our  sub- 
ject and  wife,  a  boy  and  a  girl,  namely: 
Vera  L.,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  April 
16,  1903;  and  Billie  Morris,  Jr.,  who  is  four 
years  old,  having  been  born  June  20,  1904. 
They  are  bright  and  interesting  children, 
who  are  receiving  ever  care  and  attention 
possible  at  the  hands  of  their  fond  parents. 

Our  subject  is  a  loyal  Democrat  in  his 
political  affiliations,  and  while  he  does  not 
aspire  to  public  office,  he  takes  considerable 
interest  in  political  matters  always  casting 
his  vote  for  whom  he  deems  to  be  the  most 
honest  and  best  fitted  to  fill  local  offices, 
where  the  interests  of  the  public  must  be 
conserved.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Masonic  Order,  Kinmundy  Lodge  No. 
398,  and  is  junior  deacon  in  the  same.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  Independent  Order 
of  Odd  Fellows,  Rosedale  Lodge  No.  354, 
at  Kinmundy. 


THE  JENNINGS  FAMILY. 

This  old  and  well  known  family  has  lived 
so  long  in  America  that  little  of  its  early 
history  can  be  learned  and  it  is  not  posi- 
tively known  from  what  country  the  found- 
ers of  the  American  branch  came,  though 
from  the  name,  the  nationality  is  supposed 
to  be  English.  Sufficient  has  been  learned, 


however,  to  fix  the  date  of  immigration  to 
the  colonies  at  a  very  early  period,  inasmuch 
as  several  generations  have  been  identified 
with  the  settlement  and  development  of  dif- 
ferent parts  of  the  United  States  and  for 
over  ninety  years  various  representatives 
of  the  family  have  figured  prominently  in 
the  history  of  Marion  and  other  counties  of 
Southern  Illinois.  Israel  Jennings,  the 
first  ancestor  of  whom  anything  definite  is 
known,  is  supposed  to  have  been  a  native 
of  Maryland,  where  his  birth  occurred  about 
the  year  1774.  When  a  youth  he  went  to 
Mason  county,  Kentucky,  and  settled  at 
Maysville,  where  about  1799  or  1800  he 
married  Miss  Mary  Waters,  of  whose  na- 
tivity or  genealogy  there  is  no  record.  After 
living  in  the  above  state  until  about  1818, 
Mr.  Jennings  moved  to  Illinois  and  located 
six  miles  southeast  of  Centralia,  the  country 
at  that  time  being  almost  as  nature  had  made 
it  with  only  a  few  sparse  settlements  long 
distances  apart,  the  majority  of  the  inhabit- 
ants consisting  of  straggling  bands  of  In- 
dians, whose  principal  village  was  near  the 
present  site  of  Walnut  Hill.  Entering  a 
tract  of  government  land,  he  at  once  ad- 
dressed himself  to  the  task  of  developing 
a  farm  and  founding  a  home  in  which  laud- 
able undertaking  he  succeeded  admirably, 
for  in  due  time  he  became  not  only  the  lead- 
ing farmer  and  stock  raiser  of  his  section 
of  the  country  but  also  one  of  the  most  en- 
terprising and  public-spirited  citizens  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  to  which  this  part  of  the 
state  then  belonged.  It  is  a  matter  of  inter- 
est to  note  that  his  entry  was  the  second 
purchase  of  government  land  in  what  is  now 


BRIXKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


60 1 


Marion  county,  and  that  it  was  made  in 
1819,  one  year  after  Illinois  became  a  state. 
Mrs.  Jennings  departed  this  life  October  30, 
1845,  tne  mother  of  eight  children,  whose 
names  are  as  follows:  Israel,  Jr.,  who  is 
survived  by  eleven  children;  George,  de- 
ceased ;  Charles  Waters,  deceased,  who  had 
a  family  of  eight  children;  William  W. ; 
Elizabeth,  who  married  William  Davidson: 
America,  wife  of  George  Davidson;  Mary, 
married  Edward  White,  and  Ann,  who  be- 
came the  wife  of  Rufus  P.  McElwain.  All 
are  deceased.  William  W.  died  recently  at 
Alvin,  Texas.  Mr.  Jennings  was  again 
married,  but  the  second  union  was  without 
issue.  He  died  August  7,  1860. 

For  a  number  of  years  Israel  Jennings 
held  worthy  prestige  among  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Marion  county  and  took  an  ac- 
tive and  influential  part  in  the  development 
of  the  country.  He  was  a  leader  in  many 
enterprises  for  the  social  and  moral  ad- 
vancement of  his  fellow  men,  a  liberal  con- 
tributor to  churches  and  educational  institu- 
tions and  all  laudable  measures  for  the  good 
of  the  community  found  in  him  a  warm 
friend  and  earnest  advocate.  He  early  be- 
came prominent  in  public  affairs  and  in 
1827  was  elected  to  the  lower  house  of  the 
Legislature,  being  the  third  representative 
from  Marion  county.  He  was  one  of  the 
leading  Democrats  of  the  county  and  his  in- 
fluence as  a  politician,  together  with  valu- 
able services  rendered  his  party,  made  him 
widely  known  and  led  to  his  appointment  in 
1834  as  postmaster  at  Walnut  Hill,  which 
position  he  held  for  many  years.  He  was 
more  than  ordinarily  successful  in  business 


matters  and  accumulated  a  handsome  for- 
tune, being  at  one  time  the  largest  land 
owner  in  the  county  and  one  of  the  only 
two  men  in  this  part  of  the  state  to  own 
slaves.  A  man  of  strong  character,  un- 
questioned integrity  and  upright  Christian 
principles,  he  exerted  a  wholesome  influ- 
ence on  all  with  whom  he  mingled  and  his 
death,  which  occurred  in  the  year  1860,  re- 
moved from  Marion  county  one  of  its  lead- 
ing citizens  and  prominent  men  of  affairs. 

Charles  Waters  Jennings,  third  son  of 
Israel  and  Mary  Jennings,  was  born  Janu- 
ary 8,  1802,  in  Mason  county,  Kentucky, 
and  accompanied  his  father  to  Illinois  in 
1818,  settling  within  a  half  mile  of  the  lat- 
ter and  like  him  becoming  a  successful  tiller 
of  the  soil.  He  was  married  on  December 
14,  1826,  to  Maria  Wood  Davidson,  who 
bore  him  the  following  children :  Josephus 
Waters,  deceased,  who  lived  near  the  home 
of  his  father;  Harriet  married  B.  F.  Mar- 
shall and  died  at  Salem,  Illinois,  May  3, 
1901 ;  Sarah  married  Robert  D.  Noleman, 
of  Centralia,  both  deceased;  Mariah  Eliza- 
beth, deceased,  was  the  wife  of  the  late 
Judge  Silas  L.  Bryan,  of  Marion  county, 
and  mother  of  Hon.  William  Jennings  Bry- 
an; America,  deceased,  married  William  C. 
Stites,  then  a  resident  of  Marion  county; 
Nancy,  wife  of  Dr.  James  A.  Davenport, 
lives  in  Salem;  Docie,  now  Mrs.  A.  Van 
Antwerp,  lives  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and 
Z.  C.,  who  is  living  near  the  town  of 
Walnut  Hill.  Charles  W.  Jennings  died 
August  1 8,  1872. 

Charles  Waters  Jennings  was  a  man  of 
high  standing  in  the  community,  successful 


602 


BKINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


as  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  and  his  char- 
acter was  ever  above  the  suspicion  of  re- 
proach. Courteous  in  his  relations  with  his 
fellows  and  the  soul  of  honor  in  all  his 
dealings,  he  measured  up  to  a  high  stand- 
ard of  manhood  and  citizenship  and  made 
the  world  better  by  his  presence.  By  good 
business  management  he  succeeded  in  amas- 
sing a  sufficiency  of  this  world's  goods  to 
place  him  in  easy  circumstances,  owning  at 
the  time  of  his  death  one  thousand  acres  of 
valuable  land,  the  greater  part  improved, 
and  the  source  of  a  liberal  income.  He  was 
called  from  earth  on  August  18,  1872,  his 
wife  following  him  to  the  grave  April  3d, 
of  the  year  1885. 

Josephus  Waters  Jennings,  the  oldest  of 
the  family  of  Charles  W.  and  Maria  W. 
Jennings,  was  born  on  the  homestead  near 
Walnut  Hill,  Marion  county,  October  29, 
1827.  He  was  reared  under  excellent  pa- 
rental influences,  received  the  best  educa- 
tion which  the  schools  during  his  childhood 
and  youth  afforded  and  while  still  a  young 
man,  engaged  in  merchandising  at  Walnut 
Hill,  to  which  line  of  trade  he  devoted  his 
attention  with  gratifying  success  until  1856. 
Disposing  of  his  business  that  year,  he 
moved  to  his  farm  near  by  and  during  the 
encuing  forty-four  years  followed  the  life  of 
a  tiller  of  the  soil  in  which  pursuit  he  was 
also  successful  as  his  continued  advancement 
bore  witness. 

Amanda  Couch,  whom  Mr.  Jennings 
married  on  the  24th  day  of  November,  1850, 
was  born  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  Janu- 
ary 8,  1834,  being  the  daughter  of  Milton 


and  Nancy  (Baird)  Couch,  early  residents 
of  the  county  and  representatives  of  well 
known  and  highly  esteemed  families.  Dur- 
ing the  three  years  following  their  marriage, 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jennings  lived  at  Walnut 
Hill,  but  at  the  expiration  of  that  time, 
changed  their  residence  to  a  farm  in  section 
26,  Centralia  township,  where  Mr.  Jennings 
engaged  in  agriculture  and  stock  raising  on 
quite  an  extensive  scale  and  met  with  finan- 
cial success  commensurate  with  the  energy 
which  he  displayed  in  all  of  his  undertak- 
ings. He  also  manifested  an  active  interest 
in  public  and  political  matters  and  was  long 
one  of  the  leading  Democrats  and  influential 
politicians  of  the  county,  besides  achieving 
much  more  than  local  reputation  in  party 
circles,  throughout  the  southern  part  of  the 
state.  He  served  for  some  years  as  As- 
sociate Judge  of  Marion  county,  the  duties 
of  which  position  he  discharged  very  accept- 
ably, also  filled  the  office  of  Supervisor  sev- 
eral terms,  and  in  1850  was  elected  Coroner. 
During  the  Civil  war  he  was  Deputy  Col- 
lector of  internal  revenue,  later  served  as 
Deputy  Sheriff  and  for  several  years  was 
Justice  of  the  Peace,  an  office  for  which 
his  sound  sense,  well  balanced  judgment  and 
love  of  justice  peculiarly  fitted  him.  His 
official  career  was  eminently  honorable  and 
he  proved  an  efficient  and  very  popular  pub- 
lic servant,  adorning  every  position  to  which 
he  was  called  and  fully  meeting  the  high  ex- 
pectations of  his  fellow  citizens. 

The  children  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Jennings, 
nine  in  number,  are  as  follows:  Mary  R., 
who  married  I.  N.  Baldridge,  of  Walnut 


HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Hill;  Charles  E.,  who  is  noticed  at  some 
length  further  on;  Frank  E.,  of  Centralia ; 
Daisy,  deceased,  who  married  O.  V.  Kell, 
also  of  that  city ;  Hon.  William  S.  Jennings, 
ex-Governor  of  Florida;  Mrs.  Nannie  D. 
Stover,  Mrs.  Eva  Shaw  and  Thomas  J.  are 
three  living  at  Walnut  Hill,  and  Mrs.  Eliza- 
beth Wheeler,  whose  home  is  in  Kalamazoo, 
Michigan.  Mr.  Jennings  was  a  man  of  pro- 
found religious  convictions  and  in  early  life 
united  with  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
of  which  he  continued  a  faithful  and  con- 
sistent member 'to  the  end  of  his  days.  He 
died  November  20,  1890,  in  the  full  assur- 
ance of  a  triumphant  resurrection.  His 
widow,  who  lives  on  the  old  homestead,  has 
reached  the  age  of  seventy-six  and  retains 
to  a  remarkable  degree  the  possession  of  her 
powers,  both  mental  and  physical.  She  is 
one  of  a  family  of  six  children,  three  are 
living.  Robert  Couch,  whose  home  is  at 
Marissa,  Illinois,  and  Porter,  who  resides  at 
the  town  of  Sparta,  this  state.  Milton 
Couch,  the  father,  was  a  son  of  James  and 
Elizabeth  Couch,  the  former  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  among  the  early  pio- 
neers of  southern  Illinois. 


CHARLES  EDGAR  JENNINGS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  not  only 
gained  recognition  and  prestige  as  a  promi- 
nent and  successful  member  of  the  Marion 
county  bar,  but  has  also  kept  in  touch  with 
all  that  relates  to  the  material  progress  and 
general  prosperity  of  his  home  city,  being 


known  as  one  of  the  enterprising  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens  of  Salem,  having  con- 
tributed both  by  influence  and  tangible  aid 
to  all  legitimate  projects  which  have  tended 
to  conserve  the  best  interests  of  the  com- 
munity. In  the  legal  circles  of  Southern 
Illinois,  his  reputation  is  second  to 
none  of  his  contemporaries,  indeed  there 
are  few  lawyers  in  the  state  whose  success 
has  been  so  continuous  and  uninterrupted  or 
who  have  achieved  as  high  distinction  in 
their  profession.  Endowed  by  nature  with 
in  active  and  brilliant  mind  which  has  been 
cultivated  and  strengthened  by  much  study 
and  discipline,  he  has  made  rapid  progress 
in  his  chosen  calling  and  today  he  stands 
admittedly  at  the  head  of  the  bar  in  the  field 
to  which  the  major  part  of  his  practice  is 
confined,  besides  yielding  a  commanding 
influence  among  the  leaders  of  his  profes- 
sion in  other  parts  of  the  state. 

Charles  Edgar  Jennings,  second  child  and 
oldest  son  of  Josephus  Waters  and  Amanda 
(Couch)  Jennings,  is  a  native  of  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  dates  his  birth  from 
January  7,  1855.  After  receiving  a  pre- 
liminary education  in  the  public  schools,  he 
entered  Irvington  Illinois  Agricultural  Col- 
lege, where  he  took  a  scientific  course  and 
from  which  he  graduated  June  16,  1875, 
with  an  honorable  record  as  a  diligent  and 
critical  student.  He  taught  one  term  in  the 
public  schools,  prior  to  his  collegiate  course, 
and  after  graduating  took  charge  of  the 
school  at  Walnut  Hill,  which  he  had  attend- 
ed in  his  childhood  and  youth,  meeting 
with  encouraging  success  as  an  instructor 


6o4 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


and  disciplinarian  and  fully  satisfying  both 
pupils  and  patrons. 

Having  decided  to  make  the  legal  profes- 
sion his  life  work,  Mr.  Jennings  in  1876 
became  a  student  of  the  Union  College  of 
Law,  Chicago,  Department  of  North  Wes- 
tern University,  where  he  prosecuted  his 
studies  and  received  his  degree  on  June  5, 
1878,  the  diploma  from  this  institution  be- 
ing his  passport  to  admission  to  the  bar  by 
the  Supreme  Court  without  further  exam- 
ination. This  court  being  in  session  at 
Mount  Vernon  the  month  of  his  graduation, 
he  presented  his  diploma  and  was  duly  ad- 
mitted to  practice,  following  which  he 
formed  a  partnership  with  the  late  Judge 
Bryan  of  Salem,  which  lasted  until  the 
death  of  the  latter  in  1880  and  which  in  the 
meantime  became  known  as  one  of  the 
strongest  and  most  successful  legal  firms 
not  only  in  Marion  county,  but  in  Southern 
Illinois.  His  license  to  practice  which  bears 
the  date  of  June  1 1 ,  1 878,  was  signed  by 
Hon.  Sidney  Breese,  the  distinguished  pio- 
neer jurist  of  Illinois,  this  being  among  the 
last  official  acts  in  the  long  and  eminently 
honorable  career  of  this  eminent  man. 

Mr.  Jennings  was  Master  in  Chancery 
from  1885  to  1889,  resigning  the  position 
the  latter  year  to  assume  his  duties  as 
State's  Attorney  to  which  office  he  was 
elected  in  1888  and  the  duties  of  which  he 
discharged  with  credit  to  himself  and  to  the 
satisfaction  of  the  public  for  a  period  of 
twelve  years.  A  pronounced  Democrat,  he 
has  long  been  a  power  in  local  politics  and 
to  him  as  much  as  any  one  man  is  due  the 
success  of  his  party,  in  a  number  of  cam- 


paigns to  say  nothing  of  his  influence  in  con- 
tributing to  the  triumph  of  the  district,  state 
and  national  tickets.  As  stated  in  the  begin- 
ning Mr.  Jennings  has  kept  in  close  touch 
with  enterprises  and  measures,  having  for 
their  object  the  material  progress  and  social, 
intellectual  and  moral  advancement  of  the 
city  in  which  he  resides.  He  served  a  number 
of  years  on  the  local  school  board,  part  of 
the  time  as  president  of  the  body  and  dur- 
ing his  incumbency,  labored  earnestly  to 
promote  an  interest  in  educational  matters 
and  advance  the  standard  of  the  schools  of 
the  city  in  which  laudable  endeavor  his  suc- 
cess was  most  gratifying.  Believing  knowl- 
edge when  properly  disseminated,  to  be  for 
the  perpetuity,  of  the  state  and  the  happiness 
and  best  interests  of  the  people,  he  has  been 
untiring  in  his  efforts  in  behalf  of  institu- 
tions of  learning,  especially  those  of  the 
higher  grades,  and  his  advice  to  young  peo- 
ple has  been  to  take  advantage  of  the  oppor- 
tunities which  the  high  school,  the  college 
and  the  university  present  in  the  way  of  pre- 
paring for  the  duties  of  life  and  the  obliga- 
tions of  citizenship. 

Since  the  death  of  Judge  Bryan,  Mr.  Jen- 
nings has  been  alone  in  the  practice  of  law 
and  as  already  indicated  he  is  now  one  of 
the  leaders  of  the  bar  of  Southern  Illinois, 
with  a  large  and  lucrative  professional  busi- 
ness in  the  courts  of  his  own  and  neigh- 
boring counties.  The  keynote  of  his  charac- 
ter seems  to  be  an  intense  and  absolute  fix- 
ety  of  purpose,  a  dominating  resolve  to  rise 
and  make  his  influence  felt  and  in  the  court 
as  well  as  the  public  arena,  he  has  not  been 
content  to  occupy  a  second  place.  He  moves 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


6o5 


in  only  one  direction  and  that  is  forward 
and  the  success  and  eminent  standing  al- 
ready achieved  bespeak  still  greater  ad- 
vancement in  his  profession  and  higher  hon- 
ors in  years  to  come. 

Mr.  Jennings  has  been  twice  married,  the 
first  time  on  May  5,  1880,  to  Daisy  Martin, 
youngest  child  of  Gen.  James  S.  Martin,  of 
Salem,  the  union  resulting  in  the  birth  of 
two  children;  Hazel,  and  a  son  that  died 
in  infancy.  Mrs.  Jennings  died  July  12, 
1894,  and  on  June  loth  of  the  year  1903, 
Mr.  Jennings  entered  the  marriage  relation 
with  Maude  Cunningham,  daughter  of  M. 
R.  Cunningham,  of  Salem. 

Fraternally,  Mr.  Jennings  is  a  Mason  of 
high  degree,  having  passed  all  the  chairs  in 
the  local  lodge  to  which  he  belongs,  be- 
sides representing  it  at  different  times  in 
the  Grand  Lodge.  He  has  spent  his  entire 
life  within  the  bounds  of  his  native  county, 
has  labored  hard  to  reach  the  high  place  in 
professional  circles  which  he  now  occupies, 
and  in  the  true  sense  of  the  term,  he  is  a 
self-made  man  and  as  such  is  certainly  en- 
titled to  the  universal  esteem  in  which  he  is 
held  and  the  high  honors  with  which  his 
career  has  been  crowned. 


ALEXANDER  W.  FISHER. 

An  illustration  of  skill  as  a  farmer  as  well 
as  the  ability  to  concentrate  efforts  along 
some  special  line  until  success  is  achieved 
in  that  undertaking  is  found  in  the  case  of 


our  subject,  who  is  not  only  a  successful 
farmer  as  that  term  is  understood  but  has 
also  made  a  specialty  of  breeding  Poland- 
China  hogs,  Mr.  Fisher  being  a  standard 
authority  in  this  remunerative  industry. 

Alexander  W.  Fisher  was  born  in 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  on  the  i6th  of  Janu- 
ary, 1870,  the  son  of  E.  A.  and  Susan 
(Louis)  Fisher,  both  of  whom  are  among 
the  county's  substantial  and  highly  respected 
citizens.  They  are  members  of  the  Metho- 
dist denomination  and  were  the  parents  of 
a  robust  family  of  eleven  children,  of  whom 
Alexander  was  the  eight  in  order  of  birth. 
This  family  circle  was  one  typical  of  its 
kind,  the  tie  of  kindred  fellowship  being 
strong,  and  the  fireside  brightened  with  the 
light  of  domestic  happiness  and  harmony. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  Kagy  district  school,  but  farm  life  was 
also  an  instrument  in  his  trainings,  develop- 
ing in  him  that  sturdy  independence  and 
wholesome  self-reliance  that  has  character- 
ized his  subsequent  career. 

On  August  6,  1890,  Mr.  Fisher  was  mar- 
ried to  Nannie  H.  Stevens,  daughter  of  Le 
Roy  and  Mary  Stevens,  resident  of  this 
county.  She  is  the  youngest  of  five  chil- 
dren .,  is  a  woman  of  excellent  tastes  and 
refined  judgment,  and  is  proving  to  be  a 
most  excellent  mother.  In  this  latter  ca- 
pacity she  has  adorned  the  home  with  four 
children,  all  of  whom  show  the  results  of 
uplifting  parental  influence  and  affection. 
The  children  are:  Georgia  B.,  born  Octo- 
ber 27,  1891;  Milton  E.,  born  January  9, 
1894;  Clarence  S.,  born  February  16,  1895, 


6o6 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  Mamie  M.,  born  March  12,  1896;  Clar- 
ence S.  died  March  31,  1895. 

Mr.  Fisher  owns  and  operates  a  farm  of 
seventy  acres,  all  under  cultivation.  It  im- 
presses the  visitor  at  once  as  bearing  the 
marks  of  thrift  and  industry  and  shows 
economy  in  its  management.  The  Fisher 
homestead  is  one'  where  neighbors  and 
friends  find  at  all  times  a  hearty  welcome, 
and  is  surrounded  with  an  atmosphere  of 
friendliness  and  sociability. 

Mr.  Fisher  takes  an  active  interest  in  the 
general  affairs  of  the  community  and  affili- 
ates with  the  Democratic  party,  but  has 
never  aspired  to  political  prominence.  He 
is  satisfied  to  discharge  his  obligations  as 
a  citizen  by  lending  his  support  at  the  bal- 
lot box  to  such  men  as  will  discharge  their 
official  duties  with  the  utmost  conscientious- 
ness and  integrity. 


JOSEPH   H.   SCHAFFER. 

It  is  really  conceded  that  no  better  blood 
has  entered  into  the  bone  and  sinew  of  the 
American  republic  than  that  of  the  indus- 
trious, intelligent  and  loyal  spirited  sons  of 
Teutonic  Europe.  It  is  from  such  an  an- 
cestry as  this  that  there  was  born  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review,  Joseph  H.  Schaffer,  who 
is  a  native  of  Bartholomew  county,  Indi- 
ana, born  July  14,  1841. 

Our  subject's  father,  Andrew  Schaffer, 
hails  from  the  historic  town  of  Bremen. 
Germany,  having  been  born  in  1812.  When 


coming  to  America  he  embarked  in  a  sailing 
vessel  which  was  six  weeks  in  making  the 
trip  across  the  stormy  Atlantic.  He  landed 
at  Baltimore,  and  after  working  on  the  rail- 
roads in  the  vicinity  for  a  time  he  came  west 
to  Indiana,  and  began  farming.  His  wife, 
Catherine  (Peters)  Schaffer,  was  also  born 
in  Bremen,  and  when  coming  to  America 
was  upon  the  water  for  nine  weeks.  In 
1854  Andrew  Schaffer  and  family  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  he  continued 
his  life  as  a  farmer. 

On  May  25,  1876,  Joseph  Schaffer  was 
married  to  Adeline  Foster,  who  departed 
this  life  on  January  30,  1893.  She  was  the 
mother  of  six  children  as  follows:  William 
H. ;  Sarah  married  James  Charlton ;  Thomas 
A.  married  Anna  Keller;  James  F.,  hus- 
band of  Gertrude  Rose;  George  Henry 
married  Maud  Davis,  and  Anna  M., 
deceased. 

The  brief  review  of  our  subject  would  in- 
deed be  incomplete  did  it  not  include  the 
heroic  period  taken  up  by  his  experiences  in 
the  great  rebellion.  When  the  call  for 
troops  was  sounded  over  the  country,  no 
heart  beat  more  fervently  for  the  cause  of 
freedom  and  the  Union  than  did  that  of  Jo- 
seph H.  Schaffer.  He  enlisted  in  the  Fed- 
eral army  on  August  4,  1861,  and  continued 
in  the  service  until  mustered  out  at  Louis- 
ville, Kentucky,  on  August  5,  1865.  The 
complete  record  of  his  privations,  dangers 
and  startling  conflicts  would  be  too  long 
for  the  present  scope,  hence  we  must  content 
ourselves  with  a  brief  summary  of  what 
would  be  a  most  interesting  story. 


r.KI.XKERROFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


607 


He  joined  Company  B,  Fortieth  Illinois, 
under  Captain  Sprouse  and  Colonel  Hicks. 
At  the  battle  of  Shiloh  he  was  severely 
wounded  in  the  left  arm,  but  soon  rallied 
to  the  front,  eager  to  do  his  full  part  in  the 
mighty  struggle.  At  Kenesaw  Mountain 
he  met  with  a  painful  wound  in  the  thigh. 
He  was  present  at  the  siege  of  Vicksburg. 
marched  from  Memphis  to  Chattanooga, 
arriving  too  late,  however,  to  participate  in 
the  fight  at  Missionary  Ridge.  He  was  a 
member  of  that  section  of  the  Federal  army 
that  pursued  General  Hood  from  Atlanta  to 
Jonesboro,  and  met  with  many  narrow  es- 
capes from  bursting  shells,  grape-shot  and 
canister. 

After  the  war  he  returned  to  the  farm  and 
has  devoted  most  of  his  time  to  that  pur- 
suit. He  has  all  of  his  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  under  excellent  cultivation  and 
has  had  splendid  success  at  stock  raising. 
For  forty  years  he  ran  a  threshing  machine, 
giving  the  best  satisfaction  to  all  his  pa- 
trons. The  family  attends  the  service  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  in  his 
political  affiliations  Mr.  Schaffer  renders 
allegiance  to  the  Republican  party. 


HENRY  F.  KELCHNER. 

When  we  state  in  an  initiative  way  that 
the  honored  subject  of  this  sketch  has  re- 
sided for  fifty-six  years  in  Marion  county, 
having  devoted  his  attention  to  agricultural 
pursuits  during  that  time,  the  significance 


of  the  statement  is  evident  in  that  it  must 
necessarily  imply  that  he  is  one  of  the  pros- 
perous farmers  of  the  community. 

Henry  F.  Kelchner  was  born  in  Pennsyl- 
vania, September  23,  1828,  the  son  of  David 
and  Elizabeth  (Follmer)  Kelchner,  who 
were  the  parents  of  four  children:  Henry, 
our  subject  being  the  second  in  order  of 
birth.  He  has  one  brother  and  two  sisters. 
Our  subject  attended  the  common  schools 
in  his  native  community  in  the  Keystone 
state,  where  he  received  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation, assisting  his  father  with  the  work 
about  the  place.  As  already  indicated  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  1852,  arriving  here  in 
the  month  of  June  and  after  working  at 
whatever  he  could  secure  that  was  honor- 
able and  remunerative,  he  married  on  Jan- 
uary n,  1855,  Lucy  C.  Lovell,  and  to  this 
union  these  children  were  born:  Robert  B., 
who  married  Belle  Ritter,  and  to  whom, one 
daughter  was  born;  Eugene  married  Hattie 
Samuels,  living  in  Tazewell  county,  this 
state,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one 
daughter;  Ida  married  George  Asher  and 
they  have  seven  children;  Katie  married  G. 
E.  Brandeberry,  and  is  the  mother  of  one 
son :  Harvey  F.  married  Clara  Millican,  the 
daughter  of  Filmore  and  Maggie  (Porter) 
Millican. 

Henry  F.  Kelchner  was  one  of  the  sturdy 
and  patriotic  sons  of  the  North  who  be- 
lieved it  his  duty  to  do  what  he  could  in 
suppressing  the  great  rebellion,  consequent- 
ly he  enlisted  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  in 
September,  1861,  in  Company  K.  Thirty- 
third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under 


6o8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Colonel  Hovey  and  Charles  E.  Lippencott, 
as  captain.  His  first  battle  was  at  Freder- 
icksburg  and  he  took  part  in  many  other 
battles  and  skirmishes  in  which  this  regi- 
ment was  engaged,  always  conducting  him- 
self as  a  brave  soldier.  He  was  mustered 
out  in  Springfield  in  September,  1864,  and 
as  a  reward  for  his  faithful  services  he  is 
remembered  by  his  government  with  a  pen- 
sion of  twenty  dollars  per  month. 

Our  subject  is  the  owner  of  a  fine  and 
highly  improved  farm,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  thirty  acres,  sixty-five  acres  of 
which  are  in  cultivation.  He  carried  on 
general  farming,  but  now  in  his  old  age  he  is 
leading  a  practically  retired  life  at  the  home 
of  his  son.  Harvey. 

Mr.  Kelchner  has  always  been  a  public- 
spirited  man  and  in  1882  he  was  nominated 
on  the  Union  Labor  ticket  for  Circuit  Clerk. 
He  has  very  ably  and  acceptably  filled  the 
offices  of  Town  Clerk,  School  Director  and 
Township  Treasurer. 

He  votes  a  mixed  ticket,  always  believing 
in  honesty  in  politics  and  preferring  to 
place  the  best  men  possible  in  local  and  na- 
tional offices.  He  is  a  Prohibitionist  at 
heart,  and  he  believes  in  a  Democratic  gov- 
ernment. Religiously  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church. 

Although  Mr.  Kelchner  is  eighty  years 
old  he  still  has  a  very  bright  mind  and  is 
well  read  and  keeps  abreast  of  the  times. 
Having  during  his  entire  life  been  closely 
identified  with  the  interests  and  develop- 
ment of  whatever  section  of  the  country  he 
lived  in.  By  close  application  to  the  duties 


which  lay  before  him,  he  has  won  his  way 
into  the  hearts  of  the  people  who  know  him. 


GEORGE  S.  FYFE. 

Although  the  character  of  the  immigrants 
that  come  to  America  today  seems  to  be 
changing,  yet  there  is  not  a  single  doubt 
but  that  in  years  past  some  of  the  most 
sturdy,  energetic  and  progressive  people  liv- 
ing upon  our  soil  were  the  ones  that  come  to 
us  from  foreign  lands.  They  have  brought 
to  us  not  only  the  spirit  of  thrift  and  en- 
durance, but  have  contributed  to  the  loyal 
American  spirit  to  a  degree  which  can 
hardly  be  overestimated.  Among  the  many 
worthy  of  mention  in  this  connection  we 
refer  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  S.  Fyfe,  of 
Alma,  Illinois.  Mr.  Fife  was  born  at  Dun- 
dee, Scotland,  January  20,  1820,  and  his 
life  experiences  have  been  most  interesting 
and  varied.  He  became  a  machinist  by 
trade,  serving  as  an  apprentice  in  his  native 
town,  at  the  end  of  which  period  he  went 
to  London,  and  there  followed  his  trade  for 
two  years,  but  not  being  fully  satisfied  with 
the  confinement  incident  to  the  work  in 
which  he  was  engaged,  he  kept  alert  for  an 
opportunity  for  a  wider  experience  and  this 
came  to  him,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Turkish 
navy  as  an  engineer.  His  father,  George 
Fyfe,  was  a  sea  captain  before  him  and  the 
son  seemed  to  inherit  the  father's  spirit  for 
a  life  of  travel  and  adventure.  He  remained 
in  the  Turkish  navy  for  three  years  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


609 


during  this  time  and  thereafter  he  traveled 
in  many  countries,  spending  considerable 
time  in  Palestine  and  Egypt,  sailing  up  the 
Nile  from  Alexandria  to  Cairo,  where 
Moses  was  born,  and  where  Paul  wrote  his 
speech  to  the  Philistines.  Here  he  saw  the 
noble  Egyptian  obelisk,  that  famous  shaft 
of  stone  that  lay  for  centuries  prostrate  upon 
the  sands,  but  which  was  later,  at  great 
expense,  taken  to  New  York  and  set  up  once 
more  to  mark  the  path  of  the  sun  by  day  and 
at  night  to  point  again  to  the  same  glittering 
stars  that  have  studded  the  clear  Egyptian 
skies  since  the  daybreak  of  time.  Here, 
also,  he  stood  under  the  shadows  of  the 
pyramids,  those  wonders  of  ages  past  that 
have  been  the  marvel  of  mankind  through- 
out all  history. 

Mr.  Fyfe  also  had  a  brother  who  was  a 
sea  captain,  now  deceased,  and  another 
whose  home  was  in  Melbourne,  Australia. 

After  coming  to  America,  Mr.  Fyfe  spent 
some  time  in  Boston,  and  it  was  here  that  he 
was  married  to  Miss  Hutchinson  Spinks,  on 
February  5,  1852.  Miss  Spinks  is  also  of 
Scotch  descent,  having  emigrated  to 
America  from  her  native  land  when  sailing 
vessels  were  the  ones  most  used  for  cross- 
ing the  broad  Atlantic.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  this  union. 

When  Mr.  Fyfe  came  west  he  bought 
mostly  prairie  land  from  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad.  Mr.  Fyfe  now  has  a  fine 
farm  to  show  for  his  energy  and  application. 
Both  he  and  his  wife  have  used  good  judg- 
ment in  their  work,  and  Mrs.  Fyfe,  though 
seventy-seven  years  old,  has  never  worn 
39 


glasses.  They  belong  to  the  Baptist  church, 
although  their  parents  before  them  were 
Scotch  Presbyterians.  Mr.  Fyfe  affiliates 
with  the  Republican  party  and  through  his 
calm  judgment  and  broad  minded  experi- 
ence has  done  much  to  advance  the  cause  of 
good  citizenship  in  the  community. 


TILMON  J.  ROGERS. 

There  can  never  be  aught  but  apprecia- 
tion of  the  services  of  the  men  who  fol- 
lowed the  stars  and  stripes  on  the  sanguin- 
ary battle  fields  of  the  South  during  the 
most  crucial  epoch  of  our  national  history. 
One  of  the  honored  veterans  of  the  war  of 
the  Rebellion,  who  went  forth  as  represen- 
tative of  Marion  county  patriotism  is  the 
subject  of  this  tribute,  who  has  passed  the 
greater  portion  of  his  useful  life  in  this 
county. 

Tilmon  J.  Rogers  was  born  in  Maury 
county,  Tennessee,  February  24,  1842,  the 
son  of  Jesse  and  Elizabeth  (Alderson) 
Rogers,  the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee, 
where  he  was  born  in  1801.  The  latter  was 
also  bom  in  that  state,  the  date  of  her  birth 
occurring  in  1811.  There  were  ten  chil- 
dren in  this  family,  an  equal  number  of 
boys  and  girls,  our  subject  being  the  eighth 
in  order  of  birth. 

Tilmon  J.  Rogers  came  with  his  parents 
to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  when  ten  years 
old,  in  1852.  The  family  rented  a  farm 
and  made  a  good  living  in  the  new  home. 


6io 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Our  subject  drove  an  ox  team  to  break 
the  ground  in  this  county,  and  assisted  with 
the  farm  work  until  he  reached  maturity, 
having  gone  to  school  but  very  little.  How- 
ever he  learned  to  spell,  read  and  write  but 
he  never  studied  arithmetic  a  day,  but  prac- 
tice in  the  business  world  has  been  his  edu- 
cator and  he  counts  interest  and  all  meas- 
urements mentally.  His  first  school  was  in 
Tennessee,  a  subscription  school.  He  has 
always  been  a  hard  worker  and  is  even  now 
a  strong  man  both  physically  and  mentally, 
keeping  well  posted  on  current  events  and 
is  therefore  an  interesting  conversationalist. 

Mr.  Rogers  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1866  with  Martha  C.  Clack,  Daughter  of  B. 
B.  and  Cornelia  (Vanduzen)  Brown,  who 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  six  girls 
and  one  boy.  Mrs.  Rogers'  mother  was  born 
in  Edgar  county,  Illinois,  in  1825.  Seven  chil- 
dren have  been  born  to  our  subject  and  wife, 
three  hoys  and  four  girls,  namely:  Emory 
J..  who  was  married  to  Lora  Keller,  is  the 
father  of  two  children,  both  girls:  Laura 
Stella  married  Frank  Arnold,  and  they  have 
five  children,  four  of  whom  are  living,  three 
boys  and  one  girl :  Vantoliver  married  Lu- 
ella  Stevens,  and  they  have  one  son ;  Henry 
O.  married  first  Leona  Arnold,  by  whom  he 
has  one  daughter:  his  second  marriage  was 
to  Edith  Southward  and  one  daughter  has 
also  been  born  to  this  union ;  Martha  C. 
married  John  Davis :  Nellie  E.  married  Lu- 
ther Beard  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two 
sons;  Bessie  T.  died  at  the  age  of  eleven 
years.  These  children  all  received  fairly 
good  common  school  educations  and  are 


comfortably  situated  in  reference  to  this 
world's  affairs. 

Tilmon  J.  Rogers  was  one  of  the  patriotic 
citizens  of  the  fair  North  who  believed  that 
it  was  his  duty  and  privilege  to  offer  his 
services  and  life,  if  need  be,  in  defence  of 
his  country's  integrity,  which  was  threat- 
ened during  the  dark  days  of  the  sixties, 
consequently  he  enlisted  August  14,  1862,  in 
Company  E,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  under  J.  M. 
Martin,  and  was  in  the  service  nearly  three 
years,  having  taken  part  in  many  a  hard- 
fought  battle,  being  wounded  at  Resaca, 
Georgia,  May  14,  1864,  having  1>een  struck 
in  the  right  arm  by  a  musket  ball  which, 
took  effect  near  the  shoulder.  He  was  in 
the  hospital  but  a  short  time  as  a  result  of 
this  wound.  He  was  in  a  number  of  en- 
gagements while  in  Sherman's  march  from 
Atlanta  to  the  sea.  He  was  discharged 
June  28,  1865,  at  \Yashington  City,  after 
which  he  went  to  Springfield,  Illinois,  where 
he  received  his  pay.  then  he  came  back  to 
Marion  county  and  took  up  farming,  at 
which  he  has  prospered  ever  since. 

In  politics  Mr.  Rogers  is  a  loyal  advocate 
of  the  principles  fostered  by  the  Democratic 
party,  and  while  he  has  never  found  time  to 
take  much  interest  in  active  political  affairs 
his  vote  is  always  cast  for  the  men  whom 
he  believes  will  best  serve  the  public  inter- 
ests. In  religious  matters  his  parents  were 
Missionary  Baptists  on  his  mother's  side. 
Personally  Mr.  Rogers  adheres  to  the  prin- 
ciples of  good  citizenship  and  believes  in  at- 
tending strictly  to  his  own  affairs. 


LIBRARV 
Of  THE 

Of  MMNOIS. 


PROF.  J.  H.  G.  BRIXKERHOFF. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


611 


He  owns  a  valuable  and  highly  improved 
farm  of  one  hundred  and  eighty-five  acres, 
having  lived  on  the  same  since  the  fall  of 
1867,  and  during  his  lapse  of  years  he  has 
seen  this  county  undergo  great  changes. 


PROF.  J.  H.  G.  BRINKERHOFF. 

The  biographer  in  \vrting  of  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  Marion  count}',  Illinois, 
has  found  no  subject  worthier  of  representa- 
tion in  a  work  of  the  province  of  the  one 
at  hand  than  Professor  Brinkerhoff,  author 
•of  the  historical  portion  of  this  history,  who 
is  known  as  a  man  of  high  attainments,  and 
practical  ability,  as  one  who  has  achieved 
success  in  his  profession  principally  because 
he  has  worked  for  it.  His  prestige  in  the 
educational  circles  of  this  locality  stands  in 
evidence  of  his  ability  and  likewise  stands 
as  a  voucher  for  intrinsic  worth  of  char- 
acter. He  has  used  his  intellect  to  the  best 
purpose,  has  directed  his  energies  in  legiti- 
mate channels,  and  his  career  has  been 
based  upon  the  wise  assumption  that  nothing 
save  industry,  perseverance,  sturdy  in- 
tegrity and  fidelity  to  duty  will  lead  to  suc- 
cess. The  profession  of  teaching  which  our 
subject  has  made  his  principal  life  work 
offers  no  opportunities  to  the  slothful,  only 
to  such  determined  spirits  as  that  of  Mr. 
Brinkeroff.  It  is  an  arduous,  exacting,  dis- 
couraging profession  to  one  who  is  unwill- 
ing to  subordinate  other  interests  to  its  de- 
mands, but  to  the  true  and  earnest 


devotee  it  offers  a  sphere  of  action  whose 
attractions  are  equal  to  any  and  whose  re- 
wards are  unstinted.  That  the  subject  pos- 
sesses the  qualities  enumerated  is  undoubted 
oVing  to  the  success  he  has  achieved  and  the 
high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  by  all  who 
know  him. 

Pr&i.  J.  H.  G.  Brinkerhoff  was  born  De- 
cember\i4,  1844,  in  Hackensack,  New  Jer- 
sey, and  he  came  to  Illinois  with  his  father 
in  1852,  rvho  settled  in  Grandview,  Edgar 
county,  wnVe  the  subject's  father  estab- 
lished a  ploWj  and  wagon  shop,  which  he 
conducted  fori  four  years.  In  1856  his 
father  moved  on  a  farm  where  young  Brink- 
erhoff was  inured  to  the  hard  work  of  the 
farm  on  that  day.  He  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  those  early  days  when 
opportunities  for  higher  learning  were 
limited.  Being  desir&u^of  making  the  most 
of  his  life  work,  he  later  attended  Steele's 
Academy  and  the  Kansas  high  school,  also 
the  Indiana  State  Normal  School.  He  de- 
cided to  take  up  the  profession  of  law  and 
subsequently  entered  McKendree  College 
and  received  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Law 
from  that  institution,  but  believing  that 
teaching  was  best  suited  to  his  tastes  he  ac- 
cordingly began  that  line  of  work  in  1864 
and  he  followed  that  profession  with  un- 
abated success  for  a  period  of  thirty  years, 
becoming  known  as  one  of  the  ablest  educa- 
tors of  this  section  of  the  state.  During 
that  long  stretch  of  continuous  service  he 
never  lost  a  day  on  account  of  sickness. 
For  ten  years  he  was  at  the  head  of  the 
citv  schools  in  Lebanon,  Illinois,  and  for 


612 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


the  same  length  of  time  held  the  same  posi- 
tion in  Salem.  Owing  to  his  high  educa- 
tional attainments,  his  close  application  to 
duty  and  his  native  ability  in  this  line  of 
work,  he  was  a  favorite  with  both  pupils 
and  their  parents  and  his  services  were  al- 
ways in  great  demand. 

Professor  Brinkerhoff  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Amanda  S.  Clark  at  Mascoutah, 
St.  Clair  county,  Illinois,  in  1873.  She  is 
a  representative  of  a  well  known  and 
influential  family  of  that  county.  To  this 
union  seven  cihldren  have  been  born,  four 
sons  and  three  daughters,  one  daughter 
dying  in  infancy.  The  other  six  are  all 
living  in  Salem. 

In  1878  our  subject  united  with  the 
Christian  church  and  he  has  for  many  years 
preached  the  Gospel  of  Christ,  as  occasion 
permitted. 

Professor  Brinkerhoff  is  a  descendant  of 
sterling  old  Knickerbocker  Dutch  stock,  the 
founder  of  the  family  having  settled  in 
Long  Island  in  1632,  and  in  1685  he  re- 
moved to  a  farm  on  the  Hackensack  river 
in  New  Jersey,  which  farm  remained  in  pos- 
session of  the  family  until  after  the  Revo- 
lutionary war.  The  paternal  great-grand- 
father of  the  subject  was  a  lieutenant  in  the 
New  Jersey  Continentals  and  he  was  in  ac- 
tive service  during  the  war  except  for  a 
period  of  eighteen  months  when  he  was  a 
prisoner  of  war  on  the  Jersey  prison  ship 
in  the  East  river,  from  which  he  finally  es- 
caped by  jumping  overboard  and  swimming 
to  the  New  York  side  of  the  river.  The 
family  have  always  been  patriotic,  law- 


abiding  and  firm  believers  in  the  right  of 
man  to  govern  himself. 


ELMER  BASSETT. 

Among  the  young  agriculturists  of  Foster 
township,  Marion  county,  who  have  shown 
by  their  industry  and  perseverance  what 
can  be  accomplished  among  circumstances 
none  too  favorable,  is  the  gentleman  whose 
name  appears  above,  for  he  has  gained  defin- 
ite success  through  his  life  of  rightly  ap- 
lied  effort  and  at  the  same  time  has  estab- 
lished a  reputation  for  honesty  and  in- 
tegrity. 

Elmer  Bassett  was  born  on  the  old  Bassett 
homestead  in  Foster  township,  Marion 
county,  August  29,  1871,  the  son  of  Harvey 
F.  and  Sarah  (Chilton)  Bassett,  the  former 
a  native  of  Jackson  county,  Indiana,  and  the 
latter  a  native  of  Jennings  county,  Indiana. 
They  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  about 
1860  and  bought  land  in  section  22,  Foster 
township.  It  had  little  improvements  on 
it,  but  being  thrifty  he  improved  the  land 
and  added  to  it  until  he  owned  three  hun- 
dred and  twenty  acres  in  sections  22,  23 
and  27,  devoting  his  life  to  farming.  He 
held  many  of  the  township  offices,  and  took 
an  interest  in  politics.  He  was  a  Repub- 
lican and  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  well  known  and  highly 
respected  by  everyone.  He  died  January  20, 
1890,  and  his  wife  in  May,  1907.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  them :  Belle, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


613 


who  married  J.  B.  Altum,  now  de- 
ceased, the  former  making  her  home 
at  present  in  Mossville,  Texas;  Ansel  H.. 
a  farmer  near  Mena,  Arkansas,  married 
Mary  McCune;  Lafayette,  a  farmer  in  Fos- 
ter township,  Marion  county,  married  Illi- 
nois Arnold;  Elmer,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Harvey  F.  was  married  twice  and 
of  the  last  marriage  there  was  no  issue. 

Mr.  Bassett  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  always  lived  at  home.  He  was 
united  in  marriage  October  3,  1897.  to 
Maggie  McWhirter.  of  Foster  township, 
this  county,  the  daughter  of  Charles  Pitt 
and  Rebecca  (Hammeis)  McWhirter,  the 
former  a  native  of  Tennessee  and  the  latter 
of  Illinois.  The  former  came  to  Marion 
county  as  a,  young  man  and  located  in 
Tonti  township,  where  he  rented  land  for 
awhile  and  later  bought  a  farm  in  section 
34,  Foster  township,  where  he  died  in  April, 
1907,  after  an  active  and  useful  life.  His 
wife  is  still  living  on  the  old  place.  Eleven 
children  were  born  to  them,  six  of  whom 
are  still  living,  namely:  Mattie,  wife  of 
Isaac  Sprouse,  living  in  Alma  township ; 
Belle,  married  A.  J.  Williams,  of  Foster 
township;  Amanda  married  Benjamin  Wil- 
liams, of  Foster  township;  Charles  is  a 
farmer  living  in  Foster  township;  Richard 
is  a  farmer  living  in  Alma,  Illinois ;  Maggie, 
the  subject's  wife. 

Five  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  named  as  follows:  Gage, 
Gail,  Grace,  Charles  and  Mason. 

The  subject  has  always  been  a  farmer 
and  one  of  the  best,  too.  He  owns  one  hun- 


dred and  sixty  acres  of  the  old  place  and 
eighty  acres  of  the  E.  L.  Thomas  place,  Fos- 
ter township.  This  land  is  under  a  high 
state  of  improvement. 


HENRY  C.  FOSTER. 

Among  the  sturdy  and  enterprising  farm- 
ers of  Foster  township,  Marion  county,  is 
the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  above, 
whose  life  has  been  one  of  industry  and 
strict  adherence  to  honorable  principles, 
which  has  resulted  in  gaining  a  comfortable 
living  and  at  the  same  time  winning  the 
respect  of  his  fellow  men. 

Henry  C.  Foster  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  January  29,  1842,  the  son 
of  William  Henry  and  Nancy  (Lowe)  Fos- 
ter, the  former  of  Georgia  and  the  latter  of 
Tennessee.  William  Henry  Lowe  came  as 
a  boy  with  his  parents  to  Illinois  and  lo- 
cated in  Clinton  county,  where  they  were 
among  the  early  pioneers.  They  later  came 
to  Foster  township,  Marion  county,  and 
purchased  wild  land  and  made  extensive  im- 
provements on  the  same.  The  subject's 
father  grew  up  in  Foster  township  and  re- 
ceived only  a  limited  education,  having 
scarcely  any  chance  to  attend  school.  He 
married  here  and  lived  at  the  old  homestead. 
Although  he  at  one  time  conducted  a  store, 
he  devoted  his  life  to  farming  pursuits.  He 
was  a  Republican  but  never  aspired  to  office. 
He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  follow- 


6i4 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ing  children  were  born  to  them:  William, 
deceased,  married  Pyrena  Nichols;  John 
was  in  Company  I,  One  Hundred  and  Elev- 
enth Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  who  lived 
in  Clinton  county,  Illinois,  after  the  war  un- 
til his  death ;  Jane,  who  married  David 
Nichols,  of  Foster  township,  the  former  is 
now  deceased;  Elizabeth,  deceased,  married 
David  Nichols,  of  Foster  township ;  Andrew 
J.  was  in  Company  F,  Seventh  Illinois  Cav- 
alary,  having  served  four  years  and  four 
months,  who  located  in  Kinmundy  after  the 
war,  where  he  has  since  resided;  Henry  C., 
our  subject;  Irwin  W.,  a  farmer  of  Labette 
county,  Kansas,  who  was  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  Civil  war;  Winfield  Scott  is 
single  and  living  in  Foster  township. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  little 
chance  of  attending  school.  He  lived  at 
home  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty-one 
years.  On  September  30,  1869,  he  married 
Cynthia  A.  Garrett,  of  Foster  township, 
and  a  daughter  of  Moses  and  Hannah 
(Morris)  Garrett,  both  natives  of  Georgia. 
They  were  pioneers  of  Foster  township,  this 
county,  where  they  devoted  their  lives  to 
farming.  Four  children  have  been  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife,  namely :  Charles  H., 
who  has  always  lived  at  home;  Nola  mar- 
ried S.  Williams,  of  Foster  township,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  children,  Flossie 
and  Relzia;  Fannie  C.  married  Jake 
Thomas,  of  Foster  township,  and  they  are 
the  parents  of  five  children,  namely :  James, 
Carrie,  Nona,  Eva  and  Van ;  James  Emery, 
the  subject's  youngest  child,  is  living  in 
Foster  township.  He  married  Maude  Hol- 


land, of  Patoka,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren :  Basel,  Waneta,  deceased,  and 
Harrell. 

One  of  the  patriotic  men  of  this  state  who 
felt  it  his  duty  to  offer  his  services  in  de- 
fense of  the  flag  was  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  who  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Seventh 
Illinois  Cavalry,  at  Camp  Butler,  where  they 
drilled  for  awhile,  after  which  they  were 
sent  to  Nashville,  Tennessee.  The  subject 
was  in  the  second  battle  of  Corinth.  He 
was  on  an  eight  hundred  mile  march  from 
Lagrange,  Tennessee,  to  Baton  Rouge, 
Louisiana,  which  took  sixteen  days,  having 
been  in  many  skirmishes  all  along  the 
march.  He  was  taken  sick  and  went  home 
on  sixty  days'  furlough.  He  rejoined  his 
company  at  Germantown,  Tennessee,  and 
went  up  the  Mississippi  river  and  was  in 
Tennessee  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  sick  a  great  deal  and  his  eyes  were  af- 
fected, having  lost  the  sight  in  the  left  one. 
He  was  discharged  November  9,  1865,  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  after  gallantly  serving 
in  the  Union  ranks.  After  the  war  he  lo- 
cated in  Foster  township,  and  in  1878 
bought  the  farm  where  he  now  lives,  this 
having  been  his  home  since  that  time.  The 
place  consists  of  one  hundred  acres  in  sec- 
tion 23.  He  has  made  all  the  improvements, 
his  farm  now  ranking  with  any  in  the  town- 
ship. He  has  always  been  considered  a  first 
class  farmer.  He  has  a  substantial  and  com- 
fortable residence  and  everything  about  his 
place  shows  good  management.  He  is  a 
Republican  in  politics.  He  ably  served  as 
School  Director  for  manv  years.  He  is  a 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 


ORVILLE  T.  WALTON. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  passed  his 
life  in  Marion  county,  and  as  a  representa- 
tive of  one  of  the  honored  families  early  set- 
tled in  this  section  he  is  well  entitled  to  rep- 
resentation in  this  volume. 

Orville  T.  Walton  was  born  in  Patoka 
township.  Marion  county,  November  6, 
1868,  the  son  of  Iradell  and  Louisa  (Fos- 
ter) Walton,  both  natives  of  Illinois.  They 
lived  mostly  .  in  Patoka  and  Foster  town- 
ships, having  come  to  the  latter  in  1869  and 
settled  in  section  19.  He  first  purchased 
sixty  acres  and  later  sixty  acres  more  were 
added  and  then  another  sixty  acres,  still 
later,  forty-eight  acres,  all  in  Foster  town- 
ship and  twenty  acres  in  Patoka  township, 
having  always  been  a  farmer,  well  known 
and  highly  respected  by  all ;  an  active  Dem- 
ocrat, having  served  as  Town  Clerk  and 
Treasurer,  and  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  His  death 
occurred  April  17,  1897,  and  his  wife  passed 
to  her  rest  April  27,  1900.  The  subject's 
grandfather  and  grandmother  Walton  both 
died  of  cholera  in  1849.  Iradell  Walton 
and  wife  were  the  parents  of  eleven  chil- 
dren, namely:  Monroe,  a  farmer  in  Foster 
township,  who  married  Harriet  Friend,  the 
latter  dying  January.  1908;  Rosie  Maud, 
now  deceased,  married  Arthur  Irvin ;  Rachel 
married  Marshall  Livesay,  of  Foley.  Mis- 


souri ;  Lillian  married  Thomas  Bundy,  of 
Fayette  county,  Illinois;  Orville  T.,  our 
subject;  Effie  married  Leonard  Arnold,  of 
Foster  township ;  Abbie  is  the  wife  of  David 
M.  Giddeon,  of  Slater,  Missouri ;  William 
A.,  who  married  Annie  Grouse,  of  Patoka, 
this  county;  Edna  is  the  wife  of  Charles 
Meadows,  of  Patoka;  Delia  is  a  nurse,  liv- 
ing in  Foster  township ;  Robert  lives  on  the 
old  home  place  in  Foster  township  and  mar- 
ried Lizzie  Ballance. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  only  a 
limited  education,  attending  the  home 
schools  for  a  short  time.  He  remained  a 
member  of  the  family  circle  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  old. 

Orville  T.  Walton  was  united  in  marriage 
March  17,  1891,  with  Florence  Chance,  of 
Foster  township,  daughter  of  Willis  J.  and 
Matilda  (Foster)  Chance.  They  were  both 
born  in  Marion  county  and  lived  in  Foster 
township.  They  are  farmers  and  have  four 
children,  namely:  Florence,  the  subject's 
wife;  Mary,  the  wife  of  Eli  Logan,  of  Pa- 
toka township;  Elza  is  a  traveling  salesman 
with  headquarters  at  Clay  Center,  Kansas ; 
John  is  living  at  home. 

The  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of 
two  sons,  Charles  Addis,  born  December 
27,  1895,  and  Kenneth  O.,  born  March  31, 
1899. 

After  the  subject's  marriage  he  located 
on  the  George  McHeny  place  in  Foster 
township,  where  he  remained  for  one  year, 
also  one  year  on  the  Chance  place  and  one 
on  the  Foster  place.  He  then  bought 
forty  acres  in  section  18,  the  J.  H.  Walker 


6i6 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


place,  where  he  lived  for  five  years  and  then 
moved  to  Harvey,  Illinois,  where  he  lived 
two  years,  when  he  moved  back  to  Foster 
township  in  the  fall  of  1907,  locating  where 
he  now  lives.  He  bought  the  John  Chick 
place,  consisting  of  forty  acres.  He  was  al- 
ways a  hard  worker  and  thrifty,  consequent- 
ly he  has  been  enabled  to  add  on  to  his 
place  until  he  now  has  ninety  acres  of  as 
good  land  as  can  be  found  in  this  locality, 
which  is  well  improved  and  managed  so  that 
abundant  harvests  are  reaped  from  year  to 
year.  He  raises  good  horses,  cattle  and 
hogs  and  carries  on  a  general  farming 
business.  He  has  £  comfortable  dwelling 
and  convenient  out  buildings.  He  has  al- 
ways been  a  public-spirited  man  and  has 
ably  served  as  school  director  and  Town 
Clerk.  He  is  a  loyal  Democrat  and  a  worthy 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
and  is  regarded  by  his  neighbors  as  among 
the  leading  young  farmers  of  Foster 
township. 


JONATHAN  A.  GREEN. 

The  subject  of  this  biography  has  always 
been  an  honest  and  hard-working  man,  and 
the  success  that  crowns  his  efforts  is  well 
merited.  He  is  liberal  and  public-spirited, 
well  known  and  highly  respected  in  the  COITH 
inunity  which  has  been  his  home  all  his  life. 

Jonathan  A.  Green  was  born  in  Foster 
township,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  August 
13,  1867,  the  son  of  Monroe  Green,  who 
was  the  son  of  Jonathan  Green,  of  Tennes- 


see. He  came  to  Marion  county,  this  state, 
in  an  early  day  and  secured  government 
land,  locating  in  Foster  township.  He 
cleared  the  land  and  made  a  home  here, 
having  always  been  a  farmer.  Monroe 
Green  was  also  a  farmer  all  his  life.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Cumberland  Presby- 
terian church  and  a  Democrat;  was  well 
known  and  highly  respected.  He  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  having  been  a 
member  of  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  His 
first  wife  was  the  mother  of  four  children, 
namely:  Jonathan  A.,  our  subject;  Cyrus, 
a  farmer  in  Foster  township,  this  county; 
Anna,  who  married  Elmer  Arnold,  of  Fos- 
ter township;  Jennie,  who  married  Samuel 
Arnold,  is  deceased;  Eliza  (Jones)  Green 
was  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Mary  Ann 
Jones.  They  were  early  settlers  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois. 

Jonathan  A.  Green  was  educated  in  the 
local  public  schools,  having  been  raised  on 
his  father's  farm,  where  he  remained  until 
he  was  married  December  31,  1885,  to 
Anna  Chick,  a  native  of  Ohio,  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Lucinda  (Carter)  Chick,  of  the 
Buckeye  state,  who  came  to  Illinois  in  1875 
where  the  former  died. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  namely;  Ora,  Ola  May,  John 
and  Dowe. 

After  the  subject's  marriage  he  purchased 
his  present  farm  of  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-six acres  in  Foster  township,  which  was 
partly  improved.  The  subject  has  made 
many  important  changes  on  the  place,  which 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


6i7 


now  ranks  among  the  best  in  the  township, 
being  very  productive  and  producing  ex- 
cellent crops  from  year  to  year  through  the 
skillful  management  of  Mr.  Green,  who  is 
regarded  as  one  of  the  best  farmers  in  a 
general  way  in  the  community. 

Mr.  Green  has  faithfully  served  his  town- 
ship as  Supervisor  for  two  terms  and  has 
always  taken  a  great  deal  of  interest  in  pol- 
itics, having  held  many  minor  local  offices. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America  at  Vernon,  Illinois, 
and  was  formerly  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  He  is  well 
informed  on  current  topics  and  he  is  wide- 
ly known  and  liked  in  Foster  and  adjoining 
townships  or  wherever  his  acquaintance 
extends. 


FRANCIS  M.  ROBB. 

One  of  the  influential  citizens  of  Foster 
township,  Marion  county,  is  the  gentleman 
to  whose  career  attention  is  now  directed, 
and  it  may  be  said  that  the  agricultural  in- 
terests of  the  county  have  few  if  any  more 
able  representatives. 

Francis  M.  Robb  was  born  in  Kinmundy 
township,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  the  pres- 
ent site  of  the  village  of  Kinmundy,  Sep- 
tember 22,  1847,  the  son  of  Samuel  and 
Agnes  (Pruitt)  Robb,  the  former  of  Ten- 
nessee and  the  latter  of  Virginia.  Samuel 
was  the  son  of  Eli  Robb,  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee, who  came  to  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois, in  1820  and  settled  where  Kinmundy 


now  stands.  He  secured  land  which  he  con- 
verted into  a  valuable  farm  and  made  a 
comfortable  home  here,  where  he  died  in 
1854  of  cholera.  He  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neers of  this  county.  He  was  a  Democrat 
and  a  member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

Samuel  Robb,  the  father  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch,  was  twelve  years  old  when 
his  father,  Eli  Robb,  came  to  this  county, 
the  former  receiving  only  a  limited  educa- 
tion and  lived  the  rest  of  his  life  on  a  farm 
in  this  county,  owning  a  large  tract  of  land, 
and  he  was  a  stock  dealer.  He  was  a  strong 
Democrat  and  was  well  known  throughout 
the  county,  and  his  death  occurred  in  1881. 
The  subject's  mother,  Agnes  (Pruitt)  Robb, 
was  the  daughter  of  Robert  and  Martha 
Pruitt,  who  came  to  Marion  county  in  a 
very  early  day,  about  1812,  settling  in  what 
is  now  Meacham  township,  where  they  got 
government  land,  but  later  went  to  Mis- 
souri. Samuel  Robb  and  wife  were  the  par- 
ents of  nine  children,  namely:  Francis  M., 
our  subject;  Martha,  deceased;  William, 
deceased;  Permelia:  Eli,  deceased;  Robert, 
Mary,  Edwin,  and  an  infant,  both  deceased. 

The  subject  has  spent  all  of  his  life  in 
Marion  county,  where  he  received  only  a 
limited  education.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  is  considered  one  of  the  best  in 
the  township  by  his  neighbors.  He  first  got 
government  land  in  Kinmundy  township, 
and  in  1882  moved  to  Foster  township, 
where  he  now  lives  and  owns  two  hundred 
and  forty  acres  on  which  he  has  made  all 
the  improvements  and  which  he  has  devel- 
oped into  a  very  fine  farm,  being  well 


6i8 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


fenced,  and  the  crops  have  been  so  skillfully 
rotated  that  the  original  richness  of  the  soil 
has  been  retained.  He  has  a  substantial  and 
pleasant  home,  a  convenient  barn  and  many 
good  out  buildings. 

Mr.  Robb  was  united  in  marriage  in  1867 
with  Julia  Lowe  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Margaret  (Arnold) 
Lowe,  both  now  deceased.  They  were  na- 
tives of  Tennessee,  having  come  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  at  an  early  date,  locating  on 
a  farm  in  Foster-  township. 

Eight  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  named  in  order  of  birth  as 
follows:  Hattie,  the  wife  of  J.  Arnold; 
Delia,  the  wife  of  Charles  Doolen ;  Margar- 
et :  Agnes,  the  wife  of  Emmet  Jones ;  Emma 
the  wife  of  Guy  Arnold;  Lulu,  the  wife  of 
Frank  Jones;  Ella,  who  died  in  infancy; 
Eli.  who  married  Josie  Ballance,  a  farmer. 

The  subject  and  wife  are  faithful  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
The  subject  is  a  loyal  Democrat,  and  was 
Supervisor  of  this  township  for  two  terms. 
He  has  also  held  other  minor  local  offices. 
He  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Masonic 
lodge  at  Kinmundy. 

Mr.  Robb  is  honest  in  alt  his  dealings 
with  his  fellow  man  and  public-spirited,  and 
he  has  many  friends  in  Marion  county. 


JAMES  McNICOL. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  a  member  of 
that  sturdy  citizenship  from  the  lands  of 
hills  and  heather,  bonny  Scotland,  from 


which  rugged  country  so  many  hardy  sons 
have  gone  forth  to  bless  humanity  in  vari- 
ous ways,  and  he  is  in  every  way  typical  of 
those  whose  lives  benefit  all  with  whom 
they  come  in  contact. 

James  McNicol  was  born  on  the  Isle  of 
Arran.  Scotland,  in  March,  1847,  tne  son 
of  Archibald  and  Anna  (McBride)  McNic- 
ol, both  natives  of  Arran,  as  was  also  the 
grandparents  of  the  subject.  The  ancestors  of 
our  subject  were  farmers.  Archibald  Mc- 
Nicol and  family  came  to  America  in  the 
early  sixties  on  the  steamship  Caledonia. 
They  landed  in  New  York  City  and  then 
went  to  St.  Louis  county,  Illinois,  where 
Alexander  McBride,  the  brother  of  Mrs.  Mc- 
Nicol, lived.  The  father  of  the  subject  rented 
land  there  for  a  while,  and  then  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  he  bought 
land  two  miles  west  of  Patoka.  This  place 
was  wild  and  consisted  of  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres.  He  later  went  back  to  St.  Louis 
county,  where  he  remained  several  years, 
after  which  he  went  to  North  Dakota  where 
he  secured  government  land  in  Benson 
county,  living  there  for  a  period  of  eight 
years,  when  he  sold  out  and  went  to  Pierce 
county.  Washington,  where  he  lived  with 
his  children  until  his  death  in  1897.  His 
wife  died  in  1896. 

They  were  the  parents  of  five  sons  and 
two  daughters,  namely:  May  is  living  in 
Buckley,  Pierce  county,  Washington;  Mag- 
Buckley,  Pierce  county,  Washington,  as  does 
also  Alexander,  who  is  a  merchant;  John, 
the  fourth  child,  married  Mary  Hulsey,  and 
he  is  in  partnership  with  his  brother  in  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


619 


store  at  Buckley,  Washington :  William 
who  was  a  mill  man  at  Buckley,  Washing- 
ton, was  killed  in  1900;  Archie  died  at  Pa- 
toka ;  James,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and 
Alexander  are  twins  and  the  third  and 
fourth  members  of  the  family. 

Mr.  McXicol,  our  subject,  received  only 
a  limited  schooling  and  he  remained  at 
home  until  his  marriage  in  the  fall  of  1865, 
to  Ella  J.  Simcox,  a  native  of  Kentucky, 
the  daughter  of  W.  K.  and  Agnes  Rebecca 
Simcox,  natives  of  Kentucky.  They  came 
to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  about  1866, 
and  settled  in  Patoka  township.  The  sub- 
ject's wife  passed  to  her  rest  April  6,  1902. 
Xine  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
McNicol,  one  of  whom  is  deceased.  They 
are :  William,  a  farmer  in  Foster  township, 
who  married  Lola  Caldwell ;  Archibald, 
who  has  remained  single,  is  a  ranchman  in 
Montana;  Mary  is  the  wife  of  C.  H.  Ar- 
nold of  Sterling,  Colorado;  Jessie  is  the 
wife  of  Luther  Caldwell.  of  Foster  town- 
ship ;  Agnes  is  the  wife  of  Cyrus  E.  Arnold, 
of  Foster  township;  Maggie  is  living  at 
home,  as  are  also  James  and  Warren;  Ruth 
is  deceased. 

After  his  marriage  the  subject  located  in 
Foster  township,  Marion  county,  where  he 
has  since  resided,  having  purchased  land 
here.  In  1876  he  went  to  Benson  county, 
North  Dakota,  and  took  up  one  hundred 
and  sixty  acres  of  government  land,  where 
he  remained  for  six  years,  engaged  in  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising,  which  he  made  a  suc- 
cess. He  sold  out  there  and  returned  to 
Foster  township,  this  county,  where  he  pur- 


chased land,  now  owning  an  excellent  farm 
of  three  hundred  and  fifty-nine  acres,  all  in 
Foster  township.  It  is  under  a  high  state 
of  improvement  and  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  model  farms  of  Marion  county,  being 
in  every  way  in  first  class  condition  and 
showing  that  a  man  of  rare  soundness  of 
judgment  and  business  ability  has  managed 
it.  He  raises  abundant  crops  of  corn,  wheat, 
hay  and  oats.  No  small  part  of  his  income 
is  derived  from  live  stock,  for  he  is  a  most 
excellent  judge  of  stock  and  some  fine  vari- 
eties of  Poland  China  hogs  and  Red  Poland 
cattle  are  to  be  found  about  the  place.  He 
carries  on  a  general  farming  business  with 
that  rare  discretion  which  always  insures 
success. 

While  our  subject  has  never  aspired  to 
office  he  has  held  several  local  public  po- 
sitions. He  is  an  independent  voter,  pre- 
ferring to  cast  his  ballot  for  the  man  he  be- 
lieves will  best  serve  the  public,  rather  than 
for  the  party.  He  is  a  faithful  member  of 
the  Christian  church  of  Patoka.  Mr.  Mc- 
Nicol's  life  has  been  one  of  industry,, 
scrupulous  honesty  and  integrity. 


ALBERT  G.  PORTER. 

Among  the  enterprising  and  progressive 
citizens  of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  the 
gentleman  whose  name  forms  the  caption  of 
this  ketch,  who  has  engaged  in  various  lines 
of  business  activity  in  this  county  and  is 
known  as  one  of  the  leading  liverymen  of 


620 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  locality,  at  present  managing  an  exten- 
sive livery-  stable  in  Kinmundy,  while  he 
maintains  a  fine  home  there,  and  the  years 
of  his  residence  has  but  served  to  strengthen 
the  feeling  of  confidence  of  his  fellow  citi- 
zens. Although  yet  a  young  man,  scarcely 
one-third  of  the  years  usually  allotted  to 
human  life  having  passed  over  him,  our  sub- 
ject has  shown  what  a  rightly  directed  prin- 
ciple, coupled  with  honesty  and  integrity, 
can  do  toward  winning  definite  success. 

Albert  G.  Porter  was  born  in  this  county 
October  14,  1880,  the  son  of  Emmett  D. 
and  Rachael  (Henry)  Porter,  the  father  a 
native  of  Ohio,  and  the  mother  of  Illinois. 
There  were  seven  children  in  this  family, 
all  of  whom  lived  to  maturity.  The  father 
of  the  subject  was  a  soldier  in  an  Ohio  regi- 
ment during  the  Civil  war  and  after  being 
mustered  out  returned  to  Ohio  and  soon 
thereafter  came  to  Fayette  county,  Illinois, 
and  after  remaining  there  for  a  time  came 
to  Marion  county.  He  engaged  in  the  hard- 
ware business  while  living  in  Fayette  county 
and  when  he  came  to  Marion  county,  he 
went  into  the  livery  business  and  after  man- 
aging the  same  for  about  two  years  he  sold 
out  and  became  agent  for  a  marble  works 
establishment.  Later  he  handled  fire  insur- 
ance and  became  adjuster  of  claims,  holding 
his  position,  official  and  otherwise,  until  his 
death,  having  faithfully  sewed  the  company 
to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  its  members 
for  a  period  of  thirty  years,  which  is  a  sure 
criterion  of  his  ability  and  integrity.  He 
was  fifty-six  years  old  at  the  time  of  his 
death.  The  mother  of  the  subject,  a 


woman  of  many  beautiful  traits  of  charac- 
ter, is  still  living  in  1908,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
nine  years.  There  were  four  children  in 
this  family,  all  of  them  reaching  maturity 
and  all  but  one  are  married  and  have  fam- 
lies.  They  are  Harry  E.,  who  is  at  the 
time  of  this  writing  thirty-six  years  old,  and 
a  traveling  salesman ;  he  is  married  and  has 
one  child.  Charles  H.,  the  second  child  of 
the  parents  of  the  subject,  was  in  busi- 
ness in  the  city  of  Chicago.  He  is  now 
in  the  fruit  and  poultry  business  at  Los 
Angeles,  California,  having  made  a  pro- 
nounced success  of  this  business  from  the 
first.  One  sister,  Nellie,  is  now  the  wife  of 
Gus  Elbow,  of  Oklahoma  City,  and  the 
mother  of  one  child.  Her  husband  is  an  at- 
torney. Our  subject  was  the  fourth  child 
in  order  of  birth.  He  attended  the  common 
schools  in  Kinmundy,  until  he  was  nineteen 
years  of  age,  and  received  a  fairly  good  edu- 
cation, which  has  since  been  greatly 
strengthened  by  home  study  and  by  coming 
in  contact  with  the  world.  He  also  attend- 
ed a  business  college  in  Centralia,  Illinois, 
after  leaving  the  public  schools  and  thereby 
received  a  good  business  education.  He 
also  read  medicine  for  one  year,  and  then 
attended  to  various  matters  until  1908, 
when  he  opened  up  a  livery  business  in  Kin- 
mundy, which  he  is  at  present  conducting, 
having  built  up  an  extensive  business. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  on 
March  3,  1907,  to  Maud  L.  West,  a  native 
of  this  county,  and  the  daughter  of  Charles 
H.  and  Rosa  ( Dillon)  West.  Mr.  West  is 
a  native  of  Indiana.  He  was  a  farmer  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


621 


stock  raiser,  having  made  the  raising  of 
Hereford  cattle  a  specialty  for  a  number  of 
years,  but  is  now  living  in  honorable  re- 
tirement, making  his  home  in  Kinmundy, 
having  sold  his  principal  farm,  but  he  still 
owns  several  orchard  farms,  consisting  of 
hundreds  of  acres. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Porter  have  one  infant  son. 
They  own  their  nicely  furnished  home.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  also  owns  her  home 
and  is  living  by  herself.  Mr.  Porter  is  a 
young  man  to  whom  the  future  holds  out 
much  of  promise,  being  industrious,  quick 
to  grasp  an  opportunity,  and  it  would  be 
hard  to  find  among  the  younger  generation 
of  business  men  in  Marion  county,  a 
worthier  subject  than  he. 


CALENDAR  ROHRBOUGH. 

Among  those  deserving  great  credit  for 
what  they  have  accomplished  is  the  subject 
of  this  biographical  review,  and  that  he  has 
not  been  denied  a  due  reward  for  his  well 
directed  efforts  is  shown  by  the  fact  that 
today  he  is  one  of  the  most  prominent  busi- 
ness men  of  Marion  county,  Illinois. 

Calendar  Rohrbough  was  born  near  the 
town  of  Buckhannon,  Lewis,  now  Upshur 
county,  West  Virginia,  September  i,  1834, 
the  son  of  Simon  and  Katharine  (Lorentz) 
Rohrbough.  Grandfather  Jacob  Lorentz 
was  one  of  the  leading  men  in  Virginia  in 
his  day,  being  a  man  of  high  intellectual  at- 
tainments. In  the  year  1800  Jacob  Lorentz 


and  two  other  men  cut  the  first  wagon  road 
along  one  of  the  Indian  trails  across  the 
mountains  and  brought  the  first  wagon  into 
Lewis  county,  Virginia.  He  was  a  mer- 
chant and  for  many  years  kept  the  only 
store  in  the  valley  and  did  a  large  mercantile 
business.  In  fact  his  store  business  was  so 
extensive  and  profitable  that  for  half  a 
century  he  was  regarded  as  the  wealthiest 
man  in  those  parts.  He  was  a  Whig  in 
politics,  lived  to  be  over  eighty  years  of 
age  and  reared  a  large  family,  consisting  of 
eight  sons  and  four  daughters.  All  of  these 
children  lived  to  the  age  of  maturity,  our 
subject's  mother  reaching  the  age  of  fifty- 
two  years,  after  having  given  birth  to  four- 
teen children,  all  but  one  of  whom  lived  to 
maturity.  She  was  a  kind,  tender  mother, 
a  faithful  member  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  The  ancestors  of  the  father  of 
the  subject  were  natives  of  Germany,  the 
grandfather,  Anthony  Rohrbough,  was 
born  November  15,  1765,  in  Hardy  county, 
Virginia,  and  in  1798  moved  to  Buckhan- 
non, Lewis  county,  Virginia,  then  an  almost 
unbroken  wilderness,  where  he  lived  and 
died  July  27,  1860,  at  the  age  of  ninety-four 
years,  eight  months  and  twelve  days,  leaving 
behind  him  eleven  children,  one  hundred  and 
twenty  grandchildren  and  one  hundred  and 
twenty-nine  great-grandchildren,  in  all  two 
hundred  and  sixty.  He  was  a  good  and  up- 
right man  of  unblemished  character,  a 
stanch  Methodist,  "full  of  faith  and  the 
Holy  Ghost."  His  home  was  a  stopping 
place  for  the  itinerant  preacher  and  in  the 
early  settlement  the  meeting  place  for  public 


622 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


worship.  Grandmother  (Simons)  Rohr- 
bough  died  in  the  year  1837.  Simon  Rohr- 
bough,  the  subject's  father,  was  a  well  read 
man,  prominent  in  the  public  affairs  of  his 
county,  commissioned  by  the  Governor  of 
the  state  of  Virginia  one  of  the  first  Justices 
•of  the  Peace  of  Upshur  county,  which  po- 
sition he  held  by  the  suffrage  of  his  con- 
stituency the  remainder  of  his  life.  He  was 
interested  in  education  and  was  Superin- 
tendant  of  Schools  in  1853  and  1854,  was  a 
farmer,  a  Whig  in  politics,  a  worker  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a  liberal  sup- 
porter of  all  benevolent  enterprises,  a  friend 
of  the  poor;  his  home  was  open  to  the 
stranger  and  no  one  was  asked  to  pay  for 
lodging  or  meals,  his  generous  hospitality 
was  known  throughout  a  good  portion  of 
Virginia.  He  spent  all  his'  life  in  the  state 
of  Virginia,  dying  there  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
six  years,  after  seeing  thirteen  of  his  chil- 
dren grown  to  maturity. 

Our  subject  did  not  have  very  extensive 
advantages  to  secure  an  education,  but  he 
made  the  best  possible  use  of  the  advantages 
he  had,  and  by  strenuous  personal  effort 
was  able  to  begin  teaching  when  twenty 
years  old.  In  1857  he  came  to  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  and  taught  with  great  suc- 
cess until  1860,  when  he  engaged  in  the 
mercantile  business  at  Basco,  Hancock 
county,  Illinois,  and  closed  out  his  business 
at  great  loss  in  August,  1862,  and  began 
organizing  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and 
Eighteenth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
he  was  mustered  in  as  second  lieutenant, 
but  in  the  spring  of  1863  he  was  promoted 


to  first  lieutenant  and  in  October  of  the  same 
year  he  was  commissioned  captain.  Mr. 
Rohrbough's  military  history  is  too  exten- 
sive to  be  followed  in  detail,  suffice  it  to  say 
that  his  was  an  honorable  and  gallant  rec- 
ord, and  deserving  much  praise.  He  was 
in  command  of  his  company  at  the  time  of 
leaving  Camp  Butler  and  also  through  the 
Vicksburg  campaign.  His  first  principal 
engagement  was  at  Chickasaw  Bluffs  under 
Sherman  in  December,  1862,  after  which  his 
regiment  participated  in  the  capture  of  Ar- 
kansas Post  and  then  returned  to  Young's 
Point,  opposite  Vicksburg,  and  worked  on 
the  Grant  Canal.  In  March  he  removed  to 
Milliken's  Bend  on  account  of  high  water, 
the  suffering  and  death  roll  at  Young's 
Point  was  appalling  and  the  funeral  dirge 
rang  day  and  night,  being  in  General  Oster- 
haus's  division  he  was  in  the  advance  and  in 
the  first  battle  of  the  compaign,  May  i, 
1862,  at  Fort  Gibson,  then  Champion  Hill, 
Black  River  Bridge  and  Vicksburg  May 
1 9th  and  22d,  and  in  the  general  charge  on 
the  22d,  after  which  he  returned  to  Black 
river  under  General  Sherman  and  guarded 
the  approaches  of  Gen.  Joe  Johnson,  upon 
the  fall  of  Vicksburg.  His  regiment  now 
being  mounted  led  the  advance  on  Jackson, 
Mississippi,  the  march  being  stubbornly  re- 
.  sisted.  Both  cavalry  and  infantry  service 
were  required.  On  arriving  at  Jackson  the 
regiment  took  its  place  in  the  infantry  di- 
vision which  held  the  center.  After  the  evac- 
uation of  Jackson  it  resumed  its  place  in  the 
cavalry  brigade  and  joined  in  the  raid  to 
Brookhaven,  Mississippi,  returned  to  Jack- 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTS,    ILLINOIS, 


623 


son  and  then  to  Vicksburg.  Being  trans- 
ferred to  the  Department  of  the  Gulf,  he  was 
in  General  Franklin's  expedition  into  west- 
ern Louisiana,  still  being  mounted,  he  was 
on  the  fighting  line  from  Brashear  City  to 
Washington,  Louisiana,  the  farthest  posi- 
tion reached,  was  in  the  battle  at  Carrion 
Crow  Bayou,  November  3,  1863,  after 
which  he  returned  to  Port  Hudson,  Louisi- 
ana, January,  1864,  remaining  there  until 
July  of  the  same  year  and  then  removed  to 
Baton  Rouge,  Louisiana,  remaining  there 
until  the  close  of  the  war.  During  this  time 
our  subject  was  in  the  many  expeditions 
under  Gen.  A.  L.  Lee  into  the  enemy's  lines. 
He  was  placed  on  General  Lee's  staff  and 
served  as  assistant  adjutant-general  on  the 
staff  of  Gen.  John  G.  Fonda.  He  was  in 
General  Davidson's  expedition  from  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana,  to  West  Pascagoula, 
within  forty  miles  of  Mobile,  Alabama,  be- 
ing in  $»e—  month  of  December.  The 
weather  was  cold  and  rainy,  roads  knee 
deep  with  mud,  rivers  swollen  and  the  only 
means  of  crossing  was  by  swimming.  The 
principal  diet  was  sweet  potatoes.  An 
incident  which  may  not  be  without  interest 
took  place  at  Augusta,  on  Leaf  river.  As 
the  Federals  approached  the  town  on  the 
opposite  side  of  the  river  they  discovered  a 
company  of  Confederate  soldiers  in  line  pf 
battle  some  distance  from  the  river  near  the 
town.  In  a  little  while  they  left  their  arms 
and  came  to  the  river  and  joined  in  a 
pleasant  chat  with  the  Union  soldiers  for  an 
hour.  During  the  time  not  a  shot  was  fired. 
After  returning  to  their  arms  a  lively  skir- 


mish ensued.  Our  subject  participated  in 
more  than  fifty  battles  and  skirmishes,  had 
two  horses  shot  under  him,  was  thrown 
from  his  horse  in  a  charge  and  left  for 
dead  on  the  battlefield.  He  was  mustered 
out  after  the  close  of  the  war  at  Baton 
Rouge,  Louisiana,  October  i,  1865. 

Mr.  Rohrbough  was  united  in  marriage 
November  29,  1860,  to  Anna  M.  Moore, 
the  refined  daughter  of  Andrew  and  Abigail 
(Tweed)  Moore.  Her  mother  was  related 
to  the  Claytons  of  Delaware.  Mr.  Moore, 
who  was  a  native  of  the  state  of  Delaware, 
settled  in  Illinois  in  the  year  1837.  He  was 
a  farmer,  a  strong  Union  man,  well  read, 
quiet  and  unostentatious,  and  he  lived  to  be 
seventy-seven  years  old.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  were  Methodists.  The  subject's  wife's 
mother  lived  to  be  eighty-four  years  old. 
There  were  six  children  in  this  family,  five 
of  whom  lived  to  maturity.  One  of  these. 
Levi  B.  Moore,  was  first  lieutenant  in  the 
company  which  our  subject  commanded, 
and  he  is  now  one  of  the  leading  business 
men  of  Denison,  Texas.  Father  and  mother 
Moore  lived  near  Carthage,  Illinois,  during 
the  Mormon  troubles  and  suffered  many 
outrages  from  them.  Mrs.  Rohrbough 
loves  to  recall  an  incident  in  her  girlhood 
days  during  the  memorable  campaign  be- 
tween Abraham  Lincoln-  and  Stephen  A. 
Douglas  in  1858.  She  was  in  a  large  pro- 
cession in  Carthage,  Illinois.  The  wagon  she 
occupied  was  filled  with  beautiful  girls 
dressed  in  white,  representing  the  several 
states  and  was  richly  decorated  with  flags, 
banners,  streamers  and  a  large  golden 


624 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


eagle.  In  passing  Mr.  Lincoln's  reviewing 
stand,  he  declared  that  it  was  the  most 
beautiful  spectacle  he  had  ever  seen  during 
the  campaign. 

Six  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Homer  Lorentz, 
who  died  in  infancy;  Levi  Calendar,  born 
in  January,  1863,  is  in  the  hardware  busi- 
ness in  DuQuoin,  Illinois,  and  is  the  father 
of  three  children;  Charles  B.  was  born  in 
1866,  is  one  of  the  leading  merchants  of 
Kinmundy,  this  county,  and  is  the  father  of 
one  child  living;  Louie  Andrew  and  Fredie 
Milton,  who  died  in  infancy;  Helen  M.,  the 
only  daughter,  was  born  in  1875  and  is  the 
wife  of  Walter  Morgan,  an  attorney  in  Den- 
ver, Colorado.  They  have  no  children. 
Both  the  subject  and  wife  are  members  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  both  be- 
ing active  in  the  same,  the  former  having 
been  superintendent  of  the  Sunday  school 
for  over  forty  years  and  he  is  still  serving 
in  this  capacity.  He  has  been  through  all 
the  lay  offices  of  the  church  and  is  now  a 
trustee,  a  steward  and  class  leader.  As 
might  be  expected,  our  subject  is  a  loyal 
member  of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic, 
and  is  also  a  member  of  the  Society  of  the 
Army  of  the  Tennessee.  He  has  served  as 
worshipful  master  of  the  local  lodge  of  Ma- 
sons for  several  years,  is  a  member  of  the 
Grand  Lodge  and  a  grand  lecturer  in  this 
order.  Mr.  Rohrbough  joined  the  Sons  of 
Temperance  when  seventeen  years  old  and 
has  always  been  a  zealous  worker  in  that 
cause.  He  orgainzed  the  Magnolia  (Mili- 
tary) Lodge  of  Good  Templars  of  the  One 


Hundred  and  Eighteenth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  which  is  said  to  be  the  only  one  of 
the  many  lodges  from  the  state  of  Illinois 
that  kept  up  their  organization  during  the 
entire  war.  He  also  organized  the  first 
Good  Templar  lodge  in  the  state  of  Louisi- 
ana. In  1866  he  organized  a  similar  lodge 
in  Kinmundy,  Illinois.  He  was  a  charter 
member  of  Fidelity  Council  No.  24,  Royal 
Templars  of  Temperance,  which  was  insti- 
tuted at  Kinmundy,  Illinois,  in  1879.  He 
was  elected  select  councilor  and  he  was  a 
delegate  and  helped  organize  the  Grand 
Council,  Royal  Templars  of  Temperance,  of 
the  state  of  Illinois,  in  1880.  He  served 
as  grand  chancelor  three  terms  and  grand 
secretary  for  several  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Supreme  Council  and  represented 
his  state  in  that  body  for  a  number  of  years. 
Our  subject  says  the  hardest  battles  of  his 
life  have  been  those  fought  against  intem- 
perance. Both  he  and  his  wife,  since  their 
marriage,  have  been  potent  factors  in  this 
cause;  the  latter  has  been  an  active  worker 
in  the  Woman's  Christian  Temperance 
Union  for  many  years  and  is  now  treasurer 
of  the  local  union.  The  subject  was  the 
first  president  of  the  Southern  Illinois  Sun- 
day School  Conference  Association,  and 
was  a  lay  delegate  to  the  general  conference 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  which 
met  in  Philadelphia  in  1884.  Captain  Rohr- 
bough has  also  been  prominent  in  political 
life,  being  formerly  a  Republican  but  now 
a  stanch  party  Prohibitionist.  He  was  pres- 
ent at  the  organization  of  the  party  in  Far- 
well  Hall,  Chicago,  in  1868,  and  he  was  the 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


625 


nominee  of  his  party  for  Congress  in  1888. 
He  has  ably  served  his  city  as  Mayor  and 
Councilman. 

After  returning  from  his  career  in  the 
army  Mr.  Rohrbough  settled  in  Kinmundy, 
Illinois,  where  his  chief  life  work  has  been 
carried  on  with  great  success  and  benefit  to 
himself  as  well  as  to  the  welfare  of  the  com- 
munity and  county  in  which  he  lives.  He 
successfully  followed  the  mercantile  business 
for  twenty-five  years,  becoming  known  as 
one  of  the  leading  merchants  of  the  county. 
He  organized  the  first  National  Bank  of 
Kinmundy  and  was  its  first  president,  which 
position  he  held  until  he  retired  from  this 
business  when  this  bank  was  consolidated 
with  the  State  Bank,  August  15,  1906. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  the  organizers  of 
the  Kinmundy  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion, which  was  incorporated  in  October, 
1887,  and  was  the  first  president,  which  po- 
sition he  held  until  elected  secretary,  and  is 
now  serving  in  this  capacity.  This  associa- 
tion is  one  of  the  solid  financial  concerns  of 
Marion  county,  and  one  of  the  most  pros- 
perous associations  of  its  kind  in  the  state 
and  is  the  well  deserved  pride  of  Kinmundy. 


GUSTIN  L.  EAGAN. 

The  family  of  which  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  an  honored  representative  has  been 
known  in  Marion  county  since  the  pioneer 
period  and  the  record  they  have  made  has 
been  one  of  which  Mr.  Eagan  can  justly  be 
40 


proud,  for  his  ancestors  left  a  priceless  heri- 
tage to  their  posterity,  the  memory  of  names 
and  deeds  which  time  can  neither  obliterate 
nor  dim. 

Gustin  L.  Eagan  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1857,  the  son  of  Henry 
and  Margaret  (Hatten)  Eagan.  Grand- 
father Isaac  Eagan,  who  was  born  in  Ten- 
nessee, came  to  Illinois,  settling  in  Kinmun- 
dy, when  a  young  man.  He  drove  a  stage 
coach  through  Salem  and  to  the  south,  and 
later  became  a  farmer  and  lived  until  about 
the  age  of  seventy-five  years.  He  was  the 
father  of  nine  children,  eight  of  whom  lived 
to  be  men  and  women.  His  wife  was  also 
about  seventy-five  years  old  when  she  was 
called  to  her  rest.  They  were  members  of 
the  Cumberland  Presbyterian  church. 
Grandfather  donated  ground  for  the  local 
church  in  Kinmundy,  the  deed  having  been 
made  to  the  trustee  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church  and  their  successors, 
for  the  use  of  this  denomination.  The 
Presbyterians  are  now  seeking  to  take  the 
property  from  the  hands  of  the  original 
grantees  to  be  used  by  the  Presbyterian 
church.  Grandfather  Eagan  was  a  Demo- 
crat, a  man  of  industry,  leaving  consider- 
able property  of  value  which  reverted  to 
his  heirs. 

Grandfather  Hatten  was  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  lived  and  died  in  that 
state.  Grandmother  Hatten  moved  to  Ma- 
rion county,  this  state,  where  she  settled, 
after  her  husband's  death.  She  lived  to 
be  about  sixty-five  years  old.  There  were 
four  children  in  the  Hatten  family,  one  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  -MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


them  becoming  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
having  served  in  an  Illinois  regiment,  serv- 
ing out  his  time  and  receiving  an  honorable 
discharge. 

The  subject's  father  was  born  in  Marion 
county  and  always  lived  here.  He  was  a 
wagon-maker,  also  manufactured  plows,  for 
many  years  making  all  the  wagons  and 
plows  used  in  this  part  of  the  country,  fol- 
lowing his  trade  periodically  all  his  life,  also 
owned  a  small  farm.  He  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  when  forty-eight  years 
old,  the  subject's  mother  being  only  a  year 
older  than  her  husband  when  she  was  called 
to  the  spirit  land.  They  were  Cumberland 
Presbyterians,  and  were  the  parents  of  ten 
children,  eight  of  whom  lived  to  maturity. 
Henry  Eagan  was  a  Democrat  in  his  po- 
litical beliefs. 

Gustin  L.  Eagan,  our  subject,  was  edu- 
cated in  the  public  schools,  which  he  left 
when  eighteen  years  old,  and  began  the 
blacksmith's  trade.  Following  in  the  foot- 
steps of  his  father,  he  soon  became  a  very 
skilled  artisan  and  upheld  the  high  reputa- 
tion for  first  class  work  that  his  worthy 
father  had  so  long  borne.  At  this  writing, 
Mr.  Eagan  is  proprietor  of  the  Hotel  Ea- 
gan, one  of  the  most  popular  and  conve- 
nient places  for  the  accommodation  of  tran- 
sients to  the  city  that  can  be  found  in  the 
county,  being  known  as  a  place  of  home- 
like comfort,  and  where  courteous  treat- 
ment is  extended  to  all.  As  a  result  of  these 
facts  this  house  has  become  widely  known 
to  the  traveling  public,  and  Mr.  Eagan  en- 
joys a  liberal  patronage.  Besides  this  line 


of  business  he  still  successfully  conducts  his 
blacksmith  shop,  enjoying,  as  usual,  a  lib- 
eral patronage  from  Kinmundy  and  sur- 
rounding country.  He  has  been  able  to  lay 
by  a  comfortable  competency  for  his  old 
age. 

Mr.  Eagan  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1889  to  Jennie  Darney,  a  native  of  Ohio, 
whose  father  died  in  Illinois,  after  which 
event  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Eagan  moved 
back  to  Ohio,  where  she  died.  Mr.  Dar- 
ney came  to  America  from  France.  He  was 
a  soldier,  having  seen  service  in  the  Franco- 
German  war.  The  family  of  our  subject 
and  wife  consists  of  four  interesting  chil- 
dren, named  as  follows:  Beulah,  who  was 
born  in  1891,  is  the  wife  of  F.  H.  Spillman, 
and  the  mother  of  one  child;  Mascelline, 
who  was  born  in  1893,  graduated  from  the 
local  schools  in  1907 ;  Lawrence  was  born 
in  1895,  and  is  living  at  home;  Henry  was 
born  in  1897,  cl>ed  n:  infancy. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows 
and  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  In  politics  he 
is  a  stanch  Democrat,  and  faithfully  served 
as  Alderman  for  a  number  of  years.  He 
has  also  been  Trustee,  Collector  and  Super- 
visor. Mr.  Eagan  was  Mayor  of  Kin- 
mundy from  1906  to  1908.  In  all  these  of- 
ficial capacities  he  discharged  his  duties 
with  great  credit  to  himself  and  to  the  entire 
satisfaction  of  all  concerned.  He  is  held 
in  high  favor  by  the  people  of  Marion 
county,  where  he  is  well  known  and  where 
he  labors  for  the  advancement  of  the  gen- 
eral good. 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


627 


SEYMOUR  ANDREWS. 

•Nearly  a  century  has  dissolved  in  the 
mists  of  time,  the  most  remarkable  century 
in  all  of  the  history  of  the  race  of  mankind, 
since  our  honored  and  venerable  subject  first 
saw  the  light  of  day.  Heaven  has  bounte- 
ously lengthened  out  his  life  until  he  has 
seen  the  crowning  glory  of  this  the  most 
wonderful  epoch  of  all  the  aeons  of  time, 
rewarding  him  with  an  unusual  span  of 
years  as  the  result  of  virtuous  and  consist- 
ent living  in  his  youth  and  years  of  his  man- 
hood, until  now  in  the  golden  evening  of 
his  life,  surrounded  by  comfort  and  plenty 
as  a  result  of  his  earlier  years  of  industry 
and  frugality,  Mr.  Andrews  can  take  a  ret- 
rospective glance  down  the  corridors  of  the 
relentless  and  irrevocable  past  and  feel  that 
his  has  been  an  eminently  useful,  successful 
and  happy  life,  a  life  which  was  not  devoid 
of  obstacle  and  whose  rose  held  many  a 
thorn,  but  with  indomitable  courage  he 
pressed  onward  with  his  face  set  in  deter- 
mination toward  the  distant  goal  which  he 
has  so  grandly  won;  a  life  of  sunshine  and 
shadow,  of  victory  and  defeat,  but  nobly 
lived  and  worthily  rewarded  as  such  lives 
always  are  by  the  Giver  of  all  good  and  pre- 
cious gifts,  who  has  given  our  subject  the 
longest  span  of  years  of  any  citizen  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  a  great  gift,  indeed,  of 
which  Mr.  Andrews  is  duly  grateful.  He 
was  one  of  the  hardy  pioneers,  a  member  of 
the  famous  band  of  "forty-niners"  who 
crossed  the  trackless  plains  that  stretched 
to  the  "sundown  seas,"  whose  courageous 


feats  have  been  sung  in  song  and  exploited 
in  story,  for  "there  were  giants  in  those 
days." 

Seymour  Andrews  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  January  17,  1825,  the  son 
of  Nelson  and  Jane  (Gaston)  Andrews,  the 
former  a  native  of  Oneida  county,  New 
York,  where  he  was  born  in  1799.  There 
were  ten  children  in  his  family,  an  equal 
number  of  boys  and  girls,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject is  the  oldest  in  order  of  birth.  The  sub- 
ject's mother,  who  was  born  in  South  Caro- 
lina, was  one  of  a  family  of  eight  chil- 
dren. Nelson  Andrews  came  west  with 
his  parents  in  1819,  and  settled  in 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  They  built 
a  raft  in  Olean,  New  York,  constructed  a 
rude  cabin  on  it  and  floated  down  the  Mo- 
nongahela  river  to  Cincinnati.  This  was  in 
1818.  They  stopped  and  made  shingles  and 
sold  timber  and  rafts.  They  made  a  flat  boat 
there  and  floated  to  Shawneetown,  where 
they  hitched  their  two  ponies  onto  a  large 
wagon  and  drove  to  the  vicinity  of  what  is 
now  known  as  Dix,  Jefferson  county.  Arra 
Andrews,  brother  of  Nelson  Andrews,  who 
is  the  father  of  Seymour  Andrews,  made  the 
first  plat  of  Salem  and  surveyed  it.  Jane 
Gaston's  father,  Samuel  Gaston,  the  grand- 
father of  Seymour  Andrews,  was  one  of  the 
first  commissioners  appointed  by  the  gov- 
ernment to  locate  the  county  seat  of  Clinton 
county,  which  is  Carlyle,  Illinois. 

During  the  days  of  Nelson  and  Jane  An- 
drews a  company  of  Rangers  visited  this 
part  of  the  state  between  the  years  1820  and 
1825.  They  drove  out  the  Goings  family 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


from  Jefferson  county  by  whip.  Members 
of  this  family  were  said  to  be  noted  coun- 
terfeiters, horse  thieves  and  harbored  all 
such  people  at  their  home  near  that  of  Sam- 
uel Gaston,  the  maternal  grandfather  of  our 
subject. 

Seymour  Andrews  was  married  to  Mar- 
tha C.  Hendrixon,  of  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, August  15,  1844,  and  they  are  now, 
1908,  the  oldest  married  couple  in  this  coun- 
ty, having  enjoyed  a  harmonious  wedded 
life  of  over  sixty-four  years;  they  are  both 
in  fairly  good  health  and  enjoying  a  se- 
rene and  comfortable  old  age.  The  follow- 
ing children  were  born  to  them :  Harvey  T., 
deceased;  Elizabeth  J.,  deceased,  married 
John  Morsman  and  had  one  son,  Charles,  a 
dentist  in  Minnesota;  Truman  B.  mar- 
ried Amanda  McClellan  and  has  three 
children,  all  married;  Sidney  W.  married 
Belle  Mathews  and  is  living  in  Arkansas, 
where  he  is  postmaster  at  Walnut  Ridge, 
and  is  the  father  of  two  children ;  Margaret 
married  G.  J.  Goetch,  of  Centralia,  Illinois, 
and  she  is  the  mother  of  two  children;  Ida 
L.  married  T.  L.  Baltzell,  who  lives  in  Los 
Angeles,  California;  Altha  married  G.  C. 
Matsler,  of  Centralia,  and  lives  with  her  par- 
ents, her  husband  being  a  telegraph  operator 
on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  &  Quincy  Rail- 
road; the  eighth  and  ninth  children  both 
died  in  infancy. 

As  already  indicated  Mr.  Andrews 
crossed  the  plains  to  California  before  the 
days  of  the  trans-continental  railways.  This 
was  in  1850  and  the  trip  was  made  with  an 
ox  team,  in  company  with  John  Parkinson, 


James  Parkinson  and  Preston  McCullough. 
They  left  Walnut  Hill  April  3,  1850,  with 
four  yoke  of  oxen  and  arrived  in  California 
after  much  hardship  and  adventure  August 
loth,  the  same  year,  having  been  on  the  road 
over  four  months.  They  wintered  four 
miles  from  the  famous  Sutter  mill  and 
crossed  the  old  ditch  where  gold  was  first 
discovered  many  times. 

Having  been  a  hard  worker  and  an  indus- 
trious man  all  his  life,  Mr.  Andrews  always 
made  a  comfortable  living  and  was  enabled 
to  lay  up  a  competency  to  insure  his  old  age 
free  from  want.  He  has  faithfully  and  ably 
served  his  community  as  Justice  of  the  Peace 
for  the  past  sixteen  years.  He  is  also  a 
notary  public  and  handles  a  successful  line 
of  fire  insurance. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  belonged  to 
the  Christian  church,  but  our  subject  is  not 
a  member  of  any  orthodox  church.  Howev- 
er, he  is  a  believer  in  the  principles  of  the 
golden  rule  and  in  good  to  all  men.  In  poli- 
tics he  cast  his  first  Democratic  ballots  in 
1848  and  1852,  but  upon  the  organization 
of  the  Republican  party  became  a  stanch 
supporter  of  the  same  and  has  always  main- 
tained the  same  political  faith. 


SAMUEL  L.  DWIGHT. 

One  of  the  central  figures  of  the  judiciary 
of  southern  Illinois  is  the  honorable  gentle- 
man whose  name  forms  the  subject  of  this 
review.  Prominent  in  legal  circles  and 
equally  so  in  public  matters  beyond  the  con- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


629 


fines  of  his  own  jurisdiction,  with  a  repu- 
tation in  one  of  the  most  exacting  of  pro- 
fessions that  has  won  him  a  name  for  dis- 
tinguished service  second  to  that  of  none  of 
his  contemporaries,  there  is  today  no  more 
prominent  or  highly  esteemed  man  in  Ma- 
rion county,  which  he  has  long  dignified 
with  his  citizenship. 

Samuel  L.  Dwight  was  born  March  15, 
1841,  at  Mount  Vernon,  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  the  son  of  Lewis  and  Mahala  Pen- 
nington  (Casey)  Dwight.  The  subject's 
mother  was  the  daughter  of  Governor  Za- 
doc  Casey,  of  Illinois.  She  was  born  while 
her  father  was  a  member  of  the  Legislature 
at  Vandalia,  capitol  of  Illinois  at  that  time. 
He  originated  the  bill  to  create  the  county 
of  Marion,  naming  the  same  after  his  fa- 
ther's Revolutionary  commander,  Francis 
Marion,  of  historic  fame.  Lewis  Dwight 
was  born  in  Massachusetts  and  educated  in 
that  state.  However,  he  graduated  at  Yale 
University,  after  which  he  came  to  Jeffer- 
son county,  Illinois,  and  taught  school  for 
a  number  of  years.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
seventy  years,  after  a  very  useful  and  ac- 
tive life.  Samuel  L.  Dwight  was  reared 
with  the  family  of  Governor  Casey  and  was 
educated  in  the  public  schools  of  Mount  Ver- 
non, Illinois,  having  taken  one  year's  course 
of  study  at  McKendree  College.  Being  am- 
bitious from  the  first,  he  applied  himself  in 
a  most  diligent  manner  to  his  studies  and 
became  well  educated.  Early  deciding  to 
enter  the  law  as  a  profession,  he  began  the 
study  of  the  same  with  Tanner  and  Casey 
at  Mount  Vernon.  But  when  our  national 


horizon  was  darkened  with  the  clouds  of  re- 
bellion in  the  early  sixties  our  subject  left 
Blackstone  behind,  severed  home  ties  and 
offered  his  services  in  defense  of  his  coun- 
try's integrity,  having  enlisted  in  Company 
I,  Sixtieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
so  gallant  were  his  services  that  he  was  mus- 
tered out  at  the  close  of  the  war  as  captain 
of  the  same  company.  He  served  one  and 
one-half  years,  having  taken  part  in  many 
engagements  and  faithfully  performing 
what  service  he  could. 

After  his  career  in  the  army  Mr.  Dwight, 
in  July,  1866,  left  the  farm  at  Mount  Ver- 
non, Illinois,  and  resumed  the  study  of  law, 
this  time  under  his  uncle,  Colonel  Lewis  F. 
Casey,  who  had  married  an  aunt  of  Samuel 
E.  Dwight,  and  the  daughter  of  Governor 
Casey. 

Our  subject  was  admitted  to  the  bar  in 
1868,  and  he  entered  into  partnership  with 
Colonel  Casey,  with  whom  he  continued  in 
a  most  successful  manner  until  the  death  of 
Colonel  Casey  early  in  the  eighties,  the  pres- 
tige of  this  firm  having  gradually  grown 
until  their  practice  was  equal  to  that  of  any 
other  firm  in  the  county. 

In  1870  Samuel  L.  Dwight  was  elected  a 
member  of  the  lower  house  of  the  Twenty- 
seventh  General  Assembly  and  served  to  the 
entire  satisfaction  of  his  constituents  for 
one  term.  After  the  death  of  his  former  law 
partner  he  carried  on  the  business  of  the 
firm  successfully,  practicing  law  in  all  the 
local  courts  until  1897,  when  he  was  elected 
to  the  bench  of  the  Fourth  Judicial  Circuit 
of  Illinois,  and  so  faithfuly  did  he  discharge 


630 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  duties  of  the  same  that  he  was  re-elected 
to  the  office  in  1903  for  another  term  of  six 
years,  and  is,  therefore,  at  this  writing,  1908, 
still  holding  the  position.  His  tenure  of  of- 
fice has  been  marked  by  a  remarkable  clear- 
ness of  decision  and  fairness  to  all  parties, 
his  decisions  having  seldom  met  with  disap- 
proval at  the  hands  of  a  higher  tribunal,  for 
he  came  to  the  bench  well  qualified  for  its 
exacting  duties  and  responsibilities  and  from 
the  beginning  his  judicial  career  was  char- 
acterized by  such  a  profound  knowledge  of 
the  law  and  an  earnest  and  conscientious  de- 
sire to  apply  it  impartially  that  he  was  not 
long  in  gaining  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  the  attorneys  and  litigants  and  earning 
for  himself  an  honorable  reputation  among 
the  leading  jurists  of  the  state.  From  the 
first  his  labors  were  very  arduous  and  many 
important  cases  were  tried  in  his  court,  in 
addition  to  which  he  was  also  frequently 
called  to  other  circuits  to  sit  on  cases  in 
which  larger  interests  were  involved. 

The  happy  and  harmonious  domestic  life 
of  Judge  Dwight  dates  from  September  4, 
1872,  when  he  was  married  to  M.  Irene 
Noleman,  the  cultured  and  accomplished 
daughter  of  Capt.  R.  D.  Noleman  and  Sarah 
A.  Jennings,  the  mother  of  Mrs.  Dwight 
having  been  the  daughter  of  Charles  W. 
Jennings.  R.  D.  Noleman  was  for  many 
years  a  leading  citizen  and  business  man  of 
Centralia. 

Fraternally  Judge  Dwight  is  a  member 
of  the  Masonic  Order,  the  Knights  of  Py- 
thias, the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fel- 
lows, the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order 
of  Elks,  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic 


and  the  Modern  Woodmen.  Both  he  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  Their  beautiful  home  is  fre- 
quently the  gathering  place  for  numerous 
friends  and  admirers  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Dwight. 

Judge  S.  L.  Dwight  is  ready  at  all 
times  to  make  any  reasonable  sacrifice  for 
the  cause  in  which  his  interests  are  enlisted. 
He  is  not  only  an  able  and  reliable  coun- 
selor, with  a  thorough  acquaintance  of  the 
principles,  intricacies  and  complexities  of 
jurisprudence,  but  his  honesty  is  such  that 
he  has  frequently  advised  against  long  and 
expensive  litigation,  and  this,  too,  at  the 
loss  of  liberal  fees  which  he  could  otherwise 
have  earned.  His  treatment  of  the  case  he 
has  in  .hand  is  always  full  of  comprehension 
and  accurate,  his  analysis  of  the  facts  clear 
and  exhaustive,  and  he  seems  to  grasp  with- 
out effort  the  relation  and  dependence  of  the 
facts,  and  so  groups  them  as  to  enable  him 
to  throw  their  combined  force  upon  the 
point  they  intend  to  prove.  He  is,  withal,  a 
man  of  the  people,  proud  of  his  distinction 
as  a  citizen  of  a  state  and  nation  for  whose 
laws  and  institutions  he  has  the  most  pro- 
found admiration  and  respect. 


DOUGLAS  C.  BROWN. 

Every  human  being  either  submits  to  the 
controlling  influence  of  others  or  wields  an 
influence  which  touches,  controls,  guides  or 
misdirects  others.  If  he  be  honest  and  suc- 
cessful in  his  chosen  field  of  endeavor,  in- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


63 1 


vestigation  will  brighten  his  fame  and  point 
the  way  along  which  others  may  follow 
with  like  success.  Consequently  a  critical 
study  of  the  life  record  of  the  gentleman 
whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this  para- 
graph may  be  beneficial  to  the  reader,  for 
it  has  been  one  of  usefulness  and  honor. 

Douglas  C.  Brown,  the  well  known  prin- 
cipal of  Brown's  Business  College  of  Cen- 
tralia,  and  also  superintendent  of  the  Cairo 
and  Marion  business  colleges,  the  largest  and 
most  modern  institutions  of  their  kind  in 
southern  Illinois,  was  born  in  Clay  county, 
this  state,  January  28,  1860,  the  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Lucy  (Murphy)  Brown,  the  sub- 
ject being  the  second  child  in  a  family  of 
four  children.  The  parents  of  these  chil- 
dren died  when  Douglas  C.  was  but  a  child 
and  he  was  reared  by  an  uncle,  John  A. 
Flick,  with  whom  he  remained  until  of  age. 
His  early  education  began  at  Xenia,  in  Clay 
county,  which  was  continued  at  Danville  in 
the  Normal  School,  later  at  McKendree  Col- 
lege, Lebanon,  Illinois.  In  all  the  schools 
he  attended  he  made  a  splendid  record  for 
scholarship.  Having  been  ambitious  from  the 
first,  he  applied  himself  in  a  most  assiduous 
manner  to  his  text-books  and  always  stood 
high  in  his  classes. 

After  leaving  school  Mr.  Brown  began 
teaching  at  the  age  of  eighteen  years.  His 
first  schools  were  taught  in  Clay  county,  lat- 
er in  Fayette  county.  His  last  public  school 
work  was  as  superintendent  of  the  Vandalia 
schools,  which  position  he  held  for  five  years. 
His  educational  work  continued  for  a  period 
of  twelve  years,  during  which  time  he 
achieved  a  broad  reputation  as  an  able  ed- 


ucator and  his  services  were  in  great  demand. 
He  left  the  work  in  the  public  schools  for 
the  purpose  of  opening  a  business  college, 
which  he  subsequently  launched  at  Vandalia, 
having  conducted  the  same  for  two  years, 
making  a  success  from  the  start,  for  his  fame 
as  an  educator  was  by  that  time  so  firmly 
established  that  whatever  school  his  name 
was  associated  with  was  bound  to  be  a  suc- 
cess. After  his  experience  with  the  Vanda- 
lia school  he  associated  himself  with  Prof. 
G.  W.  Brown,  in  the  Decatur  Business  Col- 
lege, remaining  there  three  years.  Our  sub- 
ject then  took  charge  of  the  bookkeeping  de- 
partment of  Brown's  Business  College  at 
Peoria,  Illinois,  which  he  ably  conducted  for 
three  years,  after  which  he  came  to  the  Cen- 
tralia  Business  College  in  the  fall  of  1898. 
Each  of  the  above  schools  has  been  highly 
successful  and  has  turned  out  thousands  of 
pupils  well  prepared  to  play  their  parts  in 
the  business  and  commercial  world.  The 
patronage  that  Prof.  Douglas  C.  Brown  now 
enjoys  is  largely  due  to  his  own  outlay  of 
time,  talent  and  business  sagacity,  coupled 
with  indomitable  energy  and  persistency. 
The  average  daily  attendance  and  the  en- 
rollment of  the  school  in  Centralia  is  two 
hundred  each  year.  The  pupils  who  have 
graduated  in  this  school  have  and  are  con- 
stantly taking  good  positions  in  the  various 
branches  of  business  for  which  they  have 
prepared. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  dates 
from  October  12,  1881,  when  he  was  united 
in  marriage  with  Maud  Bryan,  the  accom- 
plished and  refined  daughter  of  Samuel  and 
Harriett  (Hartman)  Bryan,  of  Xenia,  Illi- 


632 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MAPION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


nois.  To  this  happy  union  six  children  have 
been  born,  named  in  order  of  birth  as  fol- 
lows: Clyde  L.,  William  H.,  Harriet  M., 
Harry,  Dean  C.  and  Robert  E.  Clyde  L. 
married  Carrie  Scheiber,  of  Peoria,  Illinois. 
Harriet  married  O.  A.  Rosborough,  Wil- 
liam H.  is  in  the  United  States  navy  at  this 
writing  (1908),  being  a  yeoman,  or  book- 
keeper and  stenographer  in  the  office  of  Ad- 
miral Sperry  of  the  flagship  Connecticut. 

Mr.  Brown  owns  a  modern,  commodious, 
nicely  furnished  and  pleasant  home  in  Cen- 
tralia,  which  is  frequently  the  gathering 
place  for  numerous  friends  and  admirers  of 
the  Brown  family,  each  member  of  .which 
is  noted  for  his  hospitality  and  cordiality. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Prohibitionist. 
In  religious  matters  he  supports  the 
Christian  church.  He  is  a  most  companion- 
able gentleman  arid  all  who  come  within  the 
range  of  his  influence  are  profuse  in  their 
praise  of  his  admirable  qualities,  and  the 
high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  not  only  pro- 
fessionally but  socially  indicates  the  posses- 
sion of  attributes  and  characteristics  that  en- 
title him  to  the  highest  esteem. 


C.  D.  TUFTS. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  forms  the  cap- 
tion of  this  sketch  did  not  seek  any  royal 
road  to  the  goal  of  prosperity  and  independ- 
ence, but  began  in  legitimate  ways  to  ad- 
vance himself  and  the  result  is  that  he  is 
now  numbered  among  the  successful  news- 


paper men  of  Southern  Illinois,  having  de- 
voted practically  his  entire  life  to  the  man- 
agement of  an  old  and  popular  paper,  the 
Democrat,  published  at  Centralia,  and  he 
has  been  a  molder  of  public  opinion,  having 
been  a  faithful  defender  of  the  rights  and 
interests  of  the  people  of  this  vicinity  at  all 
times. 

C.  D.  Tufts  was  born  in  Centralia,  Illi- 
nois, January  27,  1864,  the  son  of  Samuel  • 
P.  and  Zerelda  (Goodwin)  Tufts,  the  for- 
mer having  been  born  in  Fitchburg,  Massa- 
chusetts; January  28,  '1827.  The  latter  was 
born  in  Indiana  October  6,  1833.  They 
were  married  October  4,  1857,  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois.  Four  of  their  children  are 
now  (1908)  living,  namdy:  Gay  L. ;  C.  D., 
our  subject ;  Elsie  M.,  and1  Zerelda  D.  Elsie 
M.  married  Ray  Greene,  of  Sterling,  Illi- 
nois. They  have  no  children.  Samuel  P.« 
Tufts  passed  to  his  rest  October  4,  1903, 
at  the  age  of  seventy-six  years.  His  widow^ 
is  still  living  and  enjoys  excellent  health; 
she  is  a  woman  of  beautiful  Christian  char- 
acter, being  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 

The  early  education  of  C.  D.  Tufts  was 
obtained  in  the  Centralia  high  school,  in 
which  he  graduated  in  1882.  He  has  pub- 
lished the  Democrat  since  1883,  having  had 
charge  of  the  office  since  then.  His  father 
was  formerly  the  editor  of  this  paper,  which 
was  established  in  1869.  Samuel  P.  Tufts 
had  charge  of  the  paper  when  it  was  burned 
out  in  1871,  and  he  re-established  it  as  a 
weekly.  It  has  been  conducted  as  a  daily 
and  weekly  since  1892.  The  circulation  has 
gradually  increased  from  the  first  until  it 


BRINKERHOFF'S  msxoiryr  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


633 


now  consists  of  one  thousand  and  two  hun- 
dred on  both  the  daily  and  weekly.  The  pa- 
per has  always  been  popular  with  the  people 
of  Marion  county,  having  been  a  faithful 
defender  of  the  local  interests.  It  is  ably 
and  carefully  edited,  and  the  news  service  is 
prompt  and  of  the  best.  The  mechanical  ap- 
pearance of  the  paper  shows  that  the  best 
and  most  modern  equipment  is  used  in  the 
plant. 

Mr.  Tufts  has  been  honored  with  many 
official  positions,  all  of  which  he  has  dis- 
charged with  ability.  He  was  president  of 
the  Board  of  Education  of  Centralia  for  one 
term,  also  president  of  the  Illinois  Press  As- 
sociation for  one  term.  During  Governor 
John  P.  A^tgeld's  administration  he  was  pri- 
vate secretary  of  the  Lieutenant-Governor 
for  a  period  of  four  years.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Democratic  State  Central  Com- 
mittee and  is  at  present  Master  in  Chancery 
of  Marion  county.  He  has  long  been  an  able 
exponent  of  the  principles  of  the  Democratic 
party  and  his  support  can  always  be  depend- 
ed upon  in  furthering  the  local  interests  of 
this  party. 

In  his  fraternal  relations,  Mr.  Tufts  is  a 
member  of  Centralia  Lodge  No;  201, 
Ancient  Free  and  Accepted  Masons;  Cen- 
tralia Council,  No.  93,  Royal  Arch  Masons ; 
Centralia  Council,  No.  28,  Royal  and  Select 
Masters;  Cyrene  Commandery  No.  23, 
Knights  Templar.  He  is  in  command  of  the 
Commandery.  Mr.  Tufts  is  also  a  member  of 
Centralia  Lodge  No.  394,  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks ;  also  a  member  of 
Helmet  Lodge  No.  26,  Knights  of  Pythias, 


of  Centralia.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Order 
of  Eastern  Star  and  the  Pythian  Sisters,  of 
Centralia  lodges. 

Mr.  Tufts  is  a  man  of  sunny  disposition, 
affable,  approachable  and  makes  friends  eas- 
ily, which  he 'has  no  trouble  in  retaining. 
While  strong  in  his  views,  he  is  always  will- 
ing to  be  fair  and  is  candid  at  all  times  and 
under  all  circumstances.  He  enjoys  an  ex- 
tensive acquaintance  all  over  the  state  of 
Illinois  among  men  of  all  classes,  and  he  is 
held  in  high  favor  by  all  who  know  him  for 
his  honesty  of  purpose,  pleasing  manners 
and  the  future  to  such  a  man  cannot  help 
but  be  replete  with  abundant  success. 


THOMAS  L.'JOY. 

Examples  that  impress  force  of  character 
on  all  who  study  them  are  worthy  of  rec- 
ord. By  a  few  general  observations  may 
be  conveyed  some  idea  of  the  high  standing 
of  Thomas  L.  Joy,  as  a  business  man  and 
public  benefactor,  or,  an  editor  of  unusual 
felicity  of  expression  and  whose  wonderful- 
ly facile  pen  delights  thousands  of  readers, 
although  now  retired  from  the  active  af- 
fairs of  everyday  life  and  spending  the  last 
half  of  his  years  of  strenuous  and  eminently 
useful  life  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  peace  and 
quietude  to  which  he  is  so  justly  entitled, 
and  which  he  has  so  nobly  earned.  United 
in  his  composition  are  so  many  elements  of 
a  solid  and  practical  nature,  which  during  a 
series  of  years  have  brought  him  into  promi- 


634 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


nent  notice,  and  earned  for  him  a  conspicu- 
ous place  among  the  enterprising  men  of 
the  county  of  his  residence,  that  it  is  but 
just  recognition  of  his  worth  to  speak  at 
some  length  of  his  life  and  achievements. 

Thomas  L.  Joy,  retired  editor  of  the  Even- 
ing Sentinel  of  Centralia,  Illinois,  was  born 
in  Equality,  this  state,  September  15,  1850, 
the  son  of  Ephraim  E.  Joy,  a  Southern  Illi- 
nois Methodist  preacher  of  wide  celebrity. 
He  raised  a  company  in  1862  for  the  pur- 
pose of  taking  part  in  the  Union  service.  It 
was  assigned  to  a  regiment  of  Illinois  vol- 
unteers. Mr.  Joy  was  ordered  to  Fort  Doug- 
las to  be  sworn  in  as  captain  of  the  com- 
pany. Upon  reaching  the  place  he  received 
the  sad  news  that  his  wife  was  lying  at  the 
point  of  death.  This  cut  his  war  record  and 
he  hastened  home  to  his  dying  companion 
and  two  little  sons,  Andrew  F.  and  Thomas 
L.  The  grandfather  of  the  subject  was  a 
Baptist  minister  whose  work  was  also  con- 
fined to  the  southern  part  of  this  state.  The 
Joy  family  has  been  well  known  and  influen- 
tial in  the  affairs  of  the  southern  part  of  the 
Prairie  state  since  it  was  first  settled. 

The  early  education  of  Thomas  L.  Joy 
was  obtained  in  the  district  schools  and 
small  towns,  as  his  father  itinerated  from 
place  to  place.  His  last  school  was  at  Shi- 
loh,  St.  Clair  county.  He  received  a  fairly 
good  education,  which  was  later  supplement- 
ed by  extensive  home  reading  and  by  com- 
ing in  contact  with  the  world. 

Mr.  Joy  served  his  apprenticeship  as  a 
practical  printer  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  with 
the  Woodward  and  Tiernan  Printing  Com- 


pany, of  that  city.  Being  a  young  man  of 
great  energy  and  executive  ability,  Mr.  Joy 
established  the  Carmi  Times,  at  Carmi,  Illi- 
nois, with  his  brother,  Andrew  F.  Joy,  in 
1872.'  Our  subject,  who  made  a  success  of 
this  venture,  later  sold  his  interest  to  his 
brother,  Andrew  F.  Joy,  in  1882.  In  1880 
the  Joy  brothers  established  the  Cairo  Daily 
and  Weekly  News.  Thomas  L.  took  full 
charge.  In  1881  he  closed  out  the  paper  and 
returned  to  Carmi  and  later  purchased  the 
Mt.  Carmel  Republican,  which  he  conduct- 
ed for  over  five  years,  with  his  usual  suc- 
cess. He  came  to  Centralia  October  20, 
1888,  and  bought  one-half  interest  in  the 
Sentinel;  the  firm  name  was  then  Joy  & 
Hitchcock,  the  firm  continuing  for  five 
months,  when  Hitchcock  retired,  H.  F.  Till- 
man  taking  his  place,  continuing  for  a  pe- 
riod of  two  years,  at  the  expiration  of  which 
time  our  subject  bought  his  interest  and  con- 
tinued to  publish  the  paper  with  increasing 
success  until  1906,  when  he  leased  his  paper 
to  his  son,  Verne  E.  Joy.  The  latter  took 
complete  charge  of  the  business  on  January 
i,  1907. 

While  engaged  on  the  Sentinel  Thomas 
L.  Joy,  for  a  period  of  five  years,  published 
the  Sandoval  Times,  a  weekly  paper  at  San- 
doval,  Marion  county,  which  was  liberally 
patronized.  He  also  published  the  Odin 
News  and  the  Patoka  Enterprise,  each  a 
weekly  paper,  with  a  good,  active  circula- 
tion. Mr.  Joy  was  a  very  busy  man  in  over- 
seeing all  these  papers,  but  his  wonderful 
executive  ability,  his  capacity  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  a  vast  amount  of  work  and 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


635 


his  persistent  qualities  enabled  him  to  carry 
them  all  to  successful  issue,  and  he  was  for 
many  years  the  molder  of  public  opinion  in 
Marion  county,  and  became  known  as  one 
of  her  foremost  and  most  influential  citi- 
zens. He  is  still  a  regular  contributor  to 
the  Sentinel.  His  articles  are  terse  and 
pithy — always  interesting.  He  enjoys  his 
quiet  home  life  in  his  beautiful  home  in  Cen- 
tralia,  where  hospitality  and  good  cheer  are 
always  dispensed.  He  is  an  admirable  con- 
versationalist and  keeps  abreast  of  the  times 
in  all  matters. 

The  domestic  life  of  Thomas  L.  Joy  dates 
from  September  14,  1873,  when  he  was  unit- 
ed in  marriage  with  Lizzie  V.  (Lockwood) 
Joy,  of  Wayne  county,  Illinois.  She  is  the 
refined  daughter  of  William  and  Elizabeth 
(Wiley)  Lockwood,  of  Wayne  county,  Illi- 
nois, long  well  known  and  influential  in  their 
community. 

Our  subject  has  always  been  a  stanch  Re- 
publican and  ever  ready  to  foster  the  prin- 
ciples of  his  party,  doing  what  he  could  to 
insure  the  success  of  the  same  in  his  county 
and  his  counsel  has  been  frequently  sought 
and  in  the  affairs  of  the  party  at  home.  In 
religion  he  follows  his  father's  early  train- 
ing. 


J.  F.  KNIGHT. 

Mr.  Knight  has  long  maintained  his 
home  in  this  county,  and  while  he  has  been 
benefited  himself  in  a  very  material  way 
through  his  efforts  in  a  varied  line  of  work, 


he  has  ever  done  what  he  could  in  the  up- 
building of  the  community  at  large,  and  to- 
day he  stands  as  one  of  the  substantial  and 
foremost  citizens  of  Sandoval,  where  he  is 
held  in  high  favor  by  everyone. 

J.  F.  Knight  was  born  in  Wenona,  Illi- 
nois, May  23,  1867,  the  son  of  John  and 
Susan  (Ingersoll)  Knight.  The  subject's 
grandfather,  a  native  of  Pennsylvania  and 
of  German  lineage,  was  a  farmer  and 
lived  and  died  in  the  old  Keystone  state. 
He  was  the  father  of  eight  children,  all  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity.  Eli  Knight  was  a 
soldier  in  the  Civil  war,  having  enlisted  jn 
a  Pennsylvania  regiment  and  served  three 
years.  His  brother,  Thomas  Knight,  was 
also  a  soldier  in  the  Federal  ranks.  They 
were  both  Lutherans  in  their  church  rela- 
tions. Grandfather  Knight  lived  to  an  ad- 
vanced age,  and  grandmother  Knight 
reached  the  age  of  ninety-four  years. 
Grandfather  Ingersoll  was  from  New  York. 
He  came  to  Illinois  in  the  fifties  and  settled 
in  Wenona,  where  he  lived  the  balance  of 
his  life,  having  reached  the  great  age  of 
ninety-six  years.  Grandmother  Ingersoll 
met  death  in  an  unfortunate  manner,  by 
being  killed  when  sixty-five  years  old. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  raised  in 
Pennsylvania,  and  after  his  marriage  to  his 
first  wife  he  came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in 
Wenona.  While  in  Pennsylvania  he  worked 
at  the  miller's  trade,  but  after  he  came  to 
Illinois  he  worked  at  farming,  and  he 
reached  the  age  of  fifty-two  years.  The 
subject's  mother  lived  to  be  sixty-four  years 
old.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 


636 


iRINKERHOFF'S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


church.  Three  children  were  born  to  John 
Knight  by  his  first  wife,  and  the  same  num- 
ber by  his  second.  He  was  a  Democrat  and 
served  as  County  Clerk  in  Pennsylvania. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  schools  of  Ma- 
rion county.  He  later  attended  the  South- 
ern Illinois  Normal  School,  where  he  gained 
a  good  education,  having  applied  himself  in 
a  diligent  manner  to  his  text-books.  Tak- 
ing the  advice  of  Horace  Greeley,  who  told 
the  young  men  of  the  East  to  seek  their 
fortune  in  the  West,  Mr.  Knight  went  to 
California  after  he  left  school,  and  for  some 
time  kept  books.  But  he  later  returned  to 
Illinois  and  worked  his  father's  farm  for  a 
period  of  seven  years,  then  bought  land  in 
Marion  county  and  sold  live  stock,  and  later 
engaged  in  the  livery  business  in  Sando- 
val,  which  he  conducted  for  seven  years.  He 
owns  an  excellent  farm  in  this  county,  con- 
sisting of  one  hundred  and  fifty  acres  of 
highly  improved  land.  He  also  owns  an- 
other farm  which  he  rents,  having  the  man- 
agement of  the  first  mentioned.  Mr. 
Knight  was  also  engaged  in  the  ice  business 
for  a  period  of  fourteen  years.  He  owns 
ten  houses  in  Sandoval.  which  he  rents,  and 
ilso  owns  a  beautiful  and  modern  residence. 
All  this  he  has  made  practically  unaided, 
having  been  a  careful  business  man  and  ex- 
ercised the  best  of  judgment  in  all  his  busi- 
ness transactions. 

Mr.  Knight  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1891  to  Stella  Reinhardt,  a  native  of  this 
county,  and  the  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Frederick  (Deitz)  Reinhardt,  natives  of 


Germany.  Mr.  Reinhardt  came  to  America 
in  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Marion 
county.  He  was  a  weaver  in  the  old  coun- 
try, but  took  up  the  baker's  trade  here. 
There  were  five  children  in  his  family. 

Two  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife.  The  first,  Merle,  was  born 
in  April,  1893,  and  is  in  high  school  at  this 
writing,  1908.  The  second,  Norman,  was 
born  in  1896.  They  are  both  bright  and  in- 
teresting children. 

The  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Inde- 
pendent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  also  the 
Knights  of  Pythias  and  the  Woodmen, 
having  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  Odd  Fel- 
lows. In  his  political  relations  he  is  a  Dem- 
ocrat, and  has  long  taken  an  active  part  in 
his  party's  affairs.  He  is  at  present  Town- 
ship Supervisor  and  has  been  Tax  Collector. 
He  was  president  of  the  Village  Board  for 
three  terms,  and  he  was  Alderman  for  sev- 
eral terms.  In  his  official  capacities  he  gave 
the  people  of  this  community  the  best  possi- 
ble service  and  gained  the  approval  of  all. 


JAMES  HUNTER,  M.  D. 

The  medical  profession  in  Marion  county 
has  an  able  representative  in  the  subject  of 
this  review,  who  is  to  be  considered  one  of 
the  leading  physicians  of  the  community  of 
Sandoval,  where  he  at  present  maintains  his 
home,  where  he  has  long  been  established  in 
practice.  He  has  been  closely  identified  with 
the  civic  and  social  affairs  of  Sandoval  and 
he  controls  a  large  and  representative  prac- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


637 


tice  throughout  this  part  of  the  county, 
where  he  is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  as 
a  physician  and  surgeon  and  as  a  public- 
spirited  and  loyal  citizen. 

Dr.  James  Hunter  was  born  in  Randolph 
county,  Illinois,  in  1837,  the  son  of  Alexan- 
der and  Martha  (Kell)  Hunter.  Grand- 
father Hunter  was  from  Ireland.  He  first 
settled  in  South  Carolina  after  coming  to 
this  country,  and  it  is  supposed  that  he  died 
there.  In  that  state  Grandfather  Kell  was 
born.  He  moved  to  Randolph  county,  Illi- 
nois, having  devoted  his  life  to  farming. 
About  1830  he  bought  a  farm  there,  set- 
tling among  the  pioneers,  reared  his  family 
of  two  children,  both  girls,  and  died  there  at 
the  age  of  sixty-seven  years.  He  was  a 
member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

The  father  of  our  subject  was  born  in 
South  Carolina  and  came  to  Illinois  when 
twenty-eight  years  old,  settling  in  Randolph 
county,  where  he  bought  land  and  on  which 
he  lived  until  his  death,  which  occured  when 
he  was  twenty-nine  years  old.  His  wife 
passed  away  at  the  age  of  forty.  Their 
family  consisted  of  three  children,  our  sub- 
ject being  the  only  survivor.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Alexander  Hunter  were  both  members  of 
the  Presbyterian  church. 

Doctor  Hunter  was  reared  in  Randolph 
county,  Illinois,  and  attended  the  public 
schools  there,  working  on  his  grandfather's 
farm  in  the  meantime,  until  he  was  seven- 
teen years  old.  He  early  decided  that  his 
life  should  be  devoted  to  the  healing  art,  and 
actuated  by  this  laudable  ambition  he  began 
the  study  of  medicine  under  the  direction 


and  instruction  of  Dr.  Hopkins,  of  Sparta, 
Illinois,  having  remained  with  him  for  one 
year.  He  then  took  two  courses  of  lectures 
in  the  Eclectic  Medical  Institute  at  Cincin- 
nati and  began  practice  in  Randolph  county 
in  1858,  where  he  remained  with  gratifying 
results  attending  his' efforts  for  a  period  of 
five  years.  He  then  located  in  another  part 
of  the  same  county,  where  he  remained  a 
short  time. 

Much  to  the  regret  of  his  patients 
and  numerous  friends  in  Randolph  county, 
he  moved  to  Newport,  Kentucky,  in  1864, 
and  took  up  practice  there,  where  he  re- 
mained for  four  years,  his  success  having 
been  instantaneous.  He  located  in  Switzer- 
land county,  Indiana,  where  he  practiced 
with  most  flattering  results  for  a  period  of 
nineteen  years,  after  which  he  came  back  to 
Randolph  county,  Illinois.  He  then  spent  five 
years  at  Irvington,  Washington  county,  hav- 
ing come  to  Marion  county  in  1890,  and 
has  been  practicing  here  ever  since,  having  a 
lucrative  business  and  a  growing  practice.  To 
further  qualify  himself  Doctor  Hunter  at- 
tended the  medical  department  of  the  Nash- 
ville State  University  and  graduated  from 
the  same  in  1879.  Recently  the  doctor  was 
appointed  to  the  chair  of  Theory  and  Prac- 
tice in  the  Hypocranium  Medical  College,  a 
night  school  in  St.  Louis. 

Doctor  Hunter  was  married  in  1857  to 
Miss  N.  J.  Askins,  of  Sparta,  Illinois.  Two 
of  Mrs.  Hunter's  brothers  were  soldiers  in 
the  Civil  war,  having  enlisted  from  Illinois. 
They  served  their  time  out  and  were  hon- 
orably discharged. 


638 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Six  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  four  girls  and  two  boys.  The  doctor 
has  four  grandchildren  living.  One  of  his 
daughters  lives  in  San  Francisco,  California, 
another  lives  in  St.  Louis,  one  in  Boston  and 
another  in  New  York.  They  are  all  well 
situated  in  reference  to  this  world's  affairs. 

Our  subject  is  a  Mason  and  a  Woodman. 
He  has  filled  most  of  the  chairs  in  the  Ma- 
sonic lodge.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Methodist  church  and  are  lib- 
eral supporters  of  the  same. 

Doctor  Hunter  takes  an  active  part  in  poli- 
tics, having  been  a  liberal  supporter  in  the 
Democratic  ranks  all  his  life.  He  has  faith- 
fully served  his  community  as  Justice  of  the 
Peace  for  the  past  twelve  years.  What  his 
hands  and  mind  have  found  to  do  he  has 
done  with  his  might,  and  having  attained  a 
commanding  position  among  his  contempo- 
raries, he  wears  his  honor  in  a  becoming 
manner  and  is  today  one  of  the  prominent 
citizens  of  Marion  countv. 


HENRY  R.  HALL. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this 
paragraph  is  numbered  among  the  success- 
ful and  representative  business  men  of  Ma- 
rion county,  his  attractive  home  being  lo- 
cated at  Sandoval,  Illinois.  In  all  the  rela- 
tions of  life  he  has  ever  been  found  faith- 
ful and  true,  performing  his  duty  unflinch- 
ingly, however  distasteful  it  may  be,  looking 
to  the  welfare  of  the  community  at  large 
while  advancing  his  own  interests. 


Henry  R.  Hall  was  born  in  Monroe  coun- 
ty, Georgia,  May  I,  1842,  the  son  of  Charles 
and  Mary  (Swift)  Hall.  Grandfather  Hall 
was  born  in  Vermont  and  moved  to  Portage 
county,  Ohio,  in  1818,  where  he  died,  hav- 
ing lived  to  middle  age.  He  was  the  father 
of  seven  children,  all  of  whom  lived  to  ma- 
turity. His  death  occurred  about  1827.  He 
devoted  his  life  to  farming,  having  entered 
government  land,  on  which  he  reared  his 
family. 

The  father  of  the  subject,  who  was  born 
in  Vermont  about  1804  and  died  in  1856, 
attended  the  district  schools  in  his  native 
state  and  went  to  Georgia  when  a  young 
man,  where  he  married,  later  moving  to 
Tennessee,  dying  shortly  after  he  arrived 
there.  He  was  a  shoemaker  by  trade  and 
there  were  three  children  in  his  family  who 
lived  to  maturity.  William  S.,  a  brother  of 
the  subject,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
having  enlisted  from  Marion  county  in  the 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  hav- 
ing served  with  distinction  for  a  period  of 
two  years,  when  he  was  discharged  for  in- 
ability, and  then  joined  an  Ohio  regiment, 
but  was  again  discharged  for  disability  con- 
tracted while  in  line  of  duty,  from  which  he 
afterward  died.  The  father  and  mother  of 
the  subject  were  Methodists.  The  mother 
passed  to  her  rest  at  the  age  of  sixty-three 
years. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  was 
obtained  in  the  subscription  schools  in  Geor- 
gia and  later  for  a  short  time  in  this  coun- 
ty, having  been  fifteen  years  old  when  he 
arrived  in  Marion  county.  He  worked  on 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


639 


a  farm  for  his  uncle  for  one  year,  then  as  a 
farm  hand,  at  which  work  he  continued  for 
three  years,  after  which  he  served  for  three 
years  as  an  apprentice  to  a  shoemaker,  which 
he  followed  for  two  years,  then  clerked  in  a 
store. 

Having'  taken  an  interest  in  public  affairs 
from  the  first  and  showing  himself  capable 
of  successfully  filling  public  offices,  he  was 
elected  and  served  in  a  most  praiseworthy 
manner  as  Sheriff  of  Marion  county  for  two 
terms,  also  two  terms  as  Circuit  Clerk  of 
this  county. 

After  leaving  his  public  work  he  became 
secretary  of  the  Sandoval  Coal  Mining  Com- 
pany, which  position  he  held  with  credit  to 
himself  and  with  the  utmost  satisfaction  to 
his  employers  for  a  period  of  eleven  years. 

After  severing  his  connection  with  this 
company  he  bought  out  two  lumber  firms, 
which  he  still  conducts,  having  built  up  an 
extensive  trade  in  the  same  and  becoming 
known  as  one  of  the  leading  lumber  dealers 
in  this  locality.  Since  assuming  charge  of 
these  firms  he  has  added  all  kinds  of  build- 
ing material  and  his  customers  are  numbered 
in  all  parts  of  the  county  and  in  adjoining 
counties.  He  is  also  in  the  hay  and  grain 
business,  which  forms  no  small  part  of  his 
income. 

Mr.  Hall  was  united  in  mariage  October 
2,  1865,  to  Eliza  J.  Wolfe,  a  native  of 
this  county.  Her  father,  a  farmer  and  black- 
smith, was  a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and 
her  mother  of  Marion  county,  Illinois.  Mrs. 
Hall  had  three  brothers  in  the  Civil  war, 
two  having  enlisted  from  this  county  and 


one  from  Madison  county.  They  returned 
home  after  serving  out  their  time. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hall,  namely:  Carrie  E.,  who  was  born  in 
1866,  is  the  wife  of  Charles  B.  Merritt,  and 
the  mother  of  four  children ;  Nellie  J.  was 
born  September  17,  1868,  and  is  the  wife 
of  D.  E.  Tracy;  May  was  born  in  1870  and 
is  the  wife  of  Addis  Bryan,  cousin  of  the 
Hon.  W.  J.  Bryan,  and  they  are  the  parents 
of  three  children;  Martha  was  born  in  1872 
and  is  the  wife  of  Robert  Belamy,  being  the 
mother  of  one  child;  Charles  W.,  who  was 
born  December  n,  1879,  is  married  and 
has  three  children,  being  associated  with  his 
father  in  business.  The  rest  of  the  subject's 
children  died  in  infancy.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Hall  and  their  children  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  In  his  fraternal  relations 
our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Or- 
der, the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
having  passed  all  the  chairs  in  the  latter. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat,  having  served 
twice,  or  a  period  of  seven  years,  as  Con- 
stable of  Kinmundy  township,  and  was  for 
two  terms  Alderman  of  Kinmundy,  during 
which  time  he  fulfilled  his  duties  to  the  let- 
ter and  became  widely  known  as  an  efficient 
public  servant.  He  was  Mayor  of  Salem  for 
one  term,  during  which  the  city's  interests 
were  carefully  guarded  and  many  improve- 
ments and  public  utiilties  added.  He  was 
for  some  time  School  Director  of  the  Salem 
schools,  having  been  connected  with  the  lo- 
cal school  system  for  years  and  has  long 
been  greatly  interested  in  educational  af- 
fairs; in  fact,  anything  that  tends  to  better 


640 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


the  county's  condition.  He  is  President  of 
the  Board  as  well  as  Director  of  Sando 
val  schools,  and  is  Trustee  of  the  township 
schools.  He  is  president  of  the  Building 
and  Loan  Association  of  Salem,  and  also  of 
Sandoval. 


GEO.  WASHINGTON  DOWNEY,  M.  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  gained  pres- 
tige in  the  healing  art,  which  is  always  the 
outcome  of  close  application  and  the  ability 
to  apply  theory  to  practice  in  the  treatment 
of  diseases.  Good  intellectual  training,  thor- 
ough professional  knowledge,  have  made  the 
subject  of  this  review  successful  in  this  chos- 
en calling,  having  been  in  practice  here  for 
over  a  quarter  of  a  century,  during  which 
time  he  has  built  up  a  lucrative  patronage. 

Dr.  G.  W.  Downey  was  born  in  Prince- 
ton, Indiana,  March  i,  1832,  the  son  of  Wil- 
liam and  Anna  (Davis)  Downey.  Grand- 
father Downey,  who  was  a  millwright, 
which  trade  he  followed  all  his  life,  was 
born  in  Ireland,  came  to  America  and  set- 
tled in  Virginia,  where  he  spent  the  remain- 
der of  his  life,  and  where  he  reared  his 
children,  being  survived  by  six  children,  who 
lived  to  maturity.  There  were  three  min- 
isters in  the  family.  Grandfather  Davis, 
who  was  also  from  Ireland,  came  to  America 
and  settled  in  Tennessee,  later  removing 
to  Indiana,  where  he  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  days,  devoting  his  life  to  farming,  living 
to  an  advanced  age  and  rearing  a  family 
consisting  of  four  daughters. 


The  father  of  our  subject,  who  was  born 
in  Virginia,  moved  to  Indiana  when  he 
reached  manhood  and  followed  his  trade, 
that  of  millwright,  having  learned  it  from 
his  father,  but  feeling  that  he  was  called  to 
higher  work,  he  abandoned  this  and  devel- 
oped into  a  Cumberland  Presbyterian  min- 
ister of  considerable  notoriety,  living  to  be 
over  sixty  years  old.  He  was  the  father  of 
twelve  children,  of  whom  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  the  youngest.  The  wife  of  Rev. 
Downey  passed  away  at  the  age  of  sixty- 
four  years. 

Doctor  Downey  attended  school  in  Indi- 
ana and  when  a  young  man  worked  out  as 
a  day  laborer,  his  family  being  poor,  making 
it  necessary  for  him  to  earn  his  own  living, 
but  while  somewhat  unpleasant,  it  was  good 
discipline  for  him  and  he  developed  an  in- 
dividuality which  made  greatly  for  subse- 
quent success.  Saving  what  he  could  with 
a  view  to  obtaining  a  higher  education,  he 
was  enabled  in  a  few  years  to  enter  college 
at  Newberry,  Indiana.  Believing  that  his 
true  life  work  lay  along  medical  lines,  he 
began  the  study  of  medicine  in  Indiana.  He 
took  a  medical  course  in  Chicago  and  later 
in  Iowa,  having  made  a  good  record  for 
scholarship  in  both. 

Our  subject  practiced  medicine  for  a  pe- 
riod of  four  years  before  the  breaking  out  of 
the  Civil  war,  in  which  he  took  conspicuous 
part,  having  been  one  of  the  patriotic  volun- 
teers who  went  forth  to  battle  for  the  na- 
tion's rights.  He  enlisted  in  October,  1861, 
in  Company  F,  Fifty-sixth  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  and  served  two  years.  He  was  in 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


641 


the  great  battle  of  Corinth,  having  been 
through  the  siege  there ;  also  took  part  in 
other  engagements  and  marches  in  which  his 
regiment  participated,  and  was  discharged 
on  account  of  disease  contracted  while  in 
line  of  duty. 

After  the  war  our  subject  returned  to  prac- 
tice, locating  in  Hamilton  county,  Illinois, 
later  removing  to  Washington  county,  then 
to  Marion  county  in  1882,  and  has  been  in 
practice  here  ever  since.  Wherever  he  has 
practiced  he  has  left  an  honorable  name  and 
a  reputation  as  a  high  class  physician  and  a 
conscientious  citizen. 

Doctor  Downey  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1858  to  Margaret  Pace,  daughter  of  Joseph 
Pace,  whose  people  were  originally  from 
Kentucky.  Seven  children  were  born  to  our 
subject  and  wife,  two  of  whom  are  deceased. 
Those  living  are:  Annie,  the  widow  of  Cy- 
rus Hamilton;  Homer  is  married  and  has 
two  children ;  Ada  is  the  wife  of  a  Mr.  Knox 
and  the  mother  of  three  children ;  Corrine  is 
married  and  has  one  child;  George  is  the 
fifth  child  and  youngest.  A  singular  coin- 
cidence in  the  history  of  the  Pace  family  is 
the  fact  that  Mrs.  Downey's  grandmother 
on  the  father's  side  of  the  house  fell  and 
broke  a  hip;  Mrs.  Downey's  father  also  fell 
and  broke  a  hip ;  later  his  twin  brother  broke 
his  hip  in  a  similar  manner ;  then  his  daugh- 
ter fell  and  broke  her  hip;  later  Mrs.  Dow- 
ney's brother  fell  and  broke  his  hip;  finally 
Mrs.  Downey  fell,  breaking  her  hip,  from 
which  she  has  become  a  life  cripple.  In 
each  case  it  was  the  right  hip. 

Our  subject    is  a  member  of   the  ancient 


and  honorable  Masonic  fraternity.  Both  he 
and  his  wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist 
church,  the  latter  having  been  a  church  mem- 
ber since  she  was  fourteen  years  old.  In 
politics  Doctor  Downey  is  a  Republican,  and 
he  has  the  interests  of  his  community  at 
heart,  ever  laboring  for  its  development 
along  political,  religious  and  educational 
lines.  His  comfortable  and  well  furnished 
home  in  Sandoval  is  frequented  by  his  many 
friends  and  those  of  the  family,  and  holds 
high  rank  in  this  community. 


ALFRED  LIVESAY. 

Although  the  unmarred  life-chapter  of  the 
subject  of  this  sketch  has  been  closed  and 
the  seal  set  thereon  forever  by  the  "grim 
reaper,"  his  influence  for  good  still  perv.ades 
the  lives  of  those  with  whom  he  was  asso- 
ciated, for  his  life  was  led  along  high  planes 
of  endeavor  and  resulted  in  not  only  the  ac- 
complishment of  good  for  himself  and  fam- 
ily, but  also  his  neighbors. 

Alfred  Livesay  was  born  in  Tennessee 
February  15,  1822,  and  when  seven 
years  of  age  he  came  to  Washing- 
ton county,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of 
seven  years,  and  in  about  1866  he  came  to 
Marion  county,  locating  in  Patoka  township. 
Our  subject  was  the  son  of  John  Wesley  and 
Margaret  (Lyons)  Livesay,  both  natives  of 
Tennessee,  who  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  they  spent  the  remainder  of 
their  lives,  dying  on  the  same  place  on  which 
they  settled. 


642 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS- 


Our  subject  made  nearly  all  the  improve- 
ments of  his  place,  having  been  a  hard 
worker  and  an  excellent  manager.  He  was 
always  a  Democrat,  but  never  sought  pub- 
lic office.  Entering  the  ministry,  he  was  a 
Methodist  preacher  for  several  years,  doing 
much  good  and  becoming  widely  known  as 
an  earnest  expounder  of  the  Gospel,  but  he 
gave  up  preaching  quite  a  while  before  his 
death,  abandoning  the  ministry  owing  to 
failing  health.  He  had  the  distinction  of 
serving  one  year  and  one  month  in  the  Mex- 
ican war,  during  which  he  contracted  sick- 
ness from  which  he  never  fully  recovered. 
He  was  a  farmer  and  an  extensive  stock 
raiser  and  was  highly  successful  at  his  work 
wherever  it  was  applied,  being  a  man  of 
good  judgment  and  always  industrious.  He 
was  a  cousin  of  Dr.  Thomas  Livesay,  one 
of  the  leading  physicians  of  Marion  county 
and  a  man  respected  by  all. 

After  receiving  such  common  schooling 
as  the  times  afforded  our  subject  worked  at 
various  things,  principally  farming,  until  he 
married,  February  26,  1846,  in  Washington 
county,  Hannah  Logan,  who  was  born  in 
Washington  county  September  30,  1830, 
and  to  this  union  the  following  children 
have  been  bom ;  William  T.  married 
Eliza  Seward  and  are  the  parents  of 
four  children  and  live  in  Stanley.  Iowa; 
Elizabeth  R.  is  single  and  takes  care  of  her 
mother;  Isaac  B.,  who  married  Leticia  Rock 
and  who  has  two  children,  lives  in  Kansas ; 
Pearl  married  Joseph  Larimer  and  they  are 
the  parents  of  two  children ;  Hester  A.  mar- 
ried Perry  Davidson,  of  Marion  county,  and 
she  is  the  mother  of  five  children ;  Ransom 


P.  married  Louisa  Suter  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  five  children;  Marshall  A.  mar- 
ried Rachael  Walton  and  they  have  nine 
children;  Liddie,  deceased,  married  Robert 
Quale,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  liv- 
ing children  and  two  deceased;  Harvey  R. 
married  Mollie  Chick  and  they  are  the  par- 
ents of  five  children ;  Allen  H.,  who  remained 
single,  died  when  forty- four  years  old ;  Dan- 
iel R.  married  Laura  Cruse  and  they  have 
three  children;  Etta  married  James  Smith 
and  they  became  the  parents  of  eight  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  living;  Clinton  O. 
marreid  Elvira  McHaney  and  they  became 
the  parents  of  seven  children,  one  of  whom 
is  deceased. 

Alfred  Livesay  departed  this  life,  after  a 
strenuous  and  useful  career,  on  April  22, 
1883,  honored  and  respected  by  all  who  knew 
him,  and  his  place  in  the  neighborhood  has 
since  been  greatly  missed,  for  he  was  a  good 
and  useful  man,  who,  while  laboring  to  ad- 
vance the  interests  of  himself,  did  not  fail 
to  do  what  he  could  in  promoting  the  wel- 
fare of  the  public.  He  left  his  family  about 
six  hundred  acres  of  well  improved  land. 
Mrs.  Livesay  now  manages  in  a  most  suc- 
cessful manner  one  hundred  and  thirty-four 
acres,  all  under  a  high  state  of  cultivation. 
She  is  a  woman  of  rare  business  tact  and 
ability,  although  she  is  now  well  advanced 
in  old  age,  and  she  has  a  wonderful  mem- 
ory and  is  an  interesting  conversationalist. 
She  draws  a  pension  of  twelve  dollars  per 
month.  She  is  held  in  high  esteem  by  the 
people  of  Patoka  township  for  her  many 
commendable  traits  of  character  and  beau- 
tiful life. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


643 


F.  D.   SECOR. 

A  happy  combination  of  praiseworthy 
characteristics  is  possessed  by  the  subject  of 
this  review,  who  is  one  of  the  best  known 
business  men  of  Odin  township,  Marion 
county,  whose  interests  he  has  ever  sought 
to  promulgate  in  whatever  way  he  could,  be- 
lieving that  it  is  the  duty  of  each  citizen  to 
foster  the  good  of  his  community  while  he 
is  advancing  his  own  interests,  occupying 
as  he  does  a  conspicuous  place  in  the  annals 
of  Marion  county's  history  by  reason  of  his 
work  in  connection  with  the  various  lines  of 
development  it  has  experienced. 

F.  D.  Secor  was  born  in  Bernadom,  Illi- 
nois, December,  1846,  the  son  of  Philetus 
and  Mary  O.  (Lovell)  Secor.  Grandfather 
Secor,  who  lived  in  New  York  state,  and 
who  was  of  French  lineage,  supposedly  of 
Huguenot  extraction,  spent  his  days  on  a 
farm  in  the  Empire  state,  rearing  a  large 
family.  Grandfather  Lovell  moved  from 
Vermont  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  McDon- 
ough  county,  having  passed  the  remainder 
of  his  days  in  this  state  and  died  there.  He 
was  a  merchant  and  a  miller  and  an  all-round 
good  business  man.  His  death  was  due  to 
an  accidental  disease.  In  his  family  were 
three  children. 

The  subject's  father,  who  was  born  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  after  receiving  a  com- 
mon school  education,  took  a  course  in  a 
medical  college,  'from  which  he  graduated 
and  became  a  noted  physician  and  surgeon, 
having  come  to  Illinois  when  he  left  college, 
settling  in  Fulton  county.  In  1865  he  came 


to  Marion  county,  where  he  continued  in 
practice  until  his  death  in  1872.  He  always 
attended  the  Presbyterian  church  because  his 
wife  was  a  member  of  this  denomination; 
his  leaning  was  toward  Methodism.  He  was 
a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity.  His 
wife  passed  to  her  rest  at  the  age  of  seventy- 
six  years.  The  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
the  only  child  that  survived  infancy. 

F.  D.  Secor,  our  subject,  attended  the 
public  schools  when  a  boy  in  McDonough 
and  Fulton  counties.  He  was  a  clerk  in  a 
store  for  several  years,  later  engaged  in  vari- 
ous lines  of  business  and  finally  became  sec- 
retary and  superintendent  of  the  Odin  Coal 
Company,  which  he  held  to  the  entire  satis- 
faction of  the  company  for  about  twenty- 
three  years.  He  was  one  of  the  directors  of 
the  company  from  the  start,  having  been  its 
secretary  and  superintendent,  and  is  at  pres- 
ent vice-president,  treasurer  and  director.  He 
is  at  all  times  careful  and  exercises  sound 
judgment.  He  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the 
finest  residences  in  this  part  of  the  state, 
making  his  home  in  the  same.  The  grounds 
surrounding  it  are  well  laid  out  and  covered 
with  beautiful  trees  and  shrubbery.  Mr.  Se- 
cor is  the  owner  of  two  very  valuable  and 
highly  improved  farms  in  this  county,  one 
of  which  is  rented,  the  other  being  managed 
by  him,  and  no  small  part  of  the  ample  in- 
come which  he  enjoys  is  derived  from  these 
farms,  which  are  well  stocked  and  very  pro- 
lific in  the  production  of  all  kinds  of  grains 
and  fruits. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Charlotte  Stone,  a  native  of  this  state,  where 


644 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


she  was  educated,  being  a  woman  of  fine 
tastes.  Two  children  have  been  born  to 
this  union,  namely:  Julia,  who  is  living  at 
home,  and  Charlotte,  also  a  member  of  the 
family  circle.  The  subject's  wife  is  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Presbyterian  church. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  although  he 
takes  considerable  interest  in  politics  he  has 
never  aspired  for  public  office,  being  con- 
tent to  spend  his  time  in  the  development  of 
his  business  interests.  As  may  be  inferred 
from  what  has  already  been  said,  he  is  a 
man  of  much  force  of  character,  whose  good 
judgment  seldom  directs  him  otherwise  than 
in  the  right  course. 


WILLIAM  BOLES. 

No  farmer  in  Marion  county  carries  on 
his  work  in  all  its  diversified  lines  with 
more  careful  discrimination  and  foresight 
that  tends  to  definite  success,  than  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  appears  above,  who  has 
developed  a  fine  farm  in  Raccoon  township. 

William  Boles  was  born  in  Scott  county, 
Indiana,  July  8,  1847,  the  son  of  Hugh  and 
Letha  (Reed)  Boles,  the  former  a  native  of 
Scott  county,  Indiana.  They  both  grew  up 
in  that  county  and  married  there.  The  sub- 
ject's parents  came  to  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois and  settled  on  a  farm  on  Grand  Prairie 
in  1855.  Mr.  Boles  died  and  his  wife  passed 
to  her  rest  in  1905.  She  married  a  second 
time,  her  last  husband  being  Marcus  Faulk- 
ner, of  Kentucky.  He  was  Justice  of  the 


Peace  for  many  years  and  a  prominent  man. 
They  lived  for  many  years  in  Washington 
county,  this  state,  where  Mr.  Faulkner  died. 
His  wife  died  in  Marion  county.  She  was 
a  member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hugh  Boles  were  the  parents 
of  seven  children,  namely :  Minerva,  who  is 
living  in  Blossom,  Texas ;  Joseph  is  a  farm- 
er in  Jefferson  county,  this  state ;  Jane  is  de- 
ceased; Alice  is  also  deceased;  William,  our 
subject;  Mary,  deceased;  Ella,  deceased. 

William  Boles  had  only  a  limited  chance 
to  attend  school.  However,  he  attended  the 
common  schools  until  he  was  sixteen  years 
old,  when  he  yielded  to  his  patriotic  spirit 
and  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  on  July  3, 
1863,  having  enlisted  in  Company  B,  Sixty- 
second  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  in  Wash- 
ington county,  Illinois,  having  been  mus- 
tered in  at  lagrange,  Tennessee,  on  August 
23d,  serving  as  a  private,  under  Colonel 
James  M.  True  and  Captain  H.  P.  Ingram. 
He  was  detailed  to  guard  government  mules 
and  do  general  guard  duty.  He  was  dis- 
charged March  6,  1866,  at  Little  Rock,  Ar- 
kansas. His  regiment  was  assigned  to  the 
Second  Brigade,  Third  Division,  Sixteenth 
Army  Corps,  later  to  the  Seventh  Army 
Corps.  In  1865  he  moved  from  Columbus. 
Arkansas,  to  Tennessee.  He  did  guard 
duty  near  Crockett  Station,  with  headquar- 
ters at  Kenton.  He  was  with  the  troops  that 
pursued  General  Forrest  for  about  twenty 
miles,  later  pressing  him  to  the  Tennessee 
river  opposite  Clifton.  They  marched  to  Ft. 
Gibson,  Cherokee  Nation,  Indian  Territory, 
where  they  did  garrison  duty,  and  were  irt 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


645 


Bussey's  command  in  the  district  of  the  fron- 
tier. He  was  discharged  in  1866. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  De- 
cember 22,  1870,  to  Julia  A.  Telford,  of 
Boyd  township,  Jefferson  county,  this  state, 
the  daughter  of  John  and  Sarah  M.  (Boggs) 
Telford.  They  were  married  April  27,  1848. 
The  former  is  a  native  of  South  Carolina 
and  the  latter  of  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
Her  father  was  a  native  of  North  Carolina. 
He  was  six  years  old  when  he  came  with  his 
parents,  Joseph  and  Patsy  (Craven)  Tel- 
ford, both  natives  of  South  Carolina.  They 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1830  and 
settled  in  Raccoon  township,  being  among 
the  first  settlers  there,  where  they  developed 
a  farm  and  where  they  both  died.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eleven  children,  two  of 
whom  are  living  in  1908.  Matthew  is  liv- 
ing in  Dix  township,  Jefferson  county,  and 
Elizabeth,  the  widow  of  Josiah  Jacobs,  is 
living  in  Marion  county,  Illinois. 

John  Telford,  who  spent  nearly  all  his 
life  in  Jefferson  county,  this  state,  was  a 
farmer,  a  well  known  and  highly  esteemed 
citizen.  He  died  January  28,  1898,  and  his 
wife  passed  away  January  5,  1902.  Three 
children  were  born  to  them,  namely:  Julia 
Ann;  Joseph  C.,  a  farmer  living  in  Raccoon 
township;  Charles  R.,  a  farmer  living  on  the 
old  place  in  Jefferson  county.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  and  wife  have  four  children 
living  and  two  deceased,  namely:  John  A., 
a  fanner  in  Jefferson  county.  Grand  Prarie 
township.  He  married  Elizabeth  Satterfield 
and  they  have  eight  children.  Minnie,  the 
second  child,  is  the  wife  of  Ira  Sanders,  liv- 


ing in  Boyd  township,  Jefferson  county,  and 
is  the  mother  of  four  children;  Claude  C. 
married  Mecka  Burge.  He  is  a  farmer  and 
real  estate  dealer  in  Raccoon  township  and 
they  have  three  children.  Flora,  the  sub- 
ject's fourth  child,  is  the  wife  of  Morris 
Fisher,  of  Centralia.  She  is  a  milliner  and 
dressmaker.  The  subject's  children  were  ed- 
ucated in  the  home  schools,  Flora  being  edu- 
cated in  the  St.  Louis  high  school. 

In  1870,  after  the  subject's  marriage,  he 
located  in  Raccoon  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty, where  he  secured  forty  acres  of  land  in 
section  32.  By  thrift,  industry  and  good 
management  he  has  added  on  to  his  original 
farm  until  he  now  has  a  vary  valuable  and 
highly  productive  place,  consisting  of  one 
hundred  and  seventy-seven  acres.  He  has 
made  all  the  improvements  on  the  farm  on 
which  he  does  a  general  farming  business 
and  raises  fruits  of  all  kinds.  In  1885  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Boles  went  to  Finney  county,  Kan- 
sas, where  they  remained  for  two  years,  then 
returned  to  Marion  county,  where  they  lived 
ever  since. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  Crabtree  Post  No. 
600,  at  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois. 


WILLIAM  H.  DOBBS. 

The  following  record  is  that  of  a  man 
who  has  been  willing  to  toil  and  apply  his 
talents  in  a  tireless  and  persistent  manner  in 
order  to  gain  success ;  consequently  he  is 


646 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


well  deserving  the  high  position  that  is  now 
his. 

William  H.  Dobbs  was  born  on  Tennes- 
see Prairie,  Marion  county,  this  state,  Au- 
gust 12,  1843,  the  son  of  William  and  Mar- 
tha (Farmer)  Dobbs,  both  natives  of  Ten- 
nessee, who  grew  up  and  married  in  that 
state  and  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
in  an  early  day.  He  devoted  his  life  to 
farming  and  died  in  this  county  in  about 
1845.  His  wife  married  a  second  time,  her 
last  husband  being  John  Bundy,  a  farmer. 
They  lived  in  Raccoon  township,  this  coun- 
ty. The  subject's  mother  died  in  Jefferson 
county  and  John  Bundy  died  in  Raccoon 
township.  Five  children  were  born  to  the 
subject's  father  and  mother,  namely:  La- 
vina,  married  a  Mr.  Brown  and  moved  to 
Texas;  Eliza  maried  Israel  Fout,  and  they 
are  both  deceased ;  John,  who  was  a  farmer, 
died  in  1893.  He  married  Mary  Rush,  who 
still  lives  in  Jefferson  county,  this  state.  Mar- 
tha and  William  H.,  twins,  were  the  young- 
est children.  Martha  married  Eli  Watkins ; 
they  are  both  deceased. 

The  subject's  mother  had  two  children  by 
her  second  marriage,  namely:  one  died  in 
infancy,  and  Elizabeth,  who  married  John 
Mercer,  and  who  is  deceased.  They  lived 
in  Raccoon  township. 

The  subject  had  only  a  limited  chance  to 
go  to  school.  However,  he  attended  a  sub- 
scription school  and  lived  with  his  folks  un- 
til his  step-father,  John  Bundy,  died,  when 
he  went  to  live  with  his  brother,  John,  in 
Jefferson  county,  this  state.  Our  subject 
was  one  of  the  brave  sons  of  Illinois  who 


went  forth  in  the  Union  ranks  to  save  the 
nation  during  the  dark  days  of  the  sixties, 
having  first  enlisted  December  15,  1861,  in 
Company  E,  Sixty-second  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  and  was  discharged  Decem- 
ber 23,  1863,  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas,  but 
re-enlisted  the  following  day  in  Company 
E,  the  same  regiment,  and  went  through  the 
war  as  a  private,  never  being  wounded  or 
taken  prisoner.  He  first  went  to  Cairo,  Illi- 
nois, and  then  to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  where 
he  remained  for  three  weeks,  then  to  Colum- 
bus, Kentucky,  and  marched  to  Kenton, 
Tennessee,  and  on  to  Lagrange.  Then  went 
to  Jackson,  Tennessee,  and  Holly  Springs, 
Mississippi,  and  returned  to  Jackson  after 
the  capture  of  Holly  Springs  by  the  Con- 
federates. Then  to  Memphis  and  on  to  Lit- 
tle Rock  and  helped  capture  that  place  and 
was  at  Pine  Bluff  ten  months  doing  gar- 
rison duty.  He  came  home  on  a  thirty  days' 
furlough,  and  when  he  returned  to  his  com- 
pany and  regiment  the  former  veteranized  at 
Pine  Bluff,  where  he  remained  on  garrison 
duty  until  July  28,  1865,  and  was  ordered  to 
Fort  Gibson,  Cherokee  Nation,  Indian  Ter- 
ritory. He  went  on  the  steamer  "Gain"  to 
Fort  Smith,  arriving  there  August  i,  1865, 
where  the  company  boarded  the  steamer 
"Anna  Jacobs."  When  they  reached  the 
fort  they  were  placed  on  garrison  duty.  They 
started  to  Little  Rock  on  February  20,  1866, 
to  be  mustered  out,  having  marched  fifteen 
miles,  encamping  at  Green  Leaf  Creek,  In- 
dian Territory.  They  marched  twenty  miles 
the  second  day,  marched  twenty  miles  the 
third  day,  sixteen  miles  the  fourth,  arriving 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


647 


at  Fort  Smith  February  27th,  where  they 
boarded  the  steamer  "York"  and  started  for 
Little  Rock,  where  they  were  mustered  out 
March  6,  1866.  He  went  by  the  steamer 
"Lady  Franklin"  to  Pine  Bluffs,  then  to 
Memphis,  to  Cairo,  then  to  Camp  Butler, 
Springfield,  Illinois.  The  subject  was  un- 
der Capt.  L.  L.  Humphrey,  and  he  was  dis- 
charged March  6,  1866,  at  Little  Rock,  Ar- 
kansas. 

After  the  war  the  subject  came  home  and 
on  May  27,  1866,  married  Barbara  Ann 
Rush,  of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  the 
daughter  of  Crawford  and  Malinda  (Cop- 
pie)  Rush,  the  former  a  native  of  Indiana, 
and  the  latter  of  North  Carolina.  They 
were  pioneers  of  Rome  township,  Jefferson 
county,  where  they  lived  on  a  farm.  Both 
died  there.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  who  grew  to  maturity,  five  of 
whom  are  now  living,  namely :  Elizabeth 
married  Enos  Copple  and  they  live  at  Wag- 
ner, Oklahoma ;  Mary  married  John  Dobbs, 
brother  of  the  subject,  who  is  deceased,  but 
she  is  living  in  Jefferson  county,  this  state; 
Phoebe  is  single ;  Riley  is  a  farmer  in  Rome 
township,  Jefferson  county ;  Barbara  Ann, 
wife  of  our  subject.  The  rest  of  the  chil- 
dren died  single.  Six  children  have  been 
born  to  the  subject  and  wife,  namely: 
Charles  E.,  who  married  Clara  Cruzen  in 
1898,  is  a  carpenter,  mason  and  a  mill  man 
in  Centralia  township ;  Rosie,  who  married 
T.  M.  Faulkner,  of  Centralia  township,  has 
ten  children  living  and  two  dead;  Zellie, 
who  married  J.  D.  Grove,  of  Indianapolis, 
Indiana,  is  the  mother  of  three  children; 


Alta  married  Wiley  Copple  and  they  live  in 
San  Bernardino,  California,  being  the  par- 
ents of  four  children;  John  served  in  the 
regular  army,  having  been  a  member  of 
Company  E,  Fourth  Regiment,  for  three 
years.  He  was  in  the  Spanish-American 
war,  and  is  now  living  in  the  West.  William 
Ora,  the  sixth  child,  lives  in  Southern  Cal- 
ifornia. 

After  their  marriage  the  subject  and  wife 
located  in  Rome  township,  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, this  state,  where  they  bought  a  farm.  In 
1879  they  came  to  Centralia  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  and  bought  sixty  acres,  where 
he  now  lives,  having  built  his  home  in  1880, 
and  he  made  all  the  other  improvements  on 
the  place.  He  has  a  fine  country  home  and 
an  excellent  farm,  well  improved  in  every 
respect,  and  he  carries  on  general  farming, 
raises  fruits  of  all  kinds,  and  keeping  good 
horses,  cattle  and  hogs,  it  being  his  aim  to 
keep  all  his  stock  well  bred.  He  has  al- 
ways been  a  farmer  and  long  considered 
one  of  the  best  in  the  county.  He  and  his 
good  wife  started  in  life  with  but  little  prop- 
erty, but  being  hard  workers  and  economical 
they  have  gained  definite  success. 


JACOB  COPPLE. 

It  is  hard  for  the  present  generation  to 
properly  appreciate  the  brave  deeds  of  the 
"boys  in  blue,"  who  sacrificed  so  much  on 
the  altar  of  patriotism  during  the  sixties, 
but  as  years  go  by  the  immensity  of  their 


648 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,,  ILLINOIS- 


deeds  will  be  realized  to  a  fuller  extent  and 
each  veteran  will  be  accorded  full  measure 
of  credit  and  praise.  The  gentleman  whose 
name  appears  above  is  a  member  of  this 
great  number  of  patriots. 

Jacob  Copple  was  born  in  Clark  county, 
Indiana,  December  23,  1835,  the  son  of  An- 
drew and  Christina  (Fine)  Copple,  both  na- 
tives of  North  Carolina,  who  were  among 
the  pioneers  in  the  vicinity  of  Walnut 
Hill,  Illinois,  where  they  lived  for  a 
short  time,  then  moved  to  Raccoon 
township,  Marion  county.  He  secured  wild 
land  and  developed  a  good  farm,  on  which 
he  and  his  wife  both  died.  He  was  a  Demo- 
crat, but  held  no  office,  and  an  active  mem- 
ber of  the  Christian  church.  The  subject's 
mother  was  twice  married,  first  to  James 
Snow,  and  she  had  two  sons  by  this  mar- 
riage, William  and  James,  the  former  a 
farmer  and  the  latter  a  minister  in  the  Chris- 
tian church  for  many  years.  They  are  both 
deceased. 

Four  children  were  born  to  Andrew  Cop- 
ple and  wife,  namely:  Jacob,  our  subject; 
John  L.,  deceased,  who  lived  in  Raccoon 
township  on  a  farm  and  was  also  a  black- 
smith ;  Simpson  is  living  in  Hood  River, 
Oregon,  a  retired  farmer;  Mary  Elizabeth 
is  the  widow  of  Robert  Sanders,  who  lives 
in  Raccoon  township. 

Our  subject  had  only  a  limited  amount  of 
schooling  in  his  youth,  but  he  became  self- 
educated  and  he  taught  five  terms  of  winter 
schools  in  a  most  successful  manner.  He 
was  married  in  March,  1856,  to  Malinda  F. 
McCullough,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  the 


daughter  of  Thomas  McCullough,  of  Ten- 
nessee, who  were  among  the  early  settlers 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  having  located 
on  a  farm.  Mr.  McCullough  lived  to  be 
over  eighty  years  old.  His  wife  survived 
him,  dying  in  1844.  The  subject's  wife 
died  November  20,  1901.  Seven  children 
were  born  to  them,  five  of  whom  grew  to 
maturity,  namely:  Rebecca  J.,  who  married 
J.  H.  Creed,  and  who  lived  in  Centralia 
township,  died  in  1884,  after  becoming  the 
mother  of  three  children;  Charles  L.,  a  ho- 
tel keeper  living  near  Portland,  Oregon,  is 
married  and  has  four  sons:  Theopolis  V.,  a 
farmer  living  in  Raccoon  township,  is  sin- 
gle; Samuel  A.,  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  town- 
ship, married  Florence  Copple  and  has  three 
children;  George  F.,  deceased,  married  Min- 
nie McMillin,  and  became  a  farmer  near 
Walnut  Hill.  These  children  were  educat- 
ed in  the  home  schools  and  are  all  fairly 
well  situated  in  reference  to  business  and 
homes. 

Mr.  Copple,  as  already  intimated,  was  a 
soldier  during  the  war  of  the  Rebellion,  hav- 
ing enlisted  on  April  6,  1865,  in  Company 
H,  Fifty-third  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry. 
He  first  went  to  New  York  City,  being  sick 
with  the  measles,  and  came  home  in  1865, 
and  was  sick  until  the  spring  of  1866.  He 
had  moved  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  in 
1 86 1,  and  he  lived  there  until  1881,  when  he 
moved  to  Raccoon  township,  where  he 
bought  the  Robert  Rainey  farm.  His  fine 
farm  now  consists  of  one  hundred  and 
twelve  acres  and  he  carries  on  general  farm- 
ing, and  stock  raising  in  a  most  successful 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


649 


manner,  having  his  farm  highly  improved 
and  carefully  tilled.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  has  taken  much  interest  in  pub- 
lic affairs.  He  has  been  School  Director 
and  he  cast  his  first  vote  for  Abraham  Lin- 
coln, but  since  1876  he  has  been  a  Populist 
and  he  has  the  splendid  record  of  having 
been  a  member  of  the  Christian  church  for 
the  past  fifty  years.  Our  subject  has  been 
retired  since  1900,  when  he  bought  a  home 
in  Walnut  Hill,  where  he  has  since  lived. 


JOSEPH  PORTER  ROOT. 

One  of  the  venerable  and  highly  respected 
citizens  of  Marion  county  is  he  whose  name 
appears  above,  a  man  whose  life  has  been 
led  along  useful  and  conservative  lines,  re- 
sulting in  good  to  those  with  whom  he  came 
in  contact  and  resulting  in  success  to  him- 
self and  family. 

Joseph  Porter  Root  was  born  August  4, 
1828,  in  Orange  county,  Vermont,  the  son 
of  King  and  Elizabeth  (Bacheldor)  Root, 
both  natives  of  Orange  county,  Vermont, 
the  former's  father  and  mother  also  being 
natives  of  that  county.  Jethro  Bacheldor 
was  the  subject's  maternal  grandfather.  He 
and  his  wife  were  both  natives  of  New 
Hampshire.  The  subject's  father,  who  grew 
up  and  married  in  Vermont,  was  a  very  ac- 
tive man,  a  great  drummer,  and  a  farmer 
by  occupation.  Both  he  and  his  wife  died 
in  Vermont ;  the  latter  was  a  member  of  the 
Free  Will  Baptist  church.  The  former  was 
a  Democrat.  They  were  the  parents  of  thir- 


teen children,  twelve  of  whom  grew  to  ma- 
turity and  married.  The  subject  had  one 
brother,  Lawton,  a  farmer,  who  came  west 
in  about  1838,  going  to  Chicago  and  down 
the  Mississippi  river  and  through  Southern 
Illinois  and  in  two  years  went  back  to  Ver- 
mont. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  received 
only  a  limited  schooling  when  a  boy,  lived 
at  home  with  his  parents  until  he  reached 
manhood.  In  early  life  he  worked  as  a  turn- 
er at  the  lathe  and  made  tool  handles.  In 
1852  he  came  west  unaccompanied  and  lo- 
cated in  Marion  county  where  Centralia  now 
stands.  The  country  was  then  wild  and  he 
has  seen  the  development  of  the  community, 
taking  no  small  part  in  the  great  work.  There 
was  no  railroad  in  the  county  when  he  came 
here.  He  went  into  partnership  with  Rob- 
ert Hensley  in  1854  and  put  up  a  steam  saw- 
mill on  Fulton  creek,  the  first  mill  in  that 
locality.  Lumber  was  sawed  here  for  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  Company  to  be 
used  in  the  construction  of  round  houses, 
shops  and  buildings  in  general.  Our  sub- 
ject operated  the  mill  for  about  two  years, 
when  he  sold  it  and  went  into  partnership 
with  Josiah  Gilkey  and  they  made  wheel 
barrows  and  such  implements  by  hand  and 
later  took  up  painting.  He  secured  land 
and  started  to  make  a  home. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  on 
June  14,  1856,  to  Sarah  Ann  Stradley,  of 
Ashville,  North  Carolina,  who  was  born 
November  20,  1832,  the  daughter  of  David 
and  Mary  (Bruce)  Stradley,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  England  and  the  latter 
in  North  Carolina.  Mr.  Stradley  was  sent 


650 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


by  a  syndicate  to  Mexico  to  look  after  their 
interests  in  a  silver  mine,  and  he  remained 
there  three  years.  He  had  relatives  in  North 
Carolina,  where  he  went  and  in  which  state 
he  was  married,  and  later  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  settling  in  Centralia  town- 
ship, where  he  got  land,  where  he  and  his 
wife  both  died. 

The  wife  of  the  subject,  a  woman  of  many 
beautiful  traits  of  character,  passed  to  her 
rest  August  24,  1898. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  lived  in 
Centralia  township,  having  cleared  land  and 
made  a  good  and  comfortable  home  and 
where  he  lived  in  ease  until  the  death  of  his 
wife,  since  which  time  he  has  lived  among 
his  children.  Eight  children  were  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife  as  follows:  Mary  E., 
born  August  8,  1857,  married  Oliver  P. 
Moore;  they  live  in  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois, and  are  the  parents  of  eight  children, 
one  deceased.  Erastus  S.,  the  second  child, 
was  born  September  20,  1859,  married  Celia 
Wood ;  they  live  in  Centralia,  this  county, 
and  are  the  parents  of  eight  children,  two 
being  deceased;  King  David  was  born  Oc- 
tober 24,  1 86 1,  married  Orphelia  Van  Hou- 
ten,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren and  make  their  home  in  Centralia; 
Charles  Burdette,  who  was  born  September 
11,  1863,  married  Edith  Creed;  he  is  a 
farmer  and  teacher  in  Centralia  township, 
being  the  parents  of  three  children,  one  child 
being  deceased.  Joseph  Elmer,  the  fifth 
child,  was  born  May  8,  1866,  is  a  farmer  in 
Centralia  township,  married  Mary  Bates, 
and  they  have  three  children  living  and  one 


dead.  Jethro  Bacheldor,  the  sixth  child,  was 
born  March  4,  1870,  and  married  Mollie 
Burge,  of  Centralia,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren. Ella  B.  was  born  April  25,  1872,  mar- 
ried Lloyd  Burge,  living  at  Hyattville,  Wyo- 
ming, and  they  are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren; Cyrus,  the  youngest  child,  was  born 
October  6,  1878,  married  Grace  Burge,  of 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  Jar- 
rett  and  Susan  (Warren)  Burge,  both  of 
this  county.  They  were  of  Virginia  and 
Tennessee  stock.  Jarrett  Burge  lived  all  of 
his  life  in  Marion  county,  this  state,  on  a 
farm.  He  now  lives  one  mile  east  of  Odin. 
His  wife  died  in  January,  1904. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Cyrus  Root  are  the  parents 
of  three  children,  namely :  Earl,  Evelyn  and 
Lavinia.  Our  subject  is  regarded  as  one  of 
the  representative  farmers  of  Centralia 
township,  having  always  devoted  his  life  to 
the  farm.  However,  he  has  been  practically 
retired  since  1898.  He  is  a  Democrat;  his 
wife  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church. 
Mr.  Root  is  a  remarkably  well  preserved  man 
for  his  advanced  age,  still  hale  and  hearty. 
He  is  a  great  reader  and  is  well  posted.  He 
started  in  life  in  a  small  way,  but  being  in- 
dustrious and  a  good  manager,  he  has 
achieved  success  and  is  today  one  of  the 
substantial  men  of  the  county. 


CHARLES  F.  DEW. 

The  gentleman  whose  career  is  briefly 
sketched  in  the  following  lines  is  an  in- 
fluential member  of  the  Marion  County  Bar, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


who  by  reason  of  his  professional  success 
has  been  honored  from  time  to  time  with  po- 
sitions of  responsiblity  and  trust.  He  also 
holds  worthy  prestige  as  a  citizen,  being  in- 
terested in  whatever  tends  to  benefit  his  fel- 
low men,  and  in  matters  of  public  import. 
His  reputation  as  an  influential  factor  and 
trusted  leader  is  duly  recognized  and  ap- 
preciated. 

Charles  F.  Dew  is  one  of  Illinois'  native 
sons  and  a  descendant  of  an  old  Virginia 
family  that  was  first  represented  in  the  West 
by  his  grandfather,  Rev.  John  Dew,  a 
Methodist  minister  of  much  more  than  local 
repute  and  one  of  the  leading  men  of  his 
church  in  the  central  and  southern  parts  of 
the  state.  This  eminent  pioneer  divine  was 
the  intimate  associate  and  co-laborer  of  the 
celebrated  Peter  Cartwright,  whom  he  as- 
sisted in  evangelistic  work  among  the  early 
settlers,  and  his  name  frequently  occurs  in 
the  latter's  autobiography  and  personal  rem- 
iniscences. He  was  not  only  an  able  and 
earnest  preacher,  but  also  a  prominent  edu- 
cator and  to  his  efforts  more  perhaps  than 
to  those  of  any  other  man  is  due  the  found- 
ing of  McKendree  College,  of  which  he  was 
the  first  president.  Subsequently  he  served 
for  many  years  on  the  board  of  directors  of 
that  institution  and  was  untiring  in  promot- 
ing its  interests  by  every  means  at  his  com- 
mand. He  migrated  from  Virginia  in  a  very 
early  day  and  settled  originally  near  Tren- 
ton, Clinton  county,  but  spent  the  greater 
portion  of  his  time  in  ministerial  work  in 
different  parts  of  the  state  and  establishing 
churches,  many  of  which  are  still  in  exist- 
ence and  flourishing  organization. 


Henry  P.  Dew,  son  of  the  above  and 
father  of  the  subject,  was  born  in  St.  Clair 
county,  Illinois,  in  the  year  1833.  He  mar- 
ried in  1 86 1,  Sarah  C.  Arrowsmith,  whose 
birth  occurred  in  June,  1838,  and  who  bore 
him  three  children,  namely:  Edward,  died 
in  early  years,  Lulu,  who  also  died  young, 
and  Charles  F.,  whose  name  introduces  this 
sketch.  Henry  P.  Dew  departed  this  life 
at  Odin,  Illinois,  in  the  year  1872,  his  wife, 
who  is  still  living,  makes  her  home  with 
Charles  F.,  her  only  surviving  child.  The 
Arrowsmiths  moved  to  Illinois  from  Ohio 
and  were  among  the  early  settlers  of  Marion 
county,  the  parents  of  Mrs.  Dew  locating 
near  Salem  in  1848.  Mr.  Arrowsmith  pur- 
chased land  and  in  due  time  became  a  pros- 
perous farmer  and  praiseworthy  citizen.  He 
reared  a  family  of  eight  children,  three  sons 
and  five  daughters,  and  with  his  good  wife 
has  for  a  number  of  years  been  sleeping  the 
sleep  of  the  just. 

Charles  F.  Dew  was  born  March  20,  1866, 
in  Washington  county,  Illinois,  and  received 
his  preliminary  education  in  the  public 
schools,  this  training  being  afterwards  sup- 
plemented by  a  course  in  the  high  school  of 
Centralia,  where  he  was  graduated  in  1883. 
Actuated  by  an  earnest  desire  to  add  to  his 
scholastic  knowledge,  he  subsequently  en- 
tered McKendree  College,  where  he  prose- 
cuted his  studies  until  completing  the  pre- 
scribed course  and  receiving  the  degree  of 
Bachelor  of  Science,  after  which  he  engaged 
in  educational  work,  devoting  the  ensuing 
ten  years  to  teaching  in  the  schools  of  Illi- 
nois, Missouri  and  Minnesota. 

Mr.  Dew  achieved  honorable  distinction 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


as  an  educator,  and  while  in  the  profession 
taught  in  the  schools  of  St.  Louis,  Kansas 
City,  and  served  for  some  time  as  superin- 
tendent of  the  public  schools  of  Rush  City, 
Minnesota,  in  the  meantime  receiving  from 
his  alma  mater  the  degree  of  Master  of 
Science.  Although  a  natural  teacher  and 
fond  of  the  work,  he  had  no  intention  of 
making  it  his  permanent  calling.  Accord- 
ingly, in  1893,  he  retired  from  the  school 
room  and  began  the  study  of  law  in  the  of- 
fice of  Judge  William  Stoker,  of  Centralia. 
After  three  years  of  close  application,  un- 
der the  direction  of  that  able  lawyer  and 
jurist,  he  took  the  required  examination  at 
Springfield  and  received  his  license  to  prac- 
tice in  the  state  and  federal  courts,  his  ad- 
mission to  the  bar  bearing  the  date  of  1896. 
The  year  in  which  he  was  granted  his  li- 
cense, Mr.  Dew  engaged  in  the  practice  of 
his  profession  at  Centralia,  and  after  expe- 
riencing the  usual  difficulties  which  beset  the 
young  attorney  at  the  beginning  of  his  ca- 
reer, he  forged  rapidly  to  the  front  among 
the  successful  lawyers  of  the  city,  and  in 
due  time  built  up  a  large  and  satisfactory 
legal  business.  His  habits  of  study  and  con- 
centration together  with  his  previous  ex- 
perience as  a  teacher  were  greatly  in  his 
favor  and  he  brought  to  his  profession  a 
well  disciplined  mind,  which  enabled  him  to 
grow  in  public  favor  within  a  comparatively 
brief  period.  In  connection  with  the  duties 
of  his  calling,  he  became  actively  interested 
in  political  affairs  and  it  was  not  long  until 
he  acquired  considerable  political  prestige, 
not  only  locally,  but  in  district  and  state 


matters  as  well.  In  recognition  of  valuable 
political  resources  as  well  as  by  reason  of 
his  fitness  for  the  position,  he  was  elected 
City  Attorney  of  Centralia,  and  so  ably  did 
he  discharge  his  official  functions  that  he 
was  twice  chosen  his  own  successor.  His 
record  while  looking  after  the  interest  of 
the  municipality  was  without  a  blemish  and 
compared  favorably  with  those  of  his 
predecessors. 

As  a  lawyer  Mr.  Dew  stands  deservedly 
high  and  his  career  thus  far  has  been  char- 
acterized by  continuous  advancement  and  a 
success  such  as  few  of  his  professional  ex- 
perience attain.  He  is  well  grounded  in  the 
principles  of  jurisprudence  and  by  critical 
study  has  become  so  familiar  with  the  lead- 
ing authorities  that  he  experiences  little  dif- 
ficulty in  applying  his  knowledge  to  practice 
or  in  successfully  competing  with  older  and 
more  experienced  men.  He  is  regarded  as  a 
safe  and  judicious  counselor,  careful  and 
methodical  in  the  preparation  of  legal  pa- 
pers and  all  matters  entrusted  to  him  are 
sure  to  receive  his  earnest  attention  and  to  be 
attended  to  with  promptness  and  dispatch. 

Mr.  Dew  is  a  man  of  scholarly  tastes  and 
an  influential  factor  in  the  literary  life  of 
Centralia.  His  office  in  the  Ramer  Build- 
ing on  North  Locust  street  is  not  only  fre- 
quented by  clients  and  those  deserving  legal 
advice,  but  it  is  also  a  favorite  resort  of  the 
intellectually  inclined,  for  therein  are  fre- 
quently considered  and  discussed  matters  of 
high  import  in  which  only  men  of  like  tastes 
and  inclinations  have  an  interest.  Mr.  Dew 
is  a  member  of  the  Masonic  fraternity  and 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


653 


the  order  of  Woodmen,  and  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  represents  his  religious 
creed.  Although  earnest  in  his  views  and 
with  the  courage  of  his  convictions  on  all 
subjects,  he  is  a  man  of  liberal  ideas  and 
only  requires  the  same  respect  for  his  own 
opinions  that  he  accords  to  the  opinions  of 
those  who  may  differ  from  him.  Mr.  Dew 
was  happily  married  on  the  25th  day  of  No- 
vember, 1908,  to  Hattie  H.  Porter,  of  Cen- 
tralia,  daughter  of  William  and  Rose  R. 
(Ray)  Porter,  early  settlers  of  Salem.  Mrs. 
Dew's  grandfather  was  one  of  the  large 
land  owners  of  Marion  county  and  for  many 
years  a  leading  citizen  of  the  county  in  which 
he  lived. 


SAMUEL  SHOOK. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  for  many 
years  ranked  among  the  modern  agricul- 
turists of  this  section  of  the  state,  where  his 
entire  life  has  been  spent,  resulting  in  the 
accomplishment  of  a  comfortable  living  for 
himself  and  family. 

Samuel  Shook  was  born  in  Centralia 
township,  Marion  county,  September  15, 
1845,  the  son  of  Amos  and  Martha  (Shel- 
ton)  Shook,  the  former  a  native  of  Penn- 
sylvania and  the  latter  of  Georgia.  Amos 
Shook  came  to  Illinois  when  a  boy  with  his 
uncle,  Samuel  Shook,  and  located  near  Belle- 
ville, when  the  present  state  was  still  a  ter- 
ritory. The  uncle  procured  land  in  Centra- 
lia township,  being  among  the  very  first  set- 
tlers here,  early  in  the  nineteenth  century.  He 


developed  a  farm,  making  a  comfortable 
home.  His  neighbors  were  Indians  and  wild 
beasts,  consequently  he  never  went  any  place 
without  his  rifle.  He  spent  the  remainder 
of  his  life  farming  in  Centralia  township. 
He  was  a  Baptist  preacher,  the  first  in  the 
locality,  preaching  around  in  the  homes  in 
log  cabins.  Amos  Shook,  the  subject's  father, 
who  had  little  chance  to  attend  school, 
grew  up  in  Centralia  township  and  was  a 
farmer  all  his  life,  a  leading  Democrat  in 
his  community,  but  held  no  public  office.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church.  He 
died  in  1877,  ar>d  his  wife  passed  to  her 
rest  in  1846.  He  was  twice  married,  his 
second  wife  being  Susan  Whitchurch,  of 
Centralia  township,  the  daughter  of  William 
Whitchurch,  of  St.  Clair  county,  this  state, 
having  been  pioneers  of  that  county. 

Eight  children  were  born  to  Amos  Shook 
and  his  first  wife,  two  of  whom  are  now 
living,  namely:  Sallie,  deceased;  Martha 
Jane;  Roanna,  deceased;  David,  deceased; 
Lucy  Ann,  deceased ;  James  H.,  a  farmer  in 
Wayne  county,  Illinois;  Morris,  deceased; 
Samuel,  our  subject.  Two  children  were 
born  to  Amos  Shook  and  his  second  wife, 
Robert  and  Ivy,  both  deceased. 

Our  subject  had  only  a  limited  schooling 
in  the  early  subscription  schools,  but  he  made 
the  best  use  possible  of  his  opportunities  and 
is  today  a  well  read  man. 

Mr.  Shook  was  happily  married  March 
9,  1865,  to  Julia  A.  Garren,  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  having  been  born  there  in 
1846,  the  daughter  of  Alexander  and  Betsy 
(Copple)  Garren,  natives  of  Indiana,  who 


654 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


came  to  Centralia  township,  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  having  been  pioneers  of  that  locality. 
Mr.  Garren  died  in  Marion  county  and  his 
wife's  death  occurred  in  Jefferson  county. 
He  was  twice  married,  his  second  wife  be- 
ing Roxanna  Hudlow,  a  widow.  Four  chil- 
dren were  born  to  Alexander  Garren  and  his 
first  wife,  namely:  William,  John,  Eli,  all 
three  deceased ;  Julia  Ann,  the  subject's  wife. 
The  following  children  were  born  to  Alex- 
ander Garren  and  his  second  wife,  namely: 
Riley.  who  lives  in  Missouri;  Robert  and 
Phoebe,  both  deceased;  Alexander,  Jr.,  a  liv- 
eryman at  Walnut  Hill ;  Lewis,  deceased. 

Eight  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  five  of  whom  are  now  living, 
namely:  Melvin,  a  farmer  at  Lane,  South 
Dakota ;  Albert,  a  farmer  in  Centralia  town- 
ship; Ira,  deceased;  Plannie,  deceased; 
George,  deceased;  Frank,  a  farmer  on  the 
old  home  place ;  Elmer,  a  farmer  at  Lane, 
South  Dakota;  Myrtle  May,  living  in  Cen- 
tralia township. 

After  the  subject's  marriage  he  located 
where  he  now  lives  in  Centralia  township 
and  erected  a  substantial  house  and  barn 
and  made  all  of  the  improvements  on  the 
place,  which  are  extensive  and  equal  to  any 
in  the  county.  He  has  lived  on  this  place 
continuously  since  that  time.  He  has  al- 
ways been  a  farmer  and  stock  raiser,  having 
been  highly  successful  at  each,  being  con- 
sidered by  his  neighbors  and  those  who  know 
him  as  one  of  the  leading  farmers  of  the 
township  and  an  excellent  judge  of  live 
stock.  He  is  a  Democrat,  but  has  held  no 
offices.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church. 


The  subject  is  one  of  those  patriotic  citi- 
zens who  felt  it  their  duty  to  offer  their 
services  in  defense  of  their  country  during 
the  sixties,  consequently  he  enlisted  in  1864 
in  Company  F,  Forty-eighth  Regiment,  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  at  Centralia.  He 
was  sent  to  Scottsboro,  Alabama,  and  was 
wounded  three  times,  first  at  Resaca,  hav- 
ing been  shot  through  the  right  shoulder.  He 
was  later  wounded  at  Fort  McAlister,  hav- 
ing been  shot  through  the  right  leg,  at  which 
battle  he  was  also  shot  through  the  left 
thigh.  He  was  under  Sherman  and  Gen. 
John  A.  Logan  in  the  Fifteenth  Army  Corps, 
Fourth  Brigade  and  Fourth  Division.  He 
took  part  in  all  the  battles  and  engagements 
of  his  regiment.  After  he  was  wounded  he 
was  first  sent  by  boat  to  Bedford,  South 
Carolina,  later  to  New  York,  and  then  to 
Quincy,  Illinois,  where  he  was  discharged 
May  13,  1865. 

Mr.  Shook  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  Post  No.  55,  at  Cen- 
tralia, Illinois;  also  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Wal- 
nut Hill,  this  state;  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
at  Centralia,  also  the'  Farmers'  Mutual  Ben- 
efit Association. 


EDWIN  L.  WELTON. 

The  record  of  a  life  well  spent,  of  tri- 
umph over  obstacles,  of  perseverance  under 
difficulties  and  steady  advancement  from  a 
modest  beginning  to  a  place  of  distinction 
in  the  industrial  world,  when  imprinted  on 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


655 


the  pages  of  a  history,  present  to  the  youth 
of  a  rising  generation  a  worthy  example. 
Such  a  life  is  that  of  the  gentleman  whose 
name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  review, 
who  is  at  this  writing  encumbent  of  the  re- 
sponsible position  of  postmaster  of  the  city 
of  Centralia,  Illinois,  and  the  able  and  con- 
scientious manner  in  which  he  has  ever 
looked  after  the  interests  of  this  city  have 
called  forth  much  praise  from  his  fellow 
townsmen. 

Edwin  L.  Welton  was  born  at  New  Al- 
bany, Indiana,  May  16,  1857,  the  son  of 
Tandy  and  Mary  E.  (Carlan)  Welton,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  Harrison 
county,  Indiana,  January  4,  1827,  and  is 
still  living  in  the  Hoosier  state.  The  mother 
of  the  subject  was  born  near  New  Albany, 
Indiana,  in  1832.  They  became  the  par- 
ents of  eleven  children,  of  whom  Edwin  L., 
our  subject,  was  the  sixth  in  order  of  birth. 
There  were  six  boys  and  five  girls,  seven  of 
whom  are  living. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  common  schools 
of  New  Albany.  He  early  began  working 
on  a  farm  and  later  in  the  Ohio  Falls  Iron 
Works  at  New  Albany.  He  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  young  manhood  without 
a  dollar,  but  possessing  courage  and  energy 
he  set  to  work  and  his  subsequent  career  has 
been  a  most  successful  one.  He  now  owns 
a  costly  and  well  furnished  home  in  Cen- 
tralia, besides  considerable  other  property 
in  real  estate,  and  his  rental  income  pays 
over  one  thousand  dollars  a  year  on  his  in- 
vestment. He  arrived  in  Centralia  Febru- 
ary n,  1879. 


After  coming  to  this  state  our  subject 
worked  for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  for 
a  period  of  seventeen  years  and  for  thirteen 
years  was  an  engineer  on  the  road,  having 
been  one  of  the  most  trusted  and  efficient 
employes  of  this  company.  He  also  worked 
for  some  time  in  the  nail  mills  of  Centralia. 

Our  subject  supports  his  aged  father  and 
mother,  which  he  has  done  for  years.  He 
subscribed  the  first  one  hundred  dollars  for 
the  erection  of  the  present  Catholic  hospital 
erected  in  Centralia  the  latter  part  of  1908. 

Our  subject  met  with  the  misfortune  to 
lose  his  left  eye  nine  years  ago  by  the  ex- 
plosion of  a  lubrication  glass  on  an  engine. 

Edwin  L.  Welton  first  married  Addie  J. 
Andrews,  of  Centralia,  October  17,  1882,  by 
whom  one  son  was  born,  Dwight  E.,  whose 
birth  occurred  July  22,  1884.  He  lived 
eight  months  and  seventeen  days,  having 
died  in  March.  1885.  The  subject's  first 
wife  passed  to  her  rest  October  15,  1887. 
Mr.  Welton  was  married  a  second  time,  his 
last  wife  being  Isabel  H.  See,  the  wedding 
occurring  January  31,  1894.  To  this  union 
five  children  have  been  born.  The  first  died 
in  infancy.  The  names  of  the  others  are 
Helen  F.,  Frederick  E.,  Winifred  L.  and 
Edna  L.,  all  living  at  home  and  attending 
school  in  1908.  Mrs.  Welton  is  the  daugh- 
ter of  C.  M  ^nd  Anna  M.  See,  of  Alma. 

Mr.  Welton  was  elected  Township  Col- 
lector in  1902,  the  duties  of  which  he  faith- 
fully performed,  as  he  did  also  while  serv- 
ing as  a  member  of  the  School  Board  of 
Centralia  from  1887  to  1889.  He  was  ap- 
pointed postmaster  of  Centralia  in  1903  and 
has  faithfully  continued  to  serve  the  people 


656 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


of  this  city  under  Roosevelt's  administra- 
tion, still  being  the  incumbent  of  this  office 
in  1908,  and  according  to  the  consensus  of 
opinion  is  one  of  the  best  postmasters  the 
city  has  ever  had,  possessing  as  he  does  a 
remarkable  executive  ability  and  being  of 
a  pleasing  address  he  is  popular  with  all 
classes. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Republican, 
having  always  voted  this  ticket  and  done 
what  he  could  in  furthering  the  interests  of 
his  party.  Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of 
the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  the  Blue 
Lodge,  also  Chapter,  Council  and  Com- 
mandery.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Knights 
of  Pythias,  the  Modern  Woodmen  and  the 
Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Engineers  and 
Firemen.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  members 
of  the  Order  of  Eastern  Star. 

Our  subject's  people  and  also  those  of  his 
wife  were  Methodists.  Mrs.  Welton  is  an 
active  member  of  this  church.  Mr.  Welton, 
while  not  affiliated  with  any  special  church, 
contributes  liberally  to  the  support  of  the 
Methodist  church  and  worships  there  with 
his  family,  being  a  stanch  believer  in  prac- 
tical, every-day  Christianity,  a  man  of  gen- 
erous disposition  who  has  always  given  his 
aid  and  influence  to  enterprises  for  the  pub- 
lic good,  and  since  becoming  a  resident  of 
Centralia  he  has  contributed  largely  to  the 
material  advancement  of  the  city  and  to  the 
social  and  moral  welfare  and  he  keeps 
abreast  of  the  times  jn  all  matters  in  which 
the  public  is  interested.  No  act  inconsistent 
with  the  strictest  integrity  has  ever  been 
imputed  to  him,  nor  has  his  name  ever  been 


connected  with  any  measure  or  movement 
that  would  not  bear  closest  and  most  crit- 
ical scrutiny.  Thus  far  his  official  career  has 
fully  demonstrated  the  wisdom  of  his  friends 
in  urging  his  selection  for  the  position  which 
he  holds. 


FATHER  JOHN  H.  BRUNS. 

Although  yet  a  young  man  the  gentleman 
whose  name  introduces  this  biographical 
sketch  has  accomplished  much  toward  ameli- 
orating the  condition  of  his  fellow  men, 
often  laboring  with  disregard  for  his  own 
welfare  if  thereby  he  might  attain  the  ob- 
ject he  sought — to  make  some  one  better, 
happier.  Such  a  life  as  his  is  rare  and  is 
eminently  worthy  of  emulation,  being 
singularly  free  from  all  that  is  deteriorating 
or  paltry,  for  his  influence  is  at  all  times 
uplifting  and  thousands  of  people  have  been 
made  better  for  having  known  him. 

Father  John  H.  Bruns,  who  has  done 
such  a  commendable  work  in  promulgating 
the  interests  of  the  Catholic  church  and 
school  in  Centralia,  Illinois,  was  born  in 
Borken,  Germany,  June  30,  1870,  the  son 
of  Joseph  and  Adalaid  (Rademacher) 
Bruns,  being  the  oldest  child  of  a  family  of 
eight  children.  He  came  to  America  in 
1880.  His  early  education  was  obtained  in 
the  common  schools  of  Europe  and  partly  at 
Pinckneyville,  Illinois.  Under  the  Fran- 
ciscan Fathers  at  Tentrepolis,  near  Effing- 
ham,  he  studied  the  classics  and  graduated 
in  1891  with  the  degree  of  Bachelor  of  Arts 


LIBRARY 

Of  THE 

HNIVPPSITY  OF  ILLINOIS. 


ST.  MARY'S  CATHOLIC  CHURCH. 
Centralia,  Illinois. 


REV,  JOHN  H.  BRUNS. 


UNKERIIOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


657 


and  as  the  valedictorian  of  his  class.  He  af- 
terward took  a  degree,  Master  of  Arts,  in  a 
school  of  philosophy  at  Quincy,  Illinois. 
Then  he  took  a  tree  years'  course  in  theology 
at  St.  Francis,  near  Milwaukee,  Wisconsin. 
Being  ambitious  our  subject  applied  himself 
in  a  most  assiduous  manner  to  his  studies 
and  made  an  excellent  record  in  all  those 
schools. 

Father  Bruns  was  ordained  to  the  priest- 
hood June  16,  1895,  and  soon  thereafter  as- 
signed to  be  assistant  pastor  at  St.  Peter's 
cathedral,  Belleville,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained for  a  period  of  eight  years,  having  in 
the  meantime  accomplished  much  in  the 
builing  up  of  this  organization  and  winning 
a  lasting  monument  in  the  hearts  of  the 
people  of  that  church.  Fie  was  appointed 
pastor  at  Centralia  August  20,  1903,  and  is 
at  this  writing,  1908,  carrying  on  the  work 
here  with  that  discretion,  energy  and  de- 
votion that  insures  abundant  success.  Many 
improvements  have  been  inaugurated  since 
his  coming,  among  which  might  well  be 
mentioned  the  installation  of  a  new  and 
modern  heating  system  in  the  church  and 
school,  an  addition  to  the  school  building, 
costing  about  three  thousand  and  one  hun- 
dred dollars,  the  purchase  of  a  cemetery  at 
a  cost  of  one  thousand  and  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, also  the  purchase  of  a  hospital  site  at 
a  cost  of  four  thousand  dollars.  He  has  la- 
bored faithfully  in  the  building  up  of  the 
church  and  the  school,  the  former  now  rep- 
resenting one  hundred  and  sixty  families, 
and  there  are  at  this  writing  one  hundred 
and  fifty-six  pupils  enrolled  in  the  school. 
42 


Three  teachers  are  employed  and  the  course 
includes  the  eighth  grade  work  and  a  com- 
plete course  of  bookkeeping.  Six  sisters  are 
employed  to  take  care  of  the  sick.  When 
the  work  on  the  new  hospital  is  completed 
a  large  number  of  sisters  of  the  highest 
efficiency  will  be  constantly  engaged  to  care 
for  the  sick  and  those  who  are  brought  for 
treatment.  The  church  building  is  one  of 
the  handsomest  in  the  city  and  would  be 
a  pride  to  any  city,  having  cost  fifty  thou- 
sand dollars.  The  parsonage  cost  four 
thousand  dollars,  and  the  school  building 
proper  cost  five  thousand  dollars,  the  second 
floor  of  the  school  building  having  an  ele- 
gant hall  and  stage,  where  entertainments 
and  other  exercises  are  held,  such  as  socials 
for  the  church  and  the  school.  The  original 
building  of  the  hospital  will  cost  when  com- 
pleted about  twenty-five  thousand  dollars. 
It  will  be  so  built  that  new  additions  can 
be  added  without  marring  the  beauty  and 
unity  of  any  part. 

It  has  been  no  small  task  to  do  what 
Father  Bruns  has  done.  It  required  much 
hard  work  and  a  zeal  and  perseverance  that 
only  those  who  were  closely  connected  with 
and  took  active  part  in  the  work  of  the 
parish  can  clearly  understand  and  appreciate. 
Beside  the  business  end  of  the  work,  he  has 
been  busy  in  building  up  the  parish  and 
raising  the  spiritual  standing  of  the  congre- 
gation, which  is  now  in  a  good  condition, 
both  temporal  and  spiritual. 

In  the  purchase  of  property,  the  erection 
of  buildings  and  in  looking  after  the  trans- 
actions attendant  upon  them  he  has  shown 


658 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


business  tact  and  energy,  as  well  as  a  spirit 
of  devotion  to  his  church.  His  acts,  both 
spiritual  and  temporal,  have  met  with  the 
united  approval  of  his  own  people  and  all 
others.  But  these  are  too  well  known  to 
require  further  detailed  mention,  and  the 
writer  knows  that  whatever  of  good  the 
reverend  priest  may  have  accomplished  he 
would  far  rather  have  it  engraved  on  the 
hearts  of  the  people  than  to  be  put  into 
print,  and  that  the  approval  of  his  own 
conscience  and  of  his  Divine  Master  are  the 
reward  he  wishes  for  his  labors  in  behalf  of 
the  church. 


HEXRY  L.  RHODES. 

No  compendium  such  as  the  province  of 
this  work  defines  in  its  essential  limitations 
will  serve  to  present  in  detail  the  interesting 
life  career  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  who 
is  well  known  in  Marion  county,  where  he 
has  long  maintained  his  home,  being  now  a 
retired  railroad  man  and  a  leading  member 
of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  No.  101 
— a  man  who  is  entitled  to  the  respect  of 
his  fellow  men  owing  to  the  well  ordered 
life  he  has  led. 

Harry  L.  Rhodes  was  born  at  Port  Jar- 
vis,  Orange  county,  New  York,  May  24, 
1829,  the  son  of  Simeon  and  Jane  (Mc- 
Daniels)  Rhodes,  the  latter  of  Scotch-Irish 
ancestry,  the  former  a  native  of  New  York 
and  of  German  ancestry.  Two  children 
were  born  to  them,  Henry  L.,  our  subject, 


being  the  oldest  of  the  two.  When  eight 
years  old  our  subject  went  on  the  tow  path 
where  he  remained  for  ten  years.  When 
eighteen  years  old  he  was  captain  of  a  boat 
on  the  Erie  canal.  After  he  entered  the  ser- 
vice of  the  Erie  Railroad  which  was  taking 
the  place  of  the  boat,  and  was  afterward 
conductor  for  seven  years  on  the  New  York 
&  Erie  Railroad.  In  April,  1856,  he  came 
to  Centralia  and  was  conductor  on  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  for  a  period  of  thirty- 
four  years,  then  retiring  to  private  life.  He 
gave  these  roads  the  very  best  of  service 
and  was  regarded  by  them  as  among  their 
best  and  most  trusted  employes.  By  his 
economy  and  industry  and  his  judicious  in- 
vestments, he  acquired  a  handsome  compe- 
tence and  is  now  considered  one  of  the  well- 
to-do  men  of  Centralia,  where  he  has  a  good 
home,  nicely  and  comfortably  furnished. 
His  success  has  been  worthy  his  honorable 
business  career. 

Henry  L.  Rhodes  married  in  Port  Jarvis, 
New  York,  in  1853,  to  Sarah  E.  Smith, 
and  the  following  children  have  been  born 
to  this  union :  George  H. ;  Libbie  is  the 
wife  of  B.  F.  Statlemeyer,  of  St.  Louis; 
William  A.  died  in  St.  Paul,  Minnesota, 
when  twenty-three  years  old. 

Our  subject  came  to  Illinois  in  1856  and 
began  railroading  as  a  passenger  conductor 
on  the  Illinois  Central,  where  he  remained 
for  a  period  of  forty-three  years.  He  was 
also  train  master  for  six  years. 

Having  ever  taken  considerable  interest 
in  the  development  of  Marion  county  in  all 
lines,  especially  politically,  he  was  elected 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


659 


Mayor  of  Centralia  which  office  he  very  ably 
and  acceptably  rilled  for  two  terms.  He  ex- 
ercises the  franchise  of  men  and  measures 
of  the  Republican  party,  and  he  feels  a  deep 
interest  in  all  political  affairs  and  is  well  in- 
formed on  all  the  leading  issues  of  the  day. 
He  has  been  a  frequent  delegate  to  the 
county,  congressional  and  state  conventions, 
and  in  1896  was  a  delegate  to  the  Republi- 
can National  Convention. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Rhodes  attend  the  Presby- 
terian church  at  Centralia,  which  they  liber- 
ally support.  Mr.  Rhodes  is  a  Master  Ma- 
son, having  filled  all  the  stations  in  the  local 
Blue  Lodge.  He  was  made  mark  master, 
past  master,  most  excellent  master  and 
Royal  Arch  Mason  of  No.  93 ;  then  council 
of  No.  28,  having  filled  the  highest  offices 
of  these  illustrious  masters  for  five  years. 
He  went  to  the  Commandery  and  served 
six  terms  as  eminent  commandery  of  the 
Scottish  Rite,  thirty-third  degree,  and  as  a 
life  member  served  as  sovereign  grand  and 
inspection  general  in  the  thirty-third  and 
last  degree.  Mr.  Rhodes  is  one  of  Cen- 
tralia's  best  known  men. 


LEWIS  H.  REED. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  well  earned 
the  honor  to  be  addressed  as  one  of  the 
progressive,  public-spirited  men  of  Marion 
county,  since  from  the  beginning  of  his 
residence  here  he  has  been  conspicuously  ac- 
tive, securing  for  himself  the  comforts  of 


life  and  home  and  an  ample  competence 
for  his  declining  years.  Mr.  Reed's  home 
is  at  Centralia,  where  he  is  engaged  in  the 
drug  business  and  wherever  he  is  known  he 
is  held  in  the  highest  esteem  owing  to  his 
life  of  honor  and  industry. 

Lewis  H.  Reed  was  born  in  Vermilion 
county,  Indiana,  December  20,  1849,  the 
son  of  John  W.  and  Sarah  (Ralston)  Reed, 
the  former  having  been  born  August  3, 
1822,  in  Stokes  county,  North  Carolina. 
He  came  to  Indiana  in  1832  with  his  par- 
ents, whose  family  consisted  of  six  children, 
five  boys  and  one  girl,  of  whom  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  was  the  third  in  order  of  birth. 
His  mother  was  born  February  7,  1827,  in 
Brown  county,  Ohio,  near  Georgetown,  and 
she  came  to  Indiana  when  quite  small,  her 
family  having  located  in  Vermilion  county. 
She  was  one  of  a  family  of  five  children, 
being  the  youngest  child.  John  W.  Reed 
was  a  Republican  and  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Protestant  church.  His  wife  was 
a  Presbyterian  in  her  youth,  having  been 
so  reared,  but  later  in  life  became  a  Metho- 
dist Protestant.  There  were  eight  children 
in  the  family  of  the  parents  of  our  subject, 
six  boys  and  two  girls,  the  subject  being 
the  oldest  in  order  of  birth.  ' 

Lewis  H.  Reed  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  of  Vermilion  county,  Indiana. 
He  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  twenty 
years  old.  He  then  entered  Ascension  Semi- 
nary in  Sullivan,  Sullivan  county,  Indiana. 
After  obtaining  a  good  education,  having 
made  a  splendid  record  for  scholarship  in 
the  last  named  school,  he  began  teaching, 


66o 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


which  profession  he  followed  with  great 
success  for  a  period  of  ten  years,  during 
which  time  he  became  well  known  as  an  able 
educator  and  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand, having  taught  many  successful  terms 
in  both  Illinois  and  Indiana. 

Believing  that  a  better  field  for  his  talents 
was  to  be  found  in  the  drug  business  he 
entered  the  same  on  March  28,  1879,  in 
St.  Bernice,  Indiana.  He  continued  in  the 
drug  business  at  St.  Bernice  until  1888, 
having  built  up  an  excellent  trade  and  mak- 
ing a  success  of  the  business  from  the  first. 
During  that  time  he  held  the  office  of  post- 
master under  President  Rutherford  B. 
Hayes,  having  begun  in  May,  i88i,and  con- 
tinued the  same  with  much  credit  to  himself 
and  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all  concerned 
for  five  years,  five  months  and  fifteen  days, 
when  he  resigned  and  moved  to  Mississippi, 
having  remained  one  winter  at  Ocean 
Springs.  In  1889  he  removed  to  Centralia, 
Illinois,  and  held  the  office  of  Town  Clerk 
for  two  terms,  in  a  manner  that  elicited 
praise  on  every  hand. 

Mr.  Reed  is  still  in  the  drug  business, 
having  one  of  the  best  equipped  and  neatest 
stores  in  Centralia  and  he  has  an  excellent 
patronage  numbering  many  customers 
throughout  the  county.  Owing  to  his  court- 
eous treatment  of  customers  and  his  inti- 
mate knowledge  of  the  drug  business  his 
trade  is  always  all  that  could  be  desired. 

Mr.  Reed  united  in  marriage  to  Isabella 
Benefiel  on  July  13,  1881.  She  is  the 
daughter  of  Robert  and  Mary  (Ingram) 
Benefiel,  of  Carlisle,  Indiana.  She  was  edu- 


cated in  Edgar  county,  Illinois.  Her  father 
met  an  untimely  death  by  being  killed  by  a 
horse. 

Mrs.  Reed  is  a  member  of  the  Pvthian 
Sisters,  Lotus  Temple  No.  8,  having 
passed  all  the  chairs.  She  is  a  teacher  in 
the  First  Methodist  Episcopal  church  Sun- 
day school,  having  been  identified  with 
Sunday  school  work  for  many  years.  She 
is  a  member  of  the  Ladies'  Aid  and  the 
Missionary  societies  of  the  church.  Both 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Reed  are  faithful  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Politically  our  subject  is  a  loyal  Repub- 
lican and  he  takes  a  great  interest  in  the 
affairs  of  his  party.  He  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
Queen  City  No.  179,  having  been  identi- 
fied with  the  same  for  the  past  twenty-five 
years  and  having  passed  all  the  chairs.  He 
has  been  representative  to  the  Grand  Lodge 
twice  at  Springfield,  Illinois.  He  is  also 
a  past  chief  patriarch  of  the  Centralia  En- 
campment No.  75,  having  represented  the 
Encampment  twice  at  Springfield.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  Helmet  lodge  No.  26, 
Knights  of  Pythias,  and  has  passed  all  the 
chairs  in  the  same. 


JULIUS  REINHARDT. 

Mr.  Reinhardt  is  one  of  those  characters 
whose  integrity  and  personality  must  force 
them  into  an  admirable  notoriety,  which 
their  modesty  never  seeks,  who  command 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


66 1 


the  respect  of  their  contemporaries  and  their 
posterity  and  leave  the  impress  of  their  in- 
dividuality upon  the  lives  of  those  with 
whom  they  come  in  contact. 

Julius  Reinhardt,  jeweler  and  musician  of 
Centralia,  Marion  county,  and  one  of  the 
representative  business  men  and  honorable 
citizens  of  this  locality,  was  born  in  Leba- 
non, Illinois,  May  16,  1874,  the  son  of 
Charles,  Sr.,  and  Marie  (Blass)  Reinhardt. 
The  father  of  the  subject  was  born  in  Ger- 
many, near  Saxony,  and  the  subject's 
mother  was  born  in  Bavaria,  Germany. 
They  came  to  America  when  young  and 
were  married  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  They 
are  now  both  deceased,  the  father  having 
been  called  from  his  earthly  labors  in  1905 
and  the  mother  passed  to  her  rest  in  1904. 
There  were  eight  children  in  their  family, 
seven  of  whom  are  living  in  1908,  our  sub- 
ject being  the  youngest  in  order  of  birth. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  public  schools  of 
Lebanon,  Illinois.  Later  he  attended  Mc- 
Kendree  College,  taking  a  business  course 
in  this  institution  and  making  a  splendid 
record  for  scholarship. 

The  domestic  life  of  our  subject  dates 
from  September  12,  1900,  when  he  was 
united  in  marriage  to  Alberta  Allmon,  the 
representative  of  an  influential  family  of 
Salem,  Illinois,  and  to  this  union  two  sons 
and  one  daughter  have  been  born,  namely: 
Edwin  A.,  Virginia  M.,  and  Julian,  the  two 
oldest  being  in  school  at  this  writing,  1908. 

Mr.  Reinhardt's  business  life  properly  be- 
gan in  1889,  when  he  launched  in  the  jew- 


elry business  in  Centralia,  having  first  lo- 
cated in  Buck's  drug  store,  conducting  a  re- 
pair shop.  Since  that  time  Mr.  Reinhardt 
has  been  known  as  a  conscientious  as  well 
as  a  skilled  workman.  He  conducted  this 
business  for  a  period  of  three  years,  when 
he  conducted  a  similar  business  with  like 
success  for  a  period  of  two  years  in  Zar- 
beck's  hardware  store.  He  started  in  with 
a  stock  of  jewelry  in  1889  and  he  has 
gradually  built  up  a  trade,  having  been  ex- 
tensively patronized  from  the  first,  until  he 
now  has  a  very  extensive  and  beautiful  stock 
of  goods  in  commodious  and  elegant  quar- 
ters, and  he  enjoys  a  liberal  income,'  al- 
ways treating  his  numerous  customers  with 
the  utmost  courtesy  and  giving  them  full 
value  received,  having  an  intimate  knowl- 
edge of  the  jewelry  business  and  giving 
them  the  benefit  of  this  knowledge  by  plac- 
ing the  best  goods  obtainable  in  his  store. 
In  politics  Mr.  Reinhardt  is  strictly  inde- 
pendent. There  are  many  features  of  each 
of  the  great  parties  which  commend  them- 
selves to  him,  but,  from  his  observation  and 
experience,  he  has  decided  that  far  more 
depends  on  the  man  than  on  the  platform. 
It  has  often  been  demonstrated  that  party 
pledges  have  never  yet  been  fabricated  out 
of  indestructible  material  and  sensible  peo- 
ple know  that  more  reliance  can  be  placed 
upon  the  word  and  work  of  a  truly  honest 
man  than  upon  the  most  sacred  pledge  of 
the  best  political  party  that  was  ever  or- 
ganized. Hence  the  man  and  not  the  party 
should  be  the  first  consideration  of  the  voter. 
That  the  subject  is  a  man  of  much  origin- 


662 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ality  of  thought  is  clearly  evidenced  by  the 
position  he  takes  in  politics. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  were  Presby- 
terians, but  Mr.  Reinhardt  is  not  affiliated 
with  any  church  organization,  but  his  sup- 
port can  always  be  depended  upon  in  the 
advancement  of  any  movement  looking  to 
the  religious,  moral,  civic  or  educational 
welfare  of  the  community.  In  his  fraternal 
relations  he  is  a  member  of  the  modern 
Woodmen. 

Mr.  Reinhardt  is  a  musician  and  is  a 
member  of  the  McNeil's  orchestra  of  the 
Pittenger  Grand  Opera  House  in  Centralia, 
one  of  the  leading  musical  organizations  in 
this  part  of  the  state.  Our  subject  has  thor- 
oughly mastered  the  English  language,  be- 
ing able  to  speak  either  English  or  German 
fluently.  He  is  a  man  of  genial  personality, 
a  perfect  type  of  the  true  gentleman. 


JOHN  L.  DAVIS. 

A  man  of  marked  individuality,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  review  is  a  typical  representative 
of  that  large  and  enterprising  class  of  busi- 
ness men  to  whom  the  great  commonwealth 
of  Illinois  owes  much  of  its  prosperity  and 
development,  and  his  record  shows  him  to 
have  been  faithful  in  the  performance  of  his 
duty  in  the  community,  to  his  neighbors  and 
to  himself. 

John  L.  Davis  was  born  in  Centralia, 
Marion  county,  April  30,  1858,  the  son  of 
Thomas  P.  and  Wilhemina  C.  (Beal)  Da- 


vis, the  former  having  been  born  in  Tennes- 
see, March  n,  1827.  The  mother  of  the 
subject  was  born  in  Steinfeld,  Germany, 
April  8,  1835.  They  were  married  in  Belle- 
ville, Illinois,  in  1853,  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  ten  children,  eight  boys  and  two 
girls,  our  subject  being  the  second  child  in 
order  of  birth.  The  subject's  father  was  a 
carpenter  and  contractor  in  Centralia,  to 
which  place  he  came  in  1855.  His  'death 
occurred  in  1899,  and  that  of  his  wife  No- 
vember 6,  1908.  Thomas  P.  Davis  was  a 
soldier  during  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in 
1862  in  Company  H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  as  a  private.  He  served 
with  bravery  and  valor  in  many  hard-fought 
battles  in  which  his  regiment  participated, 
and  became  corporal  of  his  company.  He 
was  mustered  out  in  the  fall  of  1864. 

John  L.  Davis  worked  first  on  the  fruit 
farms  in  Centralia  township,  until  he  was 
eighteen  years  old,  having  in  the  meantime 
attended  the  public  schools  in  Centralia, 
where  he  received  a  fairly  good  education, 
having  applied  himself  in  a  most  diligent 
manner  to  his  text-books.  He  went  to  work 
on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  when  a 
young  man  and  continued  in  the  employ  of 
the  same  until  1901,  having  given  this  com- 
pany entire  satisfaction.  Two  years  were 
spent  in  the  shoe  business,  and  in  1901  he 
returned  to  the  same  business  and  he  is  now 
to  be  found  daily  in  his  store  where  he  has  a 
liberal  patronage  owing  to  his  courtesy  and 
his  intimate  knowledge  of  the  shoe  business, 
always  giving  his  customers,  many  of  whom 
come  from  remote  parts  of  Marion  county, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


663 


the  worth  of  their  money,  for  he  handles  a 
high-class  line  of  goods.  His  store  is  well 
kept,  everything  about  it  showing  system 
and  careful  management.  The  store  is  lo- 
cated at  144  East  Broadway. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  C.  Marsh,  December  16,  1880.  She 
is  the  refined  daughter  of  R.  L.  T.  and 
Catherine  (Sherwood)  Marsh,  who  were 
the  parents  of  four  children,  our  subject's 
wife  being  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 

The  pleasant  and  comfortable  home  of 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Davis  has  been  brightened 
by  the  birth  of  the  following  children : 
Thomas  M.,  who  married  L.  Myrtle  Denny, 
living  at  Cliffs,  Washington ;  Ralph  R.,  who 
married  Edith  Pease,  and  who  is  living  in 
Springfield,  Idaho;  John  June  is  assistant 
State  Entomologist  at  Urbana,  Illinois; 
Harley  A.  is  in  the  Art  Institute  at  Chicago, 
Illinois;  Reba  C.  is  now  (1908)  at  home 
and  is  attending  high  school  at  Centralia. 

John  L.  Davis,  our  subject,  is  a  member 
of  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons,  Lodge 
No.  20 1 ;  the  Royal  Arch  Chapter  No.  93 ; 
Council  No.  28 ;  Commandery  No.  23 ; 
Oriental  Consistory  of  Chicago.  He  also 
belongs  to  the  Order  of  Railway  Conduc- 
tors, Centralia  Division,  No.  112. 

In  politics  Mr.  Davis  is  a  Republican  and 
takes  a  great  interest  in  local  affairs,  always 
desiring  good  men  in  the  county  offices  and 
lending  his  aid  in  placing  them. 

In  religious  matters  Mr.  Davis  is  identi- 
fied with  the  Baptist  church,  as  is  also  his 
wife  and  children. 

He  has  been   frequently  called   upon  to 


serve  the  public  in  some  official  capacity, 
and  has  very  ably  held  the  office  of  Alder- 
man for  one  term  and  has  been  on  the  Board 
of  Education  for  three  terms,  during  which 
time  the  interests  of  the  city  and  the  schools 
were  carefully  considered  by  Mr.  Davis  and 
much  good  accomplished  by  his  suggestions, 
which  were  usually  followed  out.  He  has 
filled  all  the  chairs  of  the  lodges  of  his  mem- 
bership to  the  Consistory,  and  is  now  treas- 
urer in  all  these  four  lodges  of  which  he  is 
a  very  loyal  member.  He  has  been  secretary 
of  the  railroad  division  of  the  lodge  of  Rail- 
road Conductors  since  1890,  and  also  was 
its  first  secretary,  from  1884  to  1886.  He 
was  also  chief  conductor  from  1886  to  1888. 


LUCIAN  O.  WILSON. 

Among  the  popular  citizens  of  Centralia, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  the  gentleman 
whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch,  the  well  known  assistant  postmas- 
ter, who  was  born  in  New  Albany,  Indiana, 
July  12,  1866,  the  son  of  Oliver  O.  and 
Maggie  E.  (Mathews)  Wilson.  His 
father's  family  consisted  of  three  children, 
our  subject  being  the  second  child  and  only 
son.  His  parents  were  both  natives  of  Indi- 
ana. Oliver  O.  Wilson  was  superintendent 
of  the  Indiana  Reformatory.  He  is  now  de- 
ceased, as  is  also  his  wife,  who  passed  away 
March  30,  1900.  Our  subject  was  five 
years  old  at  the  time  of  his  father's  death. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 


664 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


sketch  was  gained  in  the  public  schools, 
where  he  applied  himself  as  best  he  could 
and  gained  a  fairly  good  education.  He 
went  to  work  in  the  Nail  Mill  of  Centralia, 
working  for  two  years  as  a  nail  cutter,  and 
was  later  employed  by  F.  D.  Rexford,  of 
the  Centralia  House,  and  worked  there  for 
a  period  of  seventeen  years,  having  given 
entire  satisfaction  in  each  of  these  lines,  be- 
ing industrious  and  quick  to  gain  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  business.  He  was  clerk  and 
general  utility  man  in  the  latter's  employ. 
He  then  went  to  Boone,  Iowa,  and  managed 
the  Cole  Hotel  for  one  and  one-half  years, 
selling  out  and  returning  to  Centralia  in 
March,  1903,  where  he  was  appointed  as- 
sistant postmaster  under  E.  L.  Welton.  He 
has  very  creditably  and  satisfactorily  filled 
this  position  to  the  entire  satisfaction  of  all 
concerned. 

Mr.  Wilson  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Nellie  Surles  September  n,  1900. 

One  daughter  brightens  the  home  of  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Wilson,  bearing  the  name  of 
Helen  Lucile,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred 
March  14,  1903. 

Mr.  Wilson  in  his  fraternal  relations  is 
a  member  of  Blue  Lodge,  Free  and  Accepted 
Masons,  No.  201 ;  also  the  Centralia  Chap- 
ter No.  93;  and  Council  No.  28,  Cyrene 
Commandery  No.  23.  He  also  belongs 
to  the  Oriental  Consistory,  of  Chicago, 
also  a  member  of  the  Mystic  Shrine,  of 
Madina  Temple,  Chicago.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  No.  26,  of 
Centralia. 

In  his  political  relations  Mr.  Wilson  is  a 


loyal  Republican.  His  mother  was  a  mem- 
br  of  the  Christian,  but  he  and  his  wife  wor- 
ship in  the  Baptist  church.  Mr.  Wilson  was 
at  one  time  a  member  of  the  Centralia  Vol- 
unteer Fire  Department. 

Our  subject  has  by  pluck,  energy  and 
enterprise,  controlled  by  correct  principles 
and  founded  upon  strict  integrity  and  honor, 
attained  to  a  position  meriting  the  respect 
and  admiration  of  his  fellow  citizens,  which 
they  freely  accord. 


A.  C.  BARNES. 

The  prominence  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  in  connection  with  the  professional 
and  civic  affairs  of  Marion  county  is  such 
that  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  its  representa- 
tive citizens,  having  for  a  number  of  years 
been  one  of  the  leading  business  men  of  the 
thriving  city  of  Centralia,  and  ever  showing 
by  his  fealty  to  high  principles  and  his  ac- 
tivity in  promoting  the  affairs  of  the  county 
that  he  merits  the  confidence  of  all. 

A.  C.  Barnes  was  born  at  Richview,  Illi- 
nois, ten  miles  south  of  Centralia,  Febru- 
ary 13,  1853,  tne  son  °f  J-  W.  ar>d  Nancy 
(Johnson)  Barnes,  the  former  having  been 
born  in  Gallatin,  Tennessee,  July  2,  1818. 
He  was  left  an  orphan  at  the  age  of  five 
years  and  when  twelve  years  of  age  he  was 
bound  out  to  a  saddle  maker  for  a  period 
of  four  years,  at  the  end  of  which  time  he 
purchased  a  horse,  saddle  and  bridle  and 
rode  to  Mt.  Vernon,  this  state,  where  he 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


665 


called  upon  William  Thome,  the  first  saddle 
maker  in  Mt.  Vernon,  who  refused  to  give 
him  a  job  because  he  was  too  young,  his 
age  then  being  eighteen  years.  But  nothing 
daunted,  he  purchased  the  material  with 
which  to  make  a  saddle  which  he  accord- 
ingly did  and  presented  it  to  Mr.  Thorne, 
who  hired  the  boy  for  three  years.  This 
was  in  1836. 

Two  years  later  J.  W.  Barnes  was  mar- 
ried to  Nancy  Johnson.  He  soon  thereafter 
moved  to  a  farm  near  old  Shiloh,  later 
moving  to  Washington  county,  where  he 
farmed  and  lived  comfortably  until  1888 
when  he  moved  to  Centralia,  where  he 
passed  to  his  rest  September  17,  1905,  after 
a  successful  business  career  in  Centralia, 
having  purchased  the  L.  C.  Demmick  har- 
ness shop  in  this  city  in  1888,  having  stood 
just  south  of  the  old  National  Bank.  His 
son,  A.  C.,  our  subject,  bought  his  business. 
He  was  living  with  his  son  when  he  died. 
Nancy  Johnson  was  born  in  1813  in  Ken- 
tucky. Her  father  was  an  itinerant  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  preacher,  who  came  to  Illi- 
nois in  1818  and  settled  on  a  farm  at 
Shiloh  church,  where  he  farmed  and 
preached  and  where  both  he  and  his  good 
wife  passed  to  the  silent  land.  Four  chil- 
dren were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W. 
Barns,  as  follows:  L.  R.,  who  married 
Laura  Robinson,  daughter  of  Elder  J.  A. 
and  Eliza  Robinson,  and  they  became  the 
parents  of  six  children,  one  of  whom  is  liv- 
ing. L.  R.  Barnes  was  in  the  famous  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry  during  the  war  between  the  states, 


under  the  late  Gen.  James  S.  Martin,  of 
Salem,  having  gone  out  in  1862  and  was 
discharged  at  the  close  of  the  war,  having 
been  in  the  grand  review  at  Washington 
City.  Louise,  the  second  child  of  the  par- 
ents of  our  subject,  married  a  Mr.  Under- 
wood and  is  now  living  in  Oklahoma,  be- 
ing the  mother  of  four  living  children,  one 
child  deceased.  John  T.,  the  third  child 
of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  J.  W.  Barnes,  enlisted  in 
the  Sixtieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry  un- 
der Colonel  Anderson,  at  Mt.  Vernon,  and 
he  re-enlisted  in  1863.  He  came  home  on  a 
furlough.  Rejoining  his  regiment,  he  re- 
mained at  the  front  until  the  close  of  the 
war  when  he  was  mustered  out.  He  mar- 
ried and  in  1885  removed  to  Wichita 
county,  Kansas,  where  he  located  on  three 
hundred  and  twenty  acres  of  land.  He  has 
a  family  of  four  girls  and  one  boy.  He  now 
lives  at  Leota,  Kansas. 

Our  subject,  A.  C.  Barnes,  came  to  Cen- 
tralia in  1891  with  his  father.  He  had  re- 
ceived a  good  education  in  the  district 
schools  of  Washington  county,  Illinois,  hav- 
ing left  school  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years 
and  went  to  work  for  himself.  Being  a 
loyal  Republican  and  having  taken  an  inter- 
est in  political  affairs  from  early  manhood, 
his  friends  elected  him  Sheriff  of  Marion 
county  in  1904  and  he  served  with  much 
credit.  When  his  term  had  expired  he  re- 
turned to  business.  In  1902  he  was  elected 
Treasurer  of  the  city  of  Centralia  for  two 
years  and  served  in  a  most  acceptable  man- 
ner in  this  capacity.  Mr.  Barnes  has  an  ex- 
cellent business  in  the  harness  and  repair 


666 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


trade,  his  shop  being  well  equipped  and  he 
has  become  widely  known  throughout  the 
county. 

Mr.  Barnes  married  Susan  M.  Gunn, 
daughter  of  J.  C.  and  Caroline  Gunn,  of 
Richview,  the  ceremony  that  made  them  one 
having  been  performed  at  Kinmundy,  this 
county,  July  20,  1880.  He  was  first  mar- 
ried in  1873  to  Sarah  Anderson,  a  native 
of  Ohio,  and  she  died  at  the  birth  of  James, 
their  only  son,  who  was  born  October  18, 
1878.  He  is  now  living  at  Lafayette,  In- 
diana, being  in  the  printing  business  as  a 
linotype  expert.  He  married  Lottie  Had- 
den,  of  Kinmundy,  and  they  have  three  chil- 
dren, two  boys  and  one  girl. 

Our  subject  ably  served  for  a  period  of 
five  years  on  the  Board  of  Education  in 
Kansas,  where  he  lived  for  several  years, 
and  while  on  the  board  just  mentioned  they 
built  two  elegant  school-houses. 

Fraternally  Mr.  Barnes  is  a  member  of 
the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows  at 
Centralia,  having  originally  joined  that  or- 
der at  Pittsburg,  Kansas,  in  1886.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
having  joined  Lodge  No.  26,  in  Centralia 
in  1893.  He  became  a  Mason  in  Salem  in 
1896,  and  joined  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America  in  1897.  He  follows  the  example 
of  his  people  by  worshiping  with  the  Metho- 
dist denomination. 

Our  subject  is  a  man  of  unusual  imposing 
physique,  possessing  great  physical  strength 
and  endurance.  He  also  has  a  strong  mind 
and  the  power  of  concentration,  is  congenial 


and  makes  friends  readily  which  he  always 
retains. 


JACOB  D.  BREEZE. 

Dependant  very  largely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources from  early  youth,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  has  attained  to  no  insignificant  suc- 
cess, and  though  he  may  have,  like  many 
another  business  man,  met  with  some  mis- 
fortune and  encountered  many  obstacles  he 
has  pressed  steadily  forward,  ever  willing 
to  work  for  the  end  which  he  has  in  view. 
He  has  become  one  of  the  leading  mer- 
chants of  Centralia,  Illinois,  and  he  has 
built  up  a  business  that  is  known  through- 
cut  the  county. 

Jacob  D.  Breeze  was  born  September  27, 
1868,  in  Washington  county,  Illinois,  the 
son  of  David  and  Eliza  (Baldwin)  Breeze. 
There  were  fourteen  children  in  their 
family,  eight  of  whom  are  living  in  1908, 
our  subject  being  the  eighth  in  order  of 
birth;  of  those  living  seven  are  boys  and 
one  a  girl.  David  Breeze  was  born  in  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  in  1844,  and  died 
when  fifty-two  years  old,  after  a  busy  and 
useful  life.  The  subject's  mother  is  still 
living  in  Jefferson  county  on  the  old  home 
place  and,  although  advanced  in  years,  en- 
joys fairly  good  health.  She  was  born  in 
Washington  county,  this  state. 

Jacob  D.  Breeze  received  his  early  edu- 
cation in  the  common  schools  of  his  native 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


667 


community  and  remained  at  home  until  he 
reached  maturity. 

Mr.  Breeze  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Ida  V.  Walker  on  October  22,  1885.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  G.  W.  and  Esther 
(Breeze)  Walker,  being  the  fourth  child  in 
a  family  consisting  of  five  children.  To 
our  subject  and  wife  two  children  have  been 
born,  both  bright  and  interesting,  namely: 
Jewell,  whose  date  of  birth  is  recorded  as 
May  30,  1897;  an<i  Lottie,  who  was  born 
October  2,  1899.  Both  are  attending  the 
public  schools  in  Centralia. 

After  leaving  school  at  the  age  of  eight- 
een years,  our  subject  went  to  work  on  a 
farm  in  that  neighborhood  in.  Jefferson 
county  and  made  a  success  of  this  line  of 
work,  but  believing  that  the  city  of- 
fered greater  inducements  to  him,  he  came 
to  Centralia  and  began  the  livery,  feed  and 
sale  business,  and  for  five  years  made  this  a 
marked  success  in  every  respect  when  he  sold 
out  and  started  in  the  implement  and.harness 
business,  which  he  has  since  conducted,  the 
firm  name  being  Breeze  &  Watts.  They  enjoy 
a  liberla  patronage,  their  trade  extending  to 
all  parts  of  the  county,  for  they  handle  an 
up-to-date  and  carefully  selected  stock  at  all 
times,  and  their  prices  are  always  right. 
Here  all  customers  are  accorded  the  most 
courteous  treatment  by  the  managers  and 
their  efficient  employes.  This  store  has  a  floor 
space  of  one  hundred  and  sixty  by  forty  feet. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Republican  and 
always  takes  a  great  interest  in  political  af- 
fairs, lending  what  assistance  he  can  in 
placing  the  best  men  possible  in  local  offices. 


Mr.  Breeze  follows  the  precepts  of  his  par- 
ents and  is  a  faithful  member  of  the  Chris- 
tian church.  He  is  always  on  the  right  side 
of  all  public  questions. 


JOHN  SCHMELZER. 

Only  those  who  come  in  personal  contact 
with  the  subject  of  this  sketch  can  thor- 
oughly understand  how  nature  and  training, 
habits  of  thought  and  action  have  enabled 
him  to  accomplish  his  life  work  and  made 
a  fit  representative  of  the  enterprising  busi- 
ness men  of  Marion  county  to  which  he 
belongs. 

John  Schmelzer  was  born  in  Lebanon, 
Illinois,  September  21,  1866,  the  son  of  Ja- 
cob and  Maria  (Moldaner)  Schmelzer. 
The  parents  of  the  subject  came  from  Ger- 
many and  married  in  Belleville,  this  state, 
where  they  lived  for  a  short  time,  then 
moved  to  Lebanon,  Illinois.  Jacob  and 
Maria  Schmelzer  are  the  parents  of  eight 
children,  five  boys  and  three  girls,  our  sub- 
ject being  the  fourth  child  in  order  of 
birth. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  public  schools  of  Lebanon,  Illinois, 
mostly  under  Professor  Brinkerhoff.  He 
left  school  at  the  age  of  fifteen  years  and 
began  to  learn  the  jeweler's  trade  with  the 
firm  of  Gus  Hoffmann,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained for  a  period  of  four  years  as  an  ap- 
prentice and  stayed  one  year  more  on  regu- 
lar pay.  He  applied  himself  in  a  most  care- 


668 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ful  manner  and  mastered  every  detail  of  this 
work.  At  the  age  of  twenty  years  he  went 
to  Greenville,  Illinois,  and  worked  for  C.  G. 
Dorlith  for  a  period  of  five  years  at  the 
jeweler's  trade,  giving  him  entire  satisfac- 
tion and  assisting  to  build  up  a  good  trade. 
When  twenty-five  years  old  he  came 
to  Centralia  and  opened  up  a  busi- 
ness on  June  10,  1889,  at  132  East 
Broadway,  where  he  has  conducted  his  busi- 
ness continuously  to  the  present  time,  hav- 
ing built  up  a  very  liberal  patronage  and 
enjoyed  a  good  business  from  the  first.  He 
has  a  well  equipped  and  model  shop  and  a 
carefully  selected  line  of  jewelry  and  his 
trade  extends  to  all  parts  of  the  county.  He 
furnishes  all  the  time  service  and  watch  in- 
spection on  the  Chicago,  Burlington  & 
Quincy  Railroad,  also  on  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral for  this  division. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  on 
June  10,  1890,  to  Anna  L.  Nichols,  daugh- 
ter of  John  W.  and  Ella  Nichols,  of  Cen- 
tralia, in  whose  family  there  were  five  chil- 
dren, Anna  L.  being  the  oldest  in  order  of 
birth.  Our  subject  and  wife  had  five  chil- 
dren born  to  them,  two  boys  and  three  girls, 
namely:  Vivian  Lee;  Nellie  E.,  deceased; 
Herold  J..  deceased;  Mildred  A.;  the  fifth 
child  died  in  infancy.  Vivian  Lee  assists 
her  father  in  his  jewelry  work  and  watch  in- 
spection for  the  railroad  men. 

In  politics  cur  subject  lias  always  been  a 
loyal  Republican  and  has  always  supported 
those  measures  having  for  their  object  the 
development  of  Marion  county  and  her  in- 
stitutions. He  ablv  and  faithfullv  served 


his  city  as  Alderman  for  a  period  of  six 
years,  during  which  time  he  suggested  and 
helped  carry  to  completion  many  plans  that 
proved  to  be  for  the  city's  interests  and 
advancement. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Schmelzer 
belongs  to  the  Free  and  Accepted  Masons, 
No.  20 1,  and  to  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chapter 
No.  93,  also  to  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
Centralia,  Helmet  Lodge  No.  26,  and  to 
the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America  No.  397, 
to  the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks,  No.  493.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
Turner  Society.  The  parents  of  the  sub- 
ject were  Lutherans  in  their  religious  affilia- 
tions, but  our  subject  and  wife  attend  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church. 

Mr.  Schmelzer  has  a  very  attractive  home 
which  is  nicely  furnished,  and  he  and  his 
family  are  known  to  be  people  of  hospitality. 


REUBEN  G.  FOWLER. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this 
paragraph,  who  is  living  retired  in  Cen- 
tralia, Marion  county,  was  born  in  Nauvoo, 
Illinois,  October  10,  1846.  When  an  in- 
fant he  was  taken  by  his  parents  to  Rock 
Island,  this  state,  where  his  early  education 
was  received.  When  eleven  years  old  his 
father  died  and  he  went  to  live  with  rela- 
tives in  Iowa,  where  he  attended  school 
two  years.  In  the  meantime  his  mother  had 
taken  up  her  residence  in  St.  Louis,  where 
the  subject  joined  her  and  they  soon  after- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


669 


ward  removed  to  Sandoval,  Illinois.  When 
about  fourteen  years  old  he  became  an  ap- 
prentice in  the  machine  shops  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  at  Centralia,  where  he 
worked  until  after  the  Civil  war  broke  out. 
The  cost  of  living  then  increased  and  the 
subject  could  not  maintain  himself  and  help 
his  mother  on  the  wages  of  an  apprentice, 
so  in  1 86 1  he  went  to  East  St.  'Louis  and 
secured  employment  in  the  Ohio  &  Missis- 
sippi Railroad  shops.  Soon  after,  however, 
he  secured  a  better  position  at  the  Eagle 
Foundry  and  Machine  Shops  in  St.  Louis, 
which  had  a  large  government  contract  and 
did  repair  work  on  an  extensive  scale,  as 
war  was  in  progress  and  skilled  workmen 
were  scarce.  He  remained  in  St.  Louis  for 
some  time  and  prospered,  during  which  time 
he  also  worked  for  Kingsland  &  Ferguson, 
manufacturers  of  agricultural  implements 
and  machinery,  and  in  the  shops  of  the  Pa- 
cific Railroad.  He  then  went  to  Chicago 
and  secured  employment  in  the  shops  of  the 
Northwestern  Railroad,  later  forming  a 
partnership  with  William  Fielding  and  con- 
ducting a  general  jobbing  and  machine  shop. 
Selling  out  his  interest  he  went  to  Rock 
Island,  Illinois,  where  he  worked  for  his 
uncle,  Fred  Hass,  who  conducted  a  heating, 
plumbing,  coppersmith,  steel  and  iron 
works. 

After  establishing  a  plumbing  business  in 
Davenport,  Iowa,  which  he  conducted  suc- 
cessfully for  several  years,  Mr.  Fowler  sold 
out  and  became  a  traveling  salesman  and 
constructor  for  the  Illinois  Pneumatic 
and  the  Western  Excelsior  Gas  companies. 


Upon  the  failure  of  the  latter  company  he 
received  tools  in  settlement  of  his  account, 
which  he  disposed  of  to  the  Northwestern 
Horse  Nail  Company,  of  Chicago.  He  then 
entered  the  employ  of  that  company  and  for 
nearly  two  years  occupied  the  position  of 
boss  nailer  in  the  finishing  department. 
Severing  his  connection  with  this  company 
he  came  to  Centralia,  where  he  worked  at 
the  plumber's  trade  for  several  years.  In 
the  meantime  he  also  raised  small  fruits 
quite  extensively  and  for  a  number  of  years 
owned  and  operated  a  threshing  machine 
successfully.  In  1892  he  engaged  in  the 
plumbing  business  for  himself,  renting  a 
building  for  the  purpose  in  the  rear  of  what 
is  now  the  present  business  location,  at  Nos. 
233  and  235  South  Locust  street.  His  suc- 
cess was  assured  from  the  first  and  he  built 
up  a  large,  lucrative  business,  one  of  the 
most  extensive  in  Southern  Illinois,  erecting 
new  and  modern  buildings  which  are  now 
rented  to  his  sons,  who  continue  the  busi- 
ness, Mr.  Fowler  having  retired  from  ac- 
tive business,  having  accumulated  a  com- 
petency. 

Reuben  G.  Fowler  married  Clara  B.  Dille, 
of  Centralia,  and  to  this  union  the  following 
children  have  been  born :  Tillie,  who  mar- 
ried a  Mr.  Ridel;  Harry  A.  married  Mattie 
Adams,  of  Centralia;  John  R.,  who  was 
born  in  Centralia,  March  7,  1881,  is  un- 
married and  lives  with  the  subject,  being 
a  partner  in  the  plumbing  business  with  his 
brother,  Harry  A. ;  Hattie  married  a  Mr. 
Zick,  an  insurance  man,  of  Centralia ;  Carrie 
married  a  Mr.  Vassell,  of  Centralia,  now 


670 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


with  John  Schmelzer,  the  jeweler;  Lottie; 
Mabel  and  Myrtle  are  twins.  The  last  three 
named  are  living  at  home.  R.  G.  Fowler 
has  two  grandchildren.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican  as  is  also  his  two  sons,  although 
at  the  local  elections  they  cast  their  votes 
for  the  men  with  proper  qualifications.  Our 
subject  was  reared  a  Methodist,  but  he  and 
his  good  wife  later  became  members  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Mrs.  Fowler  passed  to 
her  reward  January  6,  1907,  at  the  age  of 
fifty  years.  Mr.  Fowler  was  formerly  a 
member  of  the  National  Association  of  Sta- 
tionary Engineers,  having  been  a  charter 
member  of  the  order  and  its  first  secretary. 


FOWLER  BROTHERS. 

One  of  the  most  extensive,  modern  and 
systematically  managed  plumbing  concerns 
in  Southern  Illinois  is  that  conducted  by  the 
firm  of  Fowler  Brothers  at  Centralia,  be- 
ing worthy  successors  of  their  father,  Reu- 
ben G.  Fowler. 

This  firm's  place  of  business  fronts  on 
South  Locust  street  and  South  Second 
street.  They  carry  a  full  and  complete  line 
of  plumbing  supplies,  heating,  electrical  and 
gas  fixtures  and  supplies,  also  fire  clay  and 
fire  brick.  They  have  two  neat  show  and 
display  rooms.  All  the  latest,  complete, 
automatic  machinery,  run  by  electric  dyna- 
mos for  heating,  lighting  and  plumbing,  are 
to  be  found  here.  They  also  carry  a  full 
line  of  nickel-plated  plumbing  supplies.  An 


extensive  business  is  carried  on  and  is  being 
constantly  enlarged  and  extended  to  meet 
the  growing  demands  of  the  trade  of  South- 
ern Illinois  and  adjoining  states. 

Harry  A.  Fowler  married  Mattie  Adams, 
of  Centralia,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
one  little  girl,  who  bears  the  pretty  name, 
Marjorie. 

John  R.  Fowler,  the  younger  member  of 
the  firm,  was  educated  in  the  Centralia  city 
schools,  and  began  when  quite  young  to 
learn  his  father's  trade  of  plumbing.  He  is 
a  practical  and  up-to-date  artist  in  his  work 
as  well  as  a  good  business  man.  He  has  a 
state  certificate,  awarded  to  him  in  1902  for 
his  thoroughness  and  proficiency  in  his 
chosen  occupation.  Harry  and  John  Fowler 
are  both  members  of  the  National  Plumbers 
and  Steam  Fitters  Association,  and  are  also 
graduates  in  this  line  of  the  International 
Correspondance  School,  of  Scranton,  Penn- 
sylvania, and  they  are  keeping  pace  with 
twentieth  century  methods.  They  have  a 
good  business  and  enjoy  the  entire  confi- 
dence of  their  many  friends  and  patrons  in 
Marion  county  and  throughout  this  part  of 
the  state. 


ELMER  E.  COPPLE. 

In  the  development  of  Marion  county  the 
subject  of  this  biography  has  borne  an  im- 
portant part,  for  he  has  long  been  identified 
with  the  farming  and  business  life  of  the  lo- 
cality, and  while  advancing  his  own  interests 
he  has  not  been  neglectful  of  his  duty  to  his 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


67I 


fellow  citizens,  therefore  he  is  accorded  a 
full  measure  of  esteem  by  all  who  know 
him. 

Elmer  E.  Copple  was  bom  January  9, 
1862,  on  the  old  Copple  homestead  in  Cen- 
tralia  township,  this  county,  the  son  of  Eli 
Copple,  a  complete  sketch  of  whom  appears 
elsewhere  in  this  volume.  However,  it  is 
not  amiss  here  to  state  that  the  father  of  the 
subject  was  born  January  8,  1820,  in  Clark 
county,  Illinois,  the  son  of  David  Copple, 
a  native  of  Germany,  who  married  Lavina 
Huckleberry  first  and  later  Permelia  King. 
They  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in 
1832  and  settled  in  section  32,  Centralia 
township,  where  they  entered  wild  land  and 
set  about  improving  it  like  the  rest  of  the 
pioneers  of  that  time,  and  they  lived  and 
died  at  this  place.  He  had  only  a  limited 
opportunity  to  attend  school  in  the  old  log 
school-houses.  Although  self-learned  he  be- 
came an  excellent  speller  and  scholar.  He 
was  a  large  farmer,  stock  dealer  and 
breeder.  In  1874  he  went  to  Europe  and 
imported  some  French  Norman  horses.  He 
never  aspired  to  office  although  an  active 
Republican.  He  started  in  life  in  a  small 
way,  but  worked  hard  and  was  very  suc- 
cessful. He  was  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church. 

He  first  married  Martha  Flannagan,  of 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  who  died  in  1850, 
and  his  second  wife  was  Sarah  Dolson.  The 
following  five  children  were  born  to  Eli 
Copple  and  his  first  wife:  Arminda,  who 
married  W.  A.  Dolson,  of  Fullerton,  Ne- 
braska ;  Loretta,  who  married  A.  J.  Hardley, 


of  Irvington,  Illinois;  three  children  died 
in  infancy.  Seven  children  were  born  to 
Eli  Copple  and  his  second  wife,  namely: 
Charles,  a  farmer  in  Nebraska;  Mary  mar- 
ried Joseph  Baldridge,  and  she  died  in 
1899;  Julia  married  H.  S.  Baldridge,  who 
lives  in  Seattle,  Washington;  Willis,  a 
farmer  in  Centralia  township,  Marion 
county,  who  married  a  Miss  Patton;  Elmer 
E.,  our  subject;  Robert,  a  farmer  in  Cen- 
tralia township,  who  married  Lillian  Ethel 
Leonard ;  Ada  is  the  wife  of  T.  S.  Kell,  who 
now  lives  on  the  old  Copple  homestead  with 
Mrs.  Copple. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  lived  at  home 
and  attended  the  neighboring  schools.  He 
married  September  9,  1883,  to  Ida  A.  Bald- 
ridge, of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  who  was 
born  in  Grand  Prairie  township,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Thomas  and  Mary  (Williams)  Bald- 
ridge, the  former  a  native  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  latter  of  Virginia. 
She  died  in  1870,  and  Mr.  Baldridge  was 
again  married,  his  second  wife  being  Miss 
M.  E.  Allen,  of  Jefferson  county,  this  state. 
It  was  in  that  county  that  he  spent  his  life 
on  a  farm,  dying  there  in  1904.  His  second 
wife  died  in  February,  1908. 

Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  as  follows:  M.  Allen,  who 
married  Nellie  Root  Carpenter,  of  Cen- 
tralia, and  who  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren, Lola  and  Vera;  Ralph  Roy,  who  is 
living  at  home,  is  a  graduate  of  the  Cen- 
tralia high  school ;  Dwight  and  Ruth  are  the 
youngest  children. 

In  1883  our  subject  located  on  his  present 


672 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


place  in  Centralia  township.  It  was  then  a 
new  place  and  Mr.  Copple  has  made  all  the 
improvements  on  it,  bringing  it  up  to  any 
place  in  the  township.  He  is  regarded  as  a 
good  farmer  and  an  excellent  judge  of 
stock  and  his  farm  is  carefully  managed, 
yielding  excellent  harvests  of  all  kinds  from 
year  to  year.  His  home  place  consists  of 
two  hundred  and  forty  acres,  thirty  acres 
of  which  are  in  peaches,  apples  and  pears. 
This  is  a  most  valuable  orchard,  consisting 
of  a  fine  variety  of  excellent  fruit,  and 
since  Mr.  Copple  is  something  of  an  expert 
horticulturist,  no  small  part  of  his  income  is 
derived  from  .this  source.  He  carries  on  a 
general  farming.  His  dwelling  is  a  most 
convenient  and  substantial  one,  and  his 
barns  and  out  buildings  are  of  the  best. 


ELI  COPPLE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  has  passed 
to  his  rest,  is  well  remembered  by  the  peo- 
ple of  Marion  county,  where  he  so  long  la- 
bored not  only  for  his  own  advancement 
but  also  for  that  of  the  community  at  large, 
therefore,  it  is  with  pleasure  that  we  give 
a  record  of  his  honorable  career  in  this 
book,  believing  that  it  will  be  an  inspira- 
tion to  the  younger  generation  who  per- 
use it. 

Eli  Copple  was  born  January  8,  1820,  in 
Washington  county,  Indiana,  the  son  of  Da- 
vid Copple,  who  was  born  in  Germany  and 
when  a  young  man  came  to  America  with 


his  parents,  locating  with  them  in  North 
Carolina.  Later  they  came  to  Clark  county, 
Indiana,  where  the  parents  died.  David 
Copple  grew  to  manhood  in  Clark  county, 
Indiana,  where  he  married  Lavina  Huckle- 
berry, of  German-Irish  extract.  David 
Copple  and  wife  located  in  Washington 
county,  Indiana,  in  1818,  and  fourteen  years 
later  they  came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
where  they  both 'died  in  Centralia  township. 
He  was  considered  one  of  the  valued  and 
leading  citizens  of  the  community  in  which 
he  lived.  They  were  the  parents  of  twelve 
children,  all  but  one  of  whom  grew  to  ma- 
turity, namely:  James  lived  in  Centralia 
township  and  was  twice  married,  first  to 
Jane  Wells  and  second  to  Emily  Huckle- 
berry; Elizabeth  married  Jacob  Breeze; 
Angelina  married  Henry  Bingaman,  and 
they  are  living  in  Crete,  Nebraska ;  Eli,  our 
subject;  Christiana  married  M.  P.  Hester, 
of  Centralia  township,  and  they  are  both  de- 
ceased; Samuel  is  deceased;  John  Harvey 
is  also  deceased ;  Edmund  is  a  farmer  living 
in  Grand  Prairie,  Illinois;  Julia  married 
Marion  Roper,  who  is  now  deceased,  but  she 
is  living  in  Grand  Prairie;  David,  now  de- 
ceased, was  a  farmer  living  in  Centralia 
township ;  Pollie  A.  is  living  in  Kansas,  hav- 
ing married  David  Roper,  who  is  deceased. 
Eli  Copple  was  reared  in  Centralia  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  was 
among  the  successful  farmers  of  that  vicin- 
ity, having  come  with  his  parents  to  this 
county  when  twelve  years  of  age  and  lo- 
cated on  what  is  known  as  the  Seven-Mile- 
Prairie.  He  was  reared  among  the  wild 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


673 


scenes  of  the  frontier  and  developed  thereby 
a  sturdy  manhood.  He  was  first  married  in 
1840  to  Martha  Flannagan,  a  native  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  who  died  in  1850. 
Two  children,  who  grew  to  maturity,  were 
born  to  them.  Arminda  married  William 
Dolson,  who  is  living  in  Fullerton,  Nebras- 
ka; Loretta  married  A.  J.  Hartley,  of  Irv- 
ington,  Illinois.  The  subject  of  this  sketch 
married  a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being 
Sarah  Dolson,  daughter  of  Allen  and  Mary 
Louisa  ( White)  Dolson,  the  wedding  occur- 
ring in  February,  1851.  Mr.  Dolson  was 
a  native  of  New  York,  near  Albany,  on  the 
Hudson  river.  His  wife  was  born  in  Geor- 
gia. Allen  Dolson  was  the  son  of  Peter  and 
Rachael  (Quinby)  Dolson,  both  natives  of 
New  York.  Mr.  Dolson  was  a  farmer.  Al- 
len Dolson  came  west  when  a  boy  alone,  go- 
ing to  the  Platt  river  country,  Nebraska, 
having  lived  among  the  Indians  for  a  time. 
He  descended  the  Missouri  river  in  a  canoe 
to  St.  Louis,  later  to  Carlyle,  Illinois,  and 
then  went  to  Grand  Prairie,  Jefferson  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  he  devoted  his  life  to 
farming.  He  entered  government  land.  He 
came  to  Marion  county,  where  he  and  his 
wife  both  died.  The  following  children 
were  born  to  them:  Sarah,  the  subject's 
wife;  Robert,  Elizabeth,  Melville,  all  de- 
ceased ;  Mary  is  living  in  Kansas ;  Christina, 
deceased;  William,  living  in  Nebraska; 
Harvey  is  living  in  Kansas.  The  subject 
and  his  second  wife  were  the  parents  of 
seven  children,  namely:  Charles,  a  farmer 
living  in  Fullerton,  Nebraska,  was  first  mar- 
ried to  Lucy  Jackson,  second  to  Sarah  Aver- 
43 


ill;  Mary  married  Joseph  Baldridge,  and 
she  is  now  deceased;  Julia  is  the  wife  of 
Harvey  Baldridge  and  they  are  living  in 
Seattle,  Washington ;  Willis  is  living  in  Cen- 
tralia  township  on  a  farm,  having  married 
Henrietta  Patton ;  Elmer,  living  in  Centralia 
township;  Robert,  living  on  a  farm  in  Cen- 
tralia township,  married  Lillian  Ethel  Leon- 
ard ;  Ada  May  married  T.  S.  Kell  and  they 
are  living  with  the  subject's  mother  on  the 
old  home  place,  the  parents  of  one  son,  Cecil 
Edward. 

After  a  very  active  and  useful  life,  re- 
plete with  success  and  honor,  Eli  Copple 
passed  to  his  reward  August  14,  1905. 

Our  subject  started  in  life  under  none  too 
favorable  circumstances,  but  his  father  gave 
him  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  wild 
land  and  he  worked  hard  and  became  suc- 
cessful. He  was  thrifty  and  a  good  man- 
ager, and  at  one  time  owned  as  much  as 
two  thousand  acres.  He  carried  on  a  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock  raising  business  and 
was  eminently  successful  in  both,  becoming 
known  as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Ma- 
rion county.  In  1874  he  made  a  trip  to 
France  and  imported  a  large  number  of  Nor- 
man horses  of  a  very  fine  quality.  Besides 
raising  some  fine  horses  he  always  raised 
many  good  cattle,  hogs  and  sheep.  He  was 
an  organizer  and  leading  member  of  the 
Farmers'  Club  of  Marion  county. 

The  subject  cast  his  first  vote  for  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison  and  since  that  time 
was  a  loyal  Republican.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church  and  a  liberal  subscriber  of  the  same. 


674 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


He  erected  his  first  substantial  and  commo- 
dious brick  home  in  1872  and  he  and  his 
noble  and  faithful  wife  made  all  the  im- 
provements about  the  place.  No  man  in 
the  county  was  better  or  more  favorably 
known  than  he  and  everyone  remembers 
him  as  a  very  polite  and  kindly  gentleman, 
as  well  as  a  very  able  business  man,  and 
therefore  his  influence  for  good  in  the  coun- 
ty was  very  great. 


MILTON  PAYNE  HESTER. 

A  history  of  the  honored  and  influential 
lives  that  have  blessed  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, would  be  incomplete  were  there  fail- 
ure to  make  specific  mention  of  the  gentle- 
man whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of 
this  biographical  memoir,  whose  life  chap- 
ter has  been  brought  to  a  close  by  the  hand 
of  death. 

Milton  Payne  Hester  was  born  June  4, 
1813.  in  Clark  county.  Indiana,  the  son  of 
Mathias  and  Susan  Hester.  He  grew  up 
in  Clark  county,  Indiana,  and  in  1839  came 
to  Marion  county,  Illinois.  Mathias  Hester 
was  the  son  of  John  Lawrence  Hester,  of 
Hanover,  Germany,  who  came  to  America 
in  1771.  The  family  did  not  have  the  nec- 
essary three  hundred  dollars  with  which  to 
[>ay  their  passage  on  the  ship,  consequently 
they  were  sold  into  servitude  for  six  years 
in  Philadelphia,  Pennsylvania.  Later  they 
went  to  Clark  county,  Indiana,  where  they 
died,  having  become  the  parents  of  the  fol- 


lowing children :  John,  who  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 9,  1763,  married  Elizabeth  Mason, 
who  was  born  March  25,  1766,  and  whose 
death  occurred  August  8,  1847.  He  died 
March  19,  1834.  Nancy  M.  was  the  second 
child,  who  was  born  in  1765,  and  who  mar- 
ried John  Van  Demon;  Mathias  was  born 
July  4,  1766,  married  Susan  Huckleberry, 
born  in  1775,  and  died  in  1859.  He  died 
November  22,  1823 ;  Elizabeth,  the  fourth 
child,  was  born  September  13,  1772,  and 
and  she  married  Conrad  Coleman,  and  they 
lived  at  Detroit,  Michigan;  Anna,  who  was 
born  in  1774,  married  Andrew  Spangler, 
died  in  Fayette  county,  Pennsylvania ;  Su- 
san B.,  who  was  born  in  1776,  died  January 
I,  1845,  married  Martin  Huckleberry;  Hen- 
ry, who  was  born  May  24,  1781,  died  Au- 
gust 25,  1833,  married  Rebecca  Roberts, 
who  was  born  in  1780  and  who  died  in 
1833- 

Mathias  Hester  was  educated  in  Germany. 
In  1785  he  went  to  Kentucky,  where  he 
lived  for  two  years,  and  then  went  back  to 
Pennsylvania  for  one  year,  then  returned  to 
Kentucky  on  the  Ohio  river.  They  were  at- 
tacked by  Indians  at  the  mouth  of  the  Ohio 
river  and  twenty-nine  bullets  struck  their 
boat.  Later,  while  teaming,  moving  a  white 
family,  he  was  shot  in  the  head,  breaking  his 
skull  when  he  fell  off  the  wagon  and  he  was 
left  for  dead  when  the  Indians  started  to 
run  away.  Later  they  captured  him  and 
scalped  him  and  again  left  him  for  dead,  and 
the  Indians  plundered  the  wagons  and  took 
the  horses,  in  fact,  everything  of  value.  It 
was  fifteen  months  before  he  was  able  to  do 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


675 


anything.  This  happened  near  Shelbyville, 
Indiana,  and  he  stayed  with  a  Doctor  Knight 
who  took  care  of  him  and  who  treated  him 
until  he  got  well.  Later  Mathias  stayed 
with  the  doctor  and  cared  for  his  family  and 
plantation.  He  married  Susan  Huckleber- 
ry. They  were  the  parents  of  the  following 
children:  Rev.  George  Knight,  born  Sep- 
tember 26,  1794,  married  Belle  Briggs,  Jan- 
uary 24,  1826.  She  was  born  near  Glas- 
gow, Scotland,  December  12,  1789,  and  she 
•died  in  1879.  He  was  a  preacher  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  Craven  P., 
the  second  child,  was  born  May  17,  1796, 
married  Martha  T.  Leonard,  August  25, 
1819;  she  was  born  August  28,  1799,  and 
died  June  19,  1877.  He  died  February  15, 
1874.  William,  the  third  child,  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  Mary,  who  was  born  1 798,  married 
William  L.  Muir  May  12,  1816.  She  died 
January  5,  1852.  Her  husband  was  born 
January  12,  1792,  and  died  March  5,  1864. 
Elizabeth,  the  fifth  child,  was  born  in  1800 
and  died  single  in  1846.  Erne,  the  sixth 
child,  was  born  August  3,  1804,  and  mar- 
ried John  W.  Lee,  August  24,  1824.  He 
was  born  in  February,  1797,  and  died  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1846.  She  died  November  18, 
1885.  David  was  drowned  in  the  Missis- 
sippi river.  Sarah,  the  eighth  child,  was 
born  September  n,  1807,  and  married  John 
Combs,  who  was  born  in  1809,  and  who 
died  January  16,  1885.  Rebecca,  who  was 
born  November  14,  1808,  married  Lewis 
McCoy,  who  was  born  January  31,  1806, 
and  who  died  September  7,  1874.  William 
Allen,  who  was  born  February  20,  1810, 


died  August  2,  1890.  Milton  P.,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  the  eleventh  child 
in  order  of  birth.  Dr.  Uriah  A.  V.,  the 
youngest  member  of  the  family,  was  born  in 
1816.  He  married  Ella  Hudson  January 
23,  1850,  who  died  in  1866,  and  he  married 
Rachael  Ann  Fiscus  in  1884.  She  was  born 
January  27,  1818,  and  died  May  19,  1895. 
He  died  September  20,  1893.  He  lived  at 
Gosport,  also  Arnold,  Indiana. 

William  P.  Hester,  our  subject,  was  ed- 
ucated in  the  common  schools.  He  was  self- 
educated,  but  widely  read  and  a  good 
scholar.  He  devoted  his  life  to  farming. 
In  the  spring  of  1839  he  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois. 

In  1840  the  subject  married  Christiana 
Copple,  of  Washington  county,  Indiana,  the 
daughter  of  David  Copple.  (See  sketch  of 
Eli  Copple  in  this  volume.)  Eight  children 
were  born  to  the  subject  and  his  first  wife, 
as  follows:  David  M.,  born  August  16,  1841, 
married  Sarah  A.  Young.  He  went  to  An- 
derson county,  Kansas,  and  enlisted  when 
about  twenty  years  of  age  in  the  Union 
army,  having  become  first  lieutenant.  After 
the  war  he  located  near  Salem,  Illinois;  Ju- 
lia Ann  was  born  October  i,  1842,  married 
Mark  Young,  September  6,  1865.  She  died 
June  23,  1880.  He  lives  at  Salem,  Illinois. 
William  Addison,  the  third  child,  was  born 
February  2,  1845.  He  married  Jane  Har- 
per in  October,  1868.  They  live  on  a  farm 
near  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois.  John  Combs,  the 
fourth  child,  was  born  April  15,  1847,  and 
married  Jennie  Brock,  January  25,  1869. 
He  is  a  stock  dealer  at  Jefferson,  Kansas. 


676 


IXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNT v,  ILLINOIS. 


Sarah  Elizabeth  was  born  June  6,  1848,  and 
married  Harvey  Young,  April  10,  1876.  He 
is  a  real  estate  dealer  in  Centralia,  Illinois. 
Isaac  Owen,  the  sixth  child,  was  born  Au- 
gust 6,  1849,  and  in  1871  he  went  to  Mont- 
gomery county,  Kansas,  where  he  farmed 
until  1875,  after  which  he  went  to  Phoenix, 
Arizona,  where  he  went  into  the  teaming 
and  contracting  business.  He  contracted  on 
the  Santa  Fe  Railroad.  He  also  engaged  in 
farming.  In  1904  he  returned  to  his  old 
home  in  Illinois  on  account  of  his  father's 
failing  health,  and  he  has  since  managed 
the  old  place.  He  has  remained  unmarried. 
Samuel  Marion  was  born  March  17,  1851, 
and  married  Ida  Charlton  January  3,  1878. 
He  is  a  farmer  near  Sandoval,  Illinois. 
Mary  Rebecca,  the  eighth  child,  was  born 
October  23,  1853,  and  has  always  lived  at 
home  on  the  old  place.  Isaac  and  his  sister, 
Mary,  are  living  on  the  old  place. 

The  following  children  were  born  to  the 
subject  and  his  second  wife:  Ella  May  was 
born  September  17,  1857,  is  single  and  liv- 
ing at  Centralia,  Illinois;  Albert  V.,  who 
was  born  September  22,  1860,  married 
Addie  Taylor,  December  12,  1896,  a  farmer, 
near  Dallas,  Texas;  Carrie  B.,  was  born 
October  15,  1863,  and  married  Mark  An- 
thony, October  29,  1889,  a  lumber  dealer  at 
Streator,  Illinois ;  Martha  Lillian  was  born 
January  20,  1870,  and  married  George 
Cairns,  an  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  located  at  Centralia,  Illinois. 

Milton  Payne  Hester  located  in  section 
19,  Centralia  township,  where  he  secured 
a  claim  and  added  on  to  it,  becoming  at  one 


time  the  largest  land  owner  in  the  county, 
devoting  his  life  to  farming  and  stock  rais- 
ing, being  considered  one  of  the  leading  ag- 
riculturists and  stock  dealers  in  this  part  of 
the  state.  There  are  still  two  hundred  and 
fifty-five  acres  of  valuable  land  in  the  old 
homestead. 

Mr.  Hester  was  first  a  Whig  and  cast  his 
first  ballot  for  William  Henry  Harrison  in 
1856.  He  later  became  a  Republican.  His 
first  wife  died  in  1855,  and  in  the  following 
year  he  married  Martha  C.  Johnson,  of  Jef- 
ferson county,  Illinois,  who  died  October 
25,  1884.  The  subject  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  from  the  age  of 
thirteen  years,  and  he  was  always  faithful  in 
attendance  in  the  same.  He  helped  organize 
the  first  Methodist  church  in  Centralia,  Illi- 
nois, and  was  superintendent  of  the  Sunday 
school  and  class  leader  for  many  years,  and 
always  active  in  church  work.  Thus  after  a 
busy,  active  and  most  honorable  career  he 
passed  to  his  rest  April  8,  1906.  He  was  one 
of  the  best  known  men  in  Marion  county 
during  his  lifetime. 


COL.  NAPOLEON  B.  MORRISON. 

The  life  of  the  subject  of  this  biography 
has  not  been  altogether  devoid  of  the  spec- 
tacular, but  has  been  entirely  free  from  os- 
tentation, and  he  has  never  forced  himself 
on  public  attention,  yet  his  fellow  citizens 
recognize  in  this  venerable  character  a  man 
of  genuine  worth,  whose  every  duty  has 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


677 


been  discharged  with  commendable  fidelity 
and  whose  influence  has  always  been  exer- 
cised for  the  good  of  his  kind.  He  has  trav- 
eled extensively  and  come  in  contact  with 
the  world  in  such  a  way  as  to  quicken  his 
perception,  enlarge  his  mental  vision  and 
give  him  ideas  of  men  and  things  such  as 
he  could  not  have  obtained  by  spending  his 
life  in  one  locality,  and  as  a  result  of  his 
altogether  consistent  career  he  has  won  the 
esteem  of  all  who  know  him. 

Col.  Napoleon  B.  Morrison  was  born  in 
Waterford,  Vermont,  Februray  12,  18^4, 
and  reared  in  New  Hampshire  by  sturdy 
New  England  parents.  He  is  the  son  of 
Moses  F.  and  Zilpha  (Smith)  Morrison. 
Grandfather  Morrison  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
lineage  from  Londonderry,  Ireland,  who  set- 
tled in  Londonderry,  New  Hampshire.  Our 
subject  is  a  direct  descendant  of  Samuel 
Morrison,  who  was  a  charter  member  of 
Londonderry.  Grandfather  Smith  was  a 
Revolutionary  soldier.  He  was  born  in 
New  Hampshire,  where  he  spent  his  days 
on  a  farm.  He  had  eight  children,  seven 
boys  and  one  girl ;  all  lived  to  maturity. 

The  subject's  father  was  a  graduate  of 
Dartmouth  College  and  became  a  physician, 
devoting  his  entire  life  to  practice,  having 
remained  in  the  eastern  states.  He  was  an 
extensive  writer  and  was  assistant  geologist 
of  the  state  of  New  Hampshire.  A  number 
of  his  manuscripts  are  yet  in  perfect  condi- 
tion, and  they  are  considered  of  much  value. 
He  lived  to  be  about  seventy  years  old.  He 
was  a  Christian  man  of  advanced  thought 
and  culture,  who  could  not  be  tied  down  to 


any  dogma  or  creed.  He  followed  his  pro- 
fession with  energy,  enthusiasm  and  love, 
love  for  the  science  and  love  for  the  pa- 
tients, therefore  he  not  only  became  well 
grounded  in  his  profession  but  had  hosts  of 
loyal  friends.  He  endeavored  to  discover 
the  cause  of  disease  and  treat  it  from  that 
standpoint. 

Eight  of  his  children  grew  to  maturity. 
Two  died  in  infancy.  They  followed  the 
various  avocations  of  educated  men. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  first  attended 
the  public  schools  in  New  Hampshire,  later 
went  to  the  academy  at  Newburry,  Ver- 
mont, where  he  prepared  for  college.  He 
then  took  a  course  in  civil  engineering  which 
profession  he  followed  for  a  period  of 
twenty  years  with  great  success  in  New 
Hampshire,  Vermont,  New  York,  Ohio  and 
Illinois.  In  1849  and  1850  he  surveyed  and 
located  the  Marietta  &  Cincinnati  Railroad 
from  Chillicothe  to  Cincinnati,  Ohio,  which 
has  since  been  absorbed  by  the  Baltimore  & 
Ohio  Railway,  and  became  a  part  of  that 
great  system.  It  is  now  known  as  the  Bal- 
timore &  Ohio  Southwestern. 

In  1862  he  settled  in  Odin,  Marion 
county,  where  he  has  lived  ever  since. 
Twenty-three  years  ago",  from  1908,  he 
opened  the  coal  mine  here  which  has  been 
running  successfully  all  the  time  since,  and 
it  has  been  under  h;s  immediate  manage- 
ment ever  since  it  was  started.  It  is  incor- 
porated and  our  subject  has  been  the  presi- 
dent from  the  start.  The  capacity  is  one 
thousand  tons  daily.  Last  year  the  mine 
produced  two  hundred  and  forty  thousand 


678 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


tons.  It  is  operated  with  two  hundred 
miners  and  is  always  a  very  busy  place. 

The  coal  produced  here  is  of  a  very  high 
grade  and  always  finds  a  ready  market. 
Colonel  Morrison  also  has  large  farming  in- 
terests in  this  county,  and  an  excellent  stock 
ranch.  *  He  breeds  high  grade  cattle,  having 
some  thoroughbreds.  His  cattle  are  usu- 
ally fattened  on  grass  for  the  market,  and 
no  small  portion  of  his  yearly  income  is  de- 
rived from  his  shipments  of  live  stock  which 
always  demand  high  prices  owing  to  their 
fine  quality.  His  farms  are  kept  in  a  high 
state  of  improvement  and  are  up-to-date  in 
every  respect,  showing  that  a  man  of  un- 
usual soundness  of  judgment  has  their  man- 
agement in  hand. 

Colonel  Morrison  has  frequently  been 
called  upon  to  display  his  innate  ability  in 
public  offices,  having  faithfully  served  for 
twelve  years  as  Police  Judge,  and  he  served 
his  people  in  a  most  praiseworthy  manner  in 
the  legislature  for  two  terms,  during  which 
time  he  won  an  enviable  reputation  as  a  law 
maker,  and  his  advice  and  sound  counsel 
were  always  listened  to  with  the  greatest  re- 
spect by  his  colleagues  in  the  house. 

Colonel  Morrison  likes  to  tell  of  the  early 
days.  When  he  was  born  there  was  neither 
mill  nor  railroad  in  his  section  of  the  state. 
He  was  three  years  old  when  the  first  stone 
was  hauled  to  build  the  Bunker  Hill  monu- 
ment. The  entire  railroad  and  telegraph 
system  has  been  built  up  since  he  can  re- 
member. He  was  in  Chicago  when  the  con- 
tract was  let  for  building  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad.  Mr.  Morrison  will  soon  be  eighty- 


five  years  old,  and  is  as  active  and  hale  as 
ever,  being  as  active  in  his  business  manage- 
ment as  at  any  time  during  his  life.  He 
built  the  first  dwelling  house  in  Odin.  He 
has  seen  land  sell  under  the  government  for 
twenty-five  cents  per  acre  that  is  now  worth 
two  hundred  dollars  per  acre.  He  has  long 
been  actively  associated  with  the  locating 
and  building  of  railroads,  and  is  an  enthu- 
siastic believer  in  the  useful  results  obtained 
by  means  of  railroad  facilities. 

Colonel  Morrison's  married  life  dates 
from  1853,  when  he  was  united  in  the  bonds 
of  wedlock  with  Lavinia  M.  Smart,  daugh- 
ter of  Judge  Hugh  and  Elizabeth  (Hughes) 
Smart,  of  Ohio.  Six  children  have  been 
born  to  Colonel  Morrison  and  wife  as  fol- 
lows :  Sadie ;  Jean,  who  is  the  wife  of 
Hamilton  Rapp,  of  Santa  Fe,  New  Mexico. 
He  is  an  architect,  plans  and  superintends 
the  territorial  buildings.  Jessie,  the  sub- 
ject's third  child,  is  deceased;  Helen  is  the 
wife  of  Doctor  Fyke,  of  Centralia,  Illinois, 
and  the  mother  of  three  daughters,  Jean, 
Helen  and  Lavinia;  Charles  Hugh  has 
charge  of  the  coal  mine  and  its  interests,  and 
is  general  manager  of  his  father's  business. 
He  was  a  student  of  the  State  University  at 
Champaign,  Illinois,  and  as  a  business  man 
he  ranks  high  in  the  county,  being  well  and 
favorably  known  to  the  business  world; 
Vedie,  the  subject's  sixth  child,  is  deceased. 

When  Colonel  Morrison  came  to  Illinois 
there  were  neither  settlements  nor  settlers  in 
this  part  of  the  commonwealth  on  all  of  the 
broad  prairies.  From  1892  to  1898  he  was 
a  member  of  the  Board  of  Trustees  of  the 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


679 


University  of  Illinois,  and  was  chairman  of 
the  Committee  on  Agriculture.  After  an 
investigation  he  found  there  was  but  one 
professor  and  four  students  in  the  agricul- 
tural college  of  the  state  of  Illinois.  He  at 
once  set  about  remedying  this  condition, 
and  it  was  due  to  his  agitation  and  efforts 
that  this  department  was  brought  up  to  its 
present  day  state  of  efficiency,  it  being  rec- 
ognized at  present  as  one  of  the  most  effect- 
ive departments  of  the  State  University.  He 
has  on  his  own  farm  an  experimental  sta- 
tion which  is  conducted  under  the  supervis- 
ion of  the  Agricultural  College  at 
Champaign,  and  also  of  the  agricultural 
department  at  Washington.  He  has  as  a 
result  of  his  faithful  work,  been  invited  to 
accompany  special  trains  which  have  trav- 
eled over  all  the  trunk  lines  in  Illinois,  giv- 
ing lectures  and  practical  demonstrations  of 
the  excellent  work  which  has  been  accom- 
plished at  the  college.  On  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral road  he  also  visited  the  states  of  Missis- 
sippi and  Louisiana  in  this  capacity. 


SIDNEY  BREEZE. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  life  his- 
tory of  the  man  whose  name  appears  above 
has  been  closed  by  the  hand  of  death,  his 
influence  still  permeates  the  lives  of  those 
he  came  in  contact  with.  His  was  a  life  of 
noble  deeds  and  consistency  to  the  truth  in 
all  its  phases. 

Sidney  Breeze  was  bom  in  Rome  town- 
ship, Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  February  15. 


1842,  and  he  passed  to  his  rest  July  2,  1889. 
He  was  the  son  of  Owen  and  Margaret 
(Falkner)  Breeze,  the  former  a  native  of 
Indiana,  and  the  latter  of  Kentucky.  Owen 
Breeze  came  to  Illinois  when  a  young  man, 
with  his  parents,  and  settled  in  Rome  town- 
ship, Jefferson  county,  being  among  the  pio- 
neers of  that  district.  They  engaged  in 
farming,  and  both  died  in  Grand  Prairie 
township.  They  were  the  parents  of  three 
children.  Martha  Jane,  who  married  Henry 
West,  is  living  in  Irvington,  Illinois;  Sid- 
ney, our  subject;  Harriet,  who  married 
Joseph  Boles,  of  Jefferson  county,  this  state. 
Mr.  Breeze,  our  subject,  attended  the 
country  schools,  and  the  subscription  schools 
and  lived  at  home  until  his  marriage,  No- 
vember 26,  1863,  to  Maria  Stonecipher, 
who  was  born  October  14,  1843,  in  Harri- 
son county,  Indiana,  and  a  daughter  of  Ja- 
cob and  Sarah  (Riley)  Stonecipher,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  Harrison  coun- 
ty, and  the  latter  of  North  Carolina.  The 
Stoneciphers  are  of  German  descent,  and  the 
Rileys  of  Irish  ancestry.  Jacob  and  Sarah 
Stonecipher  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, namely:  William,  a  retired  farmer, 
living  in  Centralia  township;  Franklin  died 
during  the  Civil  war,  having  been  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  H,  Forty-eighth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry.  His  death  occurred  in 
Tennessee.  Sarah,  the  third  child,  married 
James  Steward,  of  Centralia,  Illinois.  Henry 
and  Etta,  the  fourth  and  fifth  children,  are 
twins.  Henry  is  in  the  West.  Etta  is  de- 
ceased. Marion  was  the  second  child  in 
order  of  birth. 


68o 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


To  our  subject  and  wife  eight  children 
have  been  born,  namely :  Oscar  L.,  a  fanner 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois;  Alva,  a  hostler 
for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  living  in 
Centralia,  Illinois;  Gilla  died  April  5,  1884; 
Julia  Ann  married  James  Holland  and  is  liv- 
ing in  Centralia;  Clara  died  June  n,  1900; 
Lawrence  died  September  14,  1875;  Albert 
is  living  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  on  a 
farm;  Zina,  a  farmer  and  clerk,  is  living  at 
home. 

The  subject's  children  were  educated  in 
the  home  schools.  Zina  not  only  attended 
the  home  schools,  but  he  also  attended 
school  at  Jackson,  Tennessee,  in  the  South- 
western Baptist  University,  where  he  made 
a  splendid  record  for  scholarship.  He  has 
always  remained  at  home  with  his  parents. 
He  clerked  in  a  most  successful  manner  in  a 
store  at  Walnut  Hill,  and  he  has  been  equal- 
ly successful  as  a  farmer. 

After  his  marriage  Sidney  Breeze  lived 
in  Grand  Prairie  township,  Jefferson 
county.  In  1866  he  moved  to  Rome  town- 
ship, Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  He  bought  a 
farm  consisting  of  five  hundred  acres  in  one 
body,  and  he  was  a  most  successful  agricul- 
turist, being  known  as  a  man  of  good  judg- 
ment and  industrious  habits.  In  195  the 
family  moved  to  Walnut  Hill,  where  they 
have  since  resided.  They  still  own  the  old 
homestead.  The  subject  was  a  loyal  Re- 
publican, but  he  never  aspired  for  office. 
Both  he  and  his  estimable  wife  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church  for  many  years, 
and  were  always  active  in  church  work.  Mr. 
Breeze  is  remembered  as  a  man  of  gentle 


disposition  which  won  him  hosts  of  friends. 
In  his  fraternal  relations  he  was  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
having  belonged  to  this  order  for  a  period 
of  twenty-five  years,  lodge  No.  710,  Walnut 
Hill,  and  he  took  a  great  deal  of  interest  in 
lodge  work.  He  was  a  useful  man,  and  his 
good  deeds  and  honorable  life  will  long  be 
remembered  by  the  people  of  Marion 
county. 


WILLIAM  A.  HARTLEY. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  wears  the 
proud  title  of  one  of  the  "boys  in  blue",  a 
title  that  anyone  might  justly  be  proud  to 
bear,  for  such  privilege  does  not  come  to 
many  men  in  a  country,  and  we  of  the  after- 
math are  glad  to  respect  those  of  this  class, 
but  this  is  not  the  only,  reason  why  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch  is  entitled  to  representa- 
tion in  a  work  of  this  nature,  having  been 
a  man  of  industry,  honesty  and  influence 
during  his  long  life  in  Marion  county. 

William  A.  Hartley  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  Grand  Prairie  township,  February 
25,  1841,  the  son  of  Hugh  Hartley,  who 
was  born  in  1805,  and  who  married  Nancy 
Huckleberry.  The  former  was  a  native  of 
Virginia  and  the  latter  of  Indiana.  William 
Hartley,  the  subject's  grandfather,  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  was  a  native  of  Virginia, 
having  been  born  and  grew  up  in  Monon- 
gahela  county.  In  1816  he  came  to  Clark 
county,  Indiana,  and  later  moving  to 
Charlestown,  Indiana,  where  he  died  in 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


68 1 


1844.  Then  Hugh  Hartley,  the  subject's 
father,  came  to  Jefferson  county  in  1839. 
He  was  married  in  Indiana.  He  purchased 
two  hundred  acres  of  wild  land  in  Grand 
Prairie  township.  He  improved  the  place 
and  lived  there  until  his  death  in  1871.  His 
wife  died  in  1896,  at  the  advanced  age  of 
eighty-eight  years. 

In  early  life  he  devoted  his  time  to  shoe- 
making.  He  was  in  Chicago  when  city  lots 
were  selling  for  five  and  ten  dollars  each. 
He  served  during  the  Black  Hawk  war  of 
1832  in  Arkansas,  where  he  remained  until 
the  close  of  hostilities.  He  was  a  great 
reader  and  debater.  He  was  an  active  Dem- 
ocrat, although  he  never  held  office.  He 
was  a  member  of  the  Methodist  church,  and 
was  well  known  and  highly  respected  by  all 
who  knew  him.  Nine  children  were  born 
to  the  parents  of  the  subject  as  follows: 
John  W.,  who  was  in  the  Mexican  war  dur- 
ing the  second  year  of  the  war  for  one  year. 
He  was  in  Company  H,  Fourteenth  Illinois 
Volunteer  Infantry,  during  the  second  year 
of  the  Civil  war,  having  been  lieutenant  in 
General  Palmer's  regiment,  having  served 
two  years  when  he  lost  his  voice  and  was 
compelled  to  resign.  He  was  the  first  City 
Marshal  of  Decatur,  Illinois,  and  lived  there 
the  rest  of  his  life.  He  was  also  the  first 
man  to  run  a  bakery  in  that  city.  He  died 
there  in  1901.  The  second  child  was  named 
Mary  Ann  and  is  deceased;  James  R.  is 
living  in  Grand  Prairie  township,  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois.  He  was  formerly  a  teacher 
and  painter  by  trade.  He  was  in  Company 
F,  One  Hundred  and  Fifty-fourth  Illinois 


Volunteer  Infantry,  having  served  over  one 
year.  Martha  J.,  who  died  in  November, 
1904,  remained  single  and  lived  at  home. 
Alfred  died  in  infancy;  Hugh,  the  sixth 
child,  learned  the  bricklayer's  trade.  He 
made  a  trip  overland  by  Pike's  Peak  to  Cal- 
ifornia and  was  there  two  years.  After  he 
returned  he  went  to  Louisiana.  He  was  in 
the  Confederate  army,  and  died  three 
months  before  the  close  of  the  war,  having 
been  buried  at  Richmond,  Virginia.  Wil- 
liam A.,  our  subject,  was  the  seventh  child 
in  order  of  birth;  Clara,  who  became  the 
wife  of  Rev.  J.  C.  Baldridge,  a  Methodist 
minister,  is  deceased.  He  lives  in  Chicago. 
Andrew  J.  lives  at  Irvington,  Illinois,  and 
is  a  stock  dealer  and  engaged  in  farming. 

The  subject  was  educated  in  the  home 
schools.  After  he  left  school,  Mr.  Hartley 
was  one  of  the  brave  sons  of  the  North,  who 
offered  his  services  in  suppressing  the  re- 
bellion, having  enlisted  August  18,  1861,  in 
Company  C,  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry, at  Centralia  as  a  private.  He  was 
sent  to  Bird's  Point,  Missouri,  remaining 
there  until  February  5,  1862,  where  he  was 
drilled.  He  then  went  to  Fort  Henry,  ten- 
nessee,  remaining  there  four  days,  when  he 
marched  to  Fort  Donelson  and  was  in  the 
battle  there,  the  regiment  he  was  in  losing 
six  hundred  men  out  of  .seven  hundred 
and  fifty  in  killed,  wounded  and 
prisoners.  He  was  at  Fort  Donelson  until 
the  middle  of  March,  1862,  when  he  went 
to  Shiloh,  and  was  in  that  battle.  He  was 
wounded  April  6,  1862;  he  was  shot 
through  the  right  shoulder  and  was  sent  to 


682 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


a  hospital  in  Tennessee.  He  ran  off  from, 
there  and  went  back  to  his  regiment  and 
the  captain  ordered  him  back  to  the  hospital. 
He  was  later  sent  home,  where  he  remained 
until  in  August,  1862,  when  he  went  back 
to  his  regiment,  remaining  until  November 
2Oth,  following  when  he  was  discharged  at 
Cairo,  Illinois,  after  which  he  returned 
home.  His  health  was  poor  and  in  the 
spring  of  1863  he  went  to  Memphis,  Ten- 
nessee, where  he  clerked  in  a  wholesale 
house,  where  he  remained  until  the  follow- 
ing October,  when  he  returned  home  and 
began  teaching  school  at  Grand  Prairie 
township,  Jefferson  county,  devoting  the 
following  thirty  years  to  teaching  in  that 
county,  and  the  following  ten  years  to  teach- 
ing in  Marion  county,  mostly  in  Centralia 
township,  having  taught  fourteen  terms  in 
one  district.  He  became  well  known  as  an 
able  instructor  and  his  services  were  in  great 
demand.  In  1889  he  moved  to  Walnut  Hill, 
Illinois,  where  he  taught  in  the  winter  and 
worked  in  a  store  during  the  summer 
months,  having  worked  five  years  for  D. 
B.  Kell. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  April 
27,  1865,  to  Rebecca  J.  Boggs,  a  native  of 
North  Carolina,  the  daughter  of  Joseph  B. 
and  Mary  (Wyant)  Boggs,  both  natives 
of  North  Carolina.  Mr.  Boggs  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  settled  in  Rac- 
coon township  in  1858.  Both  he  and  his 
wife  are  now  deceased. 

One  son  has  been  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  namely:  George,  who  was  born 
March  16,  1866.  He  was  educated  in  the 


home  schools,  and  is  in  the  Sentinel  office 
at  Centralia,  Illinois.  He  married  Flora 
Pierson;  they  have  one  son,  William  A. 

Mr.  Hartley  has  been  Supervisor  for  four- 
teen years  and  in  the  spring  of  1908  he  was 
re-elected  for  two  years.  He  was  clerk  of 
the  town  of  Grand  Prairie,  and  was  Jus- 
tice of  the  Peace  at  Walnut  Hill  for  six 
years.  He  has  always  been  an  active  work- 
er in  the  Republican  ranks.  In  his  fraternal 
relations  he  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  at  Walnut  Hill, 
having  joined  the  lodge  there  in  1882.  He 
has  held  all  the  offices  and  attended  the 
Grand  Lodge.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the 
American  Home  Circle,  also  belongs  to 
the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  No.  600  at 
Walnut  Hill,  of  which  post  he  is  now  adju- 
tant, having  held  all  the  offices  in  this  post. 
The  subject  and  wife  are  members  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  having  been 
identified  with  the  same  for  the  past  forty 
years.  Mr.  Hartley  has  been  industrious 
and  success  has  attended  his  efforts,  and  he 
has  become  widely  known. 


FRANCIS  M.  BATES. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
sterling  citizens  of  Centralia  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  where  he  has  long  maintained 
his  home  near  Walnut  Hill,  being  known 
as  one  of  the  progressive  men  of  the  com- 
munity and  always  interested  in  movements 
looking  toward  the  development  of  the 
same. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


683 


Francis  M.  Bates  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  in  Rome  township,  May 
15,  1841,  the  son  of  James  and  Elizabeth 
(Bostwick)  Bates,  the  former  a  native  of 
Maine  and  the  latter  of  Maryland.  The 
father  grew  up  in  Maine  and  was  well  edu- 
cated. He  left  that  state  when  a  young 
man  and  went  to  Ohio,  where  he  engaged 
in  farming,  having  devoted  his  life  to  the 
farm.  Later  he  went  to  St.  Clair  county, 
where  he  bought  land  and  where  he  lived 
for  several  years.  Then  he  went  to  Jeffer- 
son county,  Illinois,  in  the  early  thirties ;  he 
got  a  farm  there  in  Rome  township,  and 
settled  on  land  which  he  purchased  for  one 
dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre.  His 
death  occurred  there  in  1860,  and  his  wife 
died  in  1873.  He  held  no  offices,  but  was 
an  old-line  Whig  and  later  a  Republican. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  she  of  the  Methodist  church.  They 
were  the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  name- 
ly: Benjamin,  James,  Sarah  A.,  Belle, 
George,  Francis,  Wesley,  Mary  J.  Five 
children  died  in  infancy. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  the 
home  schools,  principally  subscription 
schools.  He  remained  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty  years  old,  when  he  married  on  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1 86 1,  to  Nancy  Martin,  a  native 
of  Bedford  county,  Tennessee,  and  a 
daughter  of  Willis  and  Jane  (Stamper) 
Martin,  both  of  Bedford,  Tennessee.  They 
grew  up  in  that  country,  and  were  married 
there.  They  came  to  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  where  Mr.  Martin  secured  wild  land 
and  settled  near  Mt.  Vernon.  He  was  one 


of  the  brave  "boys  in  blue,"  having  enlisted 
in  the  One  Hundred  and  Tenth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry.  He  fell  sick  at  Nashville, 
Tennessee,  died  and  was  buried  in  the  Na- 
tional cemetery  in  1863.  His  wife  survived 
until  1893.  Nine  children  were  born  to 
them,  six  of  whom  grew  to  maturity, 
namely :  Nancy,  William,  Mary,  James, 
John,  Martha. 

Fourteen  children,  nine  of  whom 
reached  maturity,  were  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife  as  follows :  William,  a  miller,  liv- 
ing in  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois;  Spencer  is  a 
miller  at  Walnut  Hill,  Illinois;  Luther  is  a 
blacksmith  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois;  Ida  is 
the  wife  of  Zelter  Patton,  who  is  living  in 
Chester,  Illinois;  Mary  married  Joseph 
Root  a  farmer  of  Centralia  township;  Wal- 
ter is  a  farmer  in  Raccoon  township,  this 
county;  Flora  married  Irvin  Smith  and  is 
living  in  Centralia  township ;  Mettie  is  the 
wife  of  J.  Smith,  of  Centralia  township; 
Homer  is  a  miller  living  at  Shattuc,  Il- 
linois. 

After  his  marriage  Mr.  Bates  located 
near  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  took  up 
farming,  which  he  made  a  success  of  until 
he  heard  the  call  for  brave  sons  to  save  the 
Union,  consequently  he  enlisted  in  Company 
E,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  as 
as  private,  on  August  25,  1862,  at  Mt.  Ver- 
non and  was  drilled  at  Centralia.  His  first 
engagement  was  at  Perryville,  Kentucky, 
on  October  8,  1862,  where  he  was  wounded, 
having  been  shot  through  the  left  wrist.  He 
was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky, where  he  remained  for  three  months 


684 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


and  was  discharged  on  account  of  disability, 
much  to  his  regret,  for  he  desired  to  see  fur- 
ther service  and  do  what  he  could  to  help 
suppress  the  rebellion. 

After  his  army  experience  he  came  home 
and  worked  at  farming  for  several  years. 
Then  he  engaged  in  the  milling  business  at 
Dix,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  In  1875  he 
came  to  Walnut  Hill,  and  bought  an  inter- 
est in  the  Walnut  Hill  Flour  and  Feed  Mills, 
later  he  bought  the  entire  plant  and  finally 
sold  the  mill  in  1905.  Since  then  he  has 
devoted  his  time  principally  to  farming. 
He  purchased  a  farm  of  eighty  acres  in 
Raccoon  township,  and  also  other  land, 
which  he  sold,  but  he  still  owns  a  small 
place  which  is  well  cultivated.  Mr.  Bates 
has  always  been  a  hard  worker  and  success 
has  attended  his  efforts.  He  formerly  voted 
th  Republican  ticket,  but  in  late  years  has 
voted  the  Prohibition  ticket.  He  is  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic  at 
Walnut  Hill,  also  a  member  of  the  Metho- 
dist church  at  that  place.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Bates  are  fine  people  and  they  enjoy  the 
friendship  of  all  their  neighbors  and  exten- 
sive acquaintance  owing  to  their  good  lives. 


HORACE  BRONSON. 

Among  the  highly  respected  and  influen- 
tial citizens  of  Centralia  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch, 
whose  long  and  active  life  has  been  one  of 
usefulness  and  honor,  a  native  of  the  great 


Empire  state,  which  has  sent  so  many  of  its 
best  sons  into  the  West.  He  has  kept  up  the 
state's  reputation  for  sterling  citizenship  and 
loyalty  to  the  government. 

Horace  Bronson  was  born  in  Oneida 
county,  New  York,  November  14,  1831,  the 
son  of  Allen  and  Triphena  (Hudson) 
Bronson,  both  natives  of  Chautauqua  coun- 
ty, New  York.  Allen  Bronson  devoted  his 
life  to  farming  and  in  1859  he  came  to  Illi- 
nois, and  located  in  Grundy  county.  He 
later  went  to  Dennison,  Iowa,  and  in  1893 
went  to  Odell,  Illinois,  where  he  died  in 
1894,  his  wife  having  died  in  the  state  of 
New  York.  The  subject's  father  married 
a  second  time,  his  last  wife  being  Kate 
Douglas,  of  New  York  state.  She  died  in 
Grundy  county,  Illinois.  Mr.  Bronson  was 
a  loyal  Republican  and  an  influential  man 
in  his  community.  His  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  church.  The  following 
children  were  born  to  Allen  Bronson  by  his 
first  wife,  namely:  Horace,  our  subject;  Jay 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil  war  in  the  Seventy 
sixth  New  York  Volunteer  Infantry  and 
located  in  Detroit  after  the  war,  where  he 
engaged  in  business;  Walter,  a  farmer  at 
Pontiac,  Illinois,  served  in  the  navy  during 
the  Civil  war ;  James  Gordon  served  in  the 
Fourth  Illinois  Cavalry  during  the  Civil  war 
after  which  he  located  on  a  farm  near  Pon- 
tiac, Illinois,  where  he  later  died ;  William, 
a  farmer  at  Odell,  Illinois ;  Isaac,  also  a  vet- 
eran of  the  Civil  war,  is  a  farmer  at  Odell, 
Illinois.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  the  second  marriage:  Byron  is  in  the 
United  States  Signal  service,  having  been 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


685 


stationed  in  the  West  for  many  years ;  Fred 
is  a  conductor  on  the  Burlington  Railroad, 
located  at  Galesburg,  Illinois;  Charles  is 
also  a  conductor  on  the  Burlington  at  Gales- 
burg. 

The  subject  attended  the  home  schools  in 
his  native  community  and  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family  circle  until  1852,  when 
he  went  to  California  by  water,  where  he 
worked  at  mining  for  four  years,  then  went 
back  to  New  York  state  and  first  married 
in  1856,  Margaret  Wright,  of  Utica,  New 
York.  She  died  May  14,  1871.  His  sec- 
ond wife  was  Ella  Fitzgerald,  a  native  of 
Centralia,  Illinois.  She  died  in  1875.  He 
married  a  third  time  to  Elizabeth  Eberts, 
of  Camden,  Ohio.  The  subject  had  three 
children  by  his  first  wife,  namely:  George, 
who  is  living  in  the  West;  Frank,  an  elec- 
trician in  Chicago;  Ellen  is  deceased.  The 
subject  had  no  children  by  his  second  wife, 
but  four  by  his  third  wife,  namely;  Grant, 
a  carpenter  living  at  Centralia,  Illinois,  who 
married  Mary  Thurston,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  one  daughter,  Mabel;  Albert  J. 
is  living  at  home;  Walter  is  also  living  at 
home;  Horace  is  deceased. 

In  1857  the  subject  came  to  Centralia, 
this  state,  and  took  up  farming,  which  he 
made  a  success  of  until  1869  when  he  moved 
to  Champaign,  Illinois,  where  he  farmed 
and  raised  broom  corn  with  great  success 
for  a  period  of  thirteen  years,  and  in  1882 
he  came  back  to  Centralia  and  located  where 
he  now  lives,  just  south  of  the  city  of  Cen- 
tralia in  section  30,  where  he  owns  thirty- 
six  acres  of  valuable  land,  where  he  carries 


on  fruit  raising  and  farming.  He  also 
raises  some  stock. 

The  subject  began  making  brooms  in 
1858  and  has  carried  on  the  same,  most  of 
the  time  ever  since.  He  and  his  sons  have 
carried  on  this  business  in  connection  with 
other  lines  with  uninterrupted  success.  They 
have  no  trouble  in  disposing  of  all  the 
brooms  they  can  make  in  the  home  market, 
for  they  are  known  to  be  a  superior  grade 
and  are  eagerly  sought  after. 

Mr.  Bronson  has  always  been  a  stanch 
Republican  and  he  takes  much  interest  in 
all  movements  looking  to  the  well  being  of 
his  county.  Mrs.  Bronson  is  a  member  of 
the  Christian  church. 


VERNE  E.  JOY. 

Verne  E.  Joy  was  born  at  Carmi,  Illinois, 
December  12,  1876.  He  was  educated  in 
the  common  schools,  and  after  receiving  a 
business  education  spent  over  three  years 
in  Germany,  as  United  States  Consular 
Agent  at  Selingen  and  Sonneberg.  Mr. 
Joy  became  editor  and  publisher  of  the 
Centralia  Evening  and  Weekly  Sentinel  on 
November  i,  1906,  at  the  time  of  his  father's 
retirement,  who  had  spent  a  life-time  in  the 
business  and  had  built  up  a  splendid  prop- 
erty in  The  Sentinels.  Under  the  new  man- 
agement the  papers  assumed  a  new  aspect, 
reflecting  the  former  training  of  Mr.  Joy 
on  Denver,  Pueblo  and  Colorado  Springs 
papers  in  addition  to  his  acquirement  of 
the  printing  trade  under  his  father.  The 
Evening  Sentinel  was  given  a  new  style  of 


686 


BRIXKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


make-up,  wire  service  was  added,  illustra- 
tions secured  and  the  paper  has  since  ap- 
peared in  eight  page  form  instead  of  four. 
New  machinery  and  equipment  was  in- 
stalled and  the  paper  has  made  a  remarkable 
stride  forward  in  circulation  and  advertis- 
ing, until  at  present  The  Sentinel  has  the 
largest  sworn  afternoon  circulation  of  any 
daily  in  Southern  Illinois.  This  paper 
moved  to  its  own  new  and  well  appointed 
building  the  last  of  October,  1908,  where 
it  has  ample  and  commodious  quarters  and 
is  now  more  than  meeting  the  fondest  ex- 
pectations of  its  numerous  patrons.  It  now 
occupies  two  floors,  each  one  hundred  and 
forty-seven  feet  long  and  has  practically 
five  thousand  square  feet  of  floor  space. 
New  machinery,  new  type  and  other  modern 
appliances  and  accessories  have  been  added 
throughout;  a  new  linotype  machine  pur- 
chased, and  it  is  now  one  of  the  most  com- 
plete and  up-to-date  equipments  for  the  pub- 
lication of  a  newspaper  in  all  Southern  Illi- 
nois. The  mechanical  appearance  of  the 
paper  is  very  attractive  and  in  a  small  way 
equal  to  any  metropolitan  paper  in  the  coun- 
try, and  in  keeping  with  the  paper's  claim 
of  being  "Egypt's  Greatest  Daily."  All 
kinds  of  job  and  other  high  class  printing 
are  done  at  The  Sentinel  office  in  a  large  and 
separate  department. 


COL.  GEORGE  L.  PITTENGER. 

Col.  George  L.  Pittenger  is  descended  pa- 
ternally from  sterling  Maryland  ancestry, 
and  traces  his  genealogy  to  an  early  period 


in  the  history  of  that  state.  His  grand- 
father, a  Marylander  by  birth,  migrated  to 
Ohio  in  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Decatur 
county,  where  he  engaged  in  agricultural 
pursuits,  reared  a  large  family  and  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life.  J.  M.  Pittenger,  the 
subject's  father,  was  born  in  Ohio  and  re- 
ceived his  educational  training  in  such 
schools  as  his  native  county  afforded.  He 
spent  his  early  life  on  the  family  home- 
stead, in  Decatur  county,  and  at  the  proper 
age  assisted  his  father  in  the  cultivation  of 
the  farm  and  grew  up  a  strong  and  vigorous 
physique  well  fitted  to  cope  with  and  suc- 
cessfully overcome  the  many  difficulties  and 
discouragements  which  young  men  in  those 
days  usually  encountered  at  the  beginning 
of  their  careers.  After  remaining  in  his 
native  state  until  1846,  he  moved  to  Illinois 
and  settled  near  the  town  of  Monmouth, 
subsequently  changing  his  residence  to  Ma- 
rion county,  where  he  cultivated  the  soil  as 
a  renter  and  remained  for  a  number  of 
years.  Later  he  disposed  of  his  interests 
in  Marion  county  and  moved  to  Kansas, 
where  he  purchased  a  section  of  land  and 
engaged  in  farming  and  stock  raising.  Mr. 
Pittenger  was  a  man  of  industry  and  energy 
who  succeeded  well  in  his  undertakings  and 
stood  high  in  the  esteem  of  the  people  in 
his  various  places  of  residence.  A  devout 
member  of  the  Christian  church,  he  dem- 
onstrated by  his  daily  walk  and  conversation 
the  beauty  and  worth  of  the  religion  which 
he  professed  and  all  of  his  relations  with 
his  fellow  men  were  characterized  by  the  in- 
tegrity and  high  sense  of  honor  which  con- 
stitute the  Christian  and  the  gentleman. 


TORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


687 


The  life  of  this  estimable  man  and  public- 
spirited  citizen,  which  was  fraught  with 
much  good  to  those  with  whom  he  mingled, 
terminated  at  his  Kansas  home  in  1903,  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years.  Matilda 
Pittenger,  wife  of  J.  M.  Pittenger  and 
mother  of  the  subject  of  this  review,  was 
also  a  native  of  Decatur,  Ohio,  and  a  fit 
companion  and  help-meet  for  her  husband, 
whom  she  encouraged  and  materially  as- 
sisted by  her  judicious  counsel  and  co-op- 
eration and  to  whom  he  was  indebted  for 
no  small  share  of  the  success  and  prosperity 
which  in  due  time  rewarded  his  labors.  She 
died  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  May, 
1864,  at  the  age  of  forty-three  years. 

Col.  George  L.  Pittenger  was  born  in  the 
latter  part  of  1844  at  Decatur,  Ohio,  and 
three  years  later  was  brought  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  by  his  parents,  where  he 
spent  his  childhood  and  youth  in  the  free 
outdoor  life  of  the  farm,  his  early  experi- 
ence amid  the  bracing  air  and  rural  scenes 
having  had  a  decided  influence  in  molding 
and  developing  a  strong  character  foster- 
ing habits  of  industry  and  self-reliance. 
After  receiving  a  common  school  education, 
he  accepted  the  position  of  news-boy  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  in  which  capacity 
he  continued  until  there  came  the  clarion 
call  to  the  higher  duty  of  maintaining  the 
integrity  of  the  nation,  placed  in  jeopardy 
through  armed  hosts  of  treason  and  rebel- 
lion. In  1862,  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years, 
he  enlisted  in  Company  I,  Eighty-ninth  Il- 
linois Infantry,  with  which  he  rendered  val- 
iant service  in  the  defense  of  the  Union, 


sharing  with  his  comrades  the  fortunes  and 
vicissitudes  of  war  in  a  number  of  noted 
compaigns  and  battles,  including  the  bloody 
engagements  of  Stone  River,  Chickamauga, 
Missionary  Ridge,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Dal- 
las, New  Hope  Church,  and  the  siege  and 
fall  of  Atlanta,  and  numerous  skirmishes 
and  minor  engagements,  in  all  of  which  he 
displayed  the  courage  and  gallantry  charac- 
teristic of  the  true  soldier  and  patriot  and 
never  hesitated  at  the  call  of  duty,  however 
dangerous.  Colonel  Pittenger  not  only 
served  his  country  faithfully  and  well,  but 
like  many  other  brave  men  shed  blood  in 
defense  of  its  honor,  having  been  severely 
wounded  in  the  leg  at  the  battle  of  Stone 
River  by  the  explosion  of  a  shell,  the  injury 
being  such  as  to  necessitate  a  month's  treat- 
ment in  the  hospital,  before  he  was  enabled 
to  rejoin  his  command.  Subsequently  at 
the  battle  of  Dallas  he  was  shot  in  the  groin 
which  laid  him  off  duty  for  a  period  of 
ninety  days  and  still  later  in  the  bloody  bat- 
tle at  New  Hope  Church,  he  received  what 
at  that  time  was  thought  to  be  a  fatal  wound 
in  the  head,  having  been  injured  at  Buz- 
zard's Roost  prior  to  the  latter  action. 

By  reason  of  the  painful  nature  of  his  in- 
jury and  the  long  time  required  for  its  treat- 
ment, Mr.  Pittinger  did  not  return  to  the 
regiment,  but  when  sufficiently  recovered 
was  transferred  to  the  railroad  department 
in  which  he  served  until  the  close  of  the  war. 
first  as  fireman  and  then  as  engineer  on  the 
military  roads,  transporting  troops  and  sup- 
plies for  the  government. 

At  the  termination  of  his  military  career, 


688 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


filled  to  repletion  with  duty,  bravely  and  un- 
compromisingly performed,  Colonel  Pitten- 
ger  returned  to  his  adopted  state  and  in  a 
short  time  engaged  in  the  grocery  trade  at 
Centralia,  where  he  soon  built  up  a  large 
and  lucrative  business.  He  continued  this 
line  of  merchandise  with  success  and  finan- 
cial profit  until  1904,  and  during  the  interim 
achieved  a  wide  and  honorable  reputation 
as  an  enterprising  business  man,  the  estab- 
lishment which  he  founded  being  for  a  num- 
ber of  years  the  largest  wholesale  and  re- 
tail grocery  house  in  Southern  Illinois.  In 
the  year  1904,  he  embarked  in  the  merchan- 
dising on  a  still  more  extensive  scale  by  or- 
ganizing what  has  since  been  known  as  the 
Pittenger  &  Davis  Mercantile  Company, 
and  establishing  a  department  store  which 
has  grown  to  mammoth  proportions  and  is 
now  one  of  the  largest  and  most  successful 
establishments  of  the  kind  in  this  part  of 
the  state. 

Up  to  the  year  1906,  Pittenger  &  Davis 
were  the  largest  coal  producers  in  Illinois, 
employing  for  a  number  of  years  from  nine 
hundred  to  a  thousand  men  and  doing  a 
business  second  to  no  coal  company  in  the 
West  and  comparing  favorably  with  the  old 
and  well  established  firms  of  Pennsylvania 
and  the  other  eastern  states.  While  always 
having  in  view  his  own  interests  he  has  also 
been  untiring  in  his  efforts  to  build  up  the 
city  and  promote  its  material  growth. 
Among  his  efforts  in  this  line  is  the  beauti- 
ful and  commodious  opera  house  which  he 
recently  erected  and  which  is  conceded  by 
traveling  men  and  others  capable  of  judging 


to  be  one  of  the  finest  and  most  tastefully 
arranged  and  best  managed  edifices  of  the 
kind  outside  of  Chicago.  It  was  built  to 
meet  a  long  felt  want  on  the  part  of  the  pub- 
lic, and  under  the  joint  management  of  Pit- 
tenger &  Son,  nothing  has  been  spared  to 
make  it  realize  the  purposes  for  which  it 
was  intended  and  prove  a  commodious, 
comfortable  and  attractive  place  of  enter- 
tainment. 

Colonel  Pittenger  is  essentially  a  self- 
made  man,  and  what  he  has  accumulated  is 
the  result  of  his  own  industry  and  successful 
management.  From  the  humble  station  of 
a  news-boy  on  the  railroad,  he  has  steadily 
advanced  to  the  high  place  in  the  business 
world  which  he  now  occupies. 

Colonel  Pittenger's  honorable  military 
record  entitles  him  to  the  esteem  and  con- 
fidence of  every  true  patriot  and  lover  of  his 
country  and  its  institutions,  and  the  scars 
and  wounds  secured  on  the  bloody  field  of 
conflict  not  only  attest  his  loyalty,  but  con- 
stitute the  patents  to  an  honorable  nobility. 

Colonel  Pittenger's  continued  advance- 
ment and  great  success  in  the  business  world 
have  not  been  permitted  to  interfere  with  his 
obligations  to  his  fellow  men  and  his  duties 
to  the  public.  As  already  stated  he  has  long 
been  interested  in  whatever  tends  to  bene- 
fit the  community  and  as  a  factor  of  the 
body  politic  he  gives  his  allegiance  to  the 
Republican  party,  and  has  been  one  of  its 
trusted  counselors  and  influential  leaders 
in  county  and  state  affairs,  besides  taking 
an  active  part  in  a  number  of  national  cam- 
paigns. He  is  loyal  to  the  principles  of  his 


liKI.XKKUIIOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


689 


party  and  as  a  reward  for  valuable  political 
services  was  appointed  colonel  on  the  staff 
of  Governor  Tanner,  and  later  in  the  staff  of 
Governor  Yates,  which  position  he  filled 
with  becoming  dignity  and  through  the  me- 
dium of  which  he  became  widely  and  favor- 
ably known  among  the  leading  public  men 
of  the  state.  Between  Governor  Tanner 
and  himself  a  warm  personal  friendship  was 
maintained  for  many  years,  the  two  having 
been  comrades  during  their  military  experi- 
ence in  the  South,  and  it  was  there  that  the 
intimacy  which  bound  them  together  in  such 
close  and  tender  ties  had  its  origin. 

The  Spanish-American  war  afforded 
Colonel  Pittenger  another  opportunity  to 
demonstrate  his  patriotism  and  love  of 
country,  for  no  sooner  had  the  struggle  com- 
menced than  he  began  recruiting  a  regiment 
which  on  being  completed  he  was  elected 
colonel  without  a  dissenting  vote.  Al- 
though of  brief  duration  his  career  as  a 
commander  of  his  regiment  was  eminently 
creditable  and  honorable  to  himself  and  a 
source  of  pride  to  his  friends  and  fellow 
citizens  of  Marion  county.  Although  never 
an  office  seeker  nor  an  aspirant  for  public 
honors,  the  colonel  from  time  to  time  has 
filled  various  positions  of  responsibility  and 
trust,  including  besides  those  already  men- 
tioned and  others,  that  of  president  of  the 
Illinois  Bureau  of  Labor,  the  duties  of 
which  he  has  always  discharged  in  an  able 
and  satisfactory  manner  for  the  past  six 
years,  and  still  holds  the  appointment,  add- 
ing much  to  his  reputation  as  a  capable  and 
high-minded  official.  For  a  number  of  years 
44 


he  has  taken  a  leading  part  in  all  the  larger 
enterprises  for  the  improvement  of  Centra- 
lia,  erecting  four  modern  business  blocks 
which  have  been  valuable  contributions  to 
the  city's  material  prosperity,  besides  the 
opera  house  already  mentioned  and  many 
private  residences. 

The  domestic  chapter  in  the  history  of 
Colonel  Pittenger  has  been  one  of  ideal  char- 
acter and  it  would  be  impertinence  to  more 
than  lift  the  veil  from  the  sacred  precincts, 
where  much  of  his  inspiration,  courage  and 
confidence  have  originated  and  where  the 
grateful  influence  supplied  by  the  presence 
of  an  intelligent  and  refined  wife  and  mother 
prevail.  Mrs.  Pittenger,  formerly  Lizzie 
Willard,  the  congenial  daughter  of 
Capt.  George  Willard,  of  Marblehead, 
Massachusetts,  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  and 
the  ceremony  by  which  her  name  was 
changed  to  the  one  she  now  so  honorably 
bears,  was  solemnized  in  the  year  1868.  Two 
children  have  been  born  to  this  marriage, 
the  older  of  whom, -a  daughter  by  the  name 
of  Carrie,  became  the  wife  of  John  Calvin 
Brown,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty-seven 
years,  leaving  one  child,  a  dear  little  girl, 
Fae  Pittenger  Brown,  who  lives  with  her 
grandparents  and  gladdens  and  brightens 
their  hearts  and  home.  George,  the  second  in 
order  of  birth,  and  his  father's  partner,  is  a 
young  man  of  exemplary  character  and  su- 
perior business  ability  and  stands  high  in  the 
esteem  of  his  fellow  citizens  of  Centralia. 
He  was  born  in  the  year  1879,  and  was 
married  in  1905,  to  Estell  Kupferle,  of  St. 
Louis,  Missouri. 


690 


HRIXKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Sufficient  has  been  said  of  our  subject  to 
prove  him  entitled  to  a  place  in  the  front 
ranks  of  the  brave,  energetic,  self-made  men 
of  his  adopted  state,  those  who,  by  well  di- 
rected enterprise  and  unswerving  honor 
have  wrought  nobly  and  well  and  who  from 
the  pinnacle  of  large  success  look  back  over 
lives  of  honor  and  rectitude  in  which  is 
found  little  to  criticise,  but  much  to 
commend. 


A.  M.  SELEY. 

Although  well  known  and  highly  es- 
teemed the  subject  of  this  sketch  is  inclined 
to  be  averse  to  any  notice  savoring  of  adula- 
tion and  prefers  to  let  his  achievements 
rather  than  the  fulsome  praise  of  the  chron- 
icler speak  for  him,  and  in  giving  this  sketch 
only  facts  are  adhered  to  meriting  recog- 
nition. 

A.  M.  Seley,  retired  florist,  was  born  at 
Cambridge,  Vermont,  June  28,  1829,  the 
son  of  Samuel  and  Charlotte  (Moore)  Se- 
ley, the  former  having  been  born  in  the 
state  of  New  York,  where  he  worked  on  a 
farm.  He  died  in  Vermont.  The  subject's 
mother  was  also  born  in  the  state  of  New 
York  and  died  in  Vermont.  Six  children 
four  boys  and  two  girls  were  born  to  the 
parents  of  our  subject,  A.  M..  being  the 
third  in  order  of  birth. 

When  seventeen  years  old,  our  subject 
went  to  Massachusetts,  then  to  Keene,  New 
Hampshire,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade, 
that  of  comb-maker,  which  he  had  learned 


at  Holleston,  Massachusetts.  After  work- 
ing at  this  trade  for  eight  years,  giving  his 
employers  entire  satisfaction,  he  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  settling  in  the  hamlet 
of  Centralia  in  1854,  and  began  work  in 
the  station  house  of  the  railroad.  At  that 
time  there  were  no  houses  on  the  prairie  and 
Centralia  could  not  then  be  called  a  town. 
He  boarded  at  Central  City  and  carried 
water  two  and  one-half  miles  in  jugs  to  be 
used  for  drinking  purposes.  The  same  year, 

1854,  the   Illinois    Central    Railroad    was 
built,  the  branch  from  Centralia  to  Chicago 
having  been  built    the    following   year   in 

1855.  It  was  necessary    to    haul    lumber 
twenty  miles  west  of  Centralia,  the  nearest 
railroad  point,  to  build  the  houses  in  this 
vicinity.     The  local  mines  were  then    un- 
heard of.     In  1873,  our  subject  helped  put 
down  the  first  mine,  No.  i,  with  F.  C.  Cole 
as  his  companion.     While  thus  engaged  he 
met  with  a  severe  accident,  by  the  wire  rope 
which  was  used  to  pull  up  the  coal  catching 
around  his  left  leg  which  was  broken  twice 
and  three  ribs  were  broken,  his  hip  was  also 
broken  and  he  lay  for  some  time  unable  to 
move. 

Our  subject  was  Street  Commissioner  of 
Centralia  for  two  years.  Being  a  good  car- 
penter, Mr.  Seley  was  employed  by  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company  for  nine- 
teen years  in  construction  work  and  in  va- 
rious departments.  He  was  also  engineer 
and  in  the  shops  and  round-house.  He  gave 
this  company  entire  satisfaction  in  every 
capacity  and  won  the  hearty  approval  of  his 
employers. 


RESIDENCE  OF  F.  P.  MILLER, 
Centralia,  Illinois. 


F.  P.  MILLER. 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


691 


Mr.  Seley  was  proprietor  of  a  green-house 
for  a  period  of  twenty  years,  having  made 
a  great  success  of  this  work  for  which  he 
had  peculiar  natural  endowments.  He  be- 
gan when  the  business  was  in  its  infancy 
and  saw  it  grow  to  vast  proportions.  He 
finally  sold  out  to  J.  W.  Ross  and  has  re- 
tired from  active  business.  He  became  wide- 
ly known  as  a  florist  and  was  one  of  the 
leading  men  in  this  line  of  work  in  Southern 
Illinois.  He  was  married  first  to  Henrietta 
Howe,  a  native  of  Massachusetts,  the  daugh- 
ter of  William  Howe,  and  to  this  union  one 
son  has  been  born,  George  H.  Seley,  living 
at  Thomasville,  Missouri.  Our  subject's 
second  marriage  was  to  Susan  Giles,  the 
•date  of  their  wedding  occurring  December 
25,  1900.  She  was  the  daughter  of  Clark 
and  Margaret  (Sweeney)  Johnson.  There 
were  four  children  in  her  father's  family, 
two  boys  and  two  girls,  of  whom  our  sub- 
ject's wife  was  the  oldest. 

In  politics  Mr.  Seley  is  a  Republican, 
having  first  voted  for  James  Buchanan  and 
he  has  voted  for  every  Republican  candi- 
date since  then  with  the  exception  of  one, 
and  that  was  because  he  could  not  get  to 
the  polls  to  cast  his  ballot.  Four  of  the 
subject's  brothers  served  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  War  of  the  Rebellion.  Our  sub- 
ject was  Alderman  of  Centralia  for  seven 
terms.  He  was  reared  a  Baptist.  Mr.  Se- 
ley has  lived  to  see  Centralia  develop  from 
a  wild  prairie  site  to  a  prosperous  city  of 
twelve  thousand  inhabitants  and  he  has  kept 
pace  with  her  industries  and  assisted  very 
materially  in  her  development.  He  resides 


in  a  beautiful  and  comfortable  home  at  the 
corner  of  South  and  Maple  streets  where 
he  is  happy  with  his  good  wife.  Mr.  Se- 
ley is  the  only  railroad  man  living  in  Cen- 
tralia, who  was  here  fifty-eight  years  ago, 
being  the  last  and  only  one  of  the  original 
number  of  men  who  were  first  identified  with 
railroading  here.  Mr.  Seley  is  well  known 
throughout  this  locality  and  has  scores  of 
warm  personal  friends  who  admire  and  re- 
spect him  for  what  he  has  done  in  the  de- 
velopment of  the  community. 


FRANKLIN  PIERCE  MILLER. 

No  resident  in  Centralia  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  is  deserving  of  specific  mention 
in  a  book  of  this  nature  more  than  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  owing  to  the  fact  that 
he  has  led  a  very  industrious  and  honor- 
able life,  and  is  widely  known  as  one  of  the 
leading  fruit  dealers  in  the  Middle  West. 

Franklin  Pierce  Miller  was  born  in  Cale- 
donia, Pulaski  county,  Illinois,  October  23, 
1852,  the  son  of  Henry  and  Catherine 
(Coover)  Miller,  the  former  a  native  of 
North  Carolina  and  the  latter  of  Maryland. 
Henry  Miller,  who  grew  up  in  North  Caro- 
lina, was  a  farmer  and  he  also  engaged  in 
real  estate  speculation.  He  located  in  Jones- 
boro,  Union  county,  Illinois,  in  the  early  set- 
tlement of  the  county,  and  was  one  of  the 
pioneers  of  that  locality.  His  father  was  a 
pioneer  merchant  there  and  also  run  a  tan- 
nery. He  was  accustomed  to  take  leather 


692 


BRINKERIJOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


to  St.  Louis  and  trade  for  merchandise.  The 
subject's  grandfather  Miller  raised  a  large 
family  and  died  in  Union  county,  this  state. 
The  father  of  the  subject  had  only  a  limited 
education,  but  he  later  devoted  much  time 
to  home-study  and  became  a  well  read  man. 
He  was  a  Democrat  and  took  much  interest 
in  political  affairs,  a  member  of  the  German 
Reformed  church,  in  which  he  took  a  great 
interest,  while  his  wife  was  a  member  of  the 
Lutheran  church.  The  subject's  mother 
had  the  first  cook  stove  brought  into  Jones- 
boro  and  also  owned  one  of  the  first  sewing 
machines,  which  she  operated  for  many 
years.  Henry  Miller  passed  away  in  1872, 
at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years,  and  his  wife 
survived  until  1898.  The  following  children 
were  born  to  them:  George,  now  deceased, 
having  died  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years, 
married  first  a  Miss  Castleman,  and  his  sec- 
ond wife  was  Addie  Phillips.  He  died  near 
Anna,  Illinois.  He  was  a  teacher  in  early 
life,  and  later  a  commission  merchant  in 
Chicago.  Andrew  J.,  the  second  child,  is 
deceased ;  he  was  a  merchant  at  Cobden, 
Illinois,  and  married  Allie  Phillips;  Alice, 
the  third  child,  married  Arthur  Moss,  who 
is  deceased;  she  is  living  at  Anna,  Illinois; 
John,  the  fourth  child,  who  was  a  merchant 
at  Anna,  Illinois,  and  who  married  Mollie 
Green,  is  deceased.  Franklin  Pierce,  our 
subject,  was  the  fifth  child  in  order  of  birth. 
Mary  married  James  N.  Dickison,  a  mer- 
chant and  a  director  of  the  First  National 
Bank  at  Anna,  Illinois.  David  Watson  is 
a  grain  and  lumber  dealer  at  Winnebago, 
Minnesota;  Caleb  Monroe  lives  at  Anna, 


Illinois;  he  is  a  farmer  and  fruit  grower  in 
Southern  Illinois.  He  owns  about  four  hun- 
dred acres  of  fruit,  all  kinds  of  vegetables, 
devoting  especial  attention  to  asparagus 
growing.  He  owns  the  opera  house  block 
and  other  valuable  real  estate  and  is  in- 
terested in  the  bank  at  Anna. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  home  schools  and  remained  a  mem- 
ber of  the  family  circle  until  he  was  nine- 
teen years  old,  when  he  clerked  in  his  broth- 
er's store  at  Cobden,  Illinois,  where  he  re- 
mained for  one  year  and  then  went  to  Chi- 
cago, where  he  was  engaged  with  his 
brother,  George,  in  the  commission  business 
on  South  Water  street  for  about  eight  years. 
He  closed  up  that  business  and  came  to 
Centralia  in  1889,  and  bought  his  present 
home.  He  first  put  out  twenty  acres  of 
strawberries  the  first  year  and  the  next  year 
ten  acres  more  and  later  planted  many  ap- 
ple and  peach  trees.  He  raises  mostly  small 
fruits,  apples  and  Elberta  peaches.  He  has 
been  a  fruit  grower  and  dealer  at  Centralia 
on  an  extensive  scale  for  the  past  twenty 
years,  the  firm  name  being  F.  P.  Miller  & 
Company,  fruit  dealers  and  brokers.  They 
buy  fruit  from  Texas,  Missouri,  Tennessee, 
Georgia  and  all  of  the  southern  states  and 
their  trade  extends  as  far  north  as  this 
county.  They  are  the  largest  dealers  in 
Illinois  and  are  known  throughout  the  coun- 
try. Their  offices  are  in  the  Merchants' 
State  Bank  building  in  Centralia.  J.  E. 
Hefter,  of  Centralia,  is  a  partner  in  the  firm. 
They  are  known  as  "The  Fruit  Kings." 
Their  business  is  a  credit  to  this  county  and 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


693 


is  of  much  importance  in  establishing  in 
other  states  the  prestige  of  the  locality  in 
commercial  and  horticultural  lines. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  built  his  mod- 
em and  nicely  furnished  home  in  1900  and 
his  substantial  and  attractive  barn  in  1908. 

Mr.  Miller's  happy  domestic  life  began  in 
July  8,  1885,  when  he  was  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Laura  Hoag,  a  native  of  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  Peter  and 
Carolina  Hoag,  natives  of  New  York.  They 
are  both  deceased.  He  was  foreman  of  the 
blacksmith  shop  of  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road for  forty  years.  Two  bright  children 
have  added  sunshine  to  the  pleasant 
home  of  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Miller,  namely: 
Myrtle  L.,  the  wife  of  Robert  Goodale,  of 
Centralia,  Illinois,  where  he  is  a  wholesale 
manufacturer  of  ice  cream.  The  second 
child  of  the  subject  is  named  D wight  Paul, 
who  is  at  this  writing  attending  Blees  Mili- 
tary Academy  at  Macon,  Missouri.  He  is 
a  graduate  of  the  Centralia  high  school. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  the  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  Queen  City  lodge,  at  Centralia, 
Illinois;  also  the  Benevolent  and  Protective 
Order  of  Elks  and  the  Woodmen.  The 
family  attends  the  Baptist  church. 

Mr.  Miller  started  in  life  under  none  too 
favorable  environment,  but  being  ambitious 
and  a  man  of  industry,  rare  common  sense 
and  foresight,  he  has  always  prospered  and 
today  is  ranked  among  the  progressive  and 
substantial  citizens  of  Marion  county,  Il- 
linois. He  learned  much  in  the  way  of  be- 
ing a  general  business  man  from  his  father, 


who  was  one  of  the  well  known  men  of  in- 
dustry in  his  day,  having  conducted  a  saw 
and  grist-mill  which  were  run  by  water- 
power  with  an  old-style  propeller  saw.  It 
was  located  on  Mill  creek,  Union  county. 
He  also  owned  a  large  maple  grove  and 
made  maple  syrup  and  sugar. 


MATTHEW  S.  WALLIS. 

Mr.  Wallis,  who  comes  of  an  old  and 
honored  North  Carolina  family,  is  now  liv- 
ing in  retirement  in  Centralia,  Illinois,  hav- 
ing spent  a  life  of  industry  and  frugality, 
which  can  be  vouched  for  by  the  neighbors 
among  whom  his  fifty-two  long  years  in 
Clinton  county  were  spent.  He  is  one  of 
those  whose  presense  in  any  gathering  is  a 
sure  indication  of  geniality  and  comrade- 
ship. 

Our  subject  was  born  at  Walnut  Hill, 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  on  August  n,  1833, 
being  the  son  of  John  G.  and  Susanna 
(Smith)  Wallis,  both  natives  of  North  Car- 
olina. His  mother,  who  was  the  daughter 
of  Isaac  Smith,  came  in  1825,  at  the  age  of 
twelve  years,  to  Marion  county,  where  her 
father  settled  on  a  farm  at  Walnut  Hill. 
Here  Isaac  Smith  went  to  work  and  spent 
his  life  in  making  improvements  upon  his 
land  and  in  the  course  of  time  dying  there. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  nine 
children,  namely:  Franklin,  Miller,  Newton, 
Lucinda,  Bickie,  Susanna  (the  mother  of 
our  subject).  Jane,  Rachael  and  Pollie.  Isaac 


694 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Smith  married  secondly  Ruth  Janes,  a  na- 
tive of  North  Carolina,  who  died  at  Salem. 
Three  children  were  born  to  this  union: 
Lena,  Ann  and  Henry  H.  Our  subject's 
grandfather  on  the  father's  side  was  Mat- 
thew Wallis,  who  married  a  Miss  Cobb,  of 
North  Carolina.  They  lived  for  many  years 
in  North  Carolina  where  his  wife  died;  he 
died  some  time  afterwards  in  Texas.  They 
were  the  parents  of  eight  children :  Martin, 
John  G.  (our  subject's  father),  Richard, 
Sylvester,  Matthew,  Washington,  Elizabeth 
and  Salina. 

John  G.  Wallis  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  North  Carolina.  He  came 
in  1830  to  Morgan  county,  Illinois  (near 
Alton),  where  he  spent  one  season  and  then 
moved  to  Walnut  Hill.  Here  he  taught 
school  and  did  some  farming,  having  bought 
a  farm  two  miles  west  of  Walnut  Hill,  at 
Grand  Prairie,  Jefferson  county,  which 
comprised  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of 
government  land.  This  he  started  to  im- 
prove and  lived  on  the  same  for  twenty  years 
until  he  moved  to  Clinton  county,  Illinois, 
in  1853,  to  a  spot  two  miles  west  of  Cen- 
tralia,  where  he  took  a  farm  of  five  hundred 
acres.  His  wife  died  on  February  22,  1877, 
and  he  died  in  the  year  1885.  He  was 
through  life  a  staunch  Democrat  and  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church.  He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents 
of  eight  children :  Matthew  S.  (our  subject), 
William  M.,  deceased,  who  lived  in  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  and  was  for  a  period  of 
four  years  a  member  of  Company  H,  of  the 
Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  dur- 


ing the  war ;  Elizabeth,  who  married  John 
C.  Smith  and  lived  in  Clinton  county,  Il- 
linois, both  now  deceased ;  Newton  W.,  who 
is  a  carpenter  by  trade,  was  in  Company  H, 
Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in 
which  he  served  four  years;  he •  went  to  La 
Butte  county,  Kansas;  John  C.  was  also  in 
Company  H,  of  the  Eightieth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  also  served  four  years 
in  active  service ;  he  is  a  farmer  in  Belmont, 
Oklahoma ;  Silas  was  in  Company  E,  of  the 
Sixty-second  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  in 
which  he  served  five  years,  having  run  away 
as  a  boy  and  enlisted;  he  is  a  farmer  and 
carpenter  and  resides  five  miles  east  of  Mt. 
Vernon,  Illinois;  Isaac  S.  is  a  farmer  in 
Clinton  county,  and  Joseph  who  died  in  in- 
fancy. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  as  a  boy  had 
little  chance  to  go  to  school.  Whenever  he 
did  go,  it  was  to  an  old  log  building  in 
which  greased  paper  was  used  for  window 
glass,  and  in  which  the  benches  were  made 
of  split  logs.  There  was  an  abundance  of 
game  in  the  county  at  the  time  and  Matthew- 
became  an  expert  hunter,  killing  his  first 
deer  at  the  early  age  of  eleven.  He  lived 
with  his  parents  at  Walnut  Hill  until  his 
marriage,  which  took  place  on  March  17, 
1853,  when  he  espoused  Sarah  Catherine 
Smith,  who  was  born  in  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  one  and  a  half  miles  southeast  of 
Walnut  Hill,  and  was  the  daughter  of  Miller 
and  Polly  Wilson  (Porter)  Smith,  both 
North  Carolina  folk,  who  came  to  Illinois  in 
1830  and  located  on  Walnut  Hill  Prairie  in 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  where  they  got 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


695 


one  hundred  and  sixty  acres  of  government 
land.  His  wife  died  and  he  married  a  sec- 
cnd  time,  Martha  Parkinson,  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois.  Miller  Smith  and  his  first 
wife  were  the  parents  of  nine  children :  Wil- 
liam, who  was  in  the  Civil  war;  John  C., 
now  deceased;  Samuel,  deceased,  who  was 
in  Company  H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry;  James,  who  served  in  the 
army  during  the  war,  is  also  dead;  Clark 
was  in  Company  H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry;  Joseph  resides  in  Center- 
ville,  Kansas,  and  was  a  member  of  Com- 
pany E,  Sixty-second  Regiment;  McHenry 
lives  at  Woodward,  Oklahoma,  and  was  also 
a  member  of  the  Eightieth  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry  (Company  H) ;  Sarah  C  is  the 
wife  of  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  and  Ellen, 
who  married  Isaac  Dew,  is  dead.  Martha 
Parkinson  was  previously  married  to  a  Mr. 
McWilliams  and  became  the  mother  of  two 
sons,  Hugh  and  Silas,  both  of  whom  served 
in  the  war  and  are  now  dead. 

Matthew  S.  Wallis  and  his  wife  were  the 
parents  of  nine  children,  five  of  whom  grew 
up.  In  order  of  birth  they  were:  Wesley 
Washington,  who  died  single  at  the  age  of 
twenty-six;  Florence,  who  married  George 
Berry,  lives  at  Carlyle,  Illinois,  with  her 
husband  and  her  two  children,  Murray  and 
Helen  L. ;  Louretta  A.  married  Samuel  P. 
Boren,  of  Clinton,  Illinois,  and  has  three 
children,  Walter,  Hayden  and  Mabel;  Har- 
vey Leander,  a  carpenter  and  farmer  of  Cen- 
tralia  township,  married  Sallie  Borup  and 
has  four  children,  Mathew  A.,  Minnie,  Flora 
and  Maude;  Helen  Lelia  married  Clarence 


D.  May,  grocer,  of  Centralia,  on  January  15, 
1890.    Her  husband,  who  was  born  in  Cen- 
tralia  October   19,    1871,   was   the    son  of 
Thomas     R.   and   Nancy   B.    (Kail)   May. 
Thomas  R.  was  a  native  of  Virginia  and  his 
wife  of  Ohio.     They  came  to  Centralia  in 
1 856,  where  Thomas  R.  was  associated  with 

E.  S.  Condit  in  the  grain  and  lumber  busi- 
ness for  several  years,  and  in  the  milling 
business  of  May,  Johnson  &  Cunningham. 
Previously  he  was    associated    with    Peter 
Heiss  in  the  same  business.    While  engaged 
in  milling  operations  he  was  seized  with  a 
paralytic  stroke  and  died  in  1885;  his  wife 
died  in  1885.     Thomas  R.  May  was  a  Ma- 
son and  his  wife  belonged  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.     They    had    seven  chil- 
dren :    Jackson,     Asbury,    Maggie,   Albert, 
Florence,  Sumner  and  Clarence  D.     Clar- 
ence D.  was  educated  at  the  common  schools, 
after  which  he  engaged  in  business  with  W. 
W.   Scott,   grocer,  for  about  fifteen  years, 
and  later  with  J.   W.  Danhour,   Courtney 
Brothers  and  the  Pittenger  &  Davis  Mercan- 
tile Company,  of  Centralia.     He  was  Tax 
Collector  of  Centralia  for  two  years  and  is 
a  Republican  voter.     In  1908  he  started  his 
grocery    store    at    215    East    Fifth    street, 
South.    He  is  a  Knight  of  Pythias,  a  Red- 
man, an  Odd  Fellow  of  the  No.  179  Queen 
City  Lodge  of  Centralia.     He  and  his  wife 
have  five  children:   Albert,   Edwin,   Ralph 
and  Leslie  and  Bessie,  who  are  twins. 

Matthew  S.  Wallis  and  his  wife,  after 
their  marriage,  lived  in  Clinton  county,  Il- 
linois, three  miles  west  of  Centralia,  and 
here  for  fifty-two  years  he  carried  on  a  gen- 


696 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


eral  farming  and  fruit  growing  business.  In 
January,  1905,  he  moved  to  Centralia, 
where  he  has  since  lived  a  life  of  retirement. 
He  owns  two  dwellings  in  Centralia.  He  is 
a  Republican  in  politics  and  was  a  School 
Director  for  over  thirty  years,  also  Justice 
of  the  Peace  four  years.  He  has  also  held 
other  local  offices.  He  helped  to  build  the 
Baltimore  &  Ohio  and  the  Illinois  Central 
railroads.  He  made  the  first  five  hundred 
ties  for  the  road  at  Centralia.  He  and  his 
wife  are  members  of  the  Methodist  Episco- 
pal church.  They  are  very  popular.  On  the 
occasion  of  their  golden  wedding  celebra- 
tion some  time  ago  as  many  as  one  hun- 
dred and  three  friends  attended. 


W.  B.  GOODALE. 

W.  B.  Goodale  was  bom  in  Centralia, 
Marion  county,  August  17,  1855,  the  son  of 
William  and  Mary  (Sherwood)  Goodale, 
who  were  the  parents  of  five  children,  four 
boys  and  one  girl,  of  whom  our  subject  was 
the  fourth  in  order  of  birth.  He  bears  the 
distinction  of  being  the  first  white  male 
child  born  in  Centralia.  The  parents  of  our 
subject  were  Eastern  people.  They  both 
passed  away  when  our  subject  was  about 
thirteen  years  of  age.  W.  B.  Goodale  re- 
ceived his  early  education  in  Centralia.  When 
in  his  "teens"  he  went  to  work  for  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad  Company,  learning 
the  machinist's  trade,  at  which  he  worked, 
giving  entire  satisfaction,  with  this  company 


for  a  period  of  fourteen  years,  at  the  expira- 
tion of  which  time  he  had  accumulated  suf- 
ficient money  to  buy  a  fruit  farm  near  the 
city,  and  for  the  next  fifteen  years  he  ap- 
plied his  skill  and  industry  to  raising  small 
fruits  of  all  kinds  with  great  success,  when 
he  sold  his  farm  and  began  the  manufacture 
of  ice  cream,  having  purchased  an  interest 
in  a  plant  in  1901.  At  that  time  the  yearly 
output  of  the  plant  was  very  small,  but  un- 
der the  efficient  management  of  our  subject 
the  capacity  was  gradually  increased  as  trade 
poured  in  from  all  sides  until  now  the  out- 
put is  fifteen  times  greater  than  formerly. 

The  plant  has  been  thoroughly  remodeled 
in  every  way,  having  all  the  latest  equip- 
ment for  the  business,  is  thoroughly  sani- 
tary and  always  kept  very  clean.  The  prod- 
uct of  this  well  known  plant  is  shipped  to 
over  fifty  cities  and  towns  throughout 
Southern  Illinois.  The  cream  is  bought 
from  Elgin  and  Chicago  markets  and  the 
milk  is  obtained  from  the  dairymen  in  and 
about  Centralia. 

The  plant  proper  is  forty  by  seventy-five 
feet.  All  milk  and  cream  is  here  thorough- 
ly pasteurized  by  the  most  complete  process. 
It  is  the  only  firm  in  the  city  that  carries 
the  state  inspector's  certificate,  being  up  to 
the  standard  required  by  the  s'tate.  This 
firm  also  manufacture  all  their  own  ice  and 
cold  storage,  and  recently  purchased  the  fac- 
tory and  equipment  of  the  Mt.  Vernon  Ice 
Cream  Company. 

W.  B.  Goodale  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  E.  Wild  on  October  27,  1881.  She 
is  the  daughter  of  Samuel  and  Ann  Wild, 


SRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


697 


one  of  the  old  English  families  of  Centralia. 
The  wife  of  the  subject  is  the  oldest  of 
three  girls  in  the  Wild  family.  One  son  has 
blessed  the  home  of  our  subject  and  wife, 
named  Robert  W.,  who  is  a  full  partner  with 
his  father  in  business  and  a  young  man  of 
great  ability  and  promise  of  a  future  re- 
plete with  happiness  and  success.  Robert 
W.  Goodale  married  Myrtle  Miller  on  Jan- 
uary 9,  1907.  She  is  the  only  daughter  of 
Frank  and  Laura  (Hoag)  Miller,  the  father 
of  Mrs.  Goodale  being  a  prominent  fruit 
grower  and  commission  merchant  of  Cen- 
tralia. Robert  W.  Goodale  is  regarded  by 
all  who  know  him  as  a  thoroughly  modem 
business  man  and  one  of  the  rising  young 
men  of  Centralia.  His  education,  natural 
ability  and  commendable  qualities  have  well 
fitted  him  for  an  active  and  thorough  busi- 
ness career. 

In  politics  both  our  subject  and  his  son 
vote  for  the  character  of  the  man  rather 
than  the  party,  although  they  are  sometimes 
counted  upon  as  being  Democrats,  especial- 
ly in  national  issues.  Religiously  they  are 
Baptists.  Both  father  and  son  are  thorough, 
practical  men  in  every  respect.  W.  B.  Good- 
ale  in  former  years  was  a  member  of  the 
United  Workmen.  Robert  is  a  member  of 
the  Modern  Woodmen  lodge  at  Centralia. 


BEN  W.  STORER. 

Mr.  Storer  is  one  of  those  estimable  char- 
acters whose  integrity  and  strong  personal- 
ity must  force  them  into  an  admirable  place 


among  the  citizens  of  any  community,  who 
command  the  respect  of  their  contemporaries 
and  their  posterity. 

Ben  W.  Storer,  the  well  known  grocer, 
was  born  in  Centralia,  Illinois,  July  19,  1868, 
the  son  of  Samuel  and  Susan  B.  (Bates) 
Storer,  and  he  has  taken  part  in  the  devel- 
opment of  his  native  village,  which  he  has 
seen  grow  to  a  thriving  city.  The  parents 
of  our  subject  reared  a  family  of  five  chil- 
dren, three  boys  and  two  girls,  of  whom  Ben 
W.  was  the  fourth  in  order  of  birth. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  educated 
in  the  Centralia  public  schools.  He  first  be- 
gan his  business  career  in  a  grocery  store, 
working  for  Barton  &  Stevenson,  with  whom 
he  worked  for  two  years,  giving  entire  sat- 
isfaction. He  then  took  a  position  with  the 
R.  D.  Beaver  Grocery  Company,  remaining 
in  their  employ  for  four  years  with  equal 
success,  when  he  engaged  with  Colonel  Pit- 
tenger  in  the  same  business,  continuing  there 
for  four  years,  building  up  an  excellent 
trade,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he 
embarked  in  the  grocery  business  for  him- 
self. Having  mastered  all  the  details  of  this 
special  line,  his  success  from  the  first  was 
assured,  as  time  soon  substantiated. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mabel  Kerr,  of  Centralia,  the  daughter  of 
the  late  J.  N.  Kerr,  former  editor  of  the  Cen- 
tralia Sentinel  and  Mayor  of  the  city  for 
several  years,  our  subject's  wife  being  the 
oldest  member  of  the  family.  To  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Storer  two  bright  and  interesting  sons 
have  been  born,  namely:  Wilson  Bates  and 
Ben  Wade.  Jr.,  both  now  in  school. 
Our  subject  is  a  member  of  Helmet  Lodge, 


698 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Knights  of  Pythias  No.  26,  of  Centralia.  In 
politics  he-  is  a  loyal  Republican,  and  re- 
ligiously he  was  reared  a  Presbyterian. 

In  1892  our  subject  began  business  at 
114  East  Broadway,  having  here  launched 
successfully  a  grocery  store,  which  steadily 
grew  in  its  volume  of  business,  until  now  his 
store  is  known  throughout  the  community, 
his  trade  extending  all  over  the  city  and  to 
all  parts  of  the  county.  He  has  a  neat,  up-to- 
date  store  and  carries  a  full  line  of  fancy 
groceries,  canned  goods,  fruits  and  vege- 
tables of  all  kinds  in  season.  He  employs 
eight  clerks  and  runs  three  wagons.  His 
trade  is  very  largely  among  the  best  class  of 
people  of  Centralia,  where  he  is  known  to  all 
classes  as  a  man  of  honest  principles. 


ROBERT  ROHL. 

Conspicuous  among  the  representative 
citizens  and  progressive  business  men 
of  Marion  county,  Illinois,  is  the  gen- 
tleman whose  name  appears  at  the  head 
of  this  article,  who  has  by  his  great  in- 
dustry, wise  economy  and  sound  judgment 
developed  a  good  business. 

Robert  Rohl  was  born  in  Marquette, 
Michigan,  January  14,  1856,  the  son  of 
Carl  and  Caroline  (Weiland)  Rohl,  both  na- 
tives of  Germany,  the  father  having  come 
from  Prussia  and  the  mother  from  Wur- 
temburg.  They  both  came  to  America  when 
young  and  were  married  in  Marquette, 
Michigan.  They  were  the  parents  of  nine 


children,  of  whom  our  subject  is  the  oldest 
child  of  the  four  now  living.  His  younger 
brother,  August,  lives  in  Centralia. 

Robert  Rohl's  early  life  was  spent  in  Mar- 
quette, Michigan,  where  he  acquired  his  ed- 
ucation. While  yet  a  boy  he  began  clerking 
in  a  hardware  store,  where  he  gave  entire 
satisfaction  to  his  employer  for  three  years. 
He  afterward  worked  at  odd  jobs,  such  as 
carrying  hod,  stone  and  brick  mason  work, 
mixed  mortar  and  did  general,  all-around 
work  on  brick,  stone  and  frame  building 
construction.  After  two  years  of  this  kind 
of  hustling  he  went  to  Minnesota,  where  he 
worked  on  a  farm  for  five  years  in  the  sum- 
mer and  during  the  winter  months  cut  cord- 
wood  and  sold  pumps.  Then  he  returned 
to  Marquette,  Michigan,  and  went  to  work 
in  the  powder  mills,  making  black  powder, 
having  worked  there  for  one  year,  at  the 
end  of  which  time  he  and  his  younger  broth- 
er, August,  conducted  a  beer  bottling  plant 
in  that  city,  which  they  successfully  conduct- 
ed for  six  months,  when  our  subject  bought 
August's  interests  in  the  business  and  con- 
tinued it  for  four  years  from  1881  to  1886. 
While  in  this  business  he  added  soda  water, 
bottling  and  supply  trade  to  his  already  large 
business.  He  then  sold  his  business  in  Mar- 
quette and  came  to  Centralia  and  began  in 
the  same  business,  where  he  bought  out  Mr. 
Hayes  in  1886,  and  has  since  continued  with 
marked  success,  his  busness  being  located  at 
1 1 7  North  Oak  street.  He  paid  fifteen  hun- 
dred dollars  for  the  plant  and  has  so  in- 
creased the  trade  and  the  value  of  the  plant 
until  it  is  now  worth  several  times  that 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


699 


amount.  His  goods  are  shipped  to  the  whole 
surrounding  country,  throughout  Southern 
Illinois,  and  new  territory  is  constantly  be- 
ing added,  for  the  superior  quality  of  his 
goods  is  recognized  by  all,  and  new  custom- 
ers are  constantly  coming  to  him.  Mr.  Rohl 
now  carries  about  thirty  towns  on  his  ship- 
ping list  and  does  a  general  carbonated  soda 
water,  ginger  ale  and  all  sorts  of  temperance 
drink  business,  also  wholesale  and  retail,  for 
beers,  bar  supplies  and  soda  water  fountains. 

Our  subject  was  married  to  Anna  Sta- 
bler in  May,  1881,  and  four  children  have 
been  born  to  this  union,  namely:  Thersa, 
Anna,  Caroline  and  Robert,  Jr.  Anna  mar- 
ried George  F.  Hails,  of  Centralia,  a  switch- 
man on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Republican, 
and  religiously  he  was  reared  a  Protestant. 
He  has  always  taken  a  great  interest  in  local 
political  affairs  and  his  political  friends  hon- 
ored him  by  electing  him  Mayor  of  Centra- 
lia, his  term  extending  from  1901  to  1903. 
He  was  Alderman  of  the  Fourth  Ward  for 
two  terms.  During  his  incumbency  in  these 
positions  the  city  was  carefully  looked  after 
and  many  public  interests  promulgated,  so 
that  his  record  was  one  of  which  anyone 
might  well  be  proud. 

Mr.  Rohl  in  his  fraternal  relations  is  a 
member  of  Helmet  lodge,  Knights  of  Py- 
thias, also  the  Red  Men  and  Pocahontas.  He 
belongs  to  the  Turners,  also  the  United  Com- 
mercial Travelers.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Travelers'  Protective  Association,  and  was 
secretary  and  treasurer  for  four  years  of 
the  United  Commercial  Travelers.  He  was 


chosen  president  of  the  Illinois  State  Bot- 
tlers' Protective  Association  for  two  years. 
He  was  a  state  delegate  to  the  convention  of 
the  National  Bottlers'  Protective  Associa- 
tion, held  in  Denver  in  1907. 

The  subject's  father  is  still  living  at  Mar- 
quette,  Michigan,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  His  step-mother  is  also  living  at  the 
same  age.  Our  subject's  mother  died  when 
forty  years  old.  Grandfather  Rohl  died  in 
Germany  at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-six 
years,  and  his  maternal  grandfather  died  at 
the  age  of  seventy-eight  years. 


GEORGE  W.  SISSON. 

The  great  Empire  state  has  sent  many  men 
of  worth  and  sterling  mettle  into  the  Middle 
West,  who  have  done  much  to  foster  its  de- 
velopment, of  which  number  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  a  worthy  example,  having  been 
born  in  Dunkirk,  New  York,  April  21,  1835, 
in  Chautauqua  county,  the  son  of  John  and 
Amanda  (Waite)  Sisson,  the  former  a  na- 
tive of  Eastern  New  York  and  the  latter 
of  Chenango  county,  that  state.  They  went 
to  Dunkirk  in  1812.  He  was  a  teamster 
and  farmer  and  he  lived  there  until  his  death 
in  1883,  at  the  age  of  eighty-three  years.  His 
wife,  who  also  reached  the  same  age,  died  in 
1884.  Seven  children  were  born  to  them, 
namely:  Louisa,  deceased;  Henry  Alfred; 
Susan  Jane,  Daniel  W.,  John  W.,  George 
W.  and  Edward  K. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  the  only 


700 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


one  who  came  to  Illinois.  He  was  educat- 
ed in  the  common  schools  and  he  lived  un- 
der his  parental  roof  until  he  was  twenty 
years  of  age.  He  learned  the  carpenter's  and 
builder's  trade  at  Dunkirk,  New  York.  In 
1855  he  went  to  Strawberry  Point,  Clayton 
county,  Iowa,  and  in  1864  he  came  to  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois,  and  started  to  work  at  his 
trade,  and  has  been  a  contractor  and  builder 
ever  since.  He  has  built  more  houses  in 
Centralia  than  any  other  one  man  and  he 
has  always  been  regarded  as  a  first  class 
workman  and  his  jobs  are  always  satisfac- 
tory when  finished,  for  he  does  his  work 
well  and  conscientiously. 

Mr.  Sisson  was  married  in  April,  1859,  to 
Mary  E.  Herrin,  of  Clayton  county,  Iowa. 
She  was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Cath- 
erine (Trersbach)  Herrin,  both  natives  of 
Berwick,  Pennsylvania.  They  came  west  in 
1834  and  located  in  Jefferson  county,  In- 
diana. He  was  a  carpenter  by  trade,  and  in 
1854  he  went  to  Clayton  county,  Iowa,  and 
in  1863  came  to  Centralia,  Illinois,  where 
he  worked  in  the  Illinois  Central  shops  as  a 
carpenter.  He  died  in  1884  and  his  wife 
died  in  1891.  Six  children  were  born  to 
them  as  follows:  Rachael.  who  lives  at  Ce- 
dro-Wooley,  Washington  ;  Jane  also  lives  in 
the  state  of  Washington ;  Mary  is  the  sub- 
ject's wife:  Sarah  is  living  in  Washington; 
Samuel  lives  in  Tacoma,  Washington ;  Mor- 
ris lives  in  Davenport,  Iowa. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sisson  were  the  parents  of 
eight  children,  two  of  whom  are  now  de- 
ceased, named  as  follows :  Harry  E.,  of  Cen- 
tralia, is  foreman  of  the  Illinois  Central 


shops.  He  married  Mary  Baldridge  and 
four  children  have  been  born  to  them,  Grace, 
Bessie,  Ray  and  Ralph.  The  third  in  order 
of  birth  was  Nora,  who  is  the  wife  of  Wil- 
liam Wisher,  of  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  the 
mother  of  these  children :  Clarence,  Orville 
(deceased), Percy, Florence,  Gladys,  Claude, 
Rollie  and  Ray.  Fred  married  first  Norma 
Huddleston  and  second  Elizabeth  Rury.  He 
is  a  painter  at  Belleville,  Illinois,  and  the  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  him  by  his 
first  wife:  Mary,  Harry  and  Clyde,  and  he 
has  one  son,  Walter,  by  his  second  wife. 
Myrtle,  the  sixth  child  of  the  subject,  mar- 
ried Perry  L.  Walker,  of  Centralia,  an  en- 
gineer on  the  Illinois  Central,  and  they  have 
the  following  children :  Oren,  Helen  and 
Zora.  Maude  is  the  wife  of  Henry  Taake. 
of  Centralia,  and  they  have  two  children. 
Howard  and  Herbert.  Jennie  married  Wil- 
liam W.  Huddleston,  of  Centralia,  and  they 
have  one  child,  Iva  May. 

Mr.  Sisson,  our  subject,  was  Alderman 
of  Centralia  in  1870  and  1871,  and  he  filled 
an  unexpired  term  as  Mayor,  during  which 
time  he  faithfully  served  this  community. 
He  is  a  loyal  Democrat  and  has  always  tak- 
en a  great  deal  of  interest  in  political  af- 
fairs. He  is  a  member  of  the  Carpenters' 
Union,  of  Centralia,  and  he  belongs  to  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  here.  He 
was  a  charter  member  of  the  Knights  of 
Pythias  of  Centralia.  No  man  in  this  city 
is  better  known  than  Mr.  Sisson  and  no  one 
is  held  in  higher  favor  in  both  business  and 
social  circles,  for  his  life  has  been  one  of 
integrity  and  honor. 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


701 


HON.  D.  W.  HOLSTLAW. 

Few  names  in  Marion  county  are  as  wide- 
ly known  and  as  highly  honored  as  the  one 
which  appears  at  the  head  of  this  review. 
For  many  years  as  a  farmer,  banker  and 
prominent  business  man,  D.  W.  Holstlaw 
has  ranked  and  also  occupies  a  conspicuous 
place  in  business  and  state.  On  both  sides 
of  his  family  Mr.  Holstlaw  springs  from 
sturdy  antecedents  and  he  has  every  reason 
to  be  proud  of  his  forbears.  His  father, 
Daniel  S.  Holstlaw,  was  a  stock  dealer  and 
farmer,  being  a  native  of  Kentucky  and 
widely  known  and  highly  esteemed  citizen. 
He  became  a  resident  of  this  county  about 
1830,  settling  in  Stevenson  township,  where 
in  due  time  he  accumulated  a  large  and  val- 
uable estate  and  achieved  much  more  than 
local  reputation  as  breeder  and  dealer  in 
live  stock,  besides  attaining  an  honorable 
standing  as  a  public  spirited  citizen  and  en- 
terprising man  of  affairs.  Daniel  S.  Hoist- 
law  did  much  to  promote  the  material  prog- 
ress of  the  section  of  country  in  which  he 
lived,  and  was  equally  interested  in  the  so- 
cial and  moral  advancement  of  the  commu- 
nity, doing  all  within  his  power  to  benefit 
his  neighbors  and  fellow  citizens,  and  leav- 
ing to  them  the  memory  of  a  useful  life  and 
an  honorable  name  when  called  from  the 
scenes  of  his  labors  and  triumphs  on  the 
fifth  day  of  December,  1905.  The  maiden 
name  of  Mrs.  Daniel  Holstlaw  was  Ruth 
Wade  Middleton.  She  was  born  in  Ten- 
nessee and  is  still  living  on  the  old  family 
homestead  in  Stevenson  township,  where. 


surrounded  by  relatives  and  friends,  she  is 
passing  the  evening  of  a  well  spent  life  with 
nothing  in  the  future  to  fear  or  in  the  past 
to  regret.  The  family  of  this  estimable  cou- 
ple consisted  of  eleven  children,  all  of  whom 
are  living.  A  more  extended  mention  of 
this  family  will  be  found  upon  another  page 
of  this  volume. 

Daniel  W.  Holstlaw  was  born  February 
5,  1849,  at  the  family  home  in  Stevenson 
township,  and  there  spent  the  years  of  his 
childhood  and  youth,  learning  at  an  early 
age  the  lessons  of  industry,  economy  and 
self-reliance,  which  had  much  to  do  in  form- 
ing a  well  rounded  character  and  fitting  him 
for  the  subsequent  duties  of  life.  When 
old  enough  to  be  of  service  he  helped  with 
the  labors  of  the  field  and  in  due  time  be- 
came a  valuable  assistant  to  his  father  in 
the  latter's  live  stock  interests  and  other 
business,  proving  faithful  to  his  various 
duties  and  worthy  of  the  trust  reposed  in 
his  integrity  and 'honor.  Meanwhile  as  op- 
portunities permitted  he  attended  the  com- 
mon schools  of  the  neighborhood,  but  by 
reason  of  his  services  being  required  at  home 
his  education  was  somewhat  limited.  In 
after  years,  however,  he  made  up  very  large- 
ly for  this  deficiency  by  a  wide  range  of 
reading  and  careful  observation,  but  more 
especially  by  his  relations  with  his  fellow 
men  in  various  business  capacities,  thus  be- 
coming the  possessor  of  a  fund  of  valuable 
practical  knowledge,  which  could  not  have 
been  obtained  from  schools  or  colleges. 

Mr.  Holstlaw  spent  his  minority  under 
the  parental  roof,  in  the  cultivation  of  the 


702 


BKINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


farm  and  otherwise  looking  after  his  par- 
ents, but  in  the  year  1870  he  severed  his 
home  ties  to  accept  a  clerkship  in  a  mer- 
cantile house  in  the  town  of  luka.  After 
serving  in  the  capacity  of  clerk  until  becom- 
ing an  efficient  salesman  and  acquiring  a 
knowledge  of  the  business  he  formed  a  part- 
nership with  James  W.  Humphries,  and  dur- 
ing the  two  years  ensuing  the  firm  conduct- 
ed a  thriving  trade  and  forged  rapidly  to  the 
front,  among  the  leading  merchants  of  the 
town.  At  the  expiration  of  the  period  noted 
Mr.  Holstlaw  purchased  his  partner's  inter- 
est and  adding  very  materially  to  the  stock, 
soon  built  up  a  large  and  lucrative  patron- 
age, and  it  was  not  long  until  he  became  one 
of  the  most  successful  business  men  of  the 
county,  a  reputation  he  sustained  during  the 
thirty  odd  years  which  he  devoted  to  mer- 
cantile life.  Meantime  he  saw  a  favorable 
opening  at  luka  for  the  banking  business, 
and  in  compliance  with  the  suggestions  of 
many  of  his  fellow  townsmen  and  others 
as  well  as  consulting  his  own  inclinations, 
he  finally  established  a  bank  in  his  store, 
which  soon  formed  a  valuable  adjunct  to  the 
business  interests  of  the  town  and  surround- 
ing country.  After  conducting  the  two  lines 
of  business  jointly  until  1907,  he  disposed 
of  his  mercantile  interests,  and  since  that 
time  has  devoted  his  entire  attention  to  bank- 
ing, establishing  in  luka  the  Holstlaw  Bank, 
which  is  now  one  of  the  most  successful  and 
popular  institutions  of  the  kind,  not  only 
in  Marion  county,  but  in  the  southern  part 
of  the  state.  The  growth  of  the  bank  in 
public  favor  has  more  than  met  the  high  ex- 


pectations of  Mr.  Holstlaw  and  others  in- 
terested in  its  success,  the  patronage,  which 
takes  a  wide  range,  being  liberal,  but  all  that 
could  reasonably  be  desired,  and  the  solidity 
of  the  institution  beyond  the  shadow  of 
a  doubt. 

As  the  executive  head  and  practical  man- 
ager of  the  bank,  Mr.  Holstlaw  exemplifies 
the  sound  judgment,  wise  discretion  and  rare 
foresight  which  have  ever  characterized  his 
business  dealing,  while  his  familiarity  with 
financial  matters  enables  him  to  conduct  the 
institution  in  the  broad  though  wisely  con- 
servative spirit  which  bespeaks  its  continu- 
ous growth  and  solidity.  The  bank  building 
is  an  elegant  modern  structure,  erected  espe- 
cially adapted  for  the  purpose  and  amply 
equipped  with  all  the  appliances  necessary 
to  the  successful  prosecution  of  the  business, 
the  safe,  furniture  and  other  fixtures  being 
of  the  latest  and  most  approved  patterns  and 
calculated  to  satisfy  the  taste  of  the  most 
critical  and  exacting.  Mr.  Holstlaw  is  also 
a  stockholder  and  director  of  the  Salem  Na- 
tional Bank  and  also  the  bank  at  St.  Peter. 

In  addition  to  his  long  and  eminently  sue- ' 
cessful  career  in  business,  Mr.  Holstlaw  has 
for  many  years  been  one  of  the  leading  poli- 
ticians of  Marion  county,  his  activity  in  po- 
litical circles,  however,  being  by  no  means 
confined  to  local  affairs,  but  state  wide  in 
its  influence.  He  is  firm  and  unchanging  in 
his  allegiance  to  Democratic  principles  and 
mid  all  vicissitudes  in  which  the  party  has 
been  subject  during  the  last  two  decades,  he 
has  never  wavered  in  his  loyalty,  nor  when 
necessarv  hesitated  to  make  sacrifices  for 


HK1XKKKHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


703 


its  success.  Judicious  in  counsel  and  an 
untiring  worker,  he  has  been  a  standard 
bearer  in  a  number  of  campaigns  and  it  was 
not  until  recently  that  he  consented  to  serve 
his  party  in  a  public  capacity,  although  fre- 
quently importuned  and  solicited  by  his 
many  friends  to  accept  the  offices  for  which 
by  native  training  he  is  eminently  fitted.  In 
the  year  1908  he  was  elected  to  the  upper 
house  of  the  General  Assembly,  and  although 
but  fairly  entering  upon  his  official  duties  he 
has  already  made  his  influence  felt  among 
his  brother  Senators,  and  bids  fair  to  ren- 
der his  constituency  and  the  state  valuable 
service  and  earn  an  honorable  record  among 
the  distinguished  legislators  of  the  common- 
wealth. 

On  January  3,  1875,  Mr.  Holstlaw  and 
Clara  R.  Stevenson  were  united  in  the  holy 
bonds  of  wedlock,  a  union  blessed  with  two 
children,  the  older  a  son,  Herschel  D..  and 
the  younger  a  daughter,  who  answers  to 
the  name  of  Florence  E. 

Herschel  D.  Holstlaw,  whose  birth  oc- 
curred on  December  20.  1875,  was  educated 
in  the  home  schools  and  Bryant  &  Stratton's 
Commercial  College,  and  since  beginning 
life  for  himself  has  been  associated  with  his 
father,  being  at  this  time  cashier  of  the 
Holstlaw  Bank  and  a  man  of  fine  business 
ability.  He  was  married  October  3,  1900, 
to  Louise  Tully,  of  Xenia,  Illinois,  whose 
parents,  Joseph  E.  and  Fannie  (Paine) 
Tully,  still  live  in  that  town,  the  father  being 
a  banker  and  merchant,  and  one  of  the  old- 
est of  three  children.  Mrs.  Holstlaw 
is  the  oldest  of  three  children  born 


to  these  parents,  her  two  brothers,  Joseph 
M.  and  William  Paine  Tully,  being  residents 
of  Xenia,  and  associated  with  their  father  in 
merchandising  and  banking.  Florence  E., 
the  subject's  second  child,  married  Albert 
E.  Kelly,  of  North  Vernon,  Indiana,  but 
now  a  resident  of  luka,  Illinois,  where  he  is 
engaged  in  the  mercantile  trade  at  the  old 
Holstlaw  stand. 

Mr.  Holstlaw's  activity  in  business  to- 
gether with  his  superior  methods  and  hon- 
orable dealing  has  resulted  greatly  to  his 
financial  advantage  and  he  is  now  one  of 
the  wealthy  and  reliable  men  of  Marion 
county,  being  in  independent  circumstances, 
with  more  than  a  sufficiency  of  this  world's 
goods  to  render  his  future  free  from  care 
and  anxiety.  Additional  to  his  mercantile, 
banking  and  other  interests  at  luka,  he  owns 
several  valuable  farms  in  various  parts  of 
the  county  and  is  also  quite  extensively  in- 
terested in  live  stock,  being  one  of  the  larg- 
est breeders  and  raisers  of  fine  cattle  in  this 
part  of  the  state,  these  and  his  other  hold- 
ings indicating  the  energy  and  capacity  of  a 
mind  peculiarly  endowed  for  large  and  im- 
portant enterprises. 

Clara  R.  Stevenson,  who  became  the  wife 
of  Hon.  D.  W.  Holstlaw,  as  stated  in  a  pre- 
ceding paragraph,  is  a  native  of  Stevenson 
township  and  a  daughter  of  Hon.  Samuel 
E.  Stevenson,  in  whose  honor  the  township 
was  named.  Mr.  Stevenson  was  born  in 
Ohio  August  9.  1819,  and  his  wife,  whose 
maiden  name  was  Elizabeth  Kagy.  was  also 
a  native  of  Ohio.  The  Stevensons  were 
among  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Fairfield  coun- 


7°4 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ty,  Oliio,  and  it  was  there  that  Samuel  E. 
spent  his  youth,  beginning  to  earn  his  own 
living  at  the  early  age  of  six  years.  Later 
he  received  eight  dollars  per  month  for  his 
services  as  a  farm  laborer,  and  by  industry 
and  strict  economy  succeeded  in  saving  in 
four  years  the  sum  of  one  hundred  dollars, 
his  expenses  for  clothing  during  that  time 
amounting  to  only  forty  dollars.  Going  on 
horseback  to  Illinois,  he  invested  his  savings 
in  cattle,  which  he  drove  to  Ohio  and  sold  at 
a  liberal  profit,  the  venture  proving  so  suc- 
cessful that  he  decided  to  continue  the  busi- 
ness. During  the  several  years  following  he 
made  a  number  of  trips  to  and  from  Illi- 
nois ,  buying  cattle  and  disposing  of  them 
at  handsome  figures,  and  in  this  way  laid 
the  foundation  of  what  subsequently  became 
an  ample  fortune.  After  his  marriage  to 
Miss  Kagy,  which  took  place  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1848,  he  located  in  what 
is  now  Stevenson  township,  where  he  en- 
tered a  large  tract  of  land  and  engaged  in 
farming  and  stock  raising,  devoting  especial 
attention  to  the  breeding  of  cattle,  in  which 
lie  met  with  the  most  gratifying  success. 
Later  he  became  interested  in  public  affairs 
and  in  due  time  rose  to  a  position  of  consid- 
erable influence  among  his  fellow  citizens, 
who  in  recognition  of  valuable  political  serv- 
ices elected  him  in  1866  to  the  lower  house 
of  the  Legislature. 

Mr.  Stevenson  was  one  of  the  leading 
Democrats  of  his  day  in  Marion  county  and 
achieved  a  wide  reputation  throughout  the 
state  as  an  able  and  adroit  politician.  He 
filled  worthily  a  number  of  positions  of  honor 


and  trust,  won  the  esteem  of  the  people  ir- 
respective of  party  alignment  and  became 
one  of  the  most  popular  men  of  his  time  in 
Southern  Illinois.  In  connection  with  farm- 
ing and  stock  raising  he  held  large  interests 
in  the  Sandoval  coal  mines  and  was  also  a 
heavy  stockholder  in  the  Salem  National 
Bank  and  appeared  to  succeed  in  all  of  the 
enterprises  to  which  he  devoted  his  atten- 
tion. He  not  only  gave  his  children  the 
best  educational  advantages  the  country  af- 
forded, but  also  provided  liberally  for  their 
material  welfare  by  giving  each  a  good  start 
when  they  left  home  to  begin  life  for  them- 
selves. He  was  long  a  sincere  member  of 
the  Baptist  church,  as  was  also  his  wife,  and 
spared  no  pains  in  instructing  his  children 
in  the  truths  of  religion  and  the  necessity 
of  moral  conduct  as  the  only  basis  of  a  true 
and  successful  life.  Mrs.  Stevenson  died  in 
1876  and  her  husband  in  the  year  1899,  the 
loss  of  both  being  greatly  deplored  and  pro- 
foundly mourned  by  their  many  friends  in 
Marion  and  other  counties  of  Southern  Il- 
linois. 

The  children  of  Samuel  E.  and  Elizabeth 
Stevenson,  nine  in  number,  were  as  follows: 
Clara  B.,  wife  of  Hon.  D.  W.  Holstlaw: 
Marion  T.,  a  fanner  and  stock  dealer  of 
Marion  county;  Joanna,,  widow  of  the  late 
Aaron  Warner,  of  Stevenson  township, 
where  she  now  resides;  Edgar,  for  some 
years  one  of  the  leading  teachers  of  Marion 
county  and  a  young  man  of  noble  aims  and 
high  ideals,  who  departed  this  life  Novem- 
ber, 1878,  in  the  prime  of  his  physical  and 
mental  powers.  He  began  school  work  at 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


70S 


the  age  of  eighteen,  soon  attained  an  hon- 
orable standing  as  an  educator,  and  at  the 
time  of  his  death  was  considered  one  of  the 
finest  and  most  accomplished  instructors  in 
this  part  of  the  state.  Homer  R..  the  fifth 
in  order  of  birth,  married  Clara  Humphries 
and  devotes  his  attention  to  farming,  in 
which  his  success  has  been  very  gratifying. 
Van  C.,  who  married  Ella  Brunton,  lives  on 
the  old  family  homestead  and  is  also  a  suc- 
cessful tiller  of  the  soil;  Frank  M.,  the  sev- 
enth of  the  family,  was  graduated  from  Illi- 
nois College  in  1886,  and  the  year  following 
was  killed  by  lightning.  He,  too,  was  a 
young  man  of  intelligence  and  culture  and 
his  untimely  death  terminated  what  prom- 
ised to  be  a  useful  and  honorable  career. 
Anna,  who  married  Frank  Boynton,  of  Sa- 
lem, is  deceased,  and  Maggie,  the  youngest 
of  the  family,  is  the  wife  of  W.  E.  Irvin, 
and  lives  in  Salem. 


THOMAS  M.  LANE. 

The  honorable  gentleman  whose  name  ap- 
pears above  is  entitled  to  wear  the  badge 
indicating  that  he  is  one  of  the  brave  "boys 
in  blue,"  and  while  some  casual  thinker 
might  not  attach  much  importance  to  this 
fact,  those  who  rightly  consider  the  matter 
know  that  no  greater  badge  of  honor  could 
be  conferred  upon  a  man. 

Thomas  M.  Lane  was  born  in  Madison 
county,  Ohio,  August  19,  1844,  the  son  of 
Hooper  and  Margaret  (Martin)  Lane,  who 
45 


were  the  parents  of  four  children,  our  sub- 
ject being  the  oldest  in  order  of  birth.  Hoop- 
er Lane  was  born  in  Ohio,  as  was  also  his 
wife. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  gained  in  Washington  county, 
Iowa,  where  he  was  reared  on  a  farm  and 
labored  hard  as  a  boy  and  young  man  until 
1 86 1,  when  on  June  I5th  of  that  year,  being 
unable  to  resist  the  call  of  his  government 
for  help  in  its  hour  of  need,  he  enlisted  in 
the  Tenth  Iowa  Infantry,  under  Colonel 
Parsell,  of  Keokuk,  Iowa,  and  was  mustered 
into  the  service  of  the  United  States  Sep- 
tember 28,  1861.  He  was  in  Company  D, 
under  Captain  Berry,  of  Boone  county. 
Iowa.  He  remained  with  this  company  un- 
til 1863,  taking  part  in  all  its  engagements, 
when  he  re-enlisted  at  Huntsville,  Alabama, 
and  was  transferred  to  Company  E  of  the 
same  regiment  as  a  veteran,  April  i.  1864, 
by  Captain  York,  under  Captain  Shepherd 
and  Colonel  Strong.  Our  subject  made  a 
most  gallant  soldier,  having  fought  in  twen- 
ty-eight battles  and  skirmishes.  He  was  dis- 
charged August  15,  1865,  at  Little  Rock, 
Arkansas,  by  Adjt.  Gen.  N.  B.  Baker. 

After  the  war  Mr.  Lane  returned  to  Wash- 
ington county,  Iowa,  where  he  remained  for 
two  years  and  devoted  his  time  to  farming. 
He  then  turned  his  attention  to  railroading 
in  1867,  in  the  fall  of  that  year  beginning 
work  on  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad 
at  East  St.  Louis.  From  there  he  went  to 
North  Missouri,  where  he  was  employed  on 
the  Wabash  Railroad  for  two  years.  He 
then  went  to  the  Rock  Island  Railroad,  run- 


7o6 


RK1XKKRHOKF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ning  as  a  brakeman  from  Davenport  to  Des 
Moines.  He  was  also  switchman  and  final- 
ly conductor  for  the  Hannibal  Railroad, 
from  St.  Joseph  to  Hannibal,  Missouri.  He 
then  went  to  the  Missouri  Pacific  Railroad, 
running  from  St.  Louis  to  Chamoise,  Mis- 
souri. Mr.  Lane  then  was  employed  by  the 
C.  B.  &  U.  P.,  a  branch  of  the  Missouri  Pa- 
cific Railroad :  later  he  went  to  the  Illinois 
Cental  Railroad  as  yard  crew  conductor, 
which  position  he  held  for  eight  years  in  the 
East  St.  Louis  yards.  While  thus  employed 
our  subject  had  the  misfortune  to  lose  his 
right  hand  on  October  14,  1897.  When  he 
recovered  from  this  injury  he  was  placed 
on  the  detective  force  of  this  road,  in  which 
capacity  he  remained  until  1900.  when  he 
resigned  and  came  to  Clinton  county,  where 
he  bought  a  fruit  farm,  which  business  he 
followed  for  two  years,  when  he  sold  out 
and  came  to  Centralia,  where,  on  February 
19.  1902,  he  formed  a  partnership  and 
launched  in  the  real  estate  business,  later 
purchasing  his  partner's  interest  and  be- 
came sole  manager  of  the  "Home  Real  Es- 
tate Company,"  of  Centralia,  and  he  now 
enjoys  a  good,  thriving  business. 

Mr.  Lane  became  widely  known  during 
his  railroading  days,  giving  the  various 
companies  for  which  he  worked  entire  satis- 
faction, being  regarded  by  them  as  one  of 
the  most  trusted  and  efficient  employes,  al- 
ways at  his  post  and  conscientious  in  his 
work,  so  that  he  was  always  highly  recom- 
mended for  his  services.  He  enjoys  the  full 
confidence  of  his  numerous  friends.  His 
long  and  wide  experience  in  army  and  rail- 


road life  has  made  him  a  reader  of  men  and 
a  most  appreciative  neighbor.  He  votes  the 
Republican  ticket,  having  first  voted  for 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  Savannah,  Georgia.  He 
was  reared  by  pious  Methodist  parents.  Our 
subject  is  unassuming  and  open  hearted  and 
honest  to  the  core. 


F.  H.  BAUER. 

All  honor  should  be  due  the  men  who  turn 
the  ideal  into  the  practical,  inaugurate  such 
conditions  and  crystalize  into  the  probable 
and  actual  what  appear  to  be  wild  flights  of 
fancy  and  imagination.  It  is  of  such  a  man 
that  the  biographer  here  essays  to  write. 

F.  H.  Bauer,  the  well  known  proprietor 
of  the  Centralia  Steam  Laundry,  one  of  the 
busiest  places  in  the  city,  was  born  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  September  u,  1866, 
the  son  of  Fred  and  Amelia  (Ruple)  Bauer, 
in  whose  family  there  were  two  sons,  our 
subject  being  the  older. 

Mr.  Bauer  was  educated  in  the  Centralia 
public  schools  and  the  high  school.  Being 
ambitious  to  receive  a  business  education  he 
attended  the  night  schools  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri, where  he  made  a  splendid  record.  He 
began  his  life  work  when  eighteen  years  old 
by  entering  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral Railroad.  He  worked  for  some  time  as 
fireman  and  was  later  promoted  to  locomo- 
tive engineer,  and  for  a  period  of  twelve 
years  gave  entire  satisfaction  in  whatever  ca- 
pacity he  served,  and  being  regarded  by  the 


[NKI;RHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARIOX  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


707 


company  as  one  of  the  most  trusted  and 
valuable  employes. 

After  his  railroad  experience  he  turned 
his  attention  to  mining  in  the  Joplin  (Mis- 
souri) zinc  and  lead  mine  district,  where  he 
remained  one  year,  after  which  he  returned 
to  Centralia,  Illinois,  and  took  the  occupa- 
tion of  tonsorial  artist,  which  he  pursued 
with  marked  success  for  a  period  of  four 
years,  at  the  expiration  of  which  time  he  pur- 
chased the  laundry  plant  originally  known 
as  Ormsby  &  Ormsby  laundry,  having  been 
started  in  1880.  H.  C.  Watts  bought  the 
Ormsby  plant  and  run  it  for  several  years, 
when  his  interests  were  purchased  by  the 
enterprising  and  hustling  subject  of  this 
sketch.  Mr.  Bauer  at  once  proceeded  to  re- 
-model  the  plant  throughout,  replacing  the 
old  worn-out  machinery  with  latest  models 
and  most  up-to-date  equipment  in  every  re- 
spect. He  also  rebuilt  the  engine  in  every 
part.  Outside  of  the  large  cities  this  is  one 
of  the  oldest  laundries  in  the  state  and  none 
turns  out  better  work,  for  the  plant  is 
equipped  with  the  best  machinery  obtainable 
and  only  expert  employes  are  to  be  found 
Tiere.  Useless  to  say  that  with  such  an  en- 
terprising man  at  the  head  of  this  old  es- 
tablished institution  that  it  at  once  assumed 
new  life  and  his  success  was  instantaneous, 
"his  patronage  having  steadily  increased  from 
the  first.  When  he  first  assumed  charge  the 
total  income  of  the  plant  was  only  sixty-five 
dollars  per  week.  Mr.  Bauer  has  increased 
this  to  two  hundred  dollars  per  week.  In 
1901  this  plant  employed  only  three  girls; 
now  thirteen  are  constantly  employed.  The 


main  room  of  this  plant  is  one  hundred  and 
forty  feet  long  by  twenty-four  feet  wide  and 
the  capacity  is  now  over-crowded.  Work 
is  done  in  this  laundry  for  all  surrounding 
towns  as  far  east  as  Wayne  City  and  as  far 
north  as  Kinmundy,  west  to  Evansville,  Il- 
linois, and  south  to  Herrin.  They  do  hotel, 
barber  shop  and  family  washings  for  more 
than  one  hundred  and  fifty  patrons  per 
week. 

The  domestic  life  of  Mr.  Bauer  dates 
from  October  30,  1891,  when  he  was  united 
in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Louise  Jones, 
the  daughter  of  a  well  known  family,  and  to 
this  union  one  child  has  been  born,  Wen- 
dell A.,  whose  date  of  birth  occurred  Feb- 
ruary 20,  1901. 

Our  subject  was  reared  a  German  Luth- 
eran. He  is  an  ardent  Democrat  in  his  po- 
litical beliefs.  He  holds  membership  in  the 
following  orders  in  Centralia :  Masons,  Blue 
Lodge  No.  201;  Chapter  No.  93;  Council 
No.  28;  Knights  Templar  No.  26;  Knights 
of  Pythias  No.  26;  Pythian  Sisters,  Lotus 
Temple  No.  8;  Odd  Fellows  No.  179;  En- 
campment No.  75.  He  is  also  a  member  of 
the  Brotherhood  of  Locomotive  Firemen 
and  Engineers  No.  37.  Mr.  Bauer  takes  a 
great  interest  in  lodge  work. 


BURDEN  PULLEN. 

As  a  member  of  one  of  the  pioneer  fami- 
lies of  this  country,  Mr.  Pullen  calls  for 
recognition  in  a  compilation  of  the  province 


5RINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


assigned  to  the  one  at  hand,  and  it  is  a  pleas- 
ure to  enter  this  review  of  his  upright  and 
successful  career,  for  he  has  ever  been  faith- 
ful in  the  performance  of  whatever  duty  he 
found  to  be  his,  without  thought  of  reward 
or  praise  from  his  fellow  men. 

Burden  Pullen  was  bom  in  Mercer  coun- 
ty, New  Jersey,  June  8,  1833,  the  son  of 
James  B.  and  Sarah  (McCabe)  Pullen. 
Grandfather  Pullen,  who  was  of  English 
descent,  lived  in  New  Jersey  and  died  at  the 
advanced  age  of  ninety-eight  years.  He  de- 
voted his  life  to  agricultural  pursuits  and 
reared  to  maturity  a  family  of  nine  children. 
His  noble  life  companion  was  a  faithful 
member  of  the  church.  Grandfather  Mc- 
Cabe, who  was  of  Scotch-Irish  blood,  lived 
on  a  farm,  and  both  he  and  his  wife  lived 
to  advanced  ages,  rearing  a  large  famliy. 
The  father  of  the  subject  was  reared  in  New 
Jersey,  and  being  poor,  his  parents  could  not 
give  him  the  school  advantages  that  he  de- 
sired. However,  he  made  the  best  use  pos- 
sible of  what  he  had,  and  after  leaving  school 
learned  the  cooper's  trade,  although  he  never 
worked  at  it  to  any  extent.  He  left  New  Jer- 
sey in  1839  and  settled  in  Middletown,  Ohio, 
going  into  the  fruit  and  nursery  business 
and  developing  into  a  well  known  and  prom- 
inent horticulturist,  the  study  of  which  he 
had  begun  before  leaving  New  Jersey,  and 
devoted  his  life  to  that  business  with  pro- 
nounced success.  He  died  at  the  age  of 
sixty-five  years,  having  been  survived  by  a 
widow  until  she  reached  eighty-six.  They 
were  members  of  the  Baptist  church  and 
their  family  consisted  of  nine  children. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 


sketch  was  obtained  in  the  district  schools 
of  Ohio,  where  he  diligently  applied  him- 
self. Desiring  to  receive  a  higher  educa- 
tion, he  later  entered  Franklin  College  in 
Indiana,  but  on  account  of  sickness  was 
obliged  to  leave  before  finishing  the  course 
he  had  hoped  to  take.  He  worked  on  his 
father's  fruit  farm  and  was  with  him  as  an 
associate  in  the  business  until  1856,  when  he 
came  to  Centralia,  Illinois,  then  being  twen- 
ty-three years  old.  He  opened  a  nursery, 
becoming  a  horticulturist  of  more  than  lo- 
cal note.  He  bought  the  place  where  he  now 
resides  in  1857.  The  place  consisted  of 
seventy  acres  and  all  of  it  was  used  as  a  nur- 
sery and  fruit  farm.  Much  of  his  land  is 
now  laid  out  in  city  lots  and  has  been  sold. 
He  closed  the  nursery  branch  and  gradually 
worked  all  into  the  horticulture  line,  which 
he  made  a  great  success. 

Mr.  Pullen's  happy  married  life  dates 
from  December  10,  1857,  when  he  was  unit- 
ed in  the  bonds  of  wedlock  with  Lucille  O. 
Gex,  a  native  of  Kentucky.  Her  ancestry 
was  of  French  descent.  Her  grandparents 
on  the  mother's  side  were  named  Price.  They 
were  from  England  and  her  grandfather 
was  a  Baptist  minister.  Her  father  was  an 
educated  man,  a  linguist.  He  was  a  planter 
in  Kentucky  and  a  slave  holder. 

Nine  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife,  named  in  order  of  birth  as 
follows:  Lucian  C.  is  married  and  the  fa- 
ther of  four  children  :  Rena  is  the  wife  of  E. 
S.  Condit  and  the  mother  of  two  children : 
Maud,  who  was  the  wife  of  Dr.  George  Ab- 
bott, is  deceased;  Blanche  is  also  deceased; 
May  is  the  wife  of  Charles  P.  Marshall  and 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


709 


the  mother  of  two  children;  Fred  is  mar- 
ried and  has  one  child ;  Rome  B.  is  the  sev- 
enth child  and  Bird  G.  the  eighth,  the  latter 
married  and  has  two  children;  Lillie  is  the 
youngest  and  the  wife  of  Raymond  A.  Beck 
and  the  mother  of  one  child. 

The  subject's  first  wife  died  in  1891,  and 
he  was  again  married  September  13,  in  1893, 
to  Mrs.  Anna  E.  Russell,  of  Clinton  county, 
Illinois. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  the  original  organ- 
izers of  the  local  First  Baptist  church,  of 
Centralia,  and  is  the  only  living  member  of 
the  original  organization.  In  politics  he  was 
originally  a  Whig,  then  a  Republican,  but 
in  late  years  a  Democrat.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  State  Board  of  Agriculture,  hav- 
ing been  vice-president  of  the  same  for  twen- 
ty years.  He  was  one  of  the  Commission- 
ers appointed  by  the  Governor  to  take  charge 
of  the  Illinois  exhibit  at  the  World's  Fair  in 
1893  at  Chicago,  and  was  chairman  of  the 
Committee  on  Horticulture  and  Floriculture. 
He  spent  two  years  in  this  work,  having 
charge  of  and  preparing  the  grounds  and 
buildings  for  this  display.  He  was  for  some 
time  Trustee  of  the  University  of  Illinois, 
by  appointment  of  Governor  Oglesby,  hav- 
ing been  Chairman  of  the  Committee  on 
Grounds.  He  was  also  Auditor  of  the  State 
Board  of  Agriculture,  having  had  charge  of 
the  purchasing  department  and  a  number  of 
other  departments.  He  has  had  charge  of 
some  one  of  these  departments  for  the  past 
twenty  years. 


Mr.  Pullen,  besides  having  been  a  very 
busy  man  in  this  line,  has  also  had  other 
business  of  much  importance.  He  assisted 
in  the  organization  of  the  Merchants'  State 
Bank  of  Centralia  and  was  its  first  presi- 
dent, having  faithfully  performed  the  duties 
of  this  exacting  position  for  a  period  of  six 
years,  and  withdrew  on  account  of  physical 
disability.  E.  S.  Condit,  a  grandson  of  the 
subject,  is  now  assistant  cashier  of  this  bank. 
Mr.  Pullen  was  one  of  the  organizers  of  the 
Centralia  Ice  and  Cold  Storage  Company, 
and  has  been  its  president  ever  since  it  was 
first  organized.  His  son,  Fred,  is  secretary 
and  business  manager  of  the  same  and  has 
ably  filled  this  position  since  1898. 

Mr.  Pullen  has  long  taken  an  active  in- 
terest in  public  affairs  and  he  has  served 
creditably  as  School  Trustee  and  Director, 
also  Township  Supervisor.  He  was  active  in 
the  District  Fair  Association  and  was  the 
first  president  of  the  same,  having  been 
chosen  by  acclamation,  and  it  was  largely 
due  to  his  efficient  efforts  that  the  success  of 
the  fair  was  due.  Whatever  of  success  has 
been  attained  by  our  subject  is  due  entirely 
to  his  own  industry,  energy  and  ability.  From 
small  beginnings  he  gradually,  by  the  most 
honorable  methods,  attained  a  prominence  in 
his  county  which  entitles  him  to  be  regard- 
ed as  one  of  its  leading  citizens,  his  reputa- 
tion being  that  of  a  man  of  business  in- 
tegrity, and  his  modem  home  is  often  the 
gathering  place  for  numerous  friends  of 
himself  and  family. 


7io 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


LEVI BRANCH.      • 

There  can  be  no  greater  honor  than  to 
serve  one's  country  honestly  and  conscien- 
tiously in  any  capacity,  but  when  the  na- 
tion's integrity  is  at  stake  and  it  becomes 
necessary  for  the  citizen  soldiery  to  leave 
plow  and  workshop  and  go  into  the  conflict, 
risking  limb  and  life,  it  is  a  much  greater 
sacrifice  and  the  honor  attached  thereto  is 
higher  than  almost  any  other  known  to  man. 
Of  this  worthy  class  belongs  the  subject  of 
this  sketch,  a  veteran  of  the  war  between  the 
states,  who  has  long  led  an  active  and  useful 
life  in  Marion  county. 

Levi  Branch  was  born  in  Meigs  county, 
Ohio,  January  3,  1843,  tne  son  °f  Samuel  S. 
and  Elizabeth  ( Smith)  Branch,  the  former  a 
native  of  Vermont,  of  hardy  New  England 
stock,  having  been  born  there  December  27, 
1 80 1.  He  was  a  fanner  and  also  a  Baptist 
preacher.  Grandfather  Stephen  Branch 
moved  to  Ohio  when  Samuel  was  an  infant 
of  twelve  months.  There  were  three  boys 
and  one  girl  in  their  family.  He  died  Jan- 
uary 29,  1862.  Elizabeth  Smith,  mother  of 
the  subject,  was  born  in  Pennsylvania  Au- 
gust 4,  1806.  Samuel  S.  Branch  and  wife 
were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  four  boys 
and  three  girls,  of  whom  Levi,  our  subject, 
is  the  sixth  child  in  order  of  birth.  He  was 
the  son  of  Samuel  S.  Branch's  third  wife. 
There  was  one  son  by  his  first  wife  and  one 
daughter  by  his  second  wife.  A  half  broth- 
er of  the  subject  was  also  in  the  Union  army 
and  five  of  the  Branch  brothers  were  in  the 
Civil  war,  all  of  whom  returned  home  after 
their  enlistments  had  expired.  Levi  Branch 


enlisted  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  and  he  left 
Wayne  county  April  27,  1863,  being  a  mem- 
ber of  Company  M,  Fifth  Illinois  Cavalry, 
under  Colonel  McConnell  and  Capt.  R.  N. 
Jessup.  His  first  active  service  was  in  a 
skirmish  in  Missouri  and  he  was  captured 
near  Collinsville,  Tennessee,  where  he  and 
three  of  his  comrades  were  held  for  twenty- 
four  hours  and  were  then  sent  to  Memphis 
on  fictitious  parole  given  by  the  colonel  in 
the  saddle.  He  was  discharged  at  Spring- 
field October  27,  1865,  after  having  made 
an  excellent  record  as  a  soldier,  returning 
to  Wayne  county  and  took  up  farming  after 
the  war. 

Mr.  Branch  was  married  to  Clarinda  Phil- 
lips January  3,  1864,  and  to  this  union  six 
children  have  been  bom,  all  deceased.  The 
oldest  daughter,  Ida  E.,  who  was  a  grad- 
uate of  the  Centralia  high  school,  died  when 
twenty-four  years  of  age.  The  other  chil- 
dren died  in  infancy. 

Clarinda  Phillips,  the  daughter  of  John 
and  Harriett  Phillips,  of  Wayne  county,  Il- 
linois, is  the  third  child  in  a  family  of  five 
children,  all  girls.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Branch 
moved  from  Wayne  county  to  Austin,  Min- 
esota,  in  1876,  where  they  remained  one 
year,  then  came  to  Rice  county,  Kansas, 
where  they  remained  for  fifteen  years,  and 
in  1892  moved  to  Centralia,  where  Mr. 
Branch  followed  the  carpenter's  trade,  hav- 
ing done  considerable  contracting  also  in 
this  city.  He  has  always  been  known  as  a 
very  able  workman,  his  services  being  satis- 
factory to  all  concerned,  for  he  is  conscien- 
tious and  painstaking. 

In  politics  Mr.  Branch  is  a  Republican, 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


711 


but  he  is  a  great  admirer  of  William  J. 
Bryan,  for  whom  he  voted  three  times.  In 
religion  he  adheres  to  the  Baptist  faith,  in 
which  he  was  reared,  but  he  joined  the 
Christian  church,  and  is  a  faithful  attendant 
of  the  same.  He  is  known  to  be  a  man  of 
uprightness  and  honest  in  all  his  dealings 
with  his  fellow  men,  and  he  has  won  many 
friends  since  coming  to  Centralia,  where  he 
has  been  very  successful  in  his  line  of  busi- 
ness. 


JOHN  A.  SNODGRASS. 

The  gentleman  whose  name  initiates  this 
sketch  has  shown  by  a  long  life  of  industry 
and  honesty  that  he  is  entitled  to  a  place  in 
the  history  of  Marion  county.  John  A.  Snod- 
grass  was  born  August  28,  1836,  in  Scott 
county,  Indiana,  the  son  of  Samuel  Snod- 
grass,  a  native  of  Kentucky,  who  was  born 
in  1800  and  who  married  Mira  Hardy,  of 
New  Hampshire.  He  lived  in  Kentucky  un- 
til 1818,  when  he  went  to  Jefferson  county, 
Indiana,  with  his  father,  Hugh,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death  in  1850.  He  was  a 
farmer  and  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church,  also  a  temperance  worker  and  a 
member  of  the  Sons  of  Temperance.  His 
wife  died  in  1851.  Seven  children  were 
born  to  them,  namely :  Norma,  deceased ; 
Marion,  who  died  in  Pilot  Knob,  Missouri, 
in  1863,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Union  army; 
Tirzah  is  single  and  always  lived  with  the 
subject;  Mary  married  Solomon  Cutshall, 
a  farmer  at  Patoka,  Illinois;  John,  subject 
of  this  sketch;  Alonzo,  a  plasterer  in  Okla- 


homa, was  in  Company  H,  Twenty-second 
Illinois  Infantry,  for  two  years,  later  re-en- 
listing; Lambert,  who  is  deceased,  lived  with 
the  subject  in  Centralia. 

John  A.  Snodgrass  received  a  limited  ed- 
ucation in  the  subscription  schools  of  the 
early  days.  He  lived  at  home,  assisting  with 
the  work  about  the  place,  until  the  Presi- 
dent's call  for  loyal  citizens  to  aid  in  sup- 
pressing the  rebellion  induced  him  to  enter 
the  conflict,  having  enlisted  in  September, 
1862,  in  Company  H,  Twenty-second  In- 
diana Volunteer  Infantry  at  Lexington,  In- 
diana. He  was  sent  to  Kentucky  and  Ten- 
nessee, and  was  in  the  engagements  at  Per- 
ryville,  Lancaster,  Nolansville  and  Murfrees- 
boro,  having  fought  seven  days  at  Stone 
River.  He  was  taken  sick  after  that  battle 
and  was  in  the  field  hospital,  later  sent  to 
Nashville,  still  later  to  Louisville,  suffering 
with  rheumatism  and  fever,  becoming  so  sick 
that  he  was  given  up  by  the  physicians  to 
die.  He  was  discharged  from  the  army  for 
disability,  October  20,  1863,  after  which  he 
returned  home,  where  he  remained  until  the 
spring  of  1 866,  when  he  came  to  Illinois  and 
located  one  mile  west  of  Central  City  on  a 
farm.  He  then  came  to  Centralia  township, 
where  he  remained  three  years,  moving  one 
and  one-half  miles  south  of  Centralia,  where 
he  has  remained  for  the  past  twenty-six 
years.  He  bought  a  home  and  three  lots  in 
Centralia,  and  in  1900  purchased  his  pres- 
ent splendid  home  at  1301  South  Locust 
street.  He  has  farmed,  made  brick  and 
teamed,  making  a  success  at  each.  He  re- 
tired in  1906. 

Mr.    Sodgrass  was  married   in    1868  to 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mary  Crawford,  of  Centralia,  the  daughter 
of  Zachariah  Crawford,  of  Kentucky,  who 
in  1840  came  to  Illinois,  locating  two  miles 
west  of  Centralia.  He  was  a  blacksmith  and 
also  owned  a  good  farm.  The  subject's  wife 
passed  away  in  1870.  Mr.  Snodgrass  has  one 
daughter,  Lulu,  who  is  the  wife  of  Charles 
Phillips,  of  Centralia.  He  is  now  engaged 
in  the  round  house  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad.  Our  subject  has  reared  two  of 
his  brother's  children,  John  and  Lizzie  Snod- 
grass. 

Mr.  Snodgrass  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  the  post  at  Centralia, 
and  his  sister  is  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church.  Our  subject  is  a  fine  old  man  whom 
everybody  likes  and  everybody  respects  and 
honors  for  his  life  of  industry  and  loyalty 
to  high  principles. 


THOMAS  F.  MEAGHER. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
well  known  men  of  Centralia,  and  his  resi- 
dence in  Marion  county  has  shown  him  to 
be  a  man  of  business  ability  and  honesty  of 
purpose  so  that  he  has  won  the  confidence 
of  those  with  whom  he  has  come  in  contact. 

Thomas  F.  Meagher  was  born  December 
23,  1848,  in  Toronto,  Canada,  the  son  of 
James  W.  and  Anna  (Ryan)  Meagher,  the 
former  a  native  of  the  county  of  Tipperary, 
Ireland,  as  was  also  his  wife,  where  they 
grew  up  and  married.  He  was  a  carpenter 
bv  trade  and  he  came  to  Toronto,  Canada, 


in  1842,  and  in  1865  he  moved  with  his  fam- 
ily to  Chicago,  where  he  worked  at  his  trade 
until  his  death  in  1869,  his  widow  having 
survived  until  1892.  They  were  members 
of  the  Catholic  church  and  they  were  the 
parents  of  the  following  children;  Joseph 
P.,  who  was  in  the  United  States  navy  dur- 
ing the  rebellion  and  later  a  policeman  and 
butcher  in  Chicago;  Thomas  F.,  our  sub- 
ject; Harry  is  a  painter  and  foreman  in  the 
Denver  &  Rio  Grand  Railroad  shops  in  Colo- 
rado City,  Colorado.  He  was  quartermaster 
in  the  army  for  five  years  under  General 
Miles.  Maria  is  the  widow  of  Samuel  Pal- 
ing and  lives  in  Chicago;  Margaret  is  the 
widow  of  Jerome  P.  Merrill,  of  Chicago. 

Our  subject  went  to  the  common  schools 
and  later  educated  himself.  He  and  his 
brother  Joseph  went  in  the  fall  of  1864  to 
Chicago  and  followed  the  lakes  for  five  years 
steamboating,  and  he  was  for  three  years  in 
the  wholesale  house  of  J.  W.  Doane  &  Co., 
of  Chicago.  After  this  he  went  into  the 
land  office  of  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad 
in  Chicago.  During  the  great  fire  of  Octo- 
ber 8  and  9,  1871,  he  saved  all  the  land 
records  and  books  of  this  company.  After 
the  fire  the  office  was  moved  to  Centralia 
and  the  subject  came  here  to  look  after  the 
business.  He  continued  in  the  land  office 
and  also  traveled  all  over  the  country  for 
this  road  as  traveling  land  agent,  selling 
land  and  collecting  and  looking  after  their 
interests  in  general.  In  1882  he  was  ap- 
pointed Deputy  Revenue  Collector  of  the 
Thirteenth  United  States  District  of  Illi- 
nois for  one  term.  After  this  he  returned 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


7*3 


to  the  employ  of  the  Illinois  Central,  with 
which  he  remained  until  1884.  He  was  re- 
garded by  this  company  as  one  of  the  most 
trusted  and  indispensable  employes. 

Mr.  Meagher  was  united  in  marriage  No- 
vember 3,  1872,  with  Mary  A.  Lawler,  who 
was  born  in  Chicago,  the  daughter  of  Mich- 
ael and  Johanna  (Phelan)  Meagher,  both 
natives  of  Tipperary  county,  Ireland.  They 
came  singly  when  young  people  to  America 
and  settled  in  Chicago  when  the  country 
thereabout  was  a  wilderness.  He  was  a 
gardener  by  trade  and  also  teamed  exten- 
sively. He  helped  lay  out  the  famous  Lin- 
coln park  of  that  city,  putting  out  trees, 
etc.  He  died  in  1893  and  his  wife  died  in 
1898.  Their  children  were:  Mary  A.,  the 
subject's  wife;  John,  who  is  with  J.  W. 
Reedy  Elevator  Company  in  Chicago;  Ed- 
ward is  a  street  car  conductor  in  Rochester, 
New  York ;  William  is  shipping  clerk  for  a 
candy  manufacturing  firm  in  Chicago ;  Mar- 
garet is  single  and  living  in  Chicago ;  The- 
resa is  single  and  operating  a  hair  dressing 
establishment  at  92  State  street,  Chicago; 
Sarah  is  the  wife  of  J.  W.  Reedy,  of  Chi- 
cago. 

Ten  children  have  been  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife,  as  follows :  Frank  J.  is  single  and 
living  at  home,  clerking  in  the  offices  of  the 
Chicago.  Burlington  &  Quincy  Railroad  in 
Centralia ;  Margaret  is  saleslady  at  Marshall 
Field's  &  Co.,  Chicago. ;  Mary  is  saleslady 
at  Hartman's  Dry  Goods  Company,  Centra- 
lia; Thomas  T.  is  a  machinist  on  the  Big 
Four  Railroad  at  Mattoon,  Illinois:  James 
W.  is  a  cigarmaker  in  Naples,  New  York; 


Henry  Edward  is  foreman  of  The  Democrat 
office  in  Centralia;  Charles  A.,  who  died 
at  the  age  of  twenty-one  years,  was  clerk 
for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  at  Chicago, 
also  in  Centralia,  having  died  February  25, 
1905 ;  Frederick  D.  is  a  machinist  in  Dan- 
ville, Illinois,  for  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road Company;  Anastacia  is  bookkeeper  at 
Marshall  Field's  &  Co.,  Chicago;  Richard 
T.  is  a  boilermaker  in  the  Illinois  Central 
shops  at  Centralia. 

In  1884  the  subject  was  elected  Circuit 
Clerk  and  County  Recorder  of  Marion  coun- 
ty, serving  with  much  credit  for  a  period  of 
four  years.  He  has  always  been  active  in 
politics  and  is  a  loyal  Democrat.  He  is  not 
a  member  of  any  church.  He  has  made  a 
success  of  his  life  work,  for  he  has  been  a 
very  industrious  man  and  possesses  rare 
business  acumen. 


JOHN  WOODS. 

The  venerable  and  highly  honored  citizen 
of  Centralia  whose  name  appears  above  has 
through  a  long  life  of  industry  and  fidelity 
to  duty  shown  that  he  is  worthy  of  a  place 
in  the  history  of  Marion  county  along  with 
his  fellow  citizens  of  worth.  John  Woods,  a 
retired  farmer,  was  born  in  Tennessee,  De- 
cember 29,  1827,  the  son  of  Willis  and  Mary 
(Willis)  Woods,  both  natives  of  North  Car- 
olina, who  went  to  Tennessee  in  an  early 
day,  and  in  1828  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  settling  south  of  Odin,  taking  up  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


claim,  later  locating  near  Kinmundy,  Illi- 
nois, just  northwest  of  Centralia.  He  died 
in  1859  and  his  wife  is  also  deceased.  He 
was  twice  married,  his  last  wife  being  Nellie 
Berge,  of  Connecticut.  She  is  deceased.  The 
father  of  the  subject  was  always  a  farmer, 
a  man  well  known  and  highly  respected,  a 
Democrat,  but  never  aspired  for  office.  He 
and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Christian 
church.  Six  children  were  born  to  them  as 
follows:  Louisa,  deceased;  John,  our  sub- 
ject; William,  deceased;  Mary,  deceased; 
Green,  deceased ;  the  youngest  child  died  in 
infancy. 

Mr.  Woods  had  little  chance  to  attend 
school,  having  lived  at  home  until  he  was 
twenty  years  of  age  and  assisted  with  the 
work  about  the  place,  attending  subscrip- 
tion school' a  few  months  in  the  winter.  He 
was  married  March  n.  1847,  to  Catherine 
McClelland,  who  was  born  in  April,  1831,  in 
Centralia  township,  the  daughter  of  Isaac 
and  Sarah  (Welsh)  McClelland,  the  former 
a  native  of  Pennsylvania,  and  the  latter  of 
Tennessee.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1820,  set- 
tling near  Walnut  Hill,  Marion  county,  later 
coming  to  Romine  Prairie  and  then  to  Cen- 
tralia township,  north  of  Centralia  in  San- 
doval  township.  He  secured  seven  hundred 
acres  of  land.  He  engaged  extensively  in 
farming  and  stock  raising  and  became  a 
prominent  man  in  his  locality.  He  held  many 
local  offices  and  spent  the  latter  part  of  his 
life  in  the  city  of  Centralia.  He  died  in 
1 88 1,  his  wife  having  preceded  him  to  the  si- 
lent land  in  1848,  and  he  married  a  second 
time,  his  last  wife  being  Mary  J.  Collum,  of 


Maryland,  who  is  deceased.  Six  children 
were  born  to  Mr.  McClelland,  all  by  his. 
first  wife,  namely:  Alexander,  who  is  now- 
deceased,  lived  in  Sandoval  township;  John 
went  to  Oregon  in  1883  and  died  in  1906; 
Rachael  married  Thomas  N.  Deadman,  and 
she  is  now  deceased ;  Catherine  is  the  wife 
of  the  subject;  Elizabeth,  who  is  deceased, 
married  W.  K.  Bundy,  of  Raccoon  town- 
ship; Rebecca  J.,  who  married  Richard  Col- 
lins, lives  in  East  St.  Louis. 

Nine  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
John  Woods,  four  of  whom  are  now  living, 
namely:  Isaac  N.,  who  remained  single,  is 
deceased;  Willis  died  young;  Mary  F.,  who 
is  deceased,  married  Asa  Mattocks;  Luella 
married  William  Ingrahm,  of  Centralia  ; 
Sarah  Ellen,  who  remained  single,  is  de- 
ceased ;  Cella  Ruth  married  Erastus  Root 
May  6,  1883,  and  eight  children  have  been 
born,  namely ;  Lawrence,  Nellie,  John,  Kate, 
Jessie,  Clyde,  Marie  and  Charles,  all  living. 
John  died  when  young;  Susan  married  John 
Heyduck,  of  Centralia,  an  engineer  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  five  children,  Lawrence,  John, 
William  R.,  George  H.  and  Ruby  May, 
George,  who  was  the  fifth  child  in  order  of 
birth,  is  a  farmer  on  the  old  home  place  in 
Centralia  township,  who  married  Martha 
Sanders,  and  they  have  four  children,  Buell, 
Myrtle,  Helen  and  Mabel. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  and  wife 
located  in  section  15,  Centralia  township, 
where  he  secured  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  of  land,  which  was  entirely  unim- 
proved, but  he  was  a  hard  worker  and  soon 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


715 


had  a  comfortable  home  and  carried  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock  raising  in  a  most  suc- 
cessful manner.  He  was  popular  in  his 
township  and  was  School  Director  for  four- 
teen years  and  held  a  number  of  minor  of- 
fices. He  was  always  a  stanch  Democrat 
and  he  and  his  good  wife  are  members  of  the 
Christian  church.  Mr.  Woods  retired  from 
active  business  life  in  December,  1898,  and 
has  since  lived  in  Centralia.  He  and  his  wife 
are  well  preserved  for  their  years  and  they 
can  tell  many  interesting  things  that  hap- 
pened in  the  early  days  in  Marion  county. 


WILLIAM  D.  NEWMAN. 

This  venerable  citizen  of  Centralia  ranks 
with  Marion  county's  conspicuous  figures, 
having  been  one  of  the  sterling  pioneers 
from  Eastern  Tennessee,  from  whence  so 
many  men  came  to  this  state  and  did  so 
much  in  its  upbuilding,  William  D.  New- 
man having  been  born  in  Blount  county, 
that  state,  August  13,  1833,  twelve  miles 
south  of  Knoxville,  the  son  of  Louis  J.  and 
Rachael  (Logan)  Newman,  both  natives  of 
Blount  county,  Tennessee,  the  former  the 
son  of  David  and  Elizabeth  ( Phillips)  New- 
man, also  of  the  above  named  county,  who 
came  to  Illinois  in  1833  and  settled  five 
miles  west  of  Richview  in  Washington  coun- 
ty, where  he  secured  three  hundred  acres  of 
land,  which  he  later  added  to,  dealing  ex- 
tensively in  stock  growing  and  general 
farming,  and  he  became  a  prominent  man  in 


that  locality.  Daniel  died  in  1840  and  his 
wife  followed  him  to  the  silent  land  in  1852. 
He  was  a  cooper  by  trade.  Twelve  children 
were  born  to  them,  the  only  one  now  living 
being  Campbell  Newman,  in  Chanute,  Kan- 
sas. The  subject's  maternal  grandfather 
was  William  Logan,  of  Tennessee,  who  mar- 
ried a  Miss  Edmonston,  of  Tennessee.  They 
both  died  in  that  state.  He  was  a  farmer 
and  he  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  four 
children,  all  deceased.  The  subject's  father, 
Lewis  J.  Newman,  was  educated  in  the  pub- 
lic schools  and  in  1854  came  to  Illinois,  set- 
tling in  Richview,  Washington  county.  He 
was  a  carpenter  and  cabinetmaker  by  trade. 
In  1 86 1  he  located  in  Patoka,  Illinois,  and 
lived  there  many  years,  and  in  1873  went 
to  Collins,  Texas,  and  he  died  there  in  1876. 
His  wife  died  September  5,  1863.  They 
were  members  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  South.  He  was  Justice  of  the 
Peace  at  Patoka  and  active  in  politics,  being 
a  Democrat.  Twelve  children  were  born  to 
them  as  follows :  Alexander,  who  formerly 
lived  in  this  county,  went  to  Texas  in  1874 
and  died  there.  He  was  a  preacher  for  many 
years  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church, 
South.  He  was  in  the  Thirty-first  Wiscon- 
sin Volunteer  Infantry.  The  second  child 
was  William  D.,  our  subject;  Elizabeth,  who 
is  deceased,  married  Charles  Smith,  living 
at  Patoka,  Illinois;  Sarah,  who  remained 
single,  is  deceased;  Eveline,  who  also  re- 
mained single,  is  deceased ;  Lorenzo  D.  lives 
in  Patoka.  He  is  a  carpenter  and  he  mar- 
ried Fannie  Rice.  He  was  in  Company  F, 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volun- 


716 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


teer  Infantry;  Martin  is  deceased;  Mathew 
C.  is  deceased;  Henry  is  also  deceased; 
George  W.  and  Andrew  J.,  twins,  are  both 
deceased;  James  lives  in  Dallas,  Texas. 

William  D.  Newman,  the  subject,  had  only 
a  limited  schooling  in  the  home  schools.  He 
lived  at  home  until  he  reached  the  age  of 
twenty-four  years,  and  he  came  to  Illinois 
in  1855,  locating  at  Richview.  He  learned 
the  carpenter's  and  cabinetmaker's  trade  with 
his  father.  He  married  February  n,  1858, 
Mary  E.  Gray,  who  was  born  October  3, 
1840,  in  Tonti  township,  Marion  county,  the 
daughter  of  J.  H.  and  Nancy  M.  Eddington, 
the  former  having  been  born  in  Maury  coun- 
ty, Tennessee,  in  1817,  and  died  in  Patoka, 
Illinois,  September  2,  1878.  His  wife  was 
born  in  Clinton  county,  Illinois,  October 
.  27,  1819,  and  she  died  in  1905.  J.  H.  Gray, 
a  farmer,  was  the  son  of  Joseph  and  Agnes 
(Denton)  Gray,  the  former  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee and  the  latter  a  French  woman.  They 
married  in  Tennessee  and  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  in  1820,  settling  near  Kin- 
mundy.  They  died  near  the  above  named 
place.  To  them  were  born  the  following 
children:  Rev.  James  D.,  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church;  John  H.,  Samuel,  Abner, 
William,  Martha  Jane,  Joseph.  The  chil- 
dren of  John  H.  Gray  and  wife  are  as  fol- 
lows :  James  D.  was  in  Company  F.  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry; Captain  A.  S.  lives  in  Patoka,  Illi- 
nois (see  his  sketch) ;  Mary  E.  is  the  wife  of 
the  subject;  Thomas  Benton  was  clerk  for 
Col.  James  S.  Martin  during  the  Civil  war; 
Jane  is  deceased :  Amanda,  deceased ;  Henry, 


deceased;  Samuel  died  in  infancy;  Albert  is 
deceased;  Alfred  is  deceased;  Sarah,  de- 
ceased; Hattie  lives  in  Memphis,  Tennes- 
see; Emma,  deceased. 

Eleven  children  have  been  born  to  William 
D.  Newman  and  wife,  as  follows :  Lina,  de- 
ceased; John  A.,  who  is  in  the  office  of  the 
first  vice-president  of  the  Burlington  Route, 
Telegraph  Operators'  Association  headquar- 
ters in  Chicago,  who  married  Maria  Wertz ; 
Jennie,  deceased;  Alice,  deceased;  Ella,  de- 
ceased; Nellie,  deceased;  Fred,  who  died  in 
Kansas  City  in  1904,  was  a  telegraph  op- 
erator, and  he  married  Evelyn  Brooks,  who 
is  the  mother  of  three  children,  Claude, 
Floyd  and  Esther;  Lillie,  who  is  deceased, 
married  Clyde  Soots.  She  was  an  accom- 
plished musician,  both  in  vocal  and  instru- 
mental music.  Mattie,  the  ninth  child  in 
order  of  birth,  is  deceased;  W.  D.  is  a  car- 
penter by  trade.  However,  he  now  runs  a 
meat  market  in  Centralia,  and  he  married 
Ethel  Ralston,  who  is  the  mother  of  one 
son,  Arthur,  and  a  daughter,  deceased ;  Jesse 
B.  married  Mary  Hollinger  and  they  have 
two  children,  Harvey  and  Bessie.  He  is  a 
carpenter  and  contractor  in  Centralia. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  and  wife 
lived  in  Richview,  Illinois,  for  three  years 
and  then  went  to  Patoka,  Marion  county, 
where  Mr.  Newman  engaged  in  the  under- 
taking business  for  over  thirty  years,  hav- 
ing been  very  successful  in  this  line  of  work. 
In  February,  1901,  he  came  to  Centralia  and 
has  since  that  time  been  a  successful  con- 
tractor and  builder.  He  is  a  Democrat  and 
has  long  taken  an  active  part  in  politics.  He 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


717 


joined  the  Masonic  Order  in  1870  at  Pa- 
toka,  the  Blue  Lodge  No.  613.  Mrs.  New- 
man is  a  member  of  the  Eastern  Star.  Mr. 
Newman  is  also  a  Good  Templar.  He  and 
his  wife  are  members  of  the  Cumberland 
Presbyterian  church,  and  they  have  always 
been  active  in  church  and  Sunday  school 
work.  Mr.  Newman  has  a  fine  voice  and  is 
a  great  singer.  He  is  a  leader  in  the  local 
church  and  is  very  prominent  in  church 
work.  His  past  record  is  that  of  a  man  of 
genuine  worth  and  honesty,  and  because  of 
his  many  good  qualities  he  is  highly  respect- 
ed wherever  he  is  known. 


ALFRED  J.  RANDALL. 

Mr.  Randall,  real  estate  dealer,  of  703 
North  Elm  street,  Centralia,  is  a  man  who, 
by  his  own  persistent  energy,  ably  aided  no 
doubt,  by  the  genial  and  sunny  disposition 
which  has  always  been  his,  has  arrived  in 
the  front  rank  in  his  line  of  business,  being 
the  highest  type  of  that  which  we  call  for 
want  of  a  better  name — a  self-made  man, 
and  his  present  prosperity  is  entirely  due  to 
the  qualities  which  have  characterized  him. 

Alfred  J.  Randall  was  born  August  27, 
1848,  but  a  short  distance  from  London, 
England's  famous  capital.  He  is  a  son  of 
John  and  Christina  Randall,  his  father  be- 
ing a  native  of  Leicestershire  and  his  moth- 
er, whose  maiden  name  was  Pier,  hailed 
from  the  vicinity  of  London.  His  father 
left  school  at  the  early  age  of  nine  years. 


being  then  apprenticed  to  the  brick  making 
and  mason  trades.  In  after  life,  in  1852, 
John  Randall,  together  with  his  wife  and 
two  children,  sailed  for  the  shores  of  the 
United  States  in  the  sailing  vessel  Garrett 
and  spent  six  weeks  on  the  Atlantic  voyage 
before  arriving  in  New  York  City.  They 
first  located  in  Rochester,  New  York,  and 
later  at  Decatur,  Illinois,  where  John  Ran- 
dall worked  for  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road, building  foundations  for  depots  and 
freight  houses  at  different  points  between 
there  and  Centralia.  In  1858  the  family 
came  to  Centralia  and  here  the  father  for 
awhile  had  charge  of  the  cleaning  and  pol- 
ishing of  the  engines  in  the  round  house. 
Afterward  he  was  for  thirteen  years  and 
six  months  timekeeper.  He  was  for  sixteen 
years  City  Treasurer  and  Township  Col- 
lector of  Centralia  and  died  in  office  Jan- 
uary 3.  1890,  his  wife  dying  the  next  day, 
January  4,  1890.  He  was  a  man  well 
known  and  highly  esteemed  and  a  Repub- 
lican of  many  years'  standing.  He  and  his 
wife  had  three  sons  and  one  daughter, 
namely:  Alfred  J.,  our  subject;  Agnes  Mary 
married  Edward  Farron  and  lives  at  San 
Bernardino,  California;  Walter  C.  was  a 
machinist  and  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral out  of  Centralia  for  many  years.  He 
married  Jennie  Miller  and  had  one  daugh- 
ter, Ada  (deceased).  He  and  his  wife  live 
in  San  Bernardino,  California.  The  other 
son,  Charles  H.,  was  an  engineer  on  the  Il- 
linois Central  at  Centralia  for  many  years; 
he  is  now  on  a  railroad  through  San  Ber- 
nardino, California.  He  married  twice. 


7i8 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


first  to  Mary  Lamb,  and  afterward  Sarah 
Goddard. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  went  to  school 
only  until  his  thirteenth  year.  He  then 
started  in  to  learn  the  machinist  trade  in  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  shops  in  Centra- 
lia.  He  served  in  the  shops  for  four  years, 
eight  months  and  four  days,  and  first  took 
up  machinist  work  at  Laramie  City,  then 
Wyoming  Territory,  in  1869,  where  he  re- 
mained for  awhile  and  returned  home.  He 
next  worked  for  one  year  for  the  Ohio  & 
Missouri  Railroad  at  East  St.  Louis,  Illi- 
nois, and  for  one  year  on  the  North  Mis- 
souri Railroad  at  Moberly,  Missouri.  Two 
years  more  were  spent  at  work  on  the  Iron 
Mountain  road  at  South  St.  Louis,  and  one 
year  in  the  Memphis  &  Little  Rock  road 
shops  at  Argenta,  Arkansas.  He  was  at 
Dennison,  Texas,  with  the  Missouri,  Kan- 
sas &  Texas  road  at  different  times:  with 
the  Chicago  &  Alton  road  at  Bloomington. 
Illinois;  the  Louisville  &  Nashville  road  at 
Mount  Vernon,  Illinois ;  one  year  on  the 
Cairo  Short  Line  road  at  East  St.  Louis,  Il- 
linois ;  one  year  at  the  Weldon  shops  of  the 
Illinois  Central :  one  year  as  an  engineer 
in  Cairo,  Illinois,  and  on  the  Water  Valley, 
Mississippi,  for  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road ;  one  year  as  machinist  for  the  Illinois 
Central,  and  as  general  foreman  of  bridges 
and  terminal  at  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois,  for 
one  year;  with  the  Burlington  road  at 
Beardstown.  Illinois,  one  and  a  half  years; 
with  the  Missouri  Pacific  six  months  at  St. 
Louis,  Missouri,  and  with  the  Tudor  Iron 
Works  at  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois,  for  one 


year  as  a  machinist.  In  1888  he  returned  to 
Centralia  to  live. 

On  June  u,  1873,  he  married  Emma 
Thiele,  a  native  of  Germany,  whose  father 
was  Francis  Thiele.  Two  children  were 
born  to  this  union :  John  H.,  who  was  a  con- 
ductor on  the  Illinois  Central  road  at  Cen- 
tralia, but  had  to  retire  on  account  of  ill 
health.  He  married  Ida  Shonburg  and  has 
one  son,  Raymond  H.  He  was  for  a  term 
a  member  of  the  Centralia  City  Council  and 
is  at  present  serving  in  that  position.  Ma- 
bel, the  only  daughter  of  Alfred  J.  Ran- 
dall, married  C.  Gibson,  a  druggist  of  Cen- 
tralia. They  have  one  son,  Howard  Ran- 
dall. 

In  1882  the  subject  of  our  present  sketch 
built  his  house  at  703  North  Elm  street, 
Centralia,  and  has  since  been  in  the  real  es- 
tate business.  He  owns  one  hundred  acres 
of  valuable  land  in  Sandoval  township,  on 
which  he  raises  a  considerable  amount  of 
fruit.  He  also  owns  forty-five  lots  and 
eight  dwellings  in  Centralia. 

Alfred  J.  Randall  is  very  popular  with 
the  people  of  Centralia  and  with  the  people 
of  the  county.  He  was  a  member  of  the 
City  Council  for  one  term  of  two  years  and 
a  Highway  Commissioner  for  six  years.  He 
has  always  evinced  a  good  deal  of  interest 
in  politics  and  is  a  staunch  Republican.  In 
1882  he  joined  the  Masonic  fraternity  at 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  is  a  member  of 
No.  25  Naptahle  Lodge.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd  Fellows, 
having  joined  in  East  St.  Louis,  Illinois, 
in  1871,  being  later  transferred  to  No.  108, 


BKINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS, 


719 


Centralia  Lodge,  No.  75  Encampment.  He 
is  a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias 
Lodge  at  Belleville,  Illinois,  having  joined 
in  Texas.  He  joined  the  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Firemen  in  1880,  No.  37,  Cen- 
tralia Lodge.  His  daughter  is  a  member 
of  the  Eastern  Star  and  Rebekah  lodges, 
while  his  wife  belongs  to  the  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor  Fraternity  and  Rebekah. 
Alfred  J.  Ranrall  is  still  hale  and  hearty 
and  is  good  for  a  greater  and  extended  ca- 
reer in  the  realty  line.  In  his  everyday  busi- 
ness life  he  has  the  reputation  of  being  hon- 
orable and  conscientious  and  always  solici- 
tous and  careful  of  the  trusts  reposed  in 
him. 


JACKSON  L.  LIVESAY. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch,  who  is  a  well 
known  figure  in  Centralia,  is  now  in  his 
sixty-third  year,  hale  and  hearty,  and  in  a 
position  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  an  indus- 
trious, frugal  and  well  spent  life. 

Jackson  L.  Livesay  was  born  in  Wash- 
ington, Illinois,  September  28,  1845,  and 
was  the  son  of  W.  E.  and  Emily  (Good- 
ner)  Livesay.  William  E.  Livesay  was  a 
native  of  Tennessee  and  came  to  Illinois 
when  seven  years  old  with  his  parents,  who 
were  also  natives  of  Tennessee.  On  grow- 
ing to  man's  estate  he  settled  on  a  farm  in 
Washington  county  and  there  married 
Emily  Goodner,  who  came  of  an  Illinois 
family.  Both  parents  died  in  Kansas.  Wil- 
liam E.  died  in  1872  and  his  wife  in  1874. 


They  raised  eight  children,  five  boys  and 
three  girls,  the  eldest  of  whom  was  Jackson 
L.  Previous  to  the  death  of  their  parents 
the  family  moved  to  Kansas,  in  1871,  and 
there  took  up  farming  and  the  merchandise 
business.  Here  they  remained  for  nine 
years,  returning  to  Illinois  in  1881. 

Our  subject  obtained  his  education  in 
Beaucoup  school  in  Washington  county, 
which  was  an  old  log  school-house.  He  left 
school  at  the  age  of  sixteen  years  and  a  year 
later,  in  the  spring  of  1864,  he  joined,  at 
Centralia,  Company  C  of  the  Sixtieth  Illi- 
nois Infantry,  commanded  by  Col.  William 
Anderson,  of  Mount  Vernon,  and  Capt. 
Simeon  Walker,  now  at  Carbondale,  Illinois, 
in  active  service.  In  the  course  of  his  mili- 
tary career  during  the  war  Jackson  L.  Live- 
say  followed  Sherman  in  his  daring  march 
to  the  sea,  and  took  part  in  other  brilliant 
achievements  of  that  stirring  period.  He 
obtained  his  discharge  in  Springfield,  Illi- 
nois, being  mustered  out  at  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky. He  returned  home  in  August,  1865, 
with  the  First  Brigade,  Second  Division 
Fourteenth  Army  Corps,  with  Col.  William 
B.  Anderson,  of  Mount  Vernon,  Jefferson 
county.  Illinois:  George  W.  Evans,  lieu- 
tenant-colonel. 

Upon  his  discharge  after  the  war  in  1866 
Mr.  Livesay  took  up  a  claim  in  Kansas,  re- 
maining there  but  a  short  time.  On  his 
return  to  Washington  county,  Illinois,  he 
remained  there  for  two  years,  going  from 
there  to  Richview  for  J.  V.  Holcomb  &  Co., 
where  he  remained  as  a  clerk  for  one  year. 
He  and  his  uncle,  William  Shanks,  bought 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


out  Holcomb  &  Co.,  and  moved  the  stock 
to  Montana  and  Kansas,  where  they  re- 
mained for  eight  years.  They  then  sold  out 
their  stock  and  farmed  for  three  years.  They 
returned  at  this  time  to  Washington  coun- 
ty, and,  having  spent  three  months  in  Rich- 
view,  settled  in  Centralia.  Here  Jackson 
L.  Livesay  has  spent  his  life  ever  since.  Dur- 
ing twenty  years  of  his  stay  in  Centralia  he 
has  held  good  positions  with  several  firms, 
since  which  time  he  has  been  in  business 
for  himself  for  eleven  years. 

He  married  Emma  Ingram  on  June  12, 
1871.  She  was  the  daughter  of  H.  P.  In- 
gram and  his  wife,  Millie  Tyler,  of  Rich- 
view.  They  had  four  children,  of  whom 
Emma  was  the  second.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  has  had  nine  children  born  to  him, 
six  boys  and  three  girls.  They  are :  Clyde, 
who  married  a  Miss  Herron  and  who  is  the 
father  of  one  child  deceased.  Ruby  mar- 
ried William  Severns  and  has  one  son.  Guy 
C.  is  still  single  and  is  City  Treasurer  of 
Centralia.  Otis  is  a  bookkeeper  in  St. 
Louis.  Frank  is  single  and  works  with  his 
father  in  the  store.  Millie  married  Louis 
Weigel  and  lives  in  Centralia.  Winnie  B. 
attends  the  city  schools.  Fay  and  Frank, 
two  other  children,  are  both  deceased. 

Jackson  L.  Livesay  is  now  firmly  estab- 
lished in  a  thriving  business  and  has  a  mod- 
em and  high  class  store,  eighty  feet  by 
twenty-four,  in  which  business  can  be  trans- 
acted with  comfort.  It  is  located  at  103 
South  Locust  street.  The  subject  of  our 
sketch  is  very  popular  in  the  township  and 
county.  In  fraternal  circles  he  is  a  member 


of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  and 
a  most  influential  member  of  the  local  camp 
of  the  Grand  Army  of  the  Republic.  In 
political  affairs  Jackson  L.  Livesay's  sym- 
pathies are  enlisted  with  the  Republican  par- 
ty, of  which  he  is  a  loyal  supporter.  In  re- 
ligious life  he  is  a  prominent,  practical 
member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  com- 
munion. In  everyday  life  he  is  a  man  with 
whom  it  is  a  pleasure  to  do  business,  for  he 
is  strictly  honest  and  conscientious  and  one 
who  does  not  allow  prejudices  of  any  kind 
to  enter  into  his  judgments. 


FRANK  P.  LAMBLIN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  those 
men  whose  lot  it  has  been  to  embark  upon 
a  business  career  at  a  very  early  age,  and 
we  find  him  at  the  age  of  ten  years  engaged 
in  business  for  himself.  Later  he  was  a 
telegraph  operator  for  one  year  on  the  Ohio 
&  Mississippi  Railroad — an  occupation  in 
which  more  than  one  of  the  most  successful 
men  of  the  present  day  engaged  as  a  means 
of  livelihood  in  the  days  of  their  youth,  and 
his  was  the  usual  rough  road  of  the  young 
business  man,  but  his  youthful  optimism 
and  enthusiasm  carried  him  onward,  and  he 
is  today  a  successful  business  man. 

Frank  P.  Lamblin  was  born  in  East  St. 
Louis,  Illinois,  on  April  13,  1864,  the  son 
of  Frank  and  Victoria  D.  J.  (Didier)  Lam- 
blin, natives  of  France.  When  Frank  P. 
was  but  a  baby  his  father  died.  At  that 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


721 


time  the  family  consisted  of  three  children, 
two  girls  and  one  boy,  of  whom  Frank  P. 
was  the  youngest.  His  mother,  who  sur- 
vided  his  father  for  an  extended  period, 
died  in  1899,  i°  Juty  °f  tnat  year. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  educated 
in  Clinton  county  common  schools,  but  he 
left  school  at  an  early  age  and  worked  in 
the  grocery  and  merchandise  store  of  Au- 
gust Blanke,  in  Huey,  and  afterward  in  Mr. 
Baker's  drug  store  and  post-office. 

On  July  2,  1882,  he  married  Elsie  A.  Gil- 
lett,  of  Huey,  Illinois.  She  was  the  daugh- 
ter of  S.  B.  Gillett  and  Martha,  his  wife. 
They  had  seven  children  by  their  marriage, 
Elsie  being  the  third  child.  Frank  P.  Lam- 
blin  and  his  wife  have  spent  a  happy  mar- 
ried life,  their  domestic  felicity  being  marred 
only  by  the  decease  of  two  of  the  four  chil- 
dren that  have  been  born  to  them.  The  two 
children  now  living  are  Eugene  and  Nellie ; 
the  deceased  children  were  named  Frankie 
and  Elsie. 

In  1882  Frank  P.  Lamblin  opened  in  the 
butcher  business  in  Huey,  where  he  re- 
mained as  a  farmer  and  butcher  until  1893, 
when  he  joined  his  brother-in-law,  Z.  W. 
Evans,  of  Clinton,  Illinois,  in  the  photo- 
graphic business,  where  he  remained  for 
about  nine  months.  In  the  year  1895  he 
started  in  the  photo  business  in  Huey,  Illi- 
nois. At  the  close  of  the  year  he  came  to 
Centralia  to  his  old  place.  In  his  earlier 
years,  in  1887  to  be  exact,  he  spent  some 
time  in  the  grocery  business  in  Webb  City, 
Missouri.  In  1899  his  daughter  Nellie  was 
born  in  Joplin,  Missouri,  where  he  had  en- 
46 


gaged  in  the  grocery  business.  He  sold  his 
grocery  business  in  the  following  year  and 
took  up  the  photographic  business  at  his 
old  stand  in  Centralia.  Since  he  has  located 
in  his  present  place  of  business  he  has  set- 
tled down  and  experienced  a  steady  flow  of 
prosperity.  In  fraternal  circles  he  is  a  prom- 
inent member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias, 
being  a  steady  attendant,  and  always  a  man 
who  has  taken  an  interest  in  Knights  of 
Pythias  work.  In  religion  he  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  faith,  as  is  also 
his  wife  and  children,  where  they  are  pop- 
ular in  church  circles. 

Frank  P.  Lamblin  is  a  man  of  varied  ex- 
perience in  business  life.  His  sterling  qual- 
ities have  marked  him  all  through  his  career 
as  a  man  whose  ultimate  success  could  never 
for  a  moment  be  doubted.  He  is  a  loyal  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  he  is  a  strenuous 
supporter  of  the  party  he  believes  in.  He 
has  served  two  years  as  Councilman  from 
the  Fourth  Ward,  and  while  a  resident  of 
Clinton  county  was  Assessor  three  years. 


HENRY  CLARK. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  the  well  de- 
served reputation  of  being  one  of  the  most- 
liberal  citizens  of  Patoka  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois.  Although  his  contributions 
to  the  church  and  deserving  charities  of  ev- 
ery description  are  of  generous  proportions, 
Mr.  Clark  dispenses  these  offerings  without 
the  slightest  ostentation.  He  has  seen  this 


722 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


enterprising  municipality  grow  into  a  good- 
ly town  from  a  straggling  hamlet,  and  takes 
pride  in  the  fact  that  he  has  had  much  to  do 
with  its  material  progress. 

Henry  Clark  was  born  in  Clinton  county, 
Illinois,  July  8,  1842.  He  is  the  son  of  Ab- 
ner  and  Kittie  (Lord)  Clark,  both  natives 
of  Delaware,  the  former  having  been  born 
in  1804.  The  father  of  the  subject  was  one 
of  the  sturdy  pioneers  of  Clinton  county, 
and  was  at  one  time  a  breeder  of  stock  on  a 
large  scale.  He  was,  in  the  early  days,  what 
was  considered  a  very  wealthy  man,  and  the 
community  depended  largely  upon  him  to 
keep  the  schools  financed.  He  realized  the 
importance  of  an  education,  and  sent  several 
young  men  to  college,  paying  their  expenses 
out  of  his  own  pocket.  Upon  his  death  he 
left  quite  an  ample  competency  to  his  chil- 
dren, five  boys  and  two  daughters.  He  was 
a  Whig  and  later  a  Republican.  Mr.  Clark 
was  a  man  of  very  pronounced  religious 
views,  having  all  his  life  been  identified 
with  the  Methodist  church,  which  never  had 
to  call  upon  him  twice  for  financial  assist- 
ance. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  born  on 
the  line  of  Maryland  and  Delaware,  and  died 
in  1846,  the  widower  marrying  again  some 
years  later,  his  second  wife  being  a  Mrs. 
Carter,  a  native  of  the  state  of  Delaware. 
Shortly  after  this  marriage  they  moved  to 
Illinois.  They  made  the  latter  part  of  the 
journey  on  flat  boats,  polling  up  the  river, 
and  settling  in  Clinton  county.  The  coun- 
try was  very  wild  at  that  time  and  there 
were  many  Indians  about.  The  town  of 


Vandalia  was  then  the  capital  of  the  state. 
Mr.  Clark  entered  land  in  Clinton  county, 
and  at  the  time  of  his  death  in  1880  was 
the  owner  of  fifteen  hundred  acres. 

The  subject  served  with  distinction  al- 
most throughout  the  Civil  war,  enlisting  in 
the  Twenty-second  Illinois  Regiment,  un- 
der command  of  Col.  Dougherty  and  Capt. 
Johnson,  May  22,  1861.  At  the  expiration 
of  three  months,  the  time  for  which  he  had 
enlisted,  he  re-enlisted,  August  20,  1861,  in 
the  Thirtieth  Illinois  Infantry,  under  P.  B. 
Foulk,  a  law  associate  of  John  A.  Logan. 
He  was  discharged  in  November,  1864.  Mr. 
Clark  was  a  prisoner  for  sixty-three  days  in 
the  Andersonville  prison,  having  been  cap- 
tured July  22,  1864.  At  the  expiration  of 
the  aforementioned  period  he  was  exchanged 
under  the  Sherman  exchange  law.  He  par- 
ticipated in  the  battles  of  Belmont,  Fort 
Henry,  Fort  Donelson,  Corinth  and  was  in 
the  Kentucky  expedition. 

Mr.  Clark  embarked  in  the  real  estate 
business  in  Patoka  in  1875,  and  remained 
in  it  for  many  years  before  he  decided  to 
retire  from  active  life.  He  was  married 
three  times,  his  first  wife  being  Eliza  Fos- 
ter, born  in  Ohio  March  25,  1841,  and  she 
was  the  mother  of  one  child,  which  died 
young.  His  second  wife  was  Anna  Butler, 
a  native  of  Kentucky.  The  third  wife  of  the 
subject  was  Henrietta  (Davidson)  Nelson, 
who  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  be- 
ing the  daughter  of  William  Davidson  and  a 
niece  of  J.  B.  Lewis,  of  Salem,  Illinois.  Mr. 
Clark  has  a  fine  home  in  Patoka,  where  he 
and  his  wife  are  quietly  living  at  peace  with 


BRIXKKRHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


723 


the  world.     Mr.  Clark  has  been  a  Repub- 
lican all  his  life.   - 


HARRY  A.  VASEL. 

The  subject  is  a  popular  and  well  rounded 
young  business  man  of  Centralia,  being 
highly  skilled  in  the  jeweler's  art,  having 
begun  early  in  life  to  master  the  details  of 
this  somewhat  difficult  and  exacting  profes- 
sion, and  he  has  shown  what  a  man  can  do 
while  yet  young  in  accomplishing  definite 
success  through  close  application  and  a 
careful  study  of  the  line  upon  which  he  has 
selected  his  life  work. 

Harry  A.  Vasel  was  born  in  St.  Louis 
Missouri,  August  13,  1885,  the  son  of  H. 
G.  and  Lizzie  (Schmelzer)  Vasel.  The  sub- 
ject's father  was  born  in  Germany,  having 
come  to  America  when  a  young  man,  and 
died  September  3,  1887.  The  subject's 
mother  was  born  in  Lebanon,  Illinois,  Feb- 
ruary 28,  1855,  and  she  passed  to  her  rest 
June  7,  1896.  The  grandmother  of  the  sub- 
ject was  Mary  Schmelzer,  and  she  had 
largely  the  rearing  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch.  His  education  was  received  at  the 
public  schools  in  Lebanon.  When  fifteen 
years  old  he  decided  to  devote  his  life  to  the 
jewelry  business,  and  accordingly  set  about 
learning  the  same  with  John  Schmelzer,  of 
Centralia.  In  order  to  get  a  larger  knowl- 
•edge  of  the  mechanical  work  he  went  to 
St.  Louis  and  engaged  with  the  firm  of 
Eisenstadt,  jewelry  makers  and  manufac- 


turers, having  worked  there  for  one  year, 
giving  entire  satisfaction  to  his  employers. 
He  more  thoroughly  perfected  his  knowl- 
ege  of  this  technical  trade  in  detail.  Return- 
ing again  to  Centralia,  Mr.  Vasel  engaged 
with  his  former  employer,  doing  the  bench 
work  in  a  most  satisfactory  manner  for  one 
year.  He  then  went  to  Philadelphia  and 
took  a  course  in  horology  in  order  to  fit  him 
especially  for  fine  and  high  grade  watch  re- 
pairing. After  spending  six  months  in  the 
East  and  also  taking  a  complete  engraver's 
course,  he  returned  to  Illinois  and  worked 
for  C.  W.  Kiser,  at  Newton,  for  six  months, 
again  returning  to  work  for  Mr.  Schmelzer. 
He  is  known  as  one  of  the  most  efficient 
jewelers  in  Southern  Illinois  and  is  regard- 
ed by  everyone  as  an  unusually  high  grade 
workman. 

Mr.  Vasel  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Carrie  May  Fowler,  October  20.  1907.  She 
is  the  accomplished  and  refined  daughter  of 
Reuben  G.  and  Clara  B.  (Dille)  Fowler,  a 
well  known  family  of  Centralia. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Benevo- 
lent Protective  Order  of  Elks,  of  Centralia 
Lodge  Xo.  493.  Politically  he  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  religiously  he  was  reared  in 
the  German  Evangelical  faith,  and  was  con- 
firmed in  this  church. 

Mr.  Vasel  is  a  baseball  enthusiast  and  in 
1906  he  organized  the  White  Sox  Baseball 
Club  of  Centralia.  He  is  a  genial  young 
man,  quick  of  perception,  and  in  every 
way  shows  himself  to  be  worthy  of 
the  confidence  and  esteem  in  which  he  is 
held  by  his  many  friends. 


724 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


SAMUEL  O.  SANDERS. 

One  of  the  most  straightforward,  ener- 
getic and  successful  business  men  of  Cen- 
tralia,  Marion  county,  is  the  subject  of  this 
biographical  review. 

Samuel  O.  Sanders  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  March  12.  1866,  the  son 
of  Jonathan  and  Matilda  (Grubb)  Sanders, 
the  former  having  been  born  near  New  Al- 
bany, Indiana,  and  died  at  the  age  of  forty- 
four  years,  in  1875.  the  date  of  his  birth 
being  in  1831.  Samuel  O.  Sanders  was 
about  seven  years  old  when  his  father  died 
and  was  about  two  years  old  at  the  death 
of  his  mother,  which  occurred  in  1868.  Our 
subject  was  reared  by  his  step-mother  on 
his  father's  farm,  four  miles  east  of  Cen- 
tralia. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  country  schools  and  worked  on  the 
farm  until  he  was  nineteen  years  old.  He 
then  lived  in  Logan  county,  this  state,  for 
two  years  on  a  farm.  From  there  he  came 
to  Centralia  and  in  1888  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Sarah  L.  Reavis,  the  date  of  their 
wedding  falling  on  July  21.  Mrs.  Sanders 
was  the  daughter  of  Harrem  and  Alzada 
(Moore)  Reavis.  The  home  of  Mr.  and 
Mrs.  Sanders  has  been  brightened  by  the 
birth  of  the  following  children,  all  bright 
and  interesting:  Faith  G.,  who  was  eight- 
een years  old,  November  20,  1908,  at  this 
writing;  Harry  H.,  who  was  sixteen  years 
old  November  I3th;  Earl  K..  who  was  ten 
years, old  on  August  23d;  Samuel  R.,  Jr., 
was  seven  years  old  on  November  2Qth  ;  Dor- 
othy G.  was  five  years  old  on  November  25th. 


Samuel  O.  Sanders  lived  in  Centralia 
during  the  winter  months  of  his  boyhood, 
and  in  1886  he  began  learning  the  marble 
cutter's  trade  with  J.  J.  Hathaway,  having 
worked  for  eighteen  months  for  Mr.  Hath- 
away. In  1888  our  subject  continued  the 
trade  started  in  Centralia  by  Mr.  Hathaway, 
the  latter  having  moved  to  Cairo,  Illinois. 
The  former  conducted  his  business  in  con- 
nection with  Frazier  &  Liffel,  having  been 
with  them  until  August,  1895.  In  October 
of  the  same  year  he  started  into  the  tomb 
stone  business  for  himself,  which  he  has 
since  continued  with  much  success,  having 
built  up  an  excellent  trade,  which  extends 
to  all  parts  of  the  county  and  to  adjoining 
counties.  He  gives  the  very  best  service  and 
high  grade  material  for  satisfactory  prices, 
consequently  his  customers  are  always  well 
satisfied.  He  has  erected  some  of  the  most 
handsome  monuments  to  be  found  in  Cen- 
tralia and  Marion  county. 

In  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Sanders  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows,  Metropolitan  Lodge  No.  108.  He 
is  also  a  member  of  the  United  Commercial 
Travelers  of  Centralia,  No.  211,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen,  No.  391. 
He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Ben  Hur  Lodge, 
and  both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sanders  belong  to 
the  Queen  City  Rebekahs,  No.  224,  at  Cen- 
tralia. 

In  politics  he  is  a  Republican  in  national 
issues,  but  in  local  affairs  he  votes  for  the 
man  who,  in  his  opinion,  will  best  serve  lo- 
cal interests.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Sanders 
are  faithful  members  of  the  Christian 
church  and  are  active  in  all  good  works, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


725 


having  for  their  object  the  upbuilding  of 
the  community  in  any  way. 


CHARLES  A.  BECKETT,  D.  D. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  shown  by 
a  life  of  industry  and  rightly  applied  energy 
that  he  is  eminently  entitled  to  representa- 
tion in  this  work  along  with  other  men  of 
force  and  character  in  Marion  county. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Beckett  was  born  in 
Clark  county,  Indiana,  near  Jeffersonville, 
February  8,  1860,  the  son  of  James  A.  and 
Mariah  (McComb)  Beckett,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  Clark  county,  Indiana, 
where  he  farmed  when  he  reached  maturity. 
His  wife  was  also  a  native  of  Clark  county. 
Charles  A.  Beckett's  parents  both  died  be- 
fore he  was  five  years  old.  James  A.  Beck- 
ett died  at  Savannah,  Georgia,  January  i, 
1865,  at  the  age  of  forty-five  years.  He  was 
with  Sherman  on  his  march  to  the  sea,  and 
he  also  had  two  brothers  in  the  Civil  war. 
one  of  whom.  Miles  Beckett,  lived  to  re- 
turn home;  the  younger  brother,  William 
Beckett,  was  wounded  in  the  knee  at  Mur- 
freesboro,  and  died  there  of  his  wound. 

Rev.  Charles  A.  Beckett  went  to  school 
in  the  country,  walking  two  and  one-half 
miles  each  morning  and  evening  and  did  the 
chores  at  his  grandfather's  home.  He  was 
cared  for  by  his  grandfather,  Luke  S. 
Beckett,  until  he  was  thirteen  years  old,  at 
which  time  our  subject  began  doing  for 
himself.  He  was  ambitious  to  secure  an 


education,  and  he  attended  Moore's  Hill  Col- 
lege in  Dearborn  county,  near  Aurora,  for 
one  year,  when  he  was  about  seventeen 
years  of  age.  He  had  begun  to  learn  the 
shoemaker's  .trade  when  thirteen  years  old. 
His  father  owned  a  fine  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  ten  acres  in  Clark  county,  near 
the  site  of  the  Pigeon  Roost  massacre.  Mr. 
Beckett  was  converted  and  joined  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church  at  the  age  of  four- 
teen. 

When  our  subject  began  learning  the 
shoemaker's  trade  under  his  brother-in-law, 
Ed.  Covert,  he  received  but  six  dollars  per 
month  for  three  years.  His  health  having 
failed,  he  returned  to  the  farm  for  a  year, 
then  he  came  back  to  Mr.  Covert  and 
worked  one  year.  He  then  went  to  work 
for  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Railroad  Com- 
pany at  Jeffersonville,  Indiana.  This  road 
is  now  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio.  Here  he 
worked  for  three  years  in  the  yards,  in  the 
round-house  and  in  the  shops,  also  on  the 
tracks  as  track  man.  Then  he  went  to  work 
for  the  Ohio  Falls  Car  Company,  at  Jeffer- 
sonville, Indiana,  remaining  with  this  firm 
nearly  a  year.  After  leaving  this  plant  he 
came  to  Illinois  in  June,  1883,  stopping  with 
an  uncle,  and  spent  some  time  in  an  effort 
to  learn  telegraphy  at  Noble,  Illinois,  on  the 
main  line  of  the  Ohio  &  Mississippi  Rail- 
road. Desiring  to  gain  a  higher  education, 
he  entered  McKendree  College,  in  St.  Clair 
county,  at  Lebanon,  Illinois.  He  remained 
in  this  school  one  year,  when  he  decided  to 
become  a  minister,  having  been  consider- 
ing this  matter  for  some  time.  The  fol- 


726 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


lowing  year,  1884,  he  began  preaching.  He 
entered  the  Southern  Illinois  Conference  of 
the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  in  Septem- 
ber, 1885.  His  appointments  were  Albion, 
Rose  Hill,  Clay  City  and  Noble,  on  the 
Calhoun  circuit  for  four  years.  He  then 
went  to  Garrett  Bible  Institute  at  Evanston, 
Illinois,  in  1892,  and  he  graduated  in  May, 
1895.  He  then  returned  to  Albion,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  preached  for  one  and  one- 
half  years.  Then  he  went  to  Robinson, 
where  he  remained  for  four  years  as  pastor 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  During 
his  pastorate  here  an  elegant  church  house 
was  erected,  costing  about  seventeen  thou- 
sand dollars.  He  did  this  in  connection  with 
his  other  numerous  duties.  This  house  would 
now  cost  not  less  than  twenty-five  thousand 
dollars,  this  being  the  third  church  he  as- 
sisted in  erecting,  previously  having  built  a 
church  at  Parkersburg,  Illinois,  costing 
twelve  hundred  dollars ;  one  at  Willow  Hill, 
costing  two  thousand  and  eight  hundred 
dollars.  From  his  pastorate  at  Robinson 
he  came  to  Centralia  in  October,  1900, 
where  he  remained  for  five  years,  the  second 
year  erecting  the  beautiful  church  building 
at  the  corner  of  Broadway  and  Elm  streets, 
costing  thirty-two  thousand  dollars. 

In  1905  our  subject  was  appointed  Pre- 
siding Elder  of  the  Vandalia  district,  con- 
tinuing to  reside  in  Centralia,  where  he  now 
lives.  His  office  is,  since  May,  1908,  de- 
nominated district  superintendent.  In  his 
district  there  are  thirty-two  pastoral 
charges,  consisting  of  ninety-six  church  or- 
ganizations under  the  auspices  of  the  South- 
ern Illinois  Conference.  He  was  a  delegate 


to  the  general  conference  held  at  Baltimore, 
Maryland,  in  May,  1908. 

Mr.  Beckett  was  united  in  marriage  at 
.Clay  City,  Clay  county,  Illinois,  to  Lou 
Peake,  daughter  of  Rev.  Burton  Peake,  of 
Flora,  Illinois.  The  wedding  was  solem- 
nized October  26,  1887.  They  are  the  par- 
ents of  a  son,  Paul  A.,  who  is  at  this  writ- 
ing attending  the  Northwestern  University, 
having  been  nineteen  years  old  October  7, 
1908.  He  is  in  his  second  year  at  the  uni- 
versity and  is  making  a  fine  record.  There 
is  also  a  daughter,  now  eleven  years  old,  who 
bears  the  pretty  name  of  Madelon  Claire. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Free  and 
Accepted  Masons,  also  the  Odd  Fellows, 
also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen. 

Our  subject  was  honored  in  June,  1908, 
by  McKendree  College  conferring  upon  him 
the  degree  of  Doctor  of  Divinity.  He  is 
chaplain  of  the  Fourth  Infantry,  Illinois 
National  Guard,  having  held  this  post  for 
the  past  four  years.  This  work  he  greatly 
enjoys  and  appreciates.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

Our  subject  has  done  a  great  work  in  the 
ministry,  being  an  earnest  worker  and  an 
eloquent  and  forceful  sneaker,  so  that  he 
has  endeared  himself  to  a  multitude  of  peo- 
ple and  no  man  in  Marion  county  is  held 
in  higher  esteem. 


HOMER  GILLETT. 

He  who  would  be  eminently  successful 
must  possess  a  definite  aim  and  purpose, 
which  he  must  pursue  with  perseverance. 
This  Homer  Gillett  has  done.  He  was  born 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


727 


in  Troy,  Madison  county,  Illinois,  Decem- 
ber 26,  1 86 1,  the  son  of  S.  B.  and  Martha 
A.  (Smith)  Gillett,  whose  family  consisted 
of  seven  children,  four  girls  and  three  boys, 
of  whom  our  subject  is  the  oldest  member. 
He  was  reared  on  a  farm  and  received  his 
education  in  the  country  schools.  Leaving 
school  at  the  age  of  seventeen  years,  he  be- 
gan clerking  in  a  grocery  store  for  V.  P. 
Grubb,  with  whom  he  remained  for  about 
two  years,  rendering  efficient  service  from 
the  first  and  giving  unmistakeable  evidence 
that  he  was  destined  for  a  commercial  ca- 
reer, which  he  has  so  ably  followed  up.  He 
then  clerked  in  a  clothing  store  in  Centralia 
for  the  London  Company,  having  remained 
with  them  for  a  period  of  eleven  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  did  much  to  increase  the 
prestige  of  the  firm  by  his  able  clerkship. 
Mr.  Gillett  then  went  to  the  M.  Hammer 
clothing  store  with  which  he  remained  until 
the  firm  went  out  of  business,  when  he  went 
to  work  for  M.  Hoffman,  with  whom  he 
remained  for  three  years,  then  embarking 
in  business  for  himself  on  Locust  street, 
having  started  a  grocery  store,  which  he 
conducted  for  four  months,  when  he  sold 
out  and  opened  a  clothing  store  on  March 
18,  1905.  His  success  was  instantaneous, 
and  his  trade  has  rapidly  increased  until 
it  now  extends  to  all  parts  of  Marion  county 
and  has  necessitated  a  constant  enlargement 
of  his  stock.  He  is  in  a  building  one  hun- 
dred by  twenty-eight  feet.  He  started  in  the 
clothing  business  in  a  room  nineteen  by  six- 
ty feet.  His  present  quarters  have  been 
equipped  with  steam  heat,  and  is  modern  in 


every  detail.  Mr.  Gillett  handles  clothing 
and  gents'  furnishing  goods,  in  all  the  very 
best  and  latest  styles,  and  his  stock  is  al- 
ways very  carefully  selected  and  sold  at  sat- 
isfactory prices,  so  that  he  never  loses  a 
customer.  He  is  the  only  American  clothier 
in  Centralia. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Anna  E.  Northwood,  the  date  of  their  wed- 
ding occurring  January  2,  1883.  She  is 
the  refined  and  accomplished  daughter  of 
Thomas  and  Harriett  Northwood,  both  na- 
tives of  Boonton,  New  Jersey.  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Gillett  are  the  parents  of  three  children, 
two  of  whom  are  living,  namely:  Raymond 
T.,  who  is  a  professor  of  music  in  Centralia, 
where  he  is  known  as  a  very  able  instructor 
and  gifted  in  his  art;  Dwight,  the  subject's 
second  child,  will  graduate  in  the  Medical 
College  of  St.  Louis  as  physician  and  surgeon 
in  1909,  and  he  is  making  a  brilliant  record 
in  that,  school.  These  children  have  received 
every  possible  advantage. 

Mr.  Gillett  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  Queen  City  Lodge 
No.  179,  of  Centralia;  also  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Pythias,  Helmet  Lodge  No.  26, 
and  the  Modern  Woodmen  of  America,  No. 
397.  He  is  much  interested  in  educational 
affairs  and  has  been  a  member  of  the  local 
School  Board  for  a  period  of  twelve  years, 
still  holding  the  position  and  rendering  val- 
uable services  to  the  cause  of  education  in 
Centralia.  In  politics  he  is  a  stanch  Re- 
publican and  lends  his  aid  in  the  support  of 
this  party's  principles  and  in  all  causes  look- 
ing to  the  development  of  his  county  and 


728 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


state.  In  religious  matters  he  affiliates  with 
the  Presbyterian  church.  He  is  a  courteous 
and  pleasant  man,  always  agreeable  and  he 
has  numerous  friends,  as  has  also  his  wife 
and  children.. 


MRS.  HELEN  M.  GIFFORD. 

It  is  with  marked  satisfaction  that  the 
biographer  is  permitted  to  call  the  reader's 
attention  to  the  life  record  of  the  venerable 
but  genial  lady  whose  friends  in  Marion 
county  are  limited  only  by  her  acquaint- 
ances. Her  beautiful  life  has  been  as  an  open 
sesame  and  one  that  has  been  influential  for 
good  to  all  with  whom  she  has  been  asso- 
ciated. 

Mrs.  Helen  Gifford  was  born  in  Jericho, 
Chittenden  county,  Vermont,  September  21, 
1828,  the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Harriet 
Brownell.  Her  parents  were  both  born  in 
Vermont,  Aaron  having  been  born  in  1798 
and  Harriet  in  1804.  They  were  the  parents 
of  three  children,  our  subject  being  the  first 
in  order  of  birth.  The  Brownell  family 
came  from  Vermont  to  Illinois  in  1850,  set- 
tling in  Amsville,  Boone  county,  now  called 
Garden  Prairie.  They  bought  a  farm  where 
they  lived  until  their  death,  Aaron  Brown- 
ell dying  in  1880,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years.  Harriet  died  in  February,  1860,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-seven  years. 

Our  subject's  early  education  was  gained 
in  the  district  and  select  schools  of  Vermont. 
She  applied  herself  in  a  careful  manner  and 
became  fairly  well  educated. 


On  July  4,  1855,  our  subject  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Chester  B.  Gifford,  son  of 
William  and  Mary  Gifford.  Chester  B.  Gif- 
ford was  born  in  Sharon,  Windsor  county, 
Vermont,  October  3,  1815.  There  were 
four  girls  and  three  boys  in  this  family,  of 
whom  Chester  was  the  second  child  in  order 
of  birth.  He  was  in  early  life  a  clerk  in  his 
father's  hotel  in  Sharon.  He  afterwards 
took  up  railroading  and  eventually  became 
conductor  on  the  New  York  Central.  After 
some  years  of  faithful  and  acceptable  ser- 
vice there,  he  took  up  railroading  on  the  Il- 
linois Central  Railroad  as  passenger  con- 
ductor between  Amboy  and  Centralia.  He 
died  October  n,  1887,  in  his  home  in  Cen- 
tralia, after  a  life  of  industry  and  useful- 
ness. He  and  our  subject  had  had  nearly 
thirty-three  years  of  happy  and  harmonious 
wedded  life.  Chester  Gifford  has  one  son, 
Mills  Gifford,  by  a  former  marriage,  who 
is  now  an  employe  of  the  Chicago,  Burling- 
ton &  Quincy  Railroad. 

Mr.  Gifford  left  his  widow  a  sub- 
stantial and  comfortable  home  in  Centralia, 
where  she  lives  alone,  having  thus  lived  ever 
since  the  death  of  her  husband,  twenty-one 
years  ago.  Although  she  is  in  her  eightieth 
year,  Mrs.  Gifford  is  a  woman  of  remark- 
able activity  and  soundness  of  faculties. 
She  is  happy  and  cheerful  and  looks  to  be 
not  more  than  fifty-five  years  old.  Her  neat 
and  well-furnished  home  shows  that  she  is 
a  woman  of  taste  and  refinement.  She  is 
a  woman  of  beautiful  Christian  character 
and  a  faithful  attendant  at  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church,  where  she  is  held  in  high 


ISRIXKEKIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS 


729 


esteem  by  all  the  congregation,  as  indeed, 
she  is  by  all  who  know  her.  She  has  lived 
continuously  in  Centralia  since  1859,  when 
she  came  here  with  her  husband.  Her  old 
age  is  serene  and  quiet,  knowing  that  her 
life  has  been  one  of  uprightness  and  con- 
scious of  the  fact  that  she  will  be  ready 
when  the  summons  comes  bidding  her  "come 
up  higher." 


EDWIN  L.  WATTS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  recognized 
as  one  of  the  leading  citizens  of  Centralia, 
where  he  is  known  by  all  as  a  business  man 
of  unusual  ability,  a  man  of  progressive 
ideas  and  at  all  times  ready  to  do  his  part 
in  furthering  any  interest  for  the  public 
good. 

Edwin  L.  Watts  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  five  miles  west  of  Centralia,  on  a 
farm,  November  n,  1873,  the  son  of  Wil- 
liam M.  and  Martha  (Short)  Watts,  both 
natives  of  Illinois,  in  whose  family  there 
were  five  children,  two  boys  and  three  girls, 
Edwin  L.,  our  subject,  being  the  youngest 
in  order  of  birth. 

Our  subject  received  his  early  education 
in  the  common  schools  of  his  native  com- 
munity, having  applied  himself  in  a  careful 
manner  and  gained  a  good  education  which 
has  later  been  added  to  by  home  reading, 
and  by  coming  in  contact  with  the  world. 
He  devoted  his  life  to  farming  up  to  1904, 
having  been  prosperous  at  this  line  of  work, 
laying  up  from  year  to  year  a  competence 


and  making  a  comfortable  living.  But  be- 
lieving that  larger  interests  were  to  be 
found  in  Centralia,  he  came  to  this  city  and 
entered  the  livery  business  in  which  he  was 
very  successful  for  a  period  of  two  years, 
at  the  end  of  which  he  went  into  the  im- 
plement business,  having  been  associated 
with  J.  D.  Breeze  since  1906,  the  firm  being 
Breeze  &  Watts,  their  well  known  place  of 
business  being  321  South  Locust  street,  Cen- 
tralia. They  handle  a  full  line  of  imple- 
ments, vehicles,  harness,  buggies,  wagons, 
drills,  seeders,  corn  shelters  and  they  deal  in 
general  stock  on  a  large  scale.  Their  store 
is  always  filled  with  customers  and  is  one 
of  the  busiest  places  of  its  kind  in  Centralia. 
Before  coming  to  Centralia,  our  subject 
served  as  Assessor  of  Raccoon  township  in 
a  very  creditable  and  acceptable  manner  for 
one  year,  during  which  time  the  interests  of 
the  township  were  as  carefully  looked  after 
as  if  they  had  been  his  individual  business. 

Mr.  Watts  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Mary  Patton,  November  20,  1895.  She  is 
the  daughter  of  T.  A.  and  Lena  (Smith) 
Patton,  a  well  known  and  influential  family 
of  this  county. 

Mr.  Watts'  comfortable  and  cheerful 
home  has  been  brightened  by  the  presence 
of  the  following  children :  William  R.,  Len- 
na  F.,  Ruby  R.,  all  bright  children  and  mak- 
ing good  grades  in  the  local  schools. 

Mr.  Watts  is  a  genial  and  most  com- 
panionable gentleman  and  has  many  warm 
and  admiring  friends  among  the  res- 
idents of  his  adopted  city  as  well  as  in  the 
township  where  he  lived  so  long,  and  the 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


high  regard  in  which  he  is  held  not  only  in 
business  but  socially  indicates  the  possession 
of  attributes  and  characteristics  that  fully 
entitle  him  to  the  respect  and  consideration 
of  his  fellow  men. 


THEODORE  F.  MERIDETH. 

While  yet  a  young  man,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  has  won  a  place  of  definite  suc- 
cess in  his  community,  because  of  his  per- 
sistent effort,  his  honesty  of  purpose  and 
the  exercise  of  rare  soundness  of  judgment 
in  carrying  out  his  life  work,  so  that  the  fu- 
ture to  such  as  he  holds  much  of  promise. 

Theodore  F.  Merideth  was  born  in  Car- 
rigan  township,  Marion  county,  June  21, 
1872,  the  son  of  William  and  Sarah  (Spit- 
ler)  Merideth,  the  former  having  been  born 
in  Licking  county,  Ohio,  in  1834.  He  came 
to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1842  and  be- 
came a  well-to-do  farmer  and  was  an  ex- 
tensive raiser  of  cattle  before  the  stock  law 
of  1864;  he  was  also  in  the  hay  business 
just  after  the  war.  He  was  also  in  the  trans- 
fer business  at  Sandoval  for  a  while.  He  lo- 
cated south  of  Odin,  when  he  came  here 
from  Ohio,  where  he  was  married  and  still 
lives  in  Carrigan  township.  The  mother  of 
the  subject  used  to  live  in  the  home  of  Judge 
Bryan,  father  of  W.  J.  Bryan,  a  member  of 
the  old  Spitler  family  of  this  county.  She 
was  born  March  3,  1845,  and  was  called  to 
her  rest  April  24,  1884. 

Theodore  F.  Merideth  is  the  oldest  of  the 


children  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs.  William  Meri- 
deth. He  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  and  has  a  certificate  to  teach.  He 
started  in  life  as  a  coal  miner,  '  having 
worked  in  the  mines  in  the  winter  and  on 
the  farm  during  the  summer  months.  For 
many  years  he  operated  a  hay  and  straw 
baler  during  both  the  summer  and  winter 
months. 

Mr.  Merideth  was  united  in  marriage  De- 
cember 2,  1894,  to  Etta  McClelland,  daugh- 
ter of  Perry  and  Emma  McClelland,  both 
old  residents  of  this  county.  He  is  still  living 
at  the  age  of  sixty-eight  years  and  his  wife 
is  now  (1908)  sixty-five  years  old. 

Five  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife  as  follows:  Robert,  born  July 
23,  1895;  Ethel,  born  January  5,  1897; 
Harry,  born  September  30,  1898;  Ruth,  born 
April  4,  1899;  Mamie,  born  August  5,  1902. 

Mr.  Merideth's  farm,  although  one  of  the 
oldest  in  the  township,  having  been  taken  on 
a  Mexican  war  land  grant,  is  one  of  the 
best  in  the  township,  for  it  has  been  so 
carefully  tilled  and  well  kqit  that  the  soil 
has  not  become  thin,  but  excellent  crops  are 
reaped  from  it  year  by  year.  The  subject 
does  nothing  but  look  after  his  farm  which 
he  keeps  well  improved  and  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation.  He  has  one  hundred  and 
sixty  acres  in  section  9.  He  carries  on  gen- 
eral farming  and  stock  raising  with  that 
rare  judgment  and  discretion  that  stamps 
him  as  one  of  the  modern  and  progressive 
farmers  of  the  county.  He  has  a  beautiful 
and  substantial  home,  surrounded  by  ex- 
cellent out  buildings.  He  is  one  of  the  most 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


73  I 


industrious  and  energetic  young  men  of 
Carrigan  township,  and  is  making  a  good 
living  besides  laying  by  an  ample  competen- 
cy for  his  old  age.  He  is  known  to  be  a 
man  of  square  dealing  in  all  his  business 
transactions  and  everybody  speaks  well  of 
him. 


ALBERT  E.  QUICK. 

Among  the  alert  and  progressive  men  of 
Centralia,  whose  efforts  have  been  directed 
along  worthy  lines  of  endeavor,  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  manager  of  the  Star 
Laundry  Company,  which  he  has  made  one 
of  the  leading  institutions  of  this  nature  in 
the  county,  through  his  close  application  to 
business. 

Albert  E.  Quick  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  September  24,  1860,  the 
son  of  W.  F.  and  Jane  (Davidson)  Quick, 
the  former  a  native  of  Summit  county, 
Ohio,  in  which  state  he  devoted  his  atten- 
tion to  farming.  He  moved  to  Illinois  and 
died  at  Harrisburg,  this  state,  in  March, 
1906.  The  mother  of  the  subject  still  lives 
at  Harrisburg.  Nine  children,  four  girls 
and  five  boys,  were  born  to  them,  Albert  E., 
our  subject,  being  the  third  in  order  of 
birth.  He  was  educated  near  Harrisburg, 
then  attended  Ewing  College  in  Franklin 
county,  this  state,  for  one  year,  later  taking 
a  course  in  the  Quincy  Business  College, 
remaining  there  for  one  year.  He  was  well 
equipped  for  a  business  career  upon  leaving 
school  and  entering  the  cutlery  and  supply 


business  in  St.  Louis  and  Centralia.  After 
conducting  this  line  of  work  for  a  period  of 
ten  years  in  a  most  successful  manner  he 
launched  in  the  laundry  business  with  C. 
L.  Mercy,  with  whom  he  remained  in  part- 
nership for  a  period  of  five  years  when  Mr. 
Quick  re-organized  and  started  a  corpora- 
tion company,  he  being  the  president  and 
manager  of  the  Star  Laundry,  he  having  pur- 
chased Mr.  Mercy's  interests  in  the  com- 
pany. He  works  a  force  of  twelve  girls  and 
four  men.  Something  of  the  rapid  advance- 
ment that  Mr.  Quick  has  made  in  this  work 
may  be  gained  from  the  fact  that  when  this 
laundry  was  started  only  one  girl  was  em- 
ployed. The  Star  now  does  a  weekly  busi- 
ness of  from  one  hundred  fifty  to  two  hun- 
dred dollars.  Nothing  but  strictly  up-to- 
date  machinery  is  used  and  the  plant  is  first 
class  in  every  respect.  A  dry  cleaning  de- 
partment was  established  in  1908  and  the 
most  modern  machinery  for  this  department 
that  could  be  procured  was  installed.  This 
has  grown  to  be  a  very  successful  part  of 
the  work  as  it  uses  the  French  dry  cleaning 
plan  for  all  cleaning,  silks,  woolen  and  cot- 
ton fabrics  of  the  most  dainty  manufacture 
on  the  market,  never  resulting  in  shrinking 
or  changing  of  colors  in  the  least.  Mr. 
Quick  certainly  has  mastered  all  the  details 
of  the  laundry  business  and  all  work  done 
at  the  Star  is  first-class  and  high  grade.  His 
patronage  is  constantly  on  the  increase. 

Mr.  Quick's  business  in  both  the  laundry 
and  dry  cleaning  departments  covers  a  large 
territory  in  Southern  Illinois.  He  is  the 
owner  of  ninety-five  per  cent,  of  the  substan- 


732 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tial  and  elegant  brick  plant  which  he  so  suc- 
cessfuly  manages.  His  customers  always 
find  him  ready  to  serve  them  in  an  obliging 
and  straightforward  manner  and  everyone 
who  has  had  dealings  with  him  attest  to  his 
fairness  and  honesty  of  purpose.  In  politics 
he  is  a  loyal  Republican,  and  in  religious 
matters  he  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith 
and  he  is  a  faithful  supporter  of  the  Baptist 
church  in  this  city.  In  his  fraternal  rela- 
tions he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Wood- 
men. His  standing  in  the  business  and  so- 
cial circles  of  Centralia  could  not  be  better. 


CHARLES  EDMUND  FITZGEARALD. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
progressive  citizens  of  Centralia  township, 
Marion  county,  having  long  been  in  busi- 
ness in  the  vicinity  of  Centralia,  where  he 
is  at  present  located,  enjoying  a  lucrative 
trade  in  his  well  managed  second-hand  store. 

Charles  Edmund  Fitzgearald  was  born  in 
Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  October  27,  1864, 
the  son  of  James  T.  and  Mary  B.  (Morgan) 
Fitzgearald,  both  natives  of  Tennessee,  hav- 
ing come  from  that  state  to  Illinois  in  1848, 
settling  among  the  pioneers.  James  T.  was 
tailed  to  his  reward  several  years  ago,  and 
his  widow  now  lives  at  Sterling,  Colorado, 
now  in  her  seventy-eighth  year.  They  were 
the  parents  of  thirteen  children,  six  boys 
and  seven  girls,  of  whom  Charles  Edmund, 
our  subject,  was  the  seventh  in  order  of 
birth.  These  children  are  all  fairly  well 
situated  in  life. 


James  T.  Fitzgearald,  the  subject's  father, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Mexican  war,  and  while 
on  the  march  he  became  exhausted  and  lay 
down  by  a  log  beside  the  road  and  was  given 
up  for  dead,  but  his  brother-in-law,  Mid- 
dleton  Morgan,  discovered  him  as  he  passed 
driving  a  commissary  wagon  and  cared  for 
James  T.,  or  he  would  have  perished.  He 
made  a  gallant  soldier  and  performed  much 
commendable  service  during  that  war,  and 
his  widow  now  draws  a  pension  as  a  result 
of  this  service. 

While  the  parents  of  the  subject  were  liv- 
ing near  Fort  Girard,  Missouri,  the  Indians 
set  fire  to  the  home  and  burned  up  all  their 
books  and  family  records. 

Mary  B.  (Morgan)  Fitzgearald,  the  now 
venerable  mother  of  the  subject,  is  a  member 
of  the  famous  Morgan  family  of  Washing- 
ton county,  Illinois.  Her  sister  lives  at  Ash- 
ley, at  the  advanced  age  of  ninety-three 
years. 

Ed.  Fitzgearald,  as  he  is  popularly  known, 
moved  to  Marion  county  with  his  parents 
when  he  was  four  years  old.  His  early  edu- 
cation was  gained  in  the  Centralia  schools, 
where  he  applied  himself  very  studiously 
and  became  fairly  well  educated. 

He  started  his  business  life  by  working 
on  the  farm  and  in  the  coal  mines  near  Cen- 
tralia, which  he  continued  to  work  at  for 
some  time.  Twelve  years  ago  he  started  in 
his  present  business  in  Centralia  in  handling 
new  and  second-hand  furniture,  stoves  and 
household  goods.  He  has  built  up  a  flourish- 
ing trade.  He  has  a  large  stock  of  carefully 
selected  goods  and  his  prices  are  always 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


733 


right,  according  to  many  of  his  customers 
of  long  standing. 

Mr.  Fitzgearald  married  Emma  A.  Crane, 
July  26,  1883,  a  representative  of  a  fine 
family,  and  she  herself  a  woman  of  many 
praiseworthy  traits,  and  to  this  union  three 
children  have  been  born,  one  dying  in  in- 
fancy. Maudie,  the  oldest  daughter,,  mar- 
ried Walter  Beetle,  a  mine  employe,  of  Cen- 
tralia,  and  they  are  the  parents  of  one 
daughter,  Thelma  F. ;  Edna,  the  second 
daughter,  is  eight  years  old  at  this  writing, 
1908,  and  she  is  making  a  fine  record  in  the 
Centralia  schools. 

Mr.  Fitzgearald  is  a  member  of  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Queen 
City  Lodge  No.  179,  of  Centralia.  He  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen  of 
America.  In  politics  Mr.  Fitzgearald  is  a 
faithful  Democrat  and  in  religious  matters 
he  was  reared  a  Methodist.  He  is  regarded 
as  a  man  of  good  business  ability,  honest 
in  all  his  dealings  with  the  public. 


H.  S.  McBRIDE. 

In  enlisting  men  of  enterprise  and  integ- 
rity in  furthering  its  general  business  ac- 
tivities, is  mainly  due  the  precedence  and 
prosperity  enjoyed  by  Marion  county,  and 
the  firm  of  which  the  gentleman  whose 
name  initiates  this  paragraph  is  a  member, 
is  recognized  as  one  of  the  representative 
druggists  of  the  county,  being  engaged  in 
business  in  Centralia  and  enjoying  an  ex- 
tensive wholesale  and  retail  trade. 


H.  S.  McBride  was  born  in  Decatur,  Il- 
linois. September  5,  1869,  the  son  of  Dr. 
Alexander  and  Mary  E.  (Jones)  McBride, 
the  father  of  the  subject  having  been  born 
in  Ross  county,  Ohio,  June  21,  1821.  His 
wife  was  born  in  Urbana,  Ohio,  April  18, 
1835,  and  they  were  married  in  the  Buckeye 
state  and  came  to  Illinois  in  1866,  locating 
in  Decatur.  They  became  the  parents  of 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  living,  H. 
S.,  our  subject,  and  Frank  A.,  who  was 
born  in  1875  'n  Decatur. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  began  his  edu- 
cation at  Decatur,  where  he  attended  school 
for  two  years.  He  was  then  sent  to  Car- 
thage, Missouri,  remaining  in  school  there 
until  1887,  where  he  made  an  excellent  rec- 
ord, and  after  completing  his  education,  he 
returned  to  Decatur  and  worked  as  a  drug 
clerk  for  one  year  in  the  employ  of  A.  J. 
Stoner.  He  then  went  to  St.  Louis  and 
worked  for  the  P.  G.  Alexander  Drug  Com- 
pany for  two  years  and  while  there  took  a 
course  in  pharmacy  in  the  St.  Louis  School 
of  Pharmacy.  From  there  he  went  to  Webb 
City,  Missouri,  to  work  for  the  McClelland 
Drug  Company  in  whose  employ  he  re- 
mained for  about  two  years,  when  he  moved 
to  Mattoon,  Illinois,  remaining  there  until 
1898,  clerking  for  the  Killner  Drug  Com- 
pany. He  gave  entire  satisfaction  in  all 
these  positions  owing  to  the  fact  that  he  had 
an  intimate  knowledge  of  drugs  and  was 
courteous  to  customers. 

Our  subject  was  one  of  the  patriotic  cit- 
izens of  the  great  Sucker  state,  who  felt  it 
his  duty  to  assist  the  cause  of  humanity 
when  Cuba  was  being  oppressed  by  the  tyr- 


734 


ISKIXKKRIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


rany  of  Spain,  and  when  the  Spanish-Amer- 
ican war  broke  out  he  enlisted  in  Company 
A,  Fourth  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  un- 
der Capt.  Joseph  P.  Barricklom  and  re- 
mained in  service  until  the  close  of  the  war, 
having  been  mustered  out  of  service  at  Au- 
gusta, Georgia.  He  served  at  Springfield, 
Illinois,  as  first  sergeant  and  was  promoted 
to  second  lieutenant  at  Camp  Cuba  Libre, 
Jacksonville,  Florida,  September,  1898. 

In  1900  Mr.  McBride  moved  to  Centralia 
and  clerked  for  Will  J.  Blythe  for  two 
years,  then  for  L.  H.  Reed  for  four  years. 
He  then  opened  the  Red  Cross  Pharmacy 
at  204  East  Broadway,  an  incorporated  in- 
stitution under  the  state  laws  of  Illinois,  the 
company  consisting  of  C.  D.  Tufts,  presi- 
dent ;  C.  E.  McMahon,  vice-president ;  H.  S. 
McBride,  secretary  and  manager;  F.  Pullen, 
treasurer.  The  room  occupied  is  twenty- 
four  by  one  hundred  feet.  It  is  large,  airy 
and  commodious.  A  general  wholesale  and 
retail  drug  business  is  carried  on  among 
physicians  and  surgeons,  covering  a  radius 
of  forty  miles.  The  house  carries  a  large, 
complete  and  carefully  selected  stock,  and 
the  fixtures  and  equipment  are  modern,  well 
arranged  and  up-to-date  in  every  particular, 
and  a  very  liberal  trade  is  enjoyed. 

H.  S.  McBride  was  united  in  marriage 
with  Ida  A.  Mattock  on  September  8,  1895. 
She  war  reared  at  Mattoon,  Illinois,  and  is 
the  daughter  of  W.  D.  and  Temperance 
(Hackett)  Mattock.  Four  interesting  chil- 
dren constituted  the  Mattock  family,  three 
girls  and  one  boy,  Ida  A.  being  the  oldest. 

Mr.  McBride  is  recognized  as  a  first  class 


pharmacist  by  all  who  have  had  occasion  to 
investigate  his  work.  He  is  registered  in 
Illinois,  Missouri  and  Florida,  and  he  stands 
at  the  front  of  Centralia's  business  men. 
Fraternally  he  is  a  member  of  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  No.  493, 
of  Centralia.  In  politics  he  is  a  Democrat 
and  follows  the  teachings  of  his  parents  in 
religious  matters,  affiliating  with  the  Epis- 
copal church. 


TRUMAN  B.  ANDREWS. 

Characterized  by  breadth  of  wisdom  and 
strong  individuality,  the  achievements  of 
the  subject  of  this  sketch  but  represent  the 
utilization  of  innate  talent  in  directing  ener- 
gies along  lines  in  which  mature  judgment 
and  a  resourcefulness  that  hesitates  at  no 
opposing  circumstances,  pave  the  way  and 
ultimately  lead  to  achievement. 

Truman  B.  Andrews  was  born  in  Jeffer- 
son county,  Illinois,  September  25,  1852, 
the  son  of  Seymour  and  Martha  (Hender- 
son) Andrews,  who  were  the  parents  of  ten 
children,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being  the 
third  in  order  of  birth.  When  about  four 
years  of  age  he  went  to  Warren  county,  Il- 
linois, with  his  parents,  where  he  remained 
until  ten  years  of  age,  then  moved  to  Cen- 
tralia, where  he  has  since  remained,  having 
been  identified  with  the  growth  of  the  com- 
munity and  taking  a  prominent  part  in  its 
development  for  a  period  of  over  forty-six 
years  at  this  writing,  1908.  He  received  his 


IXKKKHOKK  S    HISTORY    OF    MAKIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


735 


schooling  in  the  Centralia  common  and  high 
schools.  Following  in  the  footsteps  of  his 
father,  he  decided  to  become  a  merchant, 
and  when  he  left  school  he  began  clerking 
for  his  father  and  later  became  bookkeeper, 
with  whom  he  remained  assisting  in  build- 
ing up  a  fine  trade  in  the  dry  goods  and 
clothing  business  until  his  father  retired 
about  1890.  Truman  then  went  with  the 
firm  of  G.  L.  Pittenger,  who  conducted  a 
grocery  store,  remaining  with  the  same  for 
four  years  with  his  usual  success.  He  then 
went  to  work  for  the  Pittenger  &  Daves 
Mining  and  Manufacturing  Company,  as 
their  assistant  secretary  in  the  office  work 
of  this  extensive  enterprise,  with  which  he 
was  identified  for  six  years,  giving  high 
class  service  in  every  respect.  Mr.  Andrews 
then  worked  in  the  Centralia  Mining  and 
Manufacturing  Company,  which  is  operated 
by  the  same  people  as  their  secretary,  re- 
maining as  such  for  seven  years,  or  until 
they  retired  from  active  business.  He  con- 
tinued to  work  or  the  firm  that  succeeded 
them  remaining  until  he  bought  an  interest 
in  the  firm  of  Gillett  &  Company,  clothiers 
and  gents'  furnishers.  They  manage  a  big 
and  well  stocked  store  and  Mr.  Andrews  is 
to  be  found  here  daily  ready  to  wait  upon 
his  scores  of  customers  who  know  that 
they  will  here  receive  the  most  courteous 
consideration  and  always  receive  the  full 
value  of  their  money.  The  stock  is  kept 
well  up-to-date  and  is  carefully  selected  at 
all  seasons.  This  store  is  one  of  the  most 
tastefully  arranged  and  neatly  kept  of  any 
in  Southern  Illinois  and  customers  are  al- 


ways pleased  to  visit  it  where  they  are  made 
to  feel  at  ease. 

The  domestic  life  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  dates  from  December  17,  1874,  when 
he  was  married  to  Amanda  J.  McClelland, 
daughter  of  John  and  Margaret  McClelland, 
of  Marion  county,  a  well  known  and  in- 
fluential family.  To  this  union  three  in- 
teresting children  have  been  born,  namely: 
Hallie,  Lois  and  Cinnie.  Hallie  married 
Bessie  Robinett,  of  Columbia,  this  state,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  one  son,  Raymond, 
born  in  1904.  Hallie  Andrews  is  firing  an 
engine  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad. 
Lois  is  married  to  L.  R.  Porter,  a  blacksmith 
on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  of  Cen- 
tralia, and  they  are  the  parents  of  two  chil- 
dren, one  boy,  Emmett,  born  in  1905,  and 
one  girl,  Lorena,  who  is  one  year  old  in 
1908.  Cinnie,  the  subject's  third  child,  mar- 
ried George  Green,  of  Centralia,  where  he 
is  engaged  in  the  barber  business. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  supporter  of 
Republican  issues.  He  is  a  member  of  the 
Christian  church,  having  been  a  deacon  for 
a  period  of  fifteen  years,  and  is  also  a  trus- 
tee of  the  same.  In  his  fraternal  relations 
he  is  a  member  of  the  Modern  Woodmen, 
No.  397;  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  No.  26; 
also  a  charter  member  of  the  Knights  and 
Ladies  of  Honor,  having  served  in  many  of 
the  chairs  of  the  last  two  lodges.  Mr.  An- 
drews was  Township  Public  School  Treas- 
urer;  or  twenty  years,  being  still  in  this  po- 
sition. He  is  greatly  interested  in  educa- 
tional matters  and  has  always  done  what  he 
could  to  further  the  interests  of  the  local 


736 


5RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARIOX    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


schools.  He  also  faithfully  served  as  Town 
Clerk  of  Centralia  for  a  period  of  six  years. 
He  has  also  been  a  member  of  the  Centralia 
City  Fire  Department  for  over  twenty-five 
years,  having  frequently  hazarded  his  life 
day  and  night  in  order  to  save  property. 


FRANK  PRUSZ. 

A  man  of  rare  business  erudition  is  the 
subject  of  this  sketch,  who  has  long  been 
identified  with  the  development  of  Centra- 
lia in  business  lines. 

Frank  Prusz  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  Illinois,  September  21,  1867,  the 
son  of  Henry  and  Mary  (Shroeder)  Prusz, 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  Frank,  our 
subject,  being  the  only  living  child  in  1908. 
Henry  Prusz  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  this  state,  in  1838,  and  he  is  now 
living  in  Centralia,  corner  of  Third  and 
Walnut  streets.  He  followed  farming  until 
1905,  having  owned  a  fine  farm  of  one  hun- 
dred and  forty  acres,  which  he  left  and 
moved  to  town.  The  subject  of  this  sketch, 
who  was  the  third  child  in  order  of  birth, 
acquired  his  early  education  in  the  common 
schools  of  his  native  county.  In  his  boy- 
hood days  he  worked  on  his  father's  farm 
and  finally  took  up  farming  for  himself, 
which  he  followed  for  ten  years  on  his  own 
account,  having  made  a  pronounced  success 
from  the  first,  but,  believing  that  greater 
opportunities  awaited  him  in  other  fields,  he 
sold  out  and  went  to  St.  Louis,  where  he 


worked  in  a  planing  mill  and  at  carpenter 
work  for  five  years,  having  taken  readily  to 
the  new  line  of  work.  He  then  came  'to 
Centralia  and  started  in  a  shop  for  himself. 
July  10,  1895,  at  the  corner  of  Third,  Chest- 
nut and  South  streets.  The  plant  now  cov- 
ers one  hundred  and  twenty  by  one  hundred 
and  sixty-five  feet.  It  is  up  to  date  in  every 
particular,  being  equipped  with  modern  ma- 
chines, fifteen  in  number.  He  has  eleven 
motors  of  late  design  and  is  equipped  in 
every  respect  to  do  first  class  and  high 
grade  work.  All  kinds  of  boxes,  barrels, 
egg  cases,  chicken  coops  and  apple  cases  are 
manufactured  here,  also  all  kinds  of  mill 
work  is  done,  including  frames,  moldings, 
handles,  ^ash  and  doors,  also  baskets  and 
strawberry  crates,  also  house  furnishings. 

The  firm  of  which  our  subject  is  the 
principal  force  is  known  as  the  Queen  City 
Box  and  Barrel  Works.  It  enjoys  a  large 
trade,  having  an  output  of  one  thousand 
barrels  a  day.  The  well  known  "Magic 
Cleaner,"  the  best  sweeping  compound  for 
floors  and  carpets  known,  is  manufactured 
here.  The  trade  of  this  firm  extends  to  all 
parts  of  Southern  Illinois  and  many  points 
beyond,  and  is  constantly  increasing,  ow- 
ing to  the  able  management  of  Mr.  Prusz 
and  the  excellent  quality  of  the  work  turned 
out. 

Frank  Prusz  was  united  in  marriage  on 
April  25,  1890,  to  Jennie  Meyer,  the  daugh- 
ter of  C.  G.  and  Minnie  (Dotson)  Meyer, 
who  are  the  parents  of  ten  children,  Jennie 
being  the  fourth  child  in  order  of  birth.  She 
was  born  in  Washington  county,  this  state. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


737 


Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of 
four  children,  named  in  order  of  birth  as 
follows:  Nellie  M.,  who  is  living  at  home 
with  her  parents;  Willis  F.  L.  is  a  student 
in  the  Centralia  public  schools ;  Allen  W.  B. 
is  also  a  pupil  in  the  local  schools;  Alice 
A.  M.  is  the  youngest  living  child;  Edwin 
died  in  his  eighth  year. 

Our  subject  lives  in  a  modern  home  at 
333  South  Hickory  street.  Mr.  Prusz  in 
his  political  relations  is  a  Republican  on  na- 
tional issues,  but  locally  he  votes  for  the 
best  man  available.  In  religious  matters 
he  was  reared  an  Evangelical  Lutheran,  but 
he  is  free  and  liberal  in  his  views  on  re- 
ligion and  he  attends  all  churches.  He  is  a 
man  thoroughly  familiar  with  the  details 
of  the  large  business  which  he  conducts  and 
is  well  known  in  Marion  county,  his  pleas- 
ant manner  winning  the  respect  of  all  men. 


BOYD  M.  ENGLISH. 

To  present  in  brief  outline  the  leading 
facts  in  the  life  of  one  of  Marion  county's 
busy  men  of  affairs  and  throw  light  upon 
some  of  his  more  pronounced  characteris- 
tics is  the  task  in  hand  in  placing  before  the 
reader  the  following  biographical  review  of 
Boyd  M.  English,  who  was  born  in  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  September  2,  1875,  the 
son  of  J.  W.  and  Mazina  ( Parkerson)  Eng- 
lish, in  whose  family  there  were  six  chil- 
dren, four  boys  and  two  girls,  of  whom  our 
subject  was  the  second  in  order  of  birth, 
47 


and  of  whom  five  are  living  in  1908.  J.  W. 
English  was  born  in  Tennessee,  near  Fay- 
etteville,  and  he  came  to  Illinois  in  1871 
and  settled  in  Marion  county  on  a  farm. 
One  of  his  brothers  was  in  the  Civil  war. 
The  father  of  our  subject  has  been  in  the 
contracting  business  for  many  years.  He 
lives  at  960  East  Broadway,  Centralia.  The 
subject's  mother  was  born  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, where  she  married  J.  W.  English.  They 
are  highly  respected  people  and  have  done 
all  in  their  power  to  establish  their  children 
in  life. 

Boyd  M.  English,  our  subject,  received 
his  early  education  in  the  common  schools. 
He  left  school  when  sixteen  years  old  and 
engaged  in  the  commission  business  at  De- 
catur  two  years,  after  which  he  went  into 
the  barber  business  at  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois, 
where  he  remained  for  one  year.  He  came 
to  Centralia  and  worked  at  his  trade  for 
several  years  on  Locust  street  for  himself, 
the  firm  being  known  as  English  &  Burge, 
which  was  one  of  the  leading  shops  in  the 
city  and  widely  patronized. 

Believing  that  the  barber  business  was 
not  his  proper  calling,  he  launched  into  the 
real  estate  business  in  1906  for  himself,  and 
his  success  was  instantaneous,  having  ex- 
ceeded his  expectations.  He  has  a  large 
business  and  his  office  is  always  a  busy 
place,  owing  to  his  fair  treatment  of  cus- 
tomers and  his  intimate  knowledge  of  this 
line  of  work. 

Mr.  English  was  united  in  marriage  Jan- 
uary 1 6,  1900,  to  Edith  Foster,  the  daugh- 
ter of  R.  T.  and  M.  A.  (McKay)  Foster. 


738 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


She  \vas  reared  near  Centralia  on  a  farm. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Foster  are  the  parents  of 
five  children,  two  boys  and  three  girls,  of 
whom  our  subject's  wife  is  the  third  child. 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  Boyd  are  the  parents  of  two 
children,  Madge,  born  January  17,  1902, 
and  Robert  Dean,  who  was  bom  Novem- 
ber 2,  1903.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  English  live 
in  a  cozy  and  nicely  furnished  home  at  841 
East  Broadway. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  a  member  of 
the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Benevolent  and 
Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America.  In  national  politics 
he  is  a  Republican  and  religiously  he  was 
reared  a  Presbyterian  and  attends  that  con- 
gregation. Mr.  and  Mrs.  English  are  pleas- 
ant people  and  are  popular  in  Centralia. 


MRS.  SARAH  E.  ELROD. 

The  many  friends  of  the  estimable  lady 
whose  name  appears  above  will  be  glad  to 
learn  more  of  her  life  history  and  that  of 
her  honored  husband  and  their  families,  for 
she  has  long  been  well  known  and  popular, 
with  a  large  circle  of  friends  in  Centralia, 
and  now  in  the  golden  evening  of  her  age 
she  is  happy  in  the  thought  that  her  life  has 
been  led  along  high  planes  and  been  pro- 
ductive of  good  to  those  it  has  touched. 

Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Elrod  was  born  in  Cler- 
mont  county,  Ohio,  June  13,  1831,  the 
daughter  of  Samuel  and  Elizabeth  (Grif- 
fith) Simpson.  Both  parents  were  born  in 


Montgomery  county,  Pennsylvania,  about 
twenty  miles  from  Philadelphia.  They  were 
the  parents  of  seven  children,  Sarah  E.  be- 
ing the  oldest  in  the  family. 

Our  subject  grew  to  maturity  in  her  na- 
tive county  and  also  acquired  her  early  ed- 
ucation there.  She  was  united  in  marriage 
to  William  Elrod,  May  17,  1854,  and  they 
lived  in  Ohio  until  1867,  in  which  year 
they  moved  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  then  to 
the  Ulysses  S.  Grant  farm,  ten  miles  west 
of  that  city,  where  the  Elrod  family  had 
charge  of  the  Grant  farm  for  eight  years. 
Mrs.  Elrod  knew  well  all  the  Grant  chil- 
dren, waited  upon  them  and  helped  them 
in  various  ways.  William  Elrod  passed  to 
his  rest  in  Centralia  November  29,  1881, 
after  a  useful  and  busy  life. 

Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Elrod  is  the  mother  of 
seven  children,  as  follows:  Elizabeth,  who 
married  John  Decker,  of  Orange  county, 
New  York,  now  lives  in  Cobden,  Union 
county.  Illinois,  and  they  have  two  sons; 
Clifford  married  Cordelia  Cole,  died  Sep- 
tember ii,  1902,  and  two  children  were 
born  to  them,  one  boy  and  one  girl,  Clifford, 
Jr.,  the  son,  being  a  blacksmith  in  Centra- 
lia ;  Mary  Simpson  is  a  dressmaker  and 
lives  with  her  mother  in  their  cozy  home 
on  West  Broadway;  Clara  M.  is  clerking 
at  Parkinson's  store  in  this  city ;  Samuel  G. 
is  living  with  his  mother;  William  Thomas 
married  Ellen  Parkin  and  is  a  railroad  and 
express  agent  for  the  Southern  Railroad  at 
Marissa,  Illinois,  and  they  have  five  chil- 
dren; Sadie  Blanche  is  a  competent  office 
lady  at  Dr.  Armstrong's,  one  of  the  lead- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


739 


Ing  physicians  of  this  city.  These  children 
received  their  early  education  in  the  public 
schools  of  this  city. 

Gen.  Ulysses  S.  Grant's  mother,  Han- 
nah Simpson,  and  our  subject's  father,  Sam- 
uel Simpson,  were  brother  and  sister,  mak- 
ing Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Elrod  a  full  cousin  of 
the  general.  The  Elrod  family  moved  from 
St.  Louis  to  Odin  on  a  farm,  where  they 
lived  for  three  years  and  in  March,  1881, 
they  moved  to  Centralia.  After  the  death 
of  Mr.  Elrod  this  large  family  of  little  chil- 
dren with  which  the  mother  was  left  to  care 
for  and  provide,  was  a  hard  struggle  to 
overcome,  but  she  was  a  woman  of  great 
courage  and  rare  business  tact  and  she  suc- 
ceeded in  rearing  her  children  in  a  manner 
deserving  great  praise.  She  had  a  few 
cows  and  sold  milk  to  town  people  and  in 
this  way  managed  to  provide  for  the  chil- 
dren and  keep  the  home  together.  It  was  a 
brave,  heroic  battle,  but  filled  with  more  vic- 
tories than  defeats. 

Mrs.  Sarah  E.  Elrod,  who  is  at  this  writ- 
ing, 1908,  seventy-seven  years  old,  is  in 
good  health  and  young  for  one  of  her  years. 
.She  is  of  a  family  noted  for  their  longevity, 
her  father  living  to  be  ninety-one  years  old. 
Religiously  she  was  reared  a  Presbyterian, 
but  now  worships  with  the  Congregational- 
ists,  where  her  daughters,  Sadie  and  Mary. 
are  Sunday  school  teachers.  Gen.  John 
Simpson,  of  Cincinnati,  is  a  brother  of  Mrs. 
Elrod,  whose  honorable  army  record  she  is 
glad  to  preserve.  He  is  a  retired  officer  of 
the  United  States  army,  having  been  retired 
since  1906.  He  enlisted  in  the  Fifth  Ohio 


Cavalry,  September  27,  1862,  and  was  dis- 
charged May  28,  1865.  He  was  appointed 
second  lieutenant  of  the  Fourth  Artillery, 
August  17,  1867,  and  advanced  to  the  rank 
of  first  lieutenant  of  the  Fourth  Artillery  on 
March  28,  1873.  On  July  17,  1875,  he  was 
appointed  captain  assistant  quartermaster. 
On  April  20,  1892,  he  was  raised  to  the 
rank  of  lieutenant-colonel  and  assistant 
quartermaster-general.  On  February  2, 
1901,  Ire  was  raised  to  the  rank  of  brigadier 
general,  and  was  finally  retired  August  18, 
1903. 

Gen.  John  Simpson  studied  at  Fortress 
Monroe  and  Annapolis  military  schools,  so 
as  to  fully  equip  himself  for  active  and  ef- 
ficient service,  being  of  the  Grant  lineage, 
he  was  naturally  a  successful  soldier. 

Samuel  Elrod,  the  second  son  of  William 
and  Sarah  E.  Elrod,  was  born  in  the  old 
log  house  that  General  Grant  built.  Wil- 
liam, the  third  son,  and  Sadie,  the  youngest 
daughter,  were  born  in  General  Grant's 
large  house  on  his  farm  west  of  St.  Louis. 
The  Elrod  family  is  highly  respected  and 
has  numerous  friends. 


CHARLES  MILLER. 

For  many  years  Mr.  Miller  was  a  widely 
known  railroad  man,  but  is  at  this  writing 
living  in  honorable  retirement  in  Centralia, 
Marion  county,  where  he  is  held  in  high 
favor  among  those  of  his  acquaintance. 

Charles  Miller  was  born  in  Portsmouth, 


740 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


England,  December  3,  1844,  the  son  of 
John  William  and  Elizabeth  (Florence) 
Miller,  who  were  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, three  boys  and  an  equal  number  of 
girls,  the  subject  of  this  sketch  being  the 
fourth  in  order  of  birth.  John  William  Mil- 
ler was  born  in  England  in  1815  and  passed 
to  his  rest  in  1866.  He  was  for  many  years 
foreman  of  a  large  coppersmith  shop  in  the 
government  navy  yard  in  England.  He 
was  a  skilled  mechanic  and  an  inventor, 
having  invented  Grant's  condenser,  a  de- 
vice for  turning  salt  water  into  fresh  wa- 
ter, which  is  used  by  those  who  travel  on 
the  ocean.  He  served  his  apprenticeship  as 
a  coppersmith  under  Mr.  Florence,  his  fa- 
ther-in-law. When  twenty-two  years  old 
John  William  Miller  married  Elizabeth 
Florence,  who  was  at  that  time  twenty-nine 
years  old.  the  date  of  their  marriage  being 
in  1839.  Mrs.  Miller  was  born  in  1808  and 
passed  to  her  rest  in  1868.  They  were  peo- 
ple of  much  sterling  worth  and  many  of 
their  commendable  traits  have  manifested 
themselves  in  our  subject. 

Charles  Miller  received  a  common  school 
education  in  Portsmouth,  England,  having 
attended  Bowles  Academy  until  he  was  six- 
teen years  old.  After  leaving  school  he 
learned  the  blacksmith's  trade  and  also 
worked  for  his  uncle,  who  conducted  a  meat 
market  in  Portsmouth.  Believing  that  bet- 
ter opportunities  awaited  him  in  America, 
he  emigrated  to  this  country  when  twenty- 
four  years  old,  settling  first  in  Chicago.  He 
soon  secured  employment  on  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  and  at  once  gave  evidence 


of  a  man  of  merit  in  the  railroading  busi- 
ness. 

Our  subject  was  married  in  England 
when  twenty-two  years  old  to  Diana  Hyde, 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Elizabeth  (Hob- 
bins)  Hyde,  in  whose  family  there  were  nine 
children,  four  boys  and  five  girls,  the  wife 
of  the  subject  being  the  sixth  child  in  order 
of  birth.  Their  marriage  was  celebrated  on 
August  n,  1866,  at  Portsmouth  in  the 
Church  of  England,  the  ceremony  that 
made  them  one  having  been  performed  by 
Rev.  Baylis.  Diana  Hyde  was  also  edu- 
cated in  the  common  schools  of  Portsmouth. 
This  union  has  been  blessed  by  the  birth  of 
seven  children,  four  of  whom  are  living  in 
1908.  They  are:  Jessie,  who  first  married 
Frank  Scramlin,  by  which  union  one  son, 
Earl  Walter  G.,  was  born;  her  second  mar- 
riage was  with  Frank  Jacobs,  and  to  this 
union  three  children  were  bom,  two  daugh- 
ters and  one  son.  They  live  in  Decatur, 
Illinois.  Mr.  Jacobs  is  engaged  in  the  gro- 
cery business.  Harriet  Hyde  is  the  second 
child  of  Mrs.  Jacobs  -and  she  is  eight  years 
old  at  this  writing;  Dorthy  Grace  is  four 
years  old  and  Frank  Willis  is  now  three 
years  of  age.  Henry  George  Miller,  the 
second  living  child  of  our  subject,  married 
Nettie  Smith  and  one  son  has  been  born  to 
this  union,  Arthur  Glenn,  who  is  a  machinist 
and  is  living  in  Chicago ;  Lillie  May  married 
George  William  Downing;  Alice  Louise 
is  a  stenographer  in  Centralia.  These  are 
all  bright  children  and  are  being  educated 
in  the  local  schools. 

Charles  Miller  continued  to  work  for  the 


3RINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


741 


Illinois  Central  Railroad,  giving  entire  sat- 
isfaction from  1868.  In  1889  he  became 
overseer  of  the  shops  of  this  road  at  Cen- 
tralia,  which  position  he  held  until  June, 
1908,  having  been  recognized  by  his  em- 
ployers as  one  of  the  best  men  in  this  ca- 
pacity they  had  in  their  employ,  for  he  mas- 
tered every  detail  of  the  work  and  knew 
how  to  handle  his  men  so  as  to  get  the  best 
results  from  their  work.  On  the  date  men- 
tioned above  Mr.  Miller  retired  from  active 
connection  with  the  shops  on  account  of  the 
loss  of  his  left  eye,  which  resulted  from  an 
accident  in  the  shops.  The  Miller  home  is 
a  pleasant  and  comfortable  one,  located  at 
218  East  Fourth  street,  south.  Mr.  Miller 
receives  a  pension  of  thirty-six  dollars  and 
seventy  cents  per  month.  In  politics  he  is 
a  Republican  and  is  an  advocate  of  tem- 
perance. He  was  reared  in  the  faith  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church  and  he  still  wor- 
ships with  this  congregation,  where  he  is  re- 
garded as  a  man  of  upright  principles  and 
a  worthy  member  of  the  same. 


MRS.  MARGARET  DUNLAP. 

The  many  friends  of  the  estimable  lady 
whose  name  forms  the  caption  of  this 
sketch  will  be  glad  to  learn  more  of  her 
life  record,  and  they  will  doubtless  be  bene- 
fited by  a  perusal  of  the  same,  owing  to  the 
consistent  and  praiseworthy  life  she  has  led. 

Mrs.  Margaret  Dunlap,  wife  of  W.  W. 
Dunlap,  was  born  in  Meigs  county,  Ohio, 


May  8,  1839,  the  daughter  of  Dr.  John  and 
Christina  (Spraker)  Cornell,  the  former  a 
native  of  Albany,  New  York,  and  a  cousin 
of  Ezra  Cornell,  the  founder  of  Cornell 
University,  one  of  the  leading  institutions 
of  learning  in  the  United  States.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  a  native  of 
Schenectady,  New  York,  Spraken's  Basin 
being  founded  by  Christina's  grandfather. 
John  Cornell  was  born  August  6,  1798,  of 
English  parentage,  being  the  descendant  of 
one  of  three  brothers  who  emigrated  from 
England  in  an  early  day.  He  first  prac- 
ticed his  profession  in  New  York,  then 
came  to  Meigs  county,  Ohio,  in  1830, 
where  he  lived  and  successfully  practiced 
medicine  until  his  death,  September  19, 
1873,  having  been  known  as  one  of  the 
leading  physicians  of  that  place.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  passed  to  her  rest 
August  19,  1877.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  John 
Cornell  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  six 
girls  and  four  boys,  all  .having  reached 
maturity,  having  been  of  a  hardy  race. 

Mrs.  Dunlap  taught  school  for  ten  years 
in  Ohio.  She  married  when  twenty-five 
years  of  age.  She  was  educated  in  the  Ches- 
ter Seminary,  in  Meigs  county,  Ohio.  She 
was  the  eighth  child  in  order  of  birth. 
Daniel  W.  Cornell,  Margaret's  youngest 
brother,  was  a  member  of  the  home  militia 
of  Ohio  during  the  Civil  war.  In  the  fam- 
ily of  the  mother  of  our  subject  were  twelve 
children,  ten  girls  and  two  boys,  eleven  of 
whom  lived  to  reach  maturity.  Mrs.  Mar- 
garet Duiilap  is  the  mother  of  two  children, 
one  of  whom  is  living,  M.  Alberta,  who  is 


742 


iRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  graduate  of  the  Centralia  high  school  and 
who  was  born  February  6,  1879,  married 
Harry  F.  Turner,  November  22,  1904,  of 
Centralia.  They  have  one  son,  Francis  D. 
Turner,  who  was  born  November  3,  1905. 
They  all  reside  in  a  neat  home  at  320  South 
Poplar  street.  Mr.  Turner  is  an  engineer  on 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad.  Harry  F. 
Turner  was  born  July  9,  1874,  at  Water- 
loo, Iowa,  the  son  of  Oliver  F.  Turner. 
His  mother  was  Luella  E.  Young  in  her 
maidenhood.  She  is  deceased.  Mr.  Tur- 
ner is  a  member  of  a  family  consisting  of 
one  son  and  two  daughters.  William  W. 
Dunlap  was  born  January  17,  1833,  in  Car- 
roll county,  Ohio.  In  1859  he  removed  to 
Jeffersonville,  Wayne  county,  Illinois.  He 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  until  the 
Civil  war,  when  he  gave  free  rein  to  his 
patriotic  feeling,  and  on  July  22,  1861,  en- 
listed in  Company  E,  Fortieth  Illinois  In- 
fantry, under  Colonel  Barnhill,  of  Fairfield, 
Illinois.  Mr.  Dunlap  performed  his  duties 
as  a  soldier  in  a  faithful  manner  for  a  period 
of  three  years  and  three  months.  He  was 
stationed  at  Jefferson  Barracks,  near  St. 
Louis,  Missouri.  He  went  out  as  orderly 
sergeant,  was  promoted  second  lieutenant, 
and  later  first  lieutenant.  He  saw  some 
hard  service,  and  he  was  wounded  in  the 
right  foot,  also  lost  his  right  eye,  while  in 
a  skirmish  in  the  timber  near  Jackson,  Mis- 
sissipi,  on  July  12,  1862.  He  drew  a  pen- 
sion of  twelve  dollars  per  month.  After 
the  close  of  the  war  Mr.  Dunlap  returned 
home  and  resumed  work  at  the  carpenter's 
trade,  becoming  recognized  as  a  very  com- 


petent workman,  and  his  services  were  in 
great  demand.  Mr.  Dunlap  was  called  from 
his  earthly  labors  May  24,  1905,  while  liv- 
ing in  Centralia.  Mr.  Dunlap's  mother  died 
when  he  was  eight  years  old,  and  he  was 
reared  by  his  grandfather  Kail,  who  lived 
in  Carroll  county,  Ohio.  Mr.  Dunlap 
worked  at  the  carpenter's  trade  all  his  life 
from  the  time  he  was  sixteen  years  old.  Al- 
though his  parents  were  Democrats  he  was 
a  Republican.  He  was  reared  in  the  faith 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was 
admired  by  all  who  knew  him  for  his  up- 
right life  and  his  honesty  of  purpose.  No 
family  in  Centralia  bears  a  better  reputa- 
tion than  the  Dunlaps. 


HON.  JAMES  BENSON. 

The  name  of  the  subject  of  this  review 
has  for  years  been  allied  with  the  develop- 
ment of  Marion  county  in  many  phases,  for 
a  high  purpose,  vigorous  mental  powers  and 
devotion  to  duty  are  the  means  by  which 
he  has  made  himself  useful,  and  the  am- 
bitious youth  of  this  locality  who  fights  the 
battle  of  life  with  the  prospects  of  ultimate 
success  may  peruse  with  profit  the  biog- 
raphy presented  in  the  following  para- 
graphs. 

Hon.  James  Benson  was  born  February 
28,  1838,  in  Manchester,  England,  the  son 
of  William  and  Margaret  (Bullon)  Ben- 
son, both  natives  of  Manchester.  William 
Benson  served  as  an  apprentice  under  John 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


743 


Mellen,  of  that  city,  as  a  machinist,  on  the 
Manchester  &  Darlington  Railway,  and  he 
finally  became  an  engineer  on  that  road. 
He  was  foreman  in  the  shops  in  1839,  and 
in  that  year  came  with  his  wife  and  two 
children  to  America,  landing  in  New  York 
City  and  worked  in  the  marine  ship  yards 
as  a  machinist.  He  later  went  to  Williams- 
burg,  New  York,  and  was  engineer  in  a 
distillery  and  was  finally  put  in  charge  of 
the  distillery.  In  1848  he  came  to  Chicago 
and  worked  in  the  railroad  shops  for  six- 
teen months.  He  then  had  charge  of  a  dis- 
tillery at  Wilmington,  Will  county,  Illinois. 
He  later  went  to  St.  Louis  and  took  charge 
of  Henry  T.  Blow's  White  Lead  and  Oil 
Works.  In  1855  he  came  to  Centralia  and 
worked  for  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  as 
a  machinist,  and  later  took  charge  of  the 
foundry  where  he  was  employed  until  his 
death  in  1869.  His  widow  survived  until 
1887.  He  had  six  children,  five  of  whom 
grew  to  maturity,  three  living  in  1908. 
Samuel  is  a  machinist  in  Chicago  for  the 
Nickel  Plate  Railroad,  by  which  company 
he  is  regarded  as  an  expert;  James,  the 
subject,  is  the  second  child;  Evelyn  is  single 
and  is  living  in  Centralia ;  John  F.,  who  was 
a  machinist,  died  in  Little  Rock,  Arkansas; 
Oscar  was  killed  July  4,  1865,  by  the  ex- 
plosion of  an  engine  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  at  Centralia ;  George  W.  was  an 
engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central,  and  he 
also  worked  at  Little  Rock,  Arkansas, 
where  he  died. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  attended  school 
until  he  was  sixteen  years  old,  when  he  left 


school  and  started  to  learn  the  machinist's 
trade  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri.  In  1855  he 
came  to  Centralia  and  finished  his  trade. 
He  then  went  to  Champaign,  Illinois,  where 
he  worked  for  ten  months  at  his  trade,  later 
becoming  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad  between  Champaign  and  Centralia, 
having  worked  at  this  for  two  years.  He 
then  went  to  Columbus,  Kentucky,  at  the 
opening  of  the  Mobile  &  Ohio  Railroad  in 
the  United  States  government  service.  He 
ran  an  engine  to  Jackson,  Tennessee,  and 
different  places,  and  he  was  later  at  the 
opening  of  the  Memphis  &  Charleston  Rail- 
road. He  was  master  mechanic  at  Jackson, 
Tennessee,  for  the  Mobile  &  Ohio  Railroad, 
and  he  continued  his  services  for  the  gov- 
ernment until  the  close  of  the  war.  After 
the  war  he  went  to  Jackson,  Tennessee, 
where  he  remained  for  three  years.  He  was 
master  mechanic  there  for  the  Mobile  & 
Ohio,  and  later  went  to  Selma,  Alabama, 
and  was  foreman  under  J.  W.  Wallace  for 
eighteen  months.  He  resigned  partly  on  ac- 
count of  failing  health  and  came  to  Cen- 
tralia, and  he  and  his  brothers  opened  the 
Benson  Brothers'  machine  shop,  in  1871. 
His  brother,  Samuel,  retired  in  1875,  as  did 
also  his  brother  John,  and  the  subject  then 
managed  the  shop  alone  until  February  28, 
1907,  when  he  sold  out.  They  built  up  a 
large  business  and  the  venture  proved  to  be 
a  great  success.  They  had  a  foundry  and 
blacksmith  shop  in  connection,  and  did  all 
kinds  of  repair  work. 

In  1860  Mr.  Benson  cast  his  first  vote  for 
Abraham  Lincoln.     He  always  took  an  ac- 


744 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


tive  interest  in  politics,  and  was  Mayor  of 
Centralia  for  three  terms,  and  was  in  the 
City  Council  for  four  years.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican, a  member  of  the  Brotherhood  of 
Locomotive  Engineers  at  Champaign. 

Mr.  Benson  was  united  in  marriage  in 
Salem,  August  2,  1899,  to  Sarah  Jane 
Cunningham,  widow  of  Alexander  Cun- 
ningham, and  a  daughter  of  Charles  and 
Caroline  (Steffy)  Grose,  the  former  a 
native  of  Kentucky  and  the  latter  of  Bloom- 
ington,  Indiana,  where  they  married.  She 
was  attending  school  there  and  they  ran 
away  and  married.  Her  father  was  a  farmer 
and  stock  raiser  in  Indiana,  later  mov- 
ing to  Trenton,  Illinois.  His  father 
was  Joseph  and  his  mother  was  Sarah  Jane 
Grose.  They  were  pioneers  of  Trenton, 
Illinois.  Mrs.  Benson's  parents  came  to  this 
county,  locating  at  Sandoval,  in  1857,  when 
there  were  only  two  houses  there.  He  con- 
ducted a  hotel  there  for  several  years,  later 
locating  in  Centralia,  where  he  also  con- 
ducted a  hotel,  later  in  life  going  to 
Indianapolis,  where  he  lived  with  his  children 
until  his  death,  which  occurred  in  1891.  His 
widow  survived  until  1900.  The  following 
children  were  born  to  them :  Louisa,  widow 
of  Seely  Ashmeed,  of  Indianapolis;  Sarah 
Jane,  the  subject's  wife;  Orville,  who  is 
now  deceased,  was  an  engineer  on  the  Big 
Four  Railroad  for  many  years  at  Indian- 
apolis, and  he  married  Sophia  Haussler ;  Wil- 
liam is  an  engineer  on  the  Big  Four  Railroad 
at  Indianapolis;  Benjamin  M.  is  deceased; 
Sidney,  who  is  deceased,  was  a  telegraph  op- 
erator on  the  Big  Four  for  seventeen  years 


at  Indianapolis;  Charles  was  also  an  engi- 
neer on  the  Big  Four  at  Indianapolis. 

Alexander  Cunningham,  Mrs.  Benson's 
first  husband,  was  born  in  Gallion,  Ohio. 
He  was  an  engineer  on  the  Mobile  &  Ohio. 
In  1862  he  went  to  Columbus  and  Jackson, 
Tennessee,  and  afterward,  in  1869,  died. 
Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Alexander  Cunningham,  namely:  Albert 
Edward,  who  was  born  November  21,  1860, 
is  a  machinist  in  St.  Louis,  and  he  married 
Margaret  McHenry,  who  is  the  mother  of 
two  children,  Lulu  and  Olive;  Andrew  J. 
died  in  1862;  Ida  E.  died  in  1865. 

The  subject  and  wife  have  one  daughter, 
Nellie,  who  is  the  wife  of  Isaac  Coe.  They 
live  on  a  farm  near  Centralia.  They  have 
one  son,  Isaac,  Jr.,  who  was  born  October 
31,  1908.  Mrs.  Benson  is  a  member  of 
the  Episcopal  church.  Mrs.  Coe  belongs  to 
the  First  Baptist  church.  Ex-Mayor  Benson, 
our  subject,  is  favorably  known  throughout 
this  locality,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of 
Centralia's  most  worthy  citizens. 


SAMUEL  R.  WILD. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  has  been 
called  to  a  higher  plane  of  action  in  the 
course  of  natural  human  events,  still  exerts 
an  influence  on  those  whom  his  life  touched 
for  his  noble  character  made  its  impress  on 
everyone,  and  no  man  ever  lived  in  Centra- 
lia who  was  truer  to  high  ideals  than  he. 

Samuel  R.  Wild  was  born  near  Manches- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


745 


ter,  England,  August  2,  1834,  the  son  of 
Robert  and  Mary  (Rolliston)  Wild,  both 
bom  at  Oldham,  England,  where  they  spent 
their  lives,  the  father  of  the  subject  having 
been  a  bookkeeper  for  thirty  years.  They 
both  died  in  England.  To  them  were  born 
two  children.  Ann,  the  other  child,  besides 
our  subject,  died  in  infancy.  Robert  Wild 
was  three  times  married.  One  wife  was  a 
Miss  Briley.  His  third  wife  was  Mary  E. 
Burton.  He  had  one  son  by  his  second  wife, 
whom  he  named  Briley,  and  who  died  in 
England,  and  he  also  had  one  child  by  his 
third  wife,  who  was  named  Burton,  and 
who  also  lived  in  the  mother  country.  The 
subject  of  this  sketch  received  only  a  limited 
schooling,  however,  he  is  an  educated  man, 
having  been  a  close  student  all  his  life.  He 
lived  at  home  until  he  reached  maturity,  and 
he  served  an  apprenticeship  of  seven  years 
with  Platte  Brothers,  until  1862,  when  he 
and  his  wife  came  to  America  on  the 
"United  Kingdom",  a  steamer  which  sank 
the  next  trip.  They  landed  in  New  York 
City,  where  they  lived  awhile,  and  also  in 
Boston  for  several  years,  after  which  they 
came  west  and  located  in  Centralia,  Illinois. 
Mr.  Wild  entered  the  Illinois  Central  shops 
as  a  machinist,  and  later  became  an  engineer 
and  ran  on  the  road  for  eighteen  years ;  then 
went  to  Mt.  Vernon,  Illinois,  remaining 
there  awhile  in  the  Louisville  &  Nashville 
shops.  They  were  moved  to  Howell,  In- 
diana, and  Mr.  Wild  declined  to  move  his 
family,  and  consequently  he  secured  a  posi- 
tion with  the  Air  Line,  now  the  Southern 
Railroad,  as  a  foreman  of  the  engineers, 


and  he  was  regarded  as  a  most  efficient  rail- 
road man.  He  passed  to  his  rest  August 
29,  1893.  Eight  children  were  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife  as  follows:  Edith  Ann 
died  in  infancy;  Mary  E.  married  W.  B. 
Goodale,  of  Centralia;  Sarah  Edith  mar- 
ried Harvey  England,  and  they  are  living 
in  St.  Louis.  Robert  died  at  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years,  having  remained  single; 
Gussie  died  when  young;  Morton  and  Bur- 
ton were  twins  and  both  died  young;  Ber- 
tha married  Charles  Brown  and  they  are 
living  at  Howell,  Indiana. 

The  subject  was  a  member  of  the  Epis- 
copal church.  He  was  a  Republican  in  his 
political  affiliations,  and  worked  for  the 
success  of  his  party.  He  served  as  Alderman 
and  City  Councilman;  also  served  the  city 
of  Centralia  as  a  member  of  the  Library 
Board.  In  his  fraternal  relations  he  was  a 
Mason,  belonging  to  Centralia  Lodge  No. 
201.  After  serving  his  apprenticeship  in 
the  Centralia  Lodge,  completing  the  same 
March  15,  1878,  he  passed  as  a  fellow 
craftsman  April  isth  following,  and  was 
raised  to  the  degree  of  Master  Mason  April 
20,  1878.  He  was  very  well  known  and 
highly  respected  by  all. 

Samuel  R.  Wild  married.  February  25. 
1857,  at  Prestwick  church,  near  Manches- 
ter, England.  He  made  two  trips  back  to 
his  old  home  on  a  visit  and  Mrs.  Wild  made 
one  trip.  Mrs.  Wild  was  known  in  her 
maidenhood  as  Ann  Randall,  who  was  born 
January  7,  1837,  at  Oldham,  near  Man- 
chester, England.  She  is  the  daughter  of 
David  and  Mary  Morton,  both  of  Oldham, 


746 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


England,  where  they  always  lived.  The 
father  of  Mrs.  Wild  was  for  many  years  a 
slosle  major  (or  foreman)  in  a  cotton  fac- 
tory. Five  of  their  children  grew  to  matu- 
rity, namely :  Martha,  deceased ;  Sarah, 
deceased;  Ann,  the  subject's  wife;  John 
Thomas,  deceased;  Mary,  who  is  living  in 
Boston,  Massachusetts,  married  John  Bar- 
sley,  who  is  now  deceased.  Mrs.  Wild  is  a 
very  pleasant  lady,  and  she  has  a  comfort- 
able and  nicely  furnished  home. 


HARVEY  R.  LIVESAY. 

One  of  the  representative  farmers  of 
Marion  county  is  he  whose  name  initiates 
this  sketch,  being  one  of  the  men  of  industry 
who  have  contributed  to  the  general  wel- 
fare of  this  community,  while  he  is  accorded 
the  fullest  measure  of  respect  throughout 
the  county  where  he  has  long  resided. 

Harvey  R.  Livesay,  the  present  efficient 
Supervisor  of  Foster  township,  was  born 
May  10,  1861,  in  Washington  county,  Illi- 
nois, the  son  of  Alfred  Livesay,  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  and  Hannah  (Logan)  Livesay, 
a  native  of  Washington  county,  Illinois. 
The  maternal  grandfather  of  the  subject, 
James  R.  Logan,  was  born  in  South  Caro- 
lina and  resided  in  Tennessee  until  he  came 
to  Washington  county,  Illinois,  where  he 
had  a  well  improved  farm  that  he  lived  on 
to  the  time  of  his  death,  which  occurred  in 
1860.  He  was  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
church  and  was  a  local  exhorter. 

The  father  of  the  subject  came  to  Wash- 


ington county,  Illinois,  when  a  boy  with  his 
parents.  He  grew  to  maturity  there,  pur- 
chasing land  in  that  county.  In  1866  he 
went  to  Missouri  and  later  came  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  bought  land  in  Patoka 
township,  six  hundred  acres,  mostly  gov- 
ernment land  and  unimproved.  He  was  a 
successful  farmer  and  was  a  member  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  was  a 
Democrat  and  active  in  politics,  and  was  well 
known  throughout  the  county.  His  death 
occurred  April  22,  1883.  His  widow  still 
lives  in  Patoka  township,  on  the  old  home 
place.  She  has  been  a  faithful  wife  and 
mother,  and  a  woman  of  beautiful  Christian 
attributes,  consequently  she  enjoys  the 
friendship  of  a  large  number  of  the  resi- 
dents of  Marion  county.  To  her  and  Mr. 
Livesay  thirteen  children  were  born,  named 
in  order  of  birth  as  follows :  William,  a 
druggist,  in  Iowa ;  Lizzie,  who  is  single  and 
living  at  home  with  her  mother;  Berry,  is 
merchant  near  Odin,  Illinois;  Hester,  who 
is  living  in  Patoka  township;  Ransom,  a 
farmer  of  Patoka  township;  Marshall,  a 
farmer  in  Foley,  Missouri ;  Lydia,  deceased, 
was  the  wife  of  Robert  Quale;  Harvey  R., 
our  subject;  Allen,  deceased;  Daniel,  a 
farmer  of  Patoka  township;  Clinton,  also  a 
farmer  in  Patoka  township;  Etta,  living  in 
Patoka  township;  Eddie  died  when  young. 
These  children  are  fairly  well  situated  in 
life. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  received  a 
limited  education  in  the  home  schools,  and 
he  remained  at  home  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  twenty-two. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


747 


Mr.  Livesay  was  united  in  marriage  in 
February,  1883,  to  Mollie  Chick,  of  Foster 
township,  and  she  was  called  from  her 
earthly  labors  in  1895.  The  subject  has 
five  children,  all  living  at  home,  namely : 
Howard,  Edgar,  Virgil,  Asa  and  Mollie. 

After  his  marriage  the  subject  lived  in 
Patoka  township  for  about  seven  years, 
when  he  bought  the  farm  where  he  now 
lives  in  section  29,  Foster  township.  He 
owns  sixty-two  and  one-half  acres  in  the 
home  place  and  thirty-eight  acres  in  section 
19,  also  eighty  acres  in  Patoka  township, 
all  under  a  high  state  of  improvement  and 
well  cultivated,  producing  excellent  crops 
from  year  to  year.  He  raises  all  kinds  of  grain 
and  hay,  and  does  a  general  farming  busi- 
ness in  a  manner  that  insures  success  from 
year  to  year.  He  has  devoted  his  life  to 
farming  and  therefore  has  mastered  all  its 
details,  being  now  recognized  as  a  very 
careful  and  systematic  worker.  He  keeps 
some  good  stock  of  all  kinds  in  his  fields 
and  barns.  He  has  a  comfortable  and  well 
furnished  dwelling.  He  has  always  been 
a  hard  working  man,  and  while  he  has  met 
with  some  reverses,  he  has  never  let  dis- 
couragement down  him,  but  with  renewed 
courage  has  set  to  work  again  and  accom- 
plished definite  success.  He  is  a  loyal 
Democrat,  and  at  this  writing  is  ably  serv- 
ing his  township  as  Supervisor.  He  takes 
much  interest  in  politics,  and  is  always 
ready  to  do  his  share  in  promoting  any 
movement  looking  to  the  development  of  his 
county.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  In  his  fraternal  relations 


he  is  a  member  of  the  Farmers'  Society  of 
Equity,  of  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  In  this 
section  where  he  has  lived  for  so  many 
years  and  mingled  with  the  people  in  busi- 
ness and  politics,  no  one  has  ever  heard 
anything  derogatory  to  his  honesty. 


JACOB  J.   REICHENBACH. 

One  of  the  influential  citizens  of  Centra- 
lia,  is  the  gentleman  to  whose  career  the  at- 
tention of  the  reader  is  now  directed,  who  is 
ranked  as  one  of  the  city's  leading  business 
men,  a  man  of  excellent  endowments  and 
upright  character. 

Jacob  J.  Reichenbach,  the  well  known 
shoe  dealer,  was  born  in  St.  Louis,  Missouri, 
March  22,  1857,  the  son  of  Henry  and 
Anna  M.  (Apple)  Reichenbach,  the  father 
having  come  to  this  country  from  Germany 
in  1856.  In  his  family  were  seven  children, 
four  boys  and  three  girls,  our  subject  being 
the  oldest.  The  people  of  Anna  M.  Apple 
were  also  from  Germany,  having  left  that 
country  in  1856,  first  settling  in  St.  Louis, 
where  they  remained  for  two  years,  later 
moving  to  Columbia,  Monroe  county,  Illi- 
nois. Henry  Reichenbach  was  a  shoe- 
maker by  trade,  which  he  followed  for 
some  time,  then  embarked  in  the  tavern 
business,  having  successfully  managed  the 
Reichenbach  House,  in  Columbia,  for  many 
years.  He  was  drafted  in  the  Union  army 
during  the  Civil  war.  while  living  in  Mon- 
roe county,  this  state,  and  enlisted  from 


748 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


there  in  1862,  serving  one  and  one-half 
years.  He  was  in  Libby  prison  for  about 
two  months  when  he  was  exchanged.  Re- 
ceiving a  thirty  days'  furlough  he  returned 
home,  then  went  back  to  the  ranks  and  was 
mustered  out  at  the  close  of  the  war  at 
Springfield.  After  his  service  in  the  army  he 
returned  to  the  shoe  business,  which  he  fol- 
lowed until  1880;  he  then  keot  a  tavern  and 
later  a  saloon.  He  drew  a, pension  and  his 
widow,  who  still  survives,  also  draws  a 
pension  as  a  result  of  his  army  record. 
Henry  Reichenbach  died  in  Columbia  at  the 
age  of  sixty-six  years. 

Jacob  J.  Reichenbach  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Columbia,  Illinois,  where 
he  received  a  fairly  good  education.  His 
first  work  was  done  in  St.  Louis,  in  the  shoe 
business  with  C.  A.  Cole  &  Company,  with 
whom  he  was  connected  for  a  period  of 
two  years.  He  then  went  into  a  general 
store  in  Columbia,  Illinois,  at  the  age  of 
sixteen  years,  the  firm  being  Reid  &  Schue- 
ler,  with  whom  he  remained  for  three  years. 
He  had  made  a  success  of  his  work  in  both 
places,  but  he  desired  to  enter  railroad  ser- 
vice and  studied  telegrahy,  receiving  em- 
ployment on  a  railroad  when  twenty  years 
old.  Later  he  returned  to  the  shoe  trade 
with  F.  Schindler,  of  St.  Louis,  and  was 
connected  with  him  for  a  period  of  six  years 
in  St.  Louis.  He  then  came  to  Centralia 
and  established  the  St.  Louis  Shoe  Store  for 
that  gentleman,  in  1883,  remaining  with  the 
same  and  biulding  up  a  fine  business  until 
1895.  Then  he  was  with  G.  L.  Pittenger 
in  the  grocery  department  of  his  store,  re- 


maining in  the  same  for  two  years.  He  then 
purchased  an  interest  in  the  Davis  &  Pulsifer 
Shoe  Company,  which  is  now  the  Davis  & 
Reichenbach  Shoe  Company,  located  on  the 
corner  of  Broadway  and  Locust  streets,  in 
this  city,  which  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  up-to-date  shoe  stores  in  this  part  of 
the  state,  and  where  many  customers  are 
constantly  to  be  found,  for  they  always  get 
full  value  received  and  are  accorded  the  most 
courteous  treatment.  Our  subject  has  been 
the  manager  and  treasurer  of  the  firm  since 
its  inception. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  Sep- 
tember 21,  1 88 1,  with  Ellice  Boeringer, 
daughter  of  William  and  Caroline  Boer- 
inger, of  Hermann,  Missouri,  she  being  the 
third  child  in  order  of  birth,  in  a  family  of 
seven  children,  consisting  of  three  boys  and 
four  girls. 

Nine  children,  seven  of  whom  are  living, 
have  been  born  to  our  subject  and  wife, 
named  as  follows :  Fred,  Pearl,  Millie,  Etna, 
J.  C,  Caroline,  Viola.  Fred  married  Rosa 
Bates,  of  Centralia,  and  they  have  one  son. 
The  remaining  children  are  all  single  and 
living  at  home.  They  have  received  good 
common  school  educations.  Millie  is  one 
of  the  teachers  in  the  Centralia  public 
schools  in  the  second  grade. 

Mr.  Reichenbach  has  always  taken  a 
great  interest  in  his  county  in  civic,  educa- 
tional and  material  lines,  and  has  ever  done 
what  he  could  in  furthering  the  public  wel- 
fare. He  is  at  this  writing  serving  his  fourth 
term  as  a  member  of  the  local  Board  of  Edu- 
cation. He  is  a  member  of  the  Turner  So- 


iRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


749 


ciety  and  the  Royal  Arcanum,  and  is  a 
member  of  the  Evangelical  church.  In  poli- 
tics he  has  always  been  a  Republican. 


OWEN  BREEZE. 

One  of  the  representative  citizens  of  Cen- 
tralia,  whose  friends  were  limited  only  by 
the  circle  of  his  acquaintance,  and  who  was 
regarded  by  everyone  as  a  useful  and  con- 
scientious man,  always  ready  to  perform  his 
duty  in  all  lines,  was  the  subject  of  this 
sketch. 

Owen  Breeze,  whose  gentle  spirit  has 
passed  to  the  silent  land,  was  born  in  Orange 
county,  Indiana,  November  19,  1818,  the 
son  of  Robert  and  Peggie  (Copple)  Breeze, 
both  natives  of  Orange  county,  Indiana.  He 
was  a  farmer  and  he  came  to  Jefferson 
county.  Illinois,  in  1857,  buying  a  farm. 
later  going  to  Washington  county,  this  state, 
where  he  purchased  a  farm,  afterwards 
moving  to  Marion  county,  where  he  died. 
His  wife  died  in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois. 
They  were  the  parents  of  fourteen  children, 
only  one  son,  Jonathan,  and  one  daughter, 
Catherine,  are  now  living.  Jonathan  lives 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois.  Mrs.  Catherine 
Fouts,  the  daughter,  lives  in  Centralia. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  had  little 
chance  to  attend  school.  He  did  not  even 
learn  to  read  and  write,  but  by  habits  of 
close  observation  he  developed  into  a  splen- 
did business  man,  and  made  a  success  of  his 
life  work.  He  was  first  married  to  Mar- 


garet Fortner,  of  Jefferson  county,  who  died 
in  1873,  and  he  married  a  second  time  in 
March,  1875,  to  Sarah  Ann  West,  widow 
of  William  R.  West,  who  was  born  April 
22,  1834.  He  was  in  Company  F,  Eightieth 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  during  the  Civil 
war,  and  he  died  at  Chattanooga,  Tennes- 
see. Mrs.  Breeze  was  the  daughter  of  James 
C.  and  Margaret  (Rainy)  Baldridge,  the 
former  a  native  of  North  Carolina,  and  the 
latter  of  Kentucky.  He  was  nine  years  old 
when  he  came  (1820)  with  his  parents  to 
Illinois,  who  settled  in  Jefferson  county. 
James  C.  was  the  son  of  Donton  Baldridge, 
who  first  settled  near  Walnut  Hill,  and  later 
got  land  in  Grand  Prairie  township,  Jeffer- 
son county.  He  managed  a  mill  and  also 
owned  a  large  tract  of  land.  Eleven  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them. 

Four  children  were  born  to  Mrs.  Breeze 
by  her  first  marriage  to  William  R.  West, 
namely:  Andrew,  who  died  young;  James 
A.,  a  farmer  in  Jefferson  county,  in  Grand 
Prairie  township,  who  married  Effie  Copple, 
to  whom  one  son,  Willard,  has  been  born  ; 
Iva  died  in  infancy ;  Hattie  married  Amos 
Miller,  of  Jefferson  county.  They  reside  in 
Grand  Prairie  township,  and  are  the  parents 
of  two  children,  Elsie  and  L.  D. 

No  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife.  Mr.  Breeze  had  five  children  by  his 
first  wife,  namely :  Martha  J.,  widow  of 
Henry  West,  of  Irvington,  Illinois;  Sidney, 
who  is  deceased,  was  a  farmer  in  Jefferson 
county;  Harriett,  who  married  Joseph 
Boles,  lives  in  Jefferson  county;  two  chil- 
dren died  young. 


750 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


On  December  12,  1861,  Mr.  Breeze  re- 
sponded to  the  patriotic  feeling  which  had 
been  dominant  in  his  nature  for  some  time, 
and  enlisted  in  Company  F,  Forty-ninth  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry.  He  became  ser- 
geant and  served  until  April  21,  1863,  when 
he  was  discharged  at  White  Station,  Ten- 
nessee. He  was  sick  a  great  deal  of  the 
time  he  was  in  the  service.  He  lived  the 
early  years  of  his  life  in  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  on  Walnut  Hill  Prairie,  and  later 
moved  to  near  Irvington,  Illinois,  where  he 
lived  until  1880,  when  he  moved  to  Centra- 
lia.  where  he  lived  retired  until  his  death,  in 
January,  1878.  He  devoted  his  life  to 
farming,  also  dealt  extensively  in  stock.  He 
was  very  successful  in  each,  and  was 
highly  respected  for  his  honesty  in  his  re- 
lations with  his  fellow  men.  Although  a 
strong  Republican  and  interested  in  the  suc- 
cess of  his  party's  principles,  he  never  held 
•office.  Mrs.  Breeze  has  been  a  faithful  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church  for 
the  past  fifty-six  years.  She  is  a  woman  of 
pleasing  manners,  and  her  pleasant  home  is 
often  the  gathering  place  for  her  many 
friends. 


SAMUEL  A.  JOLLIFF. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  review  is 
one  of  the  old  and  honored  citizens  of  Car- 
rigan  township,  having  spent  his  long  and 
eminently  useful  life  within  the  borders  of 
Marion  county,  a  life  that  has  been  honor- 
able at  all  times. 


Samuel  A.  Jolliff  was  born  July  8,  1830, 
at  Central  City,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  the 
son  of  James  and  Elizabeth  (Jackson) 
Jolliff.  The  father  of  the  subject  was  born 
in  Kentucky.  The  subject's  paternal  grand- 
father was  in  the  Revolutionary  war,  hav- 
ing served  under  Washington  until  its  close. 
He  had  seven  different  discharges  from  the 
war  department  of  the  United  States.  The 
father  of  the  subject  came  to  Central  City, 
this  county,  October  15,  1829.  He  learned 
the  miller's  trade  in  Kentucky,  and  for 
many  years  operated  a  water  mill  on 
Crooked  creek,  Marion  county,  near  Central 
City,  at  the  old  Jolliff  bridge.  He  was 
County  Judge  for  twelve  years  in  Clinton 
county,  and  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  many 
years.  He  was  a  prominent  man  in  politics 
in  his  time.  He  was  a  Baptist  and  liberal 
minded  man.  He  died  in  1876,  at  his  home 
near  the  Jolliff  bridge.  He  was  the  first 
settler  here  of  this  old  family.  He  served  in 
the  War  of  1812,  under  command  of  Wil- 
liam Henry  Harrison.  The  subject's  mother 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  and  came  to 
Kentucky  when  young,  where  she  married 
James  Jolliff.  The  subject  is  the  only  living 
member  of  a  family  of  seven  children.  He 
received  a  limited  education  in  the  pioneer 
schools. 

Our  subject  went  to  California  in  1852, 
during  the  gold  excitement.  He  has  seen  a 
great  deal  of  the  world,  has  been  in  Panama 
where  the  canal  is  being  built,  and  in  nu- 
merous places  of  interest. 

Not  being  able  to  longer  repress  his  pa- 
triotism he  enlisted  in  the  Union  army  Au- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


gust  12,  1862,  in  Company  G,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Infantry, 
under  the  command  of  R.  W.  Jolliff,  his 
brother,  who  was  captain  of  that  company. 
After  a  faithful  service  he  was  discharged 
June  6,  1865,  with  the  rank  of  sergeant, 
having  taken  part  in  all  the  important  battles 
of  the  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Regi- 
ment. 

Our  subject  bought  wild  land  from  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad  after  he  returned 
from  the  army.  It  is  located  in  section  6, 
and  he  has  made  all  the  improvements  on 
the  same,  and  it  is  one  of  the  choice  farms 
of  the  township.  The  county  was  very  thinly 
settled  when  the  subject  came  here.  He  paid 
the  railroad  company  the  first  money  they 
ever  received  from  their  land.  Mr.  Jolliff 
knew  the  man  who  built  the  first  house  in 
Centralia,  and  made  the  brick  for  the  depot. 

Mr.  Jolliff  was  united  in  marriage  on  the 
25th  of  December,  1857,  to  Mary  L.  Kin- 
yon,  and  to  them  four  children  were  born, 
all  of  whom  are  deceased.  Mr.  Jolliff's 
second  wife  was  Eliza  J.  Alexander,  by 
whom  two  children  were  born,  both  de- 
ceased. The  subject's  third  wife  was  Re- 
becca J.  Wisher,  whom  he  married  January 
2,  1867,  and  to  this  union  six  children  were 
born,  namely:  Minnie  A.,  born  October  21, 
1867,  married  Edwin  O'Niel  on  December 
22,  1885,  and  to  whom  nine  children  were 
born,  only  four  of  whom  are  living,  and 
they  reside  in  Clinton  county;  Ulysses  B. 
was  born  May  6,  1869,  and  married  Etta 
Ward  in  1890.  They  are  the  parents  of  five 
children  and  are  living  in  McLean  county, 


this  state;  Chester  was  married  to  Mary 
Smith,  December  14,  1892,  and  they  had 
three  children,  two  of  whom  are  living  and 
one  dead ;  Bertie,  the  fourth  child,  was  born 
June  5,  1875.  She  is  deceased.  Winifred 
B.,  the  fifth  child,  who  was  born  November 
14,  1876,  died  November  20,  1906;  Bertha 
V.,  the  youngest  child,  was  born  January  2, 
1880,  and  died  at  the  age  of  three  years. 

The  subject's  wife  is  the  daughter  of 
Thomas  Wisher,  who  was  born  January  26, 
1820.  He  was  a  carpenter  and  farmer.  He 
married  Harriett  Horner,  who  was  born  in 
1818,  in  Ohio,  and  who  lived  in  Patoka,  this 
state.  The  father  of  Mrs.  Jolliff  died  Feb- 
ruary 27,  1892,  and  her  mother  passed  away 
April  29,  1891. 

Mr.  Jolliff  is  a  Republican  and  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  In  busi- 
ness he  has  been  watchful  of  all  details  of 
his  work,  and  of  all  indications  pointing 
toward  prosperity.  He  has  gained  success, 
yet  it  has  not  been  the  only  goal  to  which  he 
is  striving,  for  he  belongs  to  that  class  of 
American  citizens  who  promote  general 
prosperity. 


MRS.  CAROLINE  E.  COLE. 

The  following  record  is  that  of  one  of 
Marion  county's  most  highly  respected  and 
estimable  elderly  women  whose  life  has  been 
modeled  after  high  ideals,  and  so  lived  as 
not  to  give  offense  to  those  whom  it  touched. 

Caroline  E.  Cole  was  born  in  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  April  5,  1837,  the  daughter 


752 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


of  John  and  Anise  (Mulkey)  Huey,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  North  Carolina.  Caroline 
E.  was  one  year  old  at  the  time  of  his  death 
in  Clinton  county.  The  mother  of  the 
subject  was  born  in  Missouri  and  passed  to 
her  rest  when  our  subject  was  seven  years 
old.  Caroline  was  reared  by  an  uncle,  Jo- 
seph Huey,  a  brother  of  her  father,  who 
lived  in  Clinton  county.  She  received  a 
fairly  good  education  in  the  early  common 
schools  of  her  native  county,  and  when  she 
was  twenty  years  old  she  was  married  on 
February  19,  1857,  to  John  Cole,  a  thrifty 
farmer,  and  to  this  union  seven  children 
were  born,  four  of  whom  are  living  at  this 
writing,  namely:  Permelia  M.,  who  mar- 
ried George  Fisher,  has  three  children,  one 
boy  and  two  girls.  Mr.  Fisher,  who  was  a 
boiler  maker,  is  now  deceased,  and  his 
widow  lives  in  Centralia.  John  T.,  the  sub- 
ject's second  child,  married  Anna  Young  and 
they  became  the  parents  of  two  children,  one 
of  whom  is  deceased,  Myrtle  M.,  being  the 
living  child ;  John  T.  is  a  machinist  in  Cen- 
tralia, doing  scale  work;  Corda  M.,  who 
married  Clifford  Elrod,  who  is  now  de- 
ceased, leaving  Corda  M.  two  children,  a 
son  and  a  daughter ;  Harriett  Isabel  has  been 
a  clerk  in  the  local  post-office  for  over  ten 
years;  Mrs.  Cole  has  lived  in  Centralia  for 
over  thirty-six  years  in  1908.  She  educated 
all  her  children  in  this  city  and  she  has  be- 
come known  to  a  large  circle  of  friends 
during  her  long  residence  here.  John  Cole, 
her  husband,  passed  to  his  rest  January  25, 
1872.  He  was  one  of  the  gallant  soldiers 
in  the  Union  army  from  this  county,  having 


enlisted  in  August,  1862,  in  Company  I, 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  having  enlisted  in  Centralia, 
and  went  with  Col.  James  S.  Martin,  of 
Salem,  and  under  Capt.  Alfred  Nichols.  He 
went  into  camp  at  Paducah,  Kentucky, 
where  he  remained  three  months,  and  was 
in  service  three  years,  having  been  dis- 
charged in  June,  1865.  He  was  in  many 
well  contested  fights,  and  was  in  the  grand 
review  in  Washington  City  at  the  close  of 
the  war.  He  received  a  pension  of  twelve 
dollars  per  month.  He  was  a  Republican  in 
politics.  Both  he  and  Mrs.  Cole  were 
reared  Methodists,  and  they  lived  within  six 
miles  of  each  other  in  their  youth.  Mrs. 
Cole's  father-in-law,  Peter  Cole,  was  a  class 
leader  in  the  Methodist  church.  He  was 
born  in  Kentucky,  and  his  wife,  Jane  (Hus- 
ton) Cole,  was  born  in  the  state  of  New 
York.  Jane  Cole  died  October  10,  1864;  at 
the  age  of  fifty-five  years.  She  was  the 
mother  of  twelve  children,  six  boys  and  six 
girls.  John  Cole,  husband  of  our  subject, 
was  the  fourth  son  in  order  of  birth  in  the 
Cole  family.  The  four  oldest  sons  in  this 
family  all  served  in  the  war  of  the  Rebellion, 
three  were  in  the  Union  army  and  one  in 
the  Confederate  army.  All  of  them  lived  to 
return  home  in  Marion  county.  They 
fought  on  opposite  sides  at  Chancellorsville. 
The  greeting  of  the  home  coming  of  the  one 
was  not  like  that  of  the  other  three.  In  this 
community  it  was  looked  upon  as  a  shame 
and  a  disgrace  for  a  member  of  any  family  of 
loyal  Northerners  to  go  into  the  Confederate 
army. 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


753 


Mrs.  Caroline  Cole,  our  subject,  is  unusu- 
ally well  preserved  for  one  of  her  age.  She 
and  her  daughter  live  in  a  neat  and  com- 
fortable home  on  South  Poplar  street,  near 
the  post-office,  where  the  daughter  is  em- 
ployed. The  Cole  family  bears  an  excellent 
reputation  wherever  its  members  are  known. 


CHARLES  S.  HUDDLESTON. 

Dependent  very  largely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources from  early  youth,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  has  attained  to  no  insignificant 
position,  and  though  he  has  encountered 
many  obstacles,  he  has  pressed  steadily  on 
and  has  won  an  eminent  degree  of  success, 
and  is  today  one  of  the  foremost  business 
men  in  Marion  county,  being  the  owner  of  a 
large  marble  and  granite  works  in  the  thriv- 
ing city  of  Centralia. 

Charles  S.  Huddleston  was- born  near  Mt. 
Auburn,  Kentucky,  February  27,  1867,  the 
son  of  George  P.  and  Melinda  (Pribble) 
Huddleston.  Grandfather  Huddleston  was 
born  in  Pennsylvania  and  moved  to  Ken- 
tucky in  an  early  day,  where  he  spent  the 
remainder  of  his  life  and  where  he  died. 
He  was  a  Confederate  soldier  and  died 
from  disease  contracted  while  in  the  serv- 
ice. His  wife  died  when  about  fifty-two 
years  old.  Their  family  consisted  of  nine 
children.  Grandfather  Pribble  was  a  na- 
tive of  Pennsylvania,  who  moved  to  Illinois 
in  1882  and  died  the  following  year  at  the 
age  of  sixty-five  years.  His  wife  died  at 
48 


the  age  of  seventy-two  years.  They  were 
the  parents  of  four  chilren  and  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church. 

The  father  of  our  subject  remained  in 
Kentucky  until  he  was  forty  years  old,  when 
he  moved  to  Illinois  in  1881.  He  was  a  sol- 
dier in  the  Eighteenth  Kentucky  Volunteer 
Infantry  in  the  Union  army.  He  was 
wounded  and  captured  at  the  battle  of  Rich- 
mond, Kentucky,  and  was  discharged  on  ac- 
count of  the  wound,  and  he  carried  his  arm 
in  a  sling  for  two  years  as  a  result  of  the 
same,  the  bone  in  the  shoulder  joint  hav- 
ing been  shattered  with  a  bullet.  His  wound 
still  gives  him  much  pain  and  he  draws  a 
pension.  He  now  makes  his  home  with  our 
subject.  He  holds  to  the  faith  of  the 
Christian  church.  The  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject passed  to  her  rest  when  thirty-four 
years  old,  and  was  buried  in  the  beautiful 
Mt.  Auburn  cemetery.  She  was  also  a 
faithful  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
George  P.  Huddleston  was  a  farmer  and 
carpenter  in  his  active  life,  having  devoted 
twenty  years  to  his  trade  with  marked  suc- 
cess. He  had  a  brother,  Charles  I.,  who 
was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Union  ranks,  hav- 
ing enlisted  from  Kentucky  and  served 
through  the  war,  having  been  with  Sher- 
man on  his  march  to  the  sea.  He  came  out 
of  the  war  on  a  mule  which  he  captured 
while  on  a  foraging  expedition  and  which 
he  rode  in  the  grand  review  at  Washington. 
Another  brother,  John,  also  enlisted  from 
Kentucky  in  the  Union  army,  and  another 
brother.  Peter,  was  also  in  the  Union  serv- 
ice, having  also  been  with  Sherman  and 


754 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


served  to  the  end  of  the  war,  receiving'  an 
honorable  discharge.  Lorenzo,  another 
brother,  was  in  the  Federal  ranks.  He  died 
soon  after  the  close  of  the  war. 

The  parents  of  the  subject  reared  five 
children. 

Charles  S.  Huddleston,  our  subject,  first 
attended  school  in  Kentucky,  which  state 
he  left  when  fifteen  years  old  and  came  to 
Illinois,  in  which  state  he  went  to  the  pub- 
lic schools  for  four  or  five  winters.  He  had 
to  walk  nearly  three  miles  each  way  to 
school.  During  this  time  and  until  he  was 
twenty  years  old  he  worked  on  the  farm, 
after  which  he  served  eleven  years  as  a  let- 
terer  and  carver  on  marble  and  granite. 
After  four  years  he  became  superintendent 
of  the  works,  so  efficient  had  his  services 
been.  He  continued  as  superintendent  for 
a  period  of  seven  years.  Then  the  owner 
died  and  Mr.  Huddleston  was  selected  to 
close  up  the  business,  which  he  did  in  a 
most  satisfactory  manner  and  finally  bought 
the  business  without  the  payment  of  one 
dollar,  all  being  in  time  notes,  which  he 
paid  when  clue  and  had  the  business  clear 
of. indebtedness.  This  was  in  1901,  and  he 
has  since  conducted  the  works  successfully. 
It  is  now  the  largest  works  of  its  character 
in  this  locality  and  is  well  patronized,  yield- 
ing1 the  owner  a  handsome  income. 

Mr.  Huddleston  was  united  in  marriage 
in  1891  to  Jennie  Baldridge,  who  was  born 
in  Irvington,  Illinois,  the  daughter  of  James 
and  Lydia  (Pitchford)  Baldridge,  a  native 
of  Illinois. 

Three     interesting     children    have    been 


born  to  the  subject  and  wife,  namely :  Neva, 
born  in  1892,  is  in  her  second  year  in  high 
school  in  1908;  Ruby  was  born  in  1895,  is 
also  in  school;  Nina,  born  in  1898.  is  in 
school. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  our  subject  is 
a  member  of  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the 
Woodmen,  also  a  member  of  the  United 
Commercial  Travelers.  The  subject,  wife 
and  two  oldest  children  are  members  of 
the  Christian  church.  Mr.  Hnddleston  is  a 
charter  member  of  the  Young  Men's  Chris- 
tian Association  and  still  retains  his  mem- 
bership in  that  society,  which  boasts  of  the 
second  largest  membership  in  the  state.  In 
politics  he  is  a  loyal  Republican  and  is  now 
filling  his  second  term  as  Alderman  from 
the  Third  ward  of  Centralia  in  a  most  able 
and  praiseworthy  manner. 


REV.  J.  F.  ROSBOROUGH. 

Our  subjct's  life  labors  have  been  con- 
fined principally  to  the  pulpit,  and  his  name 
is  synonomous  with  all  that  constitutes  up- 
right and  honorable  manhood,  and  he  has 
earned  for  himself  the  sincere  and  honest 
appreciation  of  the  community  at  large,  and 
has  surrounded  himself  with  a  coterie  of 
faithful  admirers  and  friends. 

Rev.  J.  F.  Rosborough  was  born  in  Gib- 
son county,  Indiana,  January  5,  1857,  tne 
son  of  Green  and  Manesa  (Carter)  Ros- 
borough. The  former  was  born  in  Gibson 
county,  Indiana,  in  1827,  and  the  latter  was 


BRIXKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


755 


born  in  Posey  county,  Indiana,  in  1830.  The 
parents  of  both  were  from  Tennessee.  On 
the  mother's  side  the  descendants  were  from 
the  Huguenots.  There  were  ten  children  in 
the  family  of  Green  and  Manesa  Rosbor- 
ough, six  boys  and  four  girls,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch  having  been  the  eighth  in  order 
of  birth. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  reared  on 
a  farm  and  at  the  age  of  eight  years  came 
with  his  parents  to  Lawrence  county,  Illi- 
nois, where  he  attended  the  district  schools 
and  worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he 
was  twenty  years  old.  Thirsting  for 
higher  learning  he  took  a  course  in  Merom 
College,  Indiana,  where  he  made  a  splendid 
record,  and  after  which  he  taught  school  for 
a  number  of  years  in  Illinois  and  Kansas. 
His  services  were  in  constant  demand 
wherever  he  was  known.  When  thirty- 
three  years  old,  in  1890,  he  began  the  min- 
istry, which  has  proved  to  be  his  true  calling, 
judging  from  the  eminent  success  he  has  at- 
tained. His  first  work  was  begun  in  Law- 
rence county,  then  he  preached  in  Crawford 
and  Richland  counties,  Illinois,  and  at  this 
writing,  1908,  has  been  in  the  ministry  for 
a  period  of  eighteen  years.  Six  years  of 
this  time  were  devoted  to  the  work  in  Salem. 
Marion  county.  He  was  at  Sandoval  and 
Odin,  this  county,  for  two  years.  He  has 
been  at  Centralia  for  six  years  in  the  Chris- 
tian church,  where  his  ministry  has  been 
very  fruitful  of  good  works,  as  it  has  ever 
been,  resulting  in  general  good,  not  alone  in 
his  congregation,  but  to  all  others.  He  has 
always  had  a  deep  interest  in  true  reform. 


and  his  support  in  the  promulgation  of  all 
worthy  movements  looking  to  the  develop- 
ment of  the  public  good  could  always  be  de- 
pended upon. 

The  Christian  church  of  Centralia,  of 
which  our  subject  is  pastor,  was  organized 
December  31,  1856,  with  eight  members,  as 
follows :  Jacob  Frazier,  Harriett  Frazier, 
Daniel  Meyers,  James  McCartney,  Jane  Mc- 
Cartney, Margaret  Whitton,  Simpson  Fra- 
zier and  Louisa  Hawkins.  Elder  John  A. 
Williams  assisted  in  the  organization  and 
served  as  its  first  pastor  with  great  success, 
building  up  the  church.  The  church  in 
1857  moved  from  Central  City  to  Centralia 
and  built  a  house  of  worship  the  same  year. 
In  1866  this  house  was  destroyed  by  fire.  In 
1872  the  present  structure  was  built.  In 
1909  a  large  and  imposing  house  of  wor- 
ship was  begun,  the  cost  of  which  was  thirty 
thousand  dollars.  It  will  be  one  of  the 
handsomest  and  most  commodious  in  this 
part  of  the  state  when  completed,  and  the 
new  structure  has  been  secured  largely 
through  the  efforts  of  Rev.  Rosborough. 

The  following  pastors  have  served  this 
church :  J.  A.  Williams,  John  Boggs,  Silas 
W.  Leonard,  George  P.  Slade,  John  Ross, 
Marshall  A.  Wilcox,  Henry  Van  Duzen, 
Clark  Bradon,  W.  G.  Filler,  A.  Martin,  A. 
W.  Ingram,  J.  B.  Burroughs,  Guy  Wattens, 
C.  B.  Black,  C.  W.  Marlow,  S.  A.  Cook, 
William  Branch,  J.  H.  Smart,  Paul  H. 
Castle,  J.  H.  Stoller,  G.  W.  Thomas  and 
J.  F.  Rosborough,  the  present  pastor.  The 
membership  is  now  four  hundred,  and  the 
Sundav  school  has  an  enrollment  of  three 


756 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


hundred  and  sixty,  with  a  home  department. 
Following  is  the  present  board  of  officers  of 
the  church:  A.  Murrie,  Watson  Jones,  T. 
B.  Andrews,  D.  C.  Brown,  S.  A.  Frazier,  O. 
R.  Bert,  Marshall  Thomas,  A.  Rittinghouse, 
F.  M.  Phillips,  Riley  Davis,  Mrs.  M.  A. 
Burt,  Mrs.  D.  C.  Brown,  Mrs.  A.  Murrie. 
The  church  has  a  flourishing  Ladies'  Aid 
Society.  It  has  also  a  Mission  Circle,  senior 
and  junior,  also  Christian  Endeavor  societies, 
senior  and  junior. 

Rev.  Rosborough's  domestic  life  dates 
from  March  9,  1884,  when  he  was  united  in 
marriage  with  Clara  M.  Carroll,  the  refined 
and  cultured  daughter  of  C.  F.  and  S.  M. 
(Crater)  Carroll,  of  New  Comerstown, 
Ohio.  Six  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  wife,  named  in  order  of  birth  as 
follows:  O.  A.,  who  married  Harriett 
Brown,  of  Centralia,  this  county,  now  of 
Chicago;  Wilfred  H.,  Mary,  Paul  A.,  Jennie 
A.,  James  McLean.  All  these  children  are, 
except  the  first  named,  living  at  home,  hav- 
ing received  good  educations  in  the  public 
schools  and  all  giving  much  promise  of 
bright  futures.  Our  subject  and  wife  are 
popular  among  a  large  circle  of  friends  in 
Centralia,  and  their  home  is  often  the 
gathering  place  for  numerous  admirers. 


JOHN  W.  HATCH. 

One  of  the  progressive  and  representative 
citizens  of  Patoka  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  is  the  well  known  farmer  and 


stock  raiser  whose  name  heads  this  sketch, 
who  has  long  been  one  of  the  leading  men 
of  the  county  in  agricultural  affairs. 

John  W.  Hatch  was  born  in  Lawrence 
county,  Ohio,  December  19,  1836,  the  son 
of  Thomas  H.  and  Katherine  /Kehoe) 
Hatch,  the  former  having  been  born  in 
Bethlehem,  New  Hampshire,  in  1797.  He 
came  to  Ohio  with  his  parents  when  nine 
years  old,  having  driven  all  the  way  across 
the  mountains  in  wagons.  There  was  no 
mail  at  that  time  and  the  country  was  wild. 
He  settled  at  Wheelersburg.  The  father 
of  the  subject  was  engaged  in  the  salt  busi- 
ness for  quite  awhile  in  his  younger  days, 
after  which  he  farmed  for  some  time  and 
then  went  into  the  furnace  business,  mak- 
ing pig  iron,  most  of  which  was  shipped  to 
Pittsburg.  He  was  living  a  retired  life  near 
Portsmouth,  Ohio,  at  the  time  of  his  death 
in  1864.  He  was  a  money  maker  and  a 
prominent  man  in  his  day.  He  was  one  of 
four  children  and  received  a  common 
school  education,  belonged  to  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church  and  was  a  Democrat.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  was  born  in  Winches- 
ter, Virginia,  in  1795.  She  came  to  Wheel- 
ing and  then  to  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  with  her 
parents.  Her  people  were  very  prominent. 
Her  father  was  a  highly  educated  man  for 
those  times.  One  of  her  nephews  on  her 
side  of  the  house  is  now  president  of  a  bank 
in  Portsmouth,  Ohio.  The  father  of  the 
subject  married  his  first  wife  about  1835. 
To  them  the  following  children  were 
born:  Samuel  G.,  who  settled  east  of 
Vernon,  Illinois,  in  1861,  and  died  in 


BRINKERHOFK  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


757 


1899.  His  wife  is  also  deceased.  Two  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them,  one  son  living  in 
Oklahoma,  and  the  daughter  lives  near  Ver- 
non,  Illinois.  Ruby  G.,  the  second  child  of 
the  subject's  parents,  was  sixty-six  years  old 
at  the  time  of  her  death.  She  married  John 
H.  Barrett,  who  is  also  deceased.  They 
were  the  parents  of  four  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter. John  W.,  our  subject,  was  the  third 
child  in  order  of  birth.  Several  of  their 
children  died  in  infancy. 

John  W.  Hatch  was  educated  in  the  com- 
mon schools  of  Portsmouth,  but  he  received 
a  large  part  of  his  education  from  an  Eng- 
lishman who  taught  school  in  Portsmouth 
for  sixteen  consecutive  years,  being  a  grad- 
uate from  Oxford  College  in  England. 

Mr.  Hatch  came  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois, when  twenty-eight  years  old  for  the 
purpose  of  engaging  in  farming  and  stock 
raising.  For  many  years  he  has  been  prom- 
inent in  these  lines,  buying  and  shipping 
much  live  stock,  becoming  widely  known  as 
a  stockman  on  an  extensive  scale,  and  his 
success  has  been  uniform.  Mr.  Hatch 
taught  school  for  two  years  in  a  most  ac- 
ceptable manner  after  coming  to  this  coun- 
ty. He  also  engaged  in  the  mercantile  busi- 
ness near  Portsmouth,  Ohio,  and  in  Ten  - 
nessee  for  some  time  before  his  first  mar- 
riage. He  was  successful  as  a  merchant  and 
had  a  good  trade  wherever  he  launched  in 
this  line  of  business.  Since  coming  to  Ma- 
rion county  he  has  spent  the  major  part  of 
his  time  farming  and  stock  raising,  as  al- 
ready indicated,  and  for  many  years  was  a 
very  busy  man.  He  was  always  considered 


an  excellent  judge  of  live  stock  and  his  deals 
were  usually  successful.  He  is  now  living 
in  retirement,  having  acquired  a  liberal 
competency  to  insure  a  comfortr.ble  old  age. 

Mr.  Hatch  is  the  owner  of  seven  hundred 
acres  of  land,  on  which  he  has  made  all  the 
improvements,  transforming  it  from  its 
primitive  state  to  one  of  the  model  farms 
of  the  county.  Everything  about  the  place 
shows  thrift  and  prosperity,  a  large,  sub- 
stantial and  comfortable  dwelling,  a  good 
system  of  fencing  and  everything  up  to 
date,  all  due  to  the  good  management  and 
excellent  judgment  of  the  owner.  His  land  is 
located  in  sections  6,  7,  8  and  18.  Although 
the  subject  has  been  a  hard  working  man  all 
his  life,  he  is  well  preserved  and  is  hale  and 
hearty  for  one  of  his  age  and  has  a  clear 
business  mind.  He  makes  his  home  in  Pa- 
toka,  where  he  is  surrounded  by  everything 
to  make  life  pleasant,  his  dwelling  being 
nicely  furnished  and  stocked  with  numer- 
ous good  books,  which  the  subject  delights 
to  read,  being  interested  in  good  literature 
of  all  kinds.  He  is  a  well  educated  and 
wiely  read  man  and  a  very  instructive  and 
interesting  conversationalist. 

Mr.  Hatch  was  first  married  December 
n,  1862,  to  Flora  Hayward,  who  was  born 
in  Scioto  county,  Ohio,  and  to  this  happy 
union  the  following  children  were  born : 
Floyd  E.,  who  is  thirty-eight  years  old  in 
1908.  He  lives  west  of  Vernon.  He  mar- 
ried Clara  Nicols,  of  Patoka,  and  to  them 
two  children  have  been  born.  Frank  H., 
the  subject's  second  child,  is  thirty-one 
years  old  and  lives  west  of  Vernon.  He 


758 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY, 


married  Maud  Arnold.  They  have  two  chil- 
dren, a  daughter  and  a  son,  the  former  be- 
ing deceased. 

The  subject's  second  wife  was  Julia  V. 
Hull,  whom  he  married  February  5,  1901. 
She  was  the  widow  of  Capt.  H.  D.  Hull  and 
the  daughter  of  Ephraim  and  Julia  (Black) 
Martin.  She  was  born  in  Kentucky  and 
came  to  Illinois  when  nine  years  old.  She 
had  six  brothers  in  the  Union  army  and 
one  in  the  Confederate  army.  Her  family 
located  in  Olney,  this  state. 

Our  subject  is  a  Republican  in  his  politi- 
cal relations  and  has  held  several  of  the 
township  offices  by  appointment,  but  he  has 
never  aspired  for  political  office.  However, 
he  has  always  given  his  best  efforts  to  the 
enactment  of  the  duties  imposed  upon  him. 


DANIEL  KUGLER. 

A  "fragrant  weed"  in  the  form  of  a  good 
cigar  has  made  itself  indispensable  to  many 
a  man.  The  cigar  smoker  today  in  a  cigar- 
less  world  would  cut  a  sorry  figure.  He 
would  look  in  vain  for  something  to  soothe 
his  troubled  mind,  for  something  as  an  aid 
to  thought  and  contemplation ;  and  in  his 
solitary  moments  he  would  feel  miserable 
indeed.  And  so,  the  cigar  manufacturer 
has  become  a  factor  of  importance,  and 
cigar  making  has  become  one  of  our  fore- 
most industries,  employing  many  hands. 

Foremost  among  the  representative  busi- 
ness men  of  Centralia  is  Daniel  Kugler,  who 


has  won  success  as  the  maker  of  many  first 
class  brands  of  cigars. 

He  was  born  on  May  2,  1847,  the  son  of 
Jacob  and  Philipina  (Hollinger)  Kugler, 
both  of  Armweiler,  Bavaria,  the  town  where 
our  subject  was  also  born.  His  father  was 
a  skilled  painter  with  a  creditable  record  for 
turning  out  fine  workmanship.  He  was 
married  three  times ;  first  to  the  mother  of 
our  subject,  who  bore  her  husband  five 
children.  They  were :  Jacob,  who  has  been 
a  painter  for  sixteen  years  with  the  Anheu- 
ser-Busch Brewing  Company,  St.  Louis, 
Missouri ;  Daniel,  the  subject  of  our  sketch. 
Fred,  a  painter  by  trade,  now  in  the  cream- 
ery business  in  Wachenheim,  Bavaria.  The 
other  children  were  Caroline  and  Simon, 
now  both  deceased. 

Daniel  Kugler  received  a  common  school 
education  in  the  common  schools  of  Bavaria, 
and  at  the  age  of  thirteen  started  to  learn 
the  painter's  trade  with  his  father  and 
others.  In  1865,  he  came  alone  to  America, 
and,  having  remained  several  months  in 
New  York  City,  went  to  Henderson,  Ken- 
tucky. In  1866  he  arrived  in  Centralia,  Il- 
linois, and  took  up  the  painting  business  for 
a  time  with  a  local  firm.  He  then  started 
in  to  learn  the  cigar  making  industry  with 
Henry  Stuck,  with  whom  he  remained  for 
four  years,  after  which  he  went  to  Chicago, 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  New  Orleans.  He 
then  once  more  returned  to  Centralia,  where 
he  has  since  resided.  He  was  first  located  in 
South  Chestnut  street,  for  twenty-six  years 
afterwards  he  located  on  Locust  street,  and 
in  1902  he  opened  his  present  business  place 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


759 


at  No.  500  South  Locust  street,  on  property 
bought  in  1885.  He  has  a  fine  residence  in 
connection  with  his  business  place,  and  also 
owns  some  choice  real  estate  and  dwellings 
in  Centralia. 

In  1873  his  first  marriage  took  place.  In 
April  of  that  year  he  married  Christiana 
Hirsch,  of  Cronberg,  Germany,  and  after  a 
successful  and  happy  domestic  life  she  died 
in  1904.  He  remarried  on  November  16, 
1906,  Sofia  Bollier,  the  widow  of  Fritz  Bol- 
lier,  of  Switzerland,  whose  death  occurred 
in  1896.  Sofia  Bollier's  maiden  name  was 
Pfenninger.  She  was  born  in  Horgen,  Can- 
ton of  Zurich,  Switerland,  and  came  to 
America  in  1878.  Her  mother  and  her  sis- 
ter, Julia  Tepsin,  who  owns  a  dry-goods 
store,  live  at  Altamont,  Illinois.  Her 
brother,  Werner,  is  a  farmer  and  lives  near 
Edgewood,  Illinois.  Her  brother  Walter  is 
a  farmer  at  Harmony,  Pawnee  county,  Kan- 
sas. Julius,  another  brother  of  Mrs.  Kug- 
ler,  is  a  machinist  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 

Daniel  Kugler  has  one  son  by  his  first 
wife  named  Daniel,  who  lived  the  greater 
part  of  his  life  in  Centralia,  Illinois.  He  is 
a  first  class  jeweler  and  a  musician  of  note. 
He  now  resides  at  San  Bernardino,  Califor- 
nia. He  is  married  to  Lydia  Kist,  of  Ver- 
mont, Fulton  county,  Illinois. 

As  a  business  man  and  as  a  cigar  maker, 
Daniel  Kugler  is  widely  known  as  the  maker 
of  first  class  brands  of  cigars.  He  is  a  mas- 
ter in  his  line  of  business  and  is  a  strenuous 
believer  in  turning  out  goods  of  the  best 
quality,  and  of  giving  satisfaction  to  his 
patrons. 


In  social  affairs  he  has  that  marked  char- 
acteristic of  his  countrymen  highly  de- 
veloped in  him,  being  a  genial  spirit  in 
any  gathering  he  graces  with  his  presence. 
He  is  a  popular  member  of  the  Turnverein 
of  Centralia,  and  has  been  a  member  of  the 
Knights  of  Honor  for  twenty  years,  being 
for  twenty  years  its  treasurer.  His  wife  is 
also  prominent  in  social  work,  and  is  an  in- 
fluential member  of  the  local  German-Amer- 
ican society. 

Daniel  Kugler,  although  starting  in  life 
with  no  other  asset  than  his  own  resources, 
is  now  in  an  assured  position  of  prosperity. 
His  progress  has  been  due  solely  to  his  own 
natural  qualities  which  sharpened  by  contact 
with  the  everyday  world  of  business,  have 
placed  him  where  he  can  enjoy  the  later 
years  of  his  life. 


FRANK  F.  NOLEMAN. 

One  of  the  central  figures  of  the  South- 
ern Illinois  bar  is  the  gentleman  to  a  re- 
view of  whose  career  the  attention  of  the 
reader  is  called  in  the  following  paragraphs. 
Prominent  in  legal  circles  and  equally  so 
in  public  matters,  with  a  reputation  in  one 
of  the  most  exacting  of  professions  that 
has  won  him  a  name  for  distinguished  serv- 
ice second  to  none  of  his  contemporaries. 
There  is  today  no  more  highly  respected 
man  in  Marion  county,  which  he  has  long 
dignified  by  his  citizenship,  his  name  for 
years  having  been  allied  with  the  legal  in- 
stitutions, public  enterprises  and  political  in- 


76o 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


terests  of  this  locality  in  such  a  way  as  to 
earn  him  recognition  as  one  of  the  repre- 
sentative citizens  of  a  community  noted  for 
the  high  order  of  its  talent. 

Frank  F.  Noleman  is  a  native  of  Cen- 
tralia,  Illinois,'  where  he  has  spent  practi- 
cally all  his  life,  having  been  born  here, 
July  2,  1868,  the  son  of  Robert  D.  and 
Anna  M.  (White)  Noleman,  the  former  a 
native  of  West  Union,  Adams  county,  Ohio, 
where  his  birth  occurred  on  December  29, 
1816.  He  was  the  son  of  Richard  and  Mar- 
garet Noleman,  people  of  much  sterling 
worth  and  pioneers  of  Ohio.  Richard  Nole- 
man's  father  was  likewise  named  Richard. 
He  was  a  native  of  Maryland,  settled  in 
Pennsylvania  in  1787,  buying  four  hundred 
acres  of  land  in  Bedford  county,  but  while 
yet  a  young  man  removed  to  Ohio,  where  he 
continued  farming  on  an  extensive  scale  for 
those  early  days  and  became  a  man  of  much 
influence  in  his  vicinity.  In  1840  Richard 
Noleman,  the  father  of  Robert,  moved  his 
family  from  Adams  county,  Ohio,  to  Grand 
Prairie  township,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  secured  a  large  tract  of  land,  and, 
after  establishing  a  new  home,  died  there 
in  1843,  leaving  his  faithful  wife  and  Rob- 
ert D.,  his  oldest  son,  to  take  charge  of  the 
family. 

Robert  Dobbins,  the  subject's  maternal 
great-grandfather,  was  a  well  known  Meth- 
odist minister  and  circuit  rider  in  the  early 
days  in  Ohio,  and  he  was  a  member  of  the 
Legislature  from  Greene  county,  Ohio,  for 
several  years ;  he  was  a  fine  type  of  Scotch- 
Irish  lineage. 


Robert  D.  Noleman,  the  subject's  father, 
returned  to  Ohio  in  1844,  and  purchased 
the  first  steam  sawmill  brought  to  this  sec- 
tion of  the  state.  The  task  of  bringing  it  to 
this  state  was  a  most  difficult  one,  the  ap- 
paratus having  been  loaded  on  flatboats, 
which  bore  it  down  the  Ohio  river  as  far 
as  Shawneetown,  Illinois,  where  it  was 
placed  on  wagons.  These  were  drawn  by 
ox  teams,  about  one  hundred  miles  across 
country  to  Jefferson  county,  where  it  was 
soon  in  operation,  Mr.  Noleman  engaging 
in  the  lumber  business,  also  trading,  in  con- 
nection with  the  management  of  the  home 
place.  He  moved  to  Centralia  in  1858  and 
owned  one  of  the  first  lumber  yards  in  the 
city,  and  was  eminently  successful  in  this 
line  of  business.  Soon  after  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  war  he  turned  his  attention 
from  his  business  affairs  for  a  time  for  the 
purpose  of  organizing  a  company  of  caval- 
rymen, which  was  accomplished  June  24, 
1 86 1.  He  furnished  most  of  the  horses  for 
the  army  boys  in  this  county.  For  his  serv- 
ices in  raising  Company  H  of  the  First  Il- 
linois Cavalry,  Robert  D.  Noleman  was 
elected  captain,  the  company  offering  its 
services  for  a  period  of  twelve  months,  at 
the  end  of  which  time  his  company  was  mus- 
tered out  and  Captain  Noleman  returned  to 
Centralia.  In  recognition  of  his  praise- 
worthy services  in  behalf  of  the  Union,  Cap- 
tain Noleman  was  appointed  postmaster  of 
Centralia  in  1861  by  President  Abraham 
Lincoln,  and  ably  discharged  the  duties  of 
the  same.  In  1863  he  was  appointed  In- 
ternal Revenue  Collector  of  the  Eleventh 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


76i 


district  of  Illinois  by  President  Lincoln, 
which  position  he  very  creditably  filled  for 
a  period  of  eleven  years. 

Robert  D.  Noleman  was  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal organizers  of  the  First  National  Bank 
of  Centralia  in  1865,  now  known  as  the  Old 
National  Bank,  of  which  he  continued  to  be 
a  stockholder  and  director  until  his  death, 
March  30,  1883.  He  also  assisted  in  or- 
ganizing the  first  gas  company,  the  first 
company  for  the  purpose  of  mining  coal  in 
this  vicinity,  the  first  nail  mill,  also  the  old 
fair  association,  having  been  a  stockholder 
and  director  in  each  of  the  above  named 
companies.  Governor  Beveridge  appointed 
Captain  Noleman  Commissioner  of  the  Il- 
linois state  prison  at  Joliet,  which  position 
he  filled  with  entire  satisfaction  for  four 
years.  He  was  held  in  high  esteem  by  all 
who  knew  him  and  was  recognized  as  a 
man  of  superior  ability,  always  discharging 
his  duties  with  fidelity  and  industry. 

r:-irah  A.  Jennings,  the  first  wife  of  Rob- 
ert D.  Noleman,  was  the  daughter  of  Charles 
W.  Jennings,  of  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
Her  wedding  with  Mr.  Noleman  was  sol- 
emnized in  1847,  and  she  was  called  to  her 
rest  in  1859,  leaving  one  son  and  two  daugh- 
ters, namely:  Walter  A.,  who  resides  in 
Springfield,  Missouri ;  M.  Irene  is  the  wife 
of  Judge  S.  L.  Dwight,  of  Centralia;  Ida 
M.  married  Berthold  Haussler  (deceased), 
formerly  a  prominent  business  man  of  Cen- 
tralia. 

Anna  M.  White,  the  second  wife  of  Rob- 
ert D.  Noleman,  whom  he  married  in  1863, 
and  the  mother  of  our  subject,  was  a  na- 


tive  of  the  state  of  New  York,  a  sister  of 
Dr.  James  White,  a  well  known  physician 
of  that  state  and  of  Irish  parentage.  To 
Robert  D.  Noleman  and  his  second  wife 
were  born  our,  subject  and  one  daughter, 
Sadie  A.,  the  wife  of  O.  L.  McMurry,  head 
of  the  manual  training  department  of  the 
Cook  County  (Illinois)  Normal. 

With  such  noble  ancestry  as  our  subject 
can  claim,  it  is  not  surprising  that  by  rea- 
son of  inherited  praiseworthy  characteris- 
tics he  has  achieved  distinction  in  his  chosen 
line  of  endeavor.  Frank  F.  Noleman  re- 
ceived his  education  in  the  Centralia  pub- 
lic and  high  schools,  but  being  actuated  by 
a  laudable  ambition  to  acquire  a  higher  ed- 
ucation, he  took  a  course  at  McKendree 
College,  in  which  he  made  an  excellent  rec- 
ord. He  early  evinced  a  desire  to  study 
law,  which  he  began  in  the  firm  of  Casey  &  • 
Dwight,  of  Centralia.  Having  made  rapid 
progress,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  of  Il- 
linois in  1889  to  practice  in  all  its  courts. 
His  success  has  been  all  that  he  could  de- 
sire, for  he  has  always  stood  high  in  his 
profession.  No  one  knows  better  than  he 
the  necessity  of  thorough  preparation  for 
the  trial  of  cases,  and  no  one  more  indus- 
triously applies  himself  to  meet  the  issues 
than  he.  Though  of  a  somewhat  ardent 
temperament,  he  is  always  master  of  him- 
self in  the  trial  of  cases,  being  uniformly 
courteous  and  deferential  toward  the  court, 
and  kind  and  forebearing  to  his  adversaries, 
and  he  is  regarded  by  everyone  as  standing 
in  the  front  rank  of  his  profession  in  this 
part  of  the  state. 


762 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Mr.  Noleman's  domestic  life  dates  from 
1894,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Margaret  Schincller,  the  accomplished  and 
refined  daughter  of  Fredolin  and  Mollie  (Le- 
Graen)  Schindler,  whose  family  consisted 
of  three  children,  Margaret  having  been 
the  youngest  and  the  only  daughter.  Mr. 
Schindler  is  a  prominent  shoe  merchant  of 
Centralia.  After  a  singularly  harmonious 
married  life  of  eight  years,  Mrs.  Noleman 
was  called  to  her  rest  on  August  13,  1902, 
leaving  one  daughter,  a  winsome  little  girl, 
named  Irene  Elise. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  the  law  has 
claimed  the  major  part  of  Mr.  Noleman's 
time,  he  has  devoted  considerable  attention 
to  other  business  affairs,  and  has  been  con- 
spicuously successful.  He  is  a  director  of 
the  Old  National  Bank,  of  Centralia.  He 
assisted  in  the  organization  of  the  Centra- 
lia Envelope  Company,  of  which  he  is  a  di- 
rector; also  took  part  in  the  organization 
of  the  Marion  County  Coal  Company,  of 
which  he  is  secretary.  He  is  also  a  director 
of  the  Home  Building  and  Loan  Associa- 
tion. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  the  subject  be- 
longs to  the  Masonic  orders  in  Centralia, 
consisting  of  the  Blue  Lodge,  Chapter  and 
the  Commandery.  He  also  belongs  to  the 
Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of  Elks. 

Having  long  taken  considerable  interest 
in  local  political  affairs,  supporting  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party,  Mr. 
Noleman  has  been  called  upon  to  serve  in 
various  positions  of  public  trust,  among 
which  are  those  of  City  Attorney  and  City 


Clerk,  and  he  has  served  as  director  of  the 
Public  Library  Board  for  several  years,  be- 
ing also  the  treasurer  of  the  same  at  this 
writing  (1909).  He  was  partly  instrumen- 
tal in  securing  the  commodious  library 
building,  the  gift  of  Andrew  Carnegie,  for 
Centralia. 


GEORGE  R.  KNIGHT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  enjoys  distinc- 
tive prestige  among  the  enterprising  busi- 
ness men  of  Centralia  and  Marion  county, 
having  fought  his  way  onward  and  up- 
war  in  the  face  of  obstacles  until  he  has 
earned  the  right  to  be  called  one  of  the  pro- 
gressive men  in  industrial  circles,  winning 
a  position  among  the  earnest  men  whose 
depth  of  character  and  strict  adherence  to 
principle  excite  the  admiration  of  his  con- 
temporaries. 

George  R.  Knight,  who  has  built  up  the 
Centralia  Book,  Stationery  and  Printing 
Company  until  it  ranks  with  the  leading  in- 
stitutions of  its  kind  throughout  the  south- 
ern part  of  Illinois,  is  a  scion  of  sterling 
pioneer  citizens  of  the  southern  part  of  this 
state,  who  played  well  their  parts  in  the 
formative  period  of  the  same,  and  he  has 
inherited  many  of  their  commendable  traits 
of  character.  He  was  bom  in  Fayette 
county,  Illinois,  April  9,  1872,  the  son  of 
John  and  Louisa  (Thoman)  Knight,  the 
former  having  been  born  in  this  state  in 
the  month  of  September,  1840.  The  pa- 
ternal grandparents  of  the  subject  were 


liRIXKF.RHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MAKIOX    COUNTY, 


763 


among  the  early  settlers  in  this  locality,  as 
already  indicated.  John  Knight,  father  of 
the  subject,  a  man  of  considerable  influ- 
ence in  his  community,  faithfully  served  in 
the  Union  army  for  four  years  and  three 
months,  having  been  a  member  of  Company 
F,  Seventh  Illinois  Cavalry,  receiving  an 
honorable  discharge  at  the  close  of  the  war. 
He  is  now  living  in  Vernon,  Marion  coun- 
ty. Louise  Thoman,  the  subject's  mother, 
a  native  of  Germany,  came  to  America  with 
her  parents  at  an  early  age.  She  and  John 
Knight  were  married  in  Fayette  county,  Il- 
linois, about  1866.  Their  family  consisted 
of  six  children,  two  boys  and  four  girls, 
George  R.,  our  subject,  who  was  the  third 
child  in  order  of  birth,  remained  a  member 
of  the  family  circle  until  he  was  sixteen 
years  old,  having  first  attended  the  county 
schools  east  of  the  village  of  Vernon  and 
later  went  to  school  in  Vernon. 

Mr.  Knight's  business  career  began  at 
the  period  indicated  above  when  he  went 
to  work  for  the  Centralia  Sentinel  Printing 
Company,  with  which  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  twelve  years,  during  which  time 
he  mastered  the  art  of  printing.  Deciding 
then  to  start  in  business  for  himself,  he 
opened  a  printing  establishment  in  the  city 
of  Centralia  under  the  firm  name  of  Knight 
&  Panuska,  the  firm  continuing  successful- 
ly for  three  years,  when  Mr.  Knight  bought 
the  interest  of  his  partner  and  conducted  the 
same  for  one  year,  when  he  sold  out  to  C. 
R.  Davis.  Mr.  Knight  then  made  a  trip 
to  the  West  and  Northwest,  covering  a 
period  of  seven  months,  after  which  he  re- 


turned to  Centralia  and  opened  the  concern 
with  which  he  is  still  identified.  The  or- 
ganizers of  this  company  were  George  R. 
Knight,  Frank  Clark  and  Will  Severns, 
which  so  continued  until  1908,  when  George 
R.  Knight  and  his  brother,  J.  O.  Knight, 
bought  the  interest  of  the  other  two  mem- 
bers of  the  firm,  and  it  is  now  conducted 
by  the  Knight  brothers,  under  the  firm 
name  of  the  Centralia  Book,  Stationery 
and  Printing  Company,  their  modern,  well 
equipped  and  extensive  plant  being  located 
on  Broadway  and  Locust  streets,  facing  on 
Broadway.  It  is  always  a  very  busy  place 
and  is  liberally  patronized,  first  class  work 
being  turned  out  with  rapidity  and  accu- 
racy, the  most  up-to-date  machinery  being 
used  and  only  skilled  artisans  employed. 
Their  book  store  is  the  largest  and  most 
tastefully  arranged  of  any  in  the  state  south 
of  Decatur,  and  they  are  doing  a  flourish- 
ing business  in  every  department,  their 
trade  extending  to  all  parts  of  the  country 
and  is  rapidly  growing,  for  their  store  is 
equipped  throughout  with  everything  in  the 
line  of  stationery  that  the  public  demands. 
The  proprietors  have  acted  on  the  principle 
that  the  best  is  none  too  good  for  their  cus- 
tomers, accordingly  they  have  from  the  be- 
ginning handled  nothing  but  the  highest 
quality  of  goods,  and  this,  too,  on  a  scale 
which  enables  them  to  sell  at  the  lowest  pos- 
sible prices,  and  to  compete  successfully 
with  the  large  houses  of  the  commercial 
centers.  The  courteous  and  kindly  treat- 
ment accorded  customers  and  their  uni- 
formly friendly  relations  with  the  public 


764 


SRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


have  contributed  not  a  little  to  the  large 
and  growing  business  which  the  firm  now 
commands.  Thus  with  the  support  of  the 
people  of  Centralia,  coupled  with  the  hon- 
est, straightforward  policy  ever  pursued, 
and  the  sparing  of  no  expense  or  pains  in 
meeting  the  demands  of  their  patrons,  giv- 
ing the  people  confidence  in  their  rectitude 
and  honorable  dealing  and  earning  for  our 
subject  and  his  firm  a  high  place  in  the 
commercial  world. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  George  R. 
Knight  is  a  member  of  the  Independent  Or- 
der of  Odd  Fellows,  Queen  City  Lodge  No. 
79;  also  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  Helmet 
Lodge  No.  26;  Red  Men,  Talequah,  No. 
179;  Encampment  and  Rebekahs,  all  of 
Centralia,  and  he  takes  much  interest  in 
lodge  work. 

In  political  affairs  Mr.  Knight  is  a  Re- 
publican, and  he  has  long  taken  an  abiding 
interest  in  local  and  national  politics. 
Reared  a  Methodist,  to  which  denomination 
his  parents  belonged,  he  liberally  contrib- 
utes to  the  support  of  the  same. 


CHARLES  V.  BURT. 

The  record  of  the  gentleman  whose  name 
introduces  this  sketch  is  that  of  a  man  who 
by  his  own  unaided  efforts  has  worked  his 
way  from  a  modest  beginning  to  a  position 
of  influence  and  comparative  prosperity  in 
his  community  while  yet  young  in  life. 
Throughout  his  career  he  has  maintained 


the  most  creditable  standards  of  personal 
and  business  integrity,  and  without  putting 
forth  any  efforts  to  the  end  of  attaining 
popularity  he  has  achieved  it  in  a  local  way 
by  the  manner  in  which  he  transacts  the 
everyday  affairs  of  a  busy  man.  His  life  has 
always  been  one  of  unceasing  industry  and 
perseverance  and  the  systematic  and  hon- 
orable methods  which  he  has  followed  have 
won  him  the  unbounded  confidence  of  his 
fellow  men. 

Charles  V.  Burt  was  born  in  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  twelve  miles  east  of  Cen- 
tralia, October  25,  1876,  the  son  of  Addison 
and  Margaret  A.  (Morrison)  Burt.  The 
father  of  our  subject  was  born  in  Indiana, 
January  3,  1852,  and  after  attending  the 
home  schools  until  he  was  about  fifteen 
years  old,  went  to  Wisconsin  with  his  par- 
ents, and  about  a  year  later  came  to  Illi- 
nois and  located  on  a  farm  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, where  he  resided  until  1885,  when  he 
moved  to  Macon  county,  this  state,  his  death 
occurring  there  in  1886.  A  Republican  in 
politics  and  a  man  of  excellent  repute,  he 
was  highly  respected  by  all  who  knew  him. 
Luther  Burt,  grandfather  of  the  subject, 
came  from  Pennsylvania  in  an  early  day. 
having  been  born  in  Washington  county, 
that  state,  where  he  grew  to  manhood,  and 
when  the  Civil  war  broke  out  enlisted  in 
Company  F,  One  Hundred  and  Forty-sev- 
enty Indiana  Volunteer  Infantry,  serving 
through  the  war  as  a  private.  He  moved 
to  Wisconsin  in  1866,  then  to  Illinois  in 
1867,  locating  in  Marion  county,  removing 
to  Macon  county,  this  state,  in  1881.  where 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


765 


he  now  lives.  On  August  2,  1852,  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Violet  Swain,  who 
was  born  in  Preble  county,  Ohio,  and  she  is 
still  living.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Luther  Burt  are 
the  parents  of  ten  children,  five  boys  and  an 
equal  number  of  girls. 

Mrs.  Harriett  Morrison,  maternal  grand- 
mother of  the  subject,  who  was  born  near 
Walnut  Hill,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and 
who  is  a  sister  of  Squire  Andrews,  of  Cen- 
tralia,  is  still  living  in  Marion  county  and 
is  enjoying  good  health  for  one  of  her  ad- 
vanced age.  After  the  marriage  of  the  sub- 
ject's maternal  grandparents  they  moved  to 
Little  Prairie,  where  Mr.  Morrison  died. 
They  were  known  for  many  years  through- 
out the  community  where  they  resided  for 
the  excellent  qtfality  of  sorghum  molasses 
they  made,  and  were  largely  patronized  by 
the  farmers  for  miles  around.  No  towns 
were  in  the  county  at  that  time  and  all 
goods  used  in  the  county  were  hauled  from 
St.  Louis,  to  which  city  local  products  were 
placed  on  the  market,  usually  in  exchange 
for  goods,  provisions,  etc.  Most  of  the 
teaming  was  done  with  oxen.  The  subject's 
mother  was  born  twelve  miles  east  of  Cen- 
tralia,  June  23,  1857,  and  lived  at  the  old 
home  until  she  married  in  1876,  then  she 
moved  to  a  farm  on  Romine  Prairie,  seven 
miles  south  of  Salem  in  Raccoon  township. 
She  now  lives  with  our  subject  most  of  the 
time.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Addison  Burt  were 
the  parents  of  four  children,  three  boys  and 
one  girl,  namely:  Charles  V.,  our  subject; 
Frank  Le  Clare,  deceased;  Esther  D.  is 
married ;  Roy  C.  is  also  married. 


Our  subject  was  about  nine  years  old  at 
the  time  of  his  father's  death.  He  remained 
at  home  during  his  boyhood  days,  attend- 
ing school  in  four  different  places,  working 
in  the  meantime  on  the  farm  during  the 
summer  months,  which  work  he  continued 
until  his  mother  moved  to  Kell,  Illinois, 
where  she  conducted  a  hotel.  Here  Charles 
V.  managed  a  livery  barn  with  much  suc- 
cess for  a  period  of  four  years,  after  which 
he  moved  to  Centralia  and  worked  in  the 
envelope  factory  for  one  year,  then  secured 
employment  at  the  South  Mines  for  eight- 
een months ;  but,  not  satisfied  with  his  work, 
he  decided  to  become  a  merchant  and  accord- 
ingly went  to  work  in  a  grocery  store  as 
clerk,  which  position  he  filled  with  entire 
satisfaction  to  his  employer.  Finding  it  to 
his  advantage  to  give  up  the  grocery  busi- 
ness on  account  of  a  better  opportunity 
opening  up  in  another  direction,  Mr.  Burt 
accordingly  formed  the  firm  of  Burge  & 
Burt,  dealing  in  real  estate,  farms  and  city 
property,  their  business  having  been  large 
from  the  first  and  has  steadily  increased, 
having  been  so  conducted  as  to  gain  the  con- 
fidence of  the  many  patrons  of  the  firm 
throughout  this  locality.  An  extensive 
business  is  also  carried  on  in  fire  insurance,, 
city  and  farm,  also  accident  and  health  in- 
surance. 

The  happy  domestic  life  of  Charles  V. 
Burt  began  May  31,  1900,  when  he  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Estella  Stonecipher. 
daughter  of  Hiram  and  Dorcas  Stonecipher, 
of  near  Kell,  Illinois.  Mr.  Stonecipher  is  one 
of  the  substantial  agriculturists  of  that 


766 


I5RIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


community,  and  the  subject's  wife  is  the 
third  in  order  of  birth  in  a  family  of  five 
children. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burt  are  the  parents  of 
three  children,  Wandah  V.,  born  April  3, 
1902;  Thaddeus  L.,  who  was  born  October 
17.  1903,  and  one  died  in  infancy,  all  hav- 
ing been  born  in  the  city  of  Centralia. 
where  the  subject  has  a  comfortable  and 
nicely  furnished  home,  where  their  many 
friends  often  gather. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  of  America  and  is  in  the  team 
work  of  the  lodge.  No.  397,  of  Centralia. 
In  his  political  relations  he  supports  the 
principles  of  the  Republican  party,  and  he 
and  his  estimable  wife  are  both  members  of 
the  Christian  church. 


JUNE  C.  SMITH. 

There  is  no  profession  more  exacting  and 
trying  than  that  of  the  law,  and  those  who 
achieve  a  conspicuous  place  in  this  field  are 
men  of  superior  mettle,  consequently  the 
fact  that  the  subject  of  this  sketch  has  made 
a  brilliant  record  as  an  attorney-at-law 
while  yet  a  young  man  speaks  well  of  his 
innate  ability  as  well  as  his  properly  trained 
mind  and  personal  attributes. 

June  C.  Smith,  one  of  the  most  popular 
of  the  younger  generation  of  lawyers  in 
Marion  county,  was  born  in  Irvington, 
Washington  county,  Illinois,  March  24. 
1876,  the  son  of  Isaac  C.  and  Alma  C. 


(Maxey)  Smith.  The  subject's  father,  who 
was  of  Scotch-Irish  descent,  died  in  De- 
cember, 1875,  before  June  was  born.  Mil- 
ler Smith,  the  grandfather  of  our  subject, 
was  one  of  the  pioneer  settlers  of  Walnut 
Hill  and  for  many  years  he  conducted  a 
general  store  there,  spending  the  last  years 
of  his  life  in  that  place  and  dying  there. 
He  had  seven  sons  and  three  sons-in-law 
in  the  Union  army,  all  of  whom  came  out 
unscathed.  Isaac  C.  Smith  enlisted  in  Com- 
pany H,  Eightieth  Illinois  Volunteer  -In- 
fantry, a  regiment  organized  at  Salem, 
with  James  Cunningham  of  that  place  as 
colonel  and  John  R.  Cunningham,  now  of 
Dix,  Illinois,  as  captain.  According  to 
Civil  war  history,  this  company  was  in 
more  engagements  than  any  other,  having 
taken  part  in  forty-five  battles  and  skir- 
mishes, among  which  were  the  great  en- 
gagements of  Gettysburg  and  Lookout 
Mountain,  also  in  Sherman's  march  to  the 
sea.  Our  subject  carries  a  watch-charm  he 
prizes  very  highly,  for  it  was  made  of  lau- 
rel wood  by  his  father  in  1863  at  Lookout 
Mountain,  the  memento  being  from  a  de- 
ceased soldier — his  father,  whom  he  never 
saw.  The  mother  of  our  subject,  now  Mrs. 
Alma  C.  Watts,  is  still  living  in  Tonti 
township  on  a  farm,  four  miles  north  of 
Salem,  Illinois.  When  he  was  only  a  boy 
June's  mother  and  grandfather  Maxey 
moved  with  him  from  Clinton  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  to  the  state  of  Washington, 
where  he  attended  school  in  the  country  for 
about  three  months  in  the  year.  School 
privileges  at  that  time  were  very  limited. 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


767 


He  spent  his  time  working  on  a  ranch  until 
1886,  when  he  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  labored  on  a  farm  in  Raccoon 
township  in  the  Bundyville  neighborhood 
and  attended  school  at  Bundyville  until  he 
was  seventeen  years  old.  The  following 
year  he  went  to  school  one  year  at  Walnut 
Hill.  He  continued  to  farm  until  1898, 
when  he  took  a  two  years'  course  in  the 
Southern  Normal  University  at  Hunting- 
ton,  Tennessee,  from  which  school  he  grad- 
uated with  high  honors  from  the  classic  and 
law  courses,  receiving  the  degrees  of  Bach- 
elor of  Art  and  Bachelor  of  Laws.  In  the 
meantime  he  read  law  with  McCall  &  Mc- 
Call,  of  the  same  city.  J.  C.  R.  McCall  is 
in  1908,  the  Judge  of  the  Federal  Court  for 
the  Western  District  of  Tennessee. 

With  a  desire  to  be  fully  equipped  for  his 
life 'work,  he  attended  the  Northern  Illinois 
College  of  Law,  at  Dixon,  taking  a  post- 
graduate course.  Mr.  Smith  said  it  then 
became  necessary  for  him  to  replenish  his 
somewhat  depleted  exchequer,  which  he  did 
by  returning  to  the  farm  for  a  short  period. 

Mr.  Smith  was  happily  married  on  Sep- 
tember 30,  1900,  to  Metta  A.  Bates,  daugh- 
ter of  Francis  M.  and  Mary  A.  (Martin) 
Bates,  both  pioneer  settlers  of  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois,  having  come  to  t'nis  state 
from  Tennessee.  The  subject's  wife's 
mother  was  born  in  Shelbyville,  Bedford 
county,  Tennessee,  and  came  to  Illinois  when 
ten  years  old.  Metta  (Bates)  Smith  is  the 
third  from  the  youngest  of  a  family  of  four- 
teen children.  Her  education  was  received  at 
Walnut  Hill,  in  the  district  schools.  One 


daughter  has  been  bom  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  named  Edna  Ruth,  born  September  19, 
1902,  at  \Valnut  Hill. 

Immediately  after  his  marriage  Mr. 
Smith  and  his  wife  went  to  Tennessee, 
where  he  at  once  began  the  practice  of  law, 
but  he  finally  returned  to  Illinois.  He  was 
admitted  to  the  bar  in  this  state  April  6, 
1904,  and  has  been  practicing  continuously 
in  Centralia  ever  since.  He  was  successful 
from  the  first,  and  at  present  enjoys  a  liberal 
patronage  throughout  the  county,  being  a 
tireless  worker  and  cool  and  calculating,  un- 
erring and  painstaking  in  his  legal  work  of 
whatever  nature. 

In  August,  1904,  Mr.  Smith  was  nomi- 
nated on  the  Republican  ticket  for  State's 
Attorney  of  Marion  county,  and  was  sub- 
sequently elected  the  following  November, 
being  the  first  State's  Attorney  to  be  elected 
by  the  Republicans  in  this  county  for  twenty 
years,  and  the  second  one  ever  elected  in 
Marion  county.  This  speaks  well  for  his 
high  standing  here.  He  certainly  deserves 
a  world  of  credit  for  what  he  has  accom- 
plished, being  practically  a  self-made  man. 
He  was  left  fatherless  to  struggle  for  an 
education  as  best  he  could,  and  to  obtain  un- 
aided a  place  in  the  great  business  world. 
His  success  stands  for  that  type  of  energy, 
pluck  and  perseverance  that  go  to  make 
nerve  and  the  brawn  of  the  nation's  great 
men.  While  in  college  he  worked  at  carpen- 
try in  order  to  pay  his  board  and  room  rent. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows,  also  the 


768 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Dramatic  Order  of  Knights  of  Khorasson, 
all  of  Centralia.  He  was  reared  in  the 
Methodist  faith,  and  he  and  his  family  at- 
tend that  church.  He  is  now  the  junior 
member  of  the  well  known  law  firm  of  Nole- 
man  &  Smith,  of  Centralia,  who  enjoy  one 
of  the  largest  practices  in  Southern  Illinois. 
Because  of  his  genuine  worth,  his  integrity 
and  pleasing  address,  he  is  held  in  high 
favor  by  all  who  know  him,  and  his  many 
friends  predict  a  future  replete  with  honor 
and  success  for  him. 


HARRY  M.  WARNER. 

Harry  M.  Warner,  president  of  the  old 
National  Bank,  of  Centralia,  Illinois,  was 
born  October  24,  1864,  the  son  of  S.  M.  and 
C.  E.  (Aldrich)  Warner,  being  the  oldest  of 
two  children.  The  Warner  family  has  long 
been  well  known  in  Marion  county. 

Our  subject  grew  up  in  Centralia.  where 
he  was  born,  and  received  his  early  educa- 
tional training  in  the  local  schools  and  the 
University  at  Bloomington,  which  he  at- 
tended for  one  year,  obtaining  a  very  good 
and  serviceable  education  which  has  later 
been  supplemented  by  general  reading  and 
actual  experience  with  the  business  world. 

When  he  reached  maturity,  Mr.  Warner 
was  united  in  marriage  with  Lillian  A. 
Hobbs,  of  Dubuque,  Iowa,  the  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Nancy  J.  Hobbs,  she  being  the 
youngest  of  a  family  of  six  children.  The 
date  of  the  ceremony  which  made  Mr.  and 


Mrs.  Warner  one,  was  September  19,  1888. 
Four  children  have  been  born  to  the  subject 
and  wife  as  follows:  Rollin  A.,  born  in 
1891 ;  Emily  L.,  born  in  1894;  Mildred  K., 
whose  date  of  birth  occurred  in  1896;  Vir- 
ginia J.,  who  first  saw  the  light  of  day  in 
1903. 

Our  subject  began  his  business  career  with 
the  Centralia  Mining  and  Manufacturing 
Company,  with  which  he  remained  for  a 
period  of  eighteen  years,  giving  the  firm 
satisfactory  service  in  every  respect. 

For  the  past  eleven  years,  dating  from 
1897,  Mr.  Warner  has  been  president  of  the 
old  National  Bank  at  Centralia,  one  of  the 
soundest  banking  institutions  in  the  state, 
whose  numerous  patrons  would  indicate  the 
explicit  faith  they  have  in  its  management. 

In  his  political  affiliatons  Mr.  Warner  is  a 
Republican,  and  his  support  can  always  be 
depended  upon  in  furthering  the  interests  of 
Marion  county,  whether  in  a  political,  edu- 
cational or  moral  way.  He  affiliates  with 
the  Episcopal  church.  He  has  numerous 
business  interests  besides  his  bank,  and  his 
home  is  modern,  comfortable  and  well  fur- 
nished, where  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Warner  are 
often  hosts  to  fneir  friends,  who  are  many 
and  loyal,  owing  to  their  creditable  standing 
in  Centralia. 


D.  S.  PETRIE. 

One  of  the  most  efficient  and  popular 
contractors  and  skilled  workmen  in  Centra- 
lia, is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  has  an 


BRIXKKRHOI-F  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION"    OH'NTY,    ILLINOIS. 


769 


extensive  business,  having  been  a  good  man- 
ager, which  has  resulted  in  definite  success, 
due  entirely  to  his  own  efforts,  which  are  al- 
ways directed  along  honorable  lines. 

D.  S.  Petrie  was  born  in  Clinton  county, 
Illinois,  August  7,  1862,  the  son  of  A.  J.  L. 
and  Mary  F.  (Sharp)  Petrie,  the  former 
having  been  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1828, 
and  the  latter  near  Belleville,  St.  Clair 
county,  Illinois,  in  1839.  There  were  eight 
children  in  this  family,  of  which  our  subject 
is  t'ne  second  in  order  of  birth. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  grew  to  man- 
hood in  Brookside  township,  Clinton  county, 
and  received  his  education  in  the  country 
schools.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm,  and  he 
left  school  when  seventeen  years  old,  and 
worked  on  his  father's  farm  until  he  was 
twenty-three  years  of  age,  at  which  time  he 
was  married  to  Mary  F.  Holly,  daughter  of 
T.  J.  M.  and  Mary  J.  (Boatwright)  Holly, 
both  daughter  and  mother  having  been  born 
in  Washington  county,  Illinois.  T.  J.  M. 
Holly  was  born  in  Alabama.  The  wife  of 
our  subject  received  her  education  in  the 
common  schools  of  Washington  county,  this 
state.  To  D.  S.  Petrie  and  wife  one  child 
was  born,  named  J.  Nelson,  whose  date  of 
birth  occurred  June  21,  1889.  He  became 
an  apt  student  at  an  early  age  and  graduated 
from  the  Centralia  high  school,  and  he  is  at 
this  writing  attending  the  University  at 
Champaign,  this  state,  taking  a  special 
course  in  electrical  engineering,  in  which  he 
is  making  a  brilliant  record,  and  he  gives 
every  promise  of  a  successful  future  in  this 
line  of  work.  J 
49 


Our  subject  took  a  liking  for  the  carpen- 
ter's trade,  and  is  doing  the  work  of  a  gen- 
eral mechanic  while  working  on  his  father's 
farm.  He  did  many  fine  pieces  of  work  in 
order  to  show  his  natural  skill  and  ability. 
He  became  a  contractor  and  successfully  car- 
ried on  this  work  for  several  years  while 
living  in  Brookside,  having  built  for  him- 
self on  his  farm  a  very  neat  and  comfortable 
dwelling.  He  learned  his  trade  from  va- 
rious sources  and  with  a  number  of  carpen- 
ters, and  with  much  personal  study  in  archi- 
tectural plans  and  drawings.  His  unusually 
strong  body  and  mind  and  his  genial  nature, 
give  hjm  an  easily  approachable  demeanor, 
all  of  which  gives  him  great '  success  in  his 
work. 

He  guarantees  entire  satisfaction  in  all 
his  building,  and  no  complaints  are  ever 
heard  after  he  has  finished  a  job,  for  no  bet- 
ter or  conscientious  workman  could  be 
found  than  Mr.  Petrie.  He  has  a  commo- 
dious and  modern  home  and  shop  at  No. 
620  South  Pine  street,  where  he  prepares 
for  all  kinds  of  contracts,  work  on  houses, 
barns  and  general  construction  work  from 
the  foundation  to  the  finished  product. 
Everyone  who  has  had  occasion  to  know 
anything  of  his  work  speaks  very  flatter- 
ingly of  his  skillful  workmanship  and  his 
honorable  and  square  dealing. 

While  in  Brookfield  our  subject  filled  the 
office  of  Constable  for  four  years  and  School 
Director  for  two  terms.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Republican. 

Mr.  Petrie  is  a  member  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen  Lodge  No.  367,  and  also  a  mem- 


770 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


her  of  the  Carpenters'  Union,  being  one  of 
the  trustees  of  the  same.  He  was  reared  a 
Methodist  and  he  and  his  family  attend  this 
church. 

Mr.  Petrie  has  been  thrifty  and  he  owns 
five  houses  and  several  lots  in  Centralia,  all 
of  which  he  has  acquired  by  hard  and  honest 
toil.  He  is  a  strong  man  of  unusual  energy 
and  consequently  accomplishes  more  than 
the  average  man.  He  believes  in  a  square 
deal  for  every  man,  and  he  is  very  liberal  in 
his  views  of  all  public  matters.  He  has  a 
beautiful  home  in  which  he  takes  a  great 
pride,  being  a  devoted  husband  and  kind 
father. 


HENRY   HESER. 

Henry  Heser,  a  well  known  engineer  on 
the  Illinois  Central  Railroad,  of  Centralia, 
Marion  count}-,  is  a  respected  citizen  and  a 
man  who  is  blessed  with  a  large  circle  of 
friends.  He  has  made  his  way  in  life  with 
credit  to  himself  and  has  always  possessed 
the  virtues  of  self-reliance  and  independence. 
He  comes  of  German- American  parentage 
and  has  inherited  and  developed  to  a  marked 
degree  the- best  qualities  of  both  races.  He 
is  now  in  his  thirty-fourth  year  and,  notwith- 
standing his  long  and  arduous  railroad  life, 
he  is  still  a  splendid  specimen  of  masculinity. 
His  domestic  relations  have  always  been  of 
a  serene  and  happy  character  and  he  is  now 
in  a  position  to  enjoy  the  fruits  of  his  years  of 
endeavor. 

The  subject  of  our    notice    was    born    in 


Belleville,  Illinois,  on  the  second  of  Sep- 
tember, 1874,  the  son  of  Charles  and  Lizzie 
(Heherer)  Heser.  Charles  Heser  was  born 
in  Germany,  in  1848,  and  came  to  the  United 
States  from  a  European  port  in  a  sailing  ves- 
sel at  the  age  of  twenty-one.  The  voyage 
across  the  broad  stretch  of  Atlantic  Ocean 
occupied  during  his  trip  some  fifty-two  days. 
On  landing  in  this  country  he  worked  for 
some  years  in  New  York  state  as  a  moulder 
and  carpenter.  His  mother  was  born  in  St. 
Clair  county,  Illinois,  in  1848.  Six  children 
were  born  to  them,  of  whom  four  are  living 
and  two  are  dead. 

Henry  Heser  was  the  second  eldest  mem- 
ber of  his  family  and  was  reared  in  Centralia 
and  his  educational  training  was  imparted  to 
him  in  the  township  schools.  In  1890  he 
started  in  to  learn  the  carpenter  trade  in  the 
car  shops  of  the  Illinois  Central  and  contin- 
ued at  that  occupation  for  eight  years.  Then 
he  changed  to  firing  engines  and  worked  in 
that  way  for  three  and  a  half  years,  until 
1900.  when  he  became  an  engineer  on  the 
road  between  Centralia  and  Cairo. 

Henry  Heser  has  a  comfortable  home  at 
102 1  South  Poplar  street.  Centralia.  He 
married,  on  May  10,  1899.  Fanny  Haug, 
daughter  of  Abraham  and  Julia  (Daubs) 
Haug.  Eight  children  were  born  to  her 
parents,  she  being  one  of  twin  sisters. 
She  was  born  at  Huey,  Illinois,  and  was  edu- 
cated there.  Abraham  Haug  was  a  black- 
smith by  trade.  He  was  born  in  Germany 
and  came  to  this  country  at  the  age  of 
twenty.  Mother  Haug  was  born  in  Shavv- 
neetown.  Illinois. 


BKINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Henry  Heser  four  chil- 
dren have  been  born,  namely:  Henry 
Heser,  Jr.,  bom  July  19,  1900;  Frida  M., 
born  June  2,  1902;  Carl,  born  February  21, 
1904;  Elizabeth  Nellie  Heser,  born  March 
20,  1907. 

Our  subject  belongs  to  the  Auxiliary  En- 
gineers G.  I.  A.,  of  Centralia,  and  the  Henry 
Lodges  of  the  B.  &  L.  E.  He  also  belongs  to 
the  Knights  of  Pythias  Lodge.  He  is  a  Re- 
publican in  politics  and  was  reared  a  mem- 
ber of  the  German  Lutheran  church,  while 
his  wife  belonged  to  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
faith.  Henry  Heser  and  his  wife  are  well 
liked  and  respected  and  have  a  large  and  sin- 
cere circle  of  friends. 


EMILE  R.  LEDERMAN. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  is  one  of  the 
gifted  men  from  Europe  who  have  placed 
their  musical  talents  at  our  disposal,  having 
come  to  us  from  a  musical  land — picturesque 
Switzerland — famed  for  its  (Tyrolean)  bal- 
lads and  yoddeling  songs.  He  was  born  in 
Berne,  the  capital  of  Switzerland,  en  April  6, 
1859,  and  was  the  son  of  Frederick  and  Anna 
M.  Lederman,  both  natives  of  Switzerland. 
The  family  consisted  of  three,  boys  of  whom 
Emile  R.  was  the  youngest. 

Mr.  Lederman  received  a  liberal  and  sub- 
stantial education  in  his  native  city  of  Berne, 
attending  first  the  elementary  schools  and 
passing  in  the  usual  course  of  the  academic 
schools,  the  highest  in  the  republic.  From  his 


youth  he  evinced  a  passion  for  music,  accen- 
tuated, no  doubt,  by  his  natural  surround- 
ings, and  his  musical  "bent"  soon  took  a 
practical  trend,  as  both  his  parents  were  ac- 
complished musicians.  He  was  sent  to  the 
Berne  Musical  Conservatory  where  he  ap- 
plied his  talents  strenuously,  putting  more 
than  usual  concentration  into  his  studies.  He 
studied  under  the  noted  professors  Methfes- 
sel  R.  Weber  and  C.  Munzinger  and  gradu- 
ated with  distinction  in  the  regular  order. 
His  mother  died  in  1874,  and  in  the  next 
year,  accompanied  by  his  father,  he  bade 
good-bye  to  the  scenes  of  his  youth  and 
sailed  for  America  in  August  of  1875.  Ar- 
riving in  New  York  City,  they  went  direct 
to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  where  they  remained 
one  year,  where  Emiel  R.  taught  music. 

In  September  of  1876,  Mr.  Lederman  be- 
gan in  all  earnestness  his  musical  career  in 
classes  and  individual  tuition.  His  teaching 
points  were :  Lebanon.  Trenton,  St.  Louis 
and  in  Carlyle,  Illinois.  He  continued  this 
work  for  eight  years,  organizing  in  each  city 
musical  societies,  bands  and  forming  cho- 
ruses. 

In  1884  he  came  to  Centralia  and  at  once 
entered  upon  active  and  aggressive  work.  He 
organized  a  large  German  male  chorus  class 
and  an  English  one,  each  of  which  he  con- 
ducted for  ten  years.  He  was  also  conductor 
of  the  Centralia  Philharmonic  Society. 
During  this  time  his  private  tuition  work, 
piano,  violin,  and  voice  culture,  was  even 
more  successful.  For  twenty-two  years  he 
held  the  position  of  organist  of  the  Baptist 
church.  Recently  for  two  years  he  has  been 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


organist  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church. 
He  lias  led  and  brought  to  perfection  large 
choruses  in  each  of  the  churches. 

On  December  20,  1899,  Mr.  Lederman  led 
to  the  marriage  altar  Harriett  Adamson,  the 
accomplished  daughter  of  J.  E.  and  Anna  M. 
Adamson,  of  Scranton,  Pa.  Their  family 
consists  of  one  son,  Emile  Telle  Lederman. 
born  July  17,  1901. 

Air.  Lederman  is  a  member  of  the  Benevo- 
lent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks  and  of  the 
Ben  Hur  Lodge,  and  is  a  well  versed  man 
in  fraternal  work.  In  politics  he  is  of  liberal 
sympathies. 

Mr.  Lederman's  success  in  the  profession 
which  he  has  followed  is  in  no  small  measure 
due  to  his  genial  and  kindly  disposition,  his 
personality  seeming  to  radiate  good  fellow- 
ship. He  is  an  especial  favorite  with  the 
younger  people  of  the  comunity,  many  hun- 
dreds of  whom  he  has  taught.  He  leads  a 
most  active  life,  every  moment  of  his  work- 
ing day  being  occupied  with  work  in  chorus 
and  individual  teaching  in  his  studio  on 
Broadway,  situated  over  the  Hartman  De- 
partment store. 


CHAUNCEY  HOUSE. 

The  great  Empire  state  has  furnished 
many  sturdy  sons  who  have  come  into  the 
West  and  been  potent  factors  in  promulgat- 
ing its  civilization.  Among  this  number  is 
the  gentleman  whose  name  appears  above, 
whose  long  and  useful  career  has  been  one 
of  honor. 


Chauncy  House  was  born  in  Holley,  Or- 
leans county,  New  York,  July  29,  1828,  the 
son  of  Joseph  and  Abigail  (Southwick) 
House,  the  latter  the  daughter  of  Samuel 
Southwick.  Joseph  House  was  born  in 
Herkimer  county.  New  York.  He  was  a 
fanner  and  a  physician,  having  practiced 
medicine  for  many  years.  He  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-one.  He  came  to  Illinois  in 
1846,  and  went  to  Chicago,  where  he  prac- 
ticed medicine  for  three  years,  after  which 
he  went  to  Rockford,  where  he  was  engaged 
in  practice  for  two  years,  then  he  settled  in 
Marengo,  McHenry  county,  Illinois,  in 
which  county  his  death  occurred.  He  was 
the  father  of  five  children,  two  boys  and 
three  girls,  Chauncey  House,  our  subject, 
being  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  The  ma- 
ternal grandmother  of  the  subject  died  while 
Abigail,  the  subject's  mother,  was  an  infant, 
and  she  was  reared  by  the  Leffingwell  fam- 
ily. Her  grandmother  was  seventy-two 
years  old  when  she  passed  away  in  Otsego 
county,  New  York. 

The  early  education  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  was  obtained  in  the  public  schools  of 
New  York.  As  a  student  he  was  given 
credit,  then  the  number  of  pupils  were 
added,  and  the  amount  prorated  to  the  par- 
ents for  the  days  attended  by  each  pupil. 
After  attending  these  schools  he  went  to  a 
select  school  at  Hindsburg,  Orleans  county, 
New  York,  for  one  year  in  1845,  under  Nel- 
son W.  Butts,  who  was  a  graduate  of  the 
State  Normal  School  at  Albany.  Our  sub- 
ject taught  school  the  following  year,  1846, 
in  a  country  town  and  "boarded  around" 
with  the  parents  of  the  children  whom  he 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


773 


taught.  Then  our  subject  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Chicago,  where  he  manufactured 
pills  and  other  remedies  and  did  the  agency 
work  for  his  father's  medicines,  assisted  by 
a  young  Mr.  Post,  the  son  of  his  father's 
partner  in  the  business.  In  1848  our  sub- 
ject returned  to  Albion  Academy  in  New 
York,  and  was  there  about  two  years  until 
1850,  when  he  returned  to  Illinois.  After 
traveling  over  the  state  for  awhile  he  began 
teaching  again,  his  first  school  here  being  at 
Bronsonville,  DuPage  county,  near  Whea- 
ton.  His  certificate  was  secured  from  Prof. 
Warren  R.  Wheaton,  founder  of  Wheaton, 
Illinois,  and  also  the  founder  of  Wheaton 
College. 

Mr.  House  then  returned  to  New  York, 
locating  near  Albion,  and  took  charge  of 
his  father's  farm,  making  extensive  im- 
provements in  many  w^ays.  He  bought  out 
a  health  resort  and  located  at  Barry's 
Springs,  Orleans  county,  which  he  also  im- 
proved very  extensively,  installing  many 
modern  repairs  and  amusements.  Among 
the  patients  at  the  springs  were  George  M. 
Pullman  and  William  Tousley,  both  of  Al- 
bion, New  York.  Our  subject  conducted  a 
sanitarium  and  hotel  at  this  place  for  two 
years  when  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Gar- 
den Prairie,  Illinois,  where  he  bought  a  lum- 
ber yard  and  three  hundred  and  twenty  acres 
of  land.  He  bought  grain  and  did  a  general 
business  for  two  years.  He  was  then  called 
to  Rockford,  Michigan,  to  take  charge  of  a 
pine  mill  and  lumber  yard,  owned  by  his 
father.  After  two  years  of  very  hard  and 
slavish  work  in  the  milling  business,  he 


came  to  Centralia,  Illinois,  November  i, 
1863,  and  lived  with  a  Mr.  Gifford.  He 
went  to  work  for  the  Adams  Express  Com- 
pany, remaining  in  the  employ  of  this  com- 
pany for  a  period  of  five  years,  going  from 
that  position  as  bookkeeper  in  the  division 
superintendent's  office  of  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad,  with  which  company  he  remained 
for  a  period  of  twenty-five  years,  never  los- 
ing a  day  in  all  that  time.  He  was  cashier  for 
the  company  during  many  years.  His  duties 
were  to  make  out  pay  rolls  and  adjust  fire 
claims  and  similar  work. 

Mr.  House  resigned  this  position  to  ac- 
cept that  of  superintendent  of  the  Centralia 
street  car  lines,  which  position  he  held  for 
about  six  years.  The  cars  were  run  with 
mules.  He  sold  his  interest  in  the  line  and 
it  was  transferred  to  an  electric  line  under 
the  direction  of  the  Francis  Brothers  of  St. 
Louis.  About  this  time  the  health  of  the 
subject  gave  way,  and  he  is  now  living  in 
quiet  retirement.  He  owns  four  splendid 
pieces  of  property  in  Centralia  and  one  in 
Cairo,  this  state.  His  comfortable  home  is 
located  at  135  South  Elm  street. 

Chauncey  House  was  first  united  in  mar- 
riage with  Ellen  M.  Bronnell,  on  June  2, 
1855,  the  daughter  of  Aaron  and  Harriett 
(Barney)  Bronnell,  and  his  second  mar- 
riage was  to  Mrs.  Jennie  C.  Busbey,  daugh- 
ter of  Russell  and  Miss  (Farlton)  Busbey, 
who  resided  in  St.  Mary's  county,  Mary- 
land. This  family  came  from  England  and 
Mr.  Busbey  had  brick  shipped  from  that 
country  with  which  to  build  houses.  In 
politics  our  subject  is  a  Democrat,  and  in  re- 


774 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


ligion  an  Episcopalian.  He  is  a  Free  and 
Accepted  Mason  in  good  standing,  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Knights  of  Pythias.  Mr.  House 
has  been  trustee  of  the  Centralia  public 
schools  for  many  years. 


ANDREW  j.  MCCLELLAND. 

One  of  Centralia's  busiest  and  most  suc- 
cessful business  men  is  the  subject  of  this 
review,  whose  record  has  always  been  one 
of  unquestioned  integrity,  which  has  resulted 
in  his  winning  a  place  of  high  standing  in 
the  industrial  and  social  circles  of  this  com- 
munity. 

Andrew  J.  McClelland,  who  is  engaged  in 
the  transfer  and  storage  business,  was  born 
in  Marion  county,  Illinois,  April  21,  1860, 
the  son  of  John  and  Margaret  (Piercy)  Mc- 
Clelland, the  former  a  native  of  this  county, 
where  he  was  born  in  1825.  He  followed 
farming  all  his  life  and  died  in  Roseburg, 
Oregon,  August  24,  1907,  at  the  age  of 
eighty-one  years.  The  mother  of  the  sub- 
ject was  born  in  Indiana  in  New  Washing- 
ton, in  1837.  She  is  living  in  Oregon  at  a 
ripe  old  age.  John  and  Margaret  McClel- 
land were  the  parents  of  seven  children,  four 
boys  and  three  girls,  our  subject,  Andrew 
J.,  being  the  oldest  son  and  the  fourth  child 
in  order  of  birth.  He  received  his  early 
training  in  the  common  schools  of  Marion 
county.  Being  of  a  very  robust  body  and 
powerful  of  build,  he  early  became  a  full 
hand  at  all  farm  labor.  He  left  his  father's 


farm  while  yet  in  his  teens,  and  went  in 
debt  for  a  team  and  wagon,  and  began  team- 
ing, which  business  he  seems  to  have  been 
well  fitted  for,  for  he  is  one  of  the  few  men 
in  this  line  who  have  won  a  competency  and 
built  up  a  good  thriving  business.  He  has 
four  teams  constantly  occupied  in  moving  all 
classes  of  goods  and  merchandise.  He  han- 
dles car  load  lots  for  people  living  out  of  the 
city,  making  a  specialty  of  moving  pianos 
and  household  furniture,  understanding 
thoroughly  all  the  details  of  this  line  of 
business,  and  he  fills  all  orders  promptly  and 
to  the  satisfaction  of  his  customers.  He  has 
five  employes. 

Mr.  McClelland  was  united  in  marriage 
September  5,  1882,  to  Amy  Larsh,  daughter 
of  Paul  and  Sarah  E.  Larsh.  She  was  born 
in  Ohio,  where  her  parents  lived.  To  this 
union  nine  children  were  born,  as  follows : 
Charles  W.,  who  married  Edna  Patterson, 
lives  in  Centralia ;  James  E. ;  Howard  H.  is 
single  and  living  at  home,  assisting  his 
father  in  the  business ;  Frank  is  single  and  is 
living  at  home  with  his  parents;  Albert  is 
single  and  living  at  home,  as  is  also  Ralph, 
William,  Myron  and  Olga.  James  E.  is 
married  to  Carrie  Garrett,  the  daughter  of 
Charles  and  Sallie  Garrett,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  two  children,  one  boy  and  one 
girl. 

Andrew  McClelland  is  a  Democrat  in  his 
political  affiliations.  His  parents  were  mem- 
bers of  the  Christian  church,  and  he  and  his 
family  also  worship  with  this  congregation, 
while  his  wife  attends  the  Methodist  church, 
of  which  she  is  a  member.  In  his  fraternal 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


775 


relations,  Mr.  McClelland  belongs  to  Castle 
Lodge  No.  26,  Knights  of  Pythias ;  also  the 
Red  Men  Lodge  No.  167,  of  Centralia.  Mr. 
McClelland  is  a  man  of  unassuming  disposi- 
tion, somewhat  reserved,  yet  always  ready 
to  do  his  duty  in  all  things,  being  kind,  frank 
and  open,  possessing  the  essence  of  home- 
bred honesty.  He  is  held  in  reverence  by 
his  children,  and  has  a  large  business  ac- 
quaintance. 


CLARK  B.  NETHERTON. 

Mr.  Netherton,  proprietor  of  the  leading 
meat  market  of  Centralia,  and  one  of  the 
city's  representative  business  men  and  pub- 
lic-spirited citizens,  is  a  native  of  Monroe 
county,  Illinois,  and  one  of  a  family  of  nine 
children,  whose  parents  were  William  and 
Amanda  Netherton,  both  born  and  reared  in 
the  county  of  Monroe.  William  Netherton, 
whose  birth  occurred  on  the  i3th  of  Octo- 
ber, 1836,  followed  teaming  in  an  early  day 
from  his  part  of  the  country  to  St.  Louis, 
and  later  turned  his  attention  to  other  pur- 
suits, spending  all  of  his  life  in  his  native 
county.  Amanda  Cavanaugh,  his  wife,  who 
belonged  to  one  of  the  old  and  highly  es- 
teemed pioneer  families  of  Monroe  county, 
died  in  1908,  at  the  age  of  seventy-two  years. 
Of  the  nine  children  born  to  this  estimable 
couple  five  are  living,  all  being  well  situ- 
ated and  highly  regarded  in  their  respective 
places  of  residence. 

Clark  B.  Netherton  was  born  December 
15.  1 86 1,  and  enjoyed  such  educational  ad- 


vantages as  the  common  schools  of  his  native 
county  afforded.  Early  obliged  to  rely  upon 
his  own  resources  for  livelihood,  he  turned 
his  attention  to  any  kind  of  honorable  labor 
he  could  find,  and  being  endowed  with  a 
strong,  vigorous  physique  and  an  active  and 
handy  turn  of  disposition,  he  was  never 
without  employment  at  liberal  wages.  His 
industry  and  excellent  habits  becoming 
widely  known,  his  services  were  eagerly 
sought  by  those  desiring  competent  and 
trusted  help  and  it  was  not  long  until  he  be- 
gan to  rise  in  the  world  and  become  one  of 
the  substantial  and  enterprising  young  men 
of  the  community  in  which  he  lived.  On 
October  25,  1888,  he  entered  the  employ  of 
James  Adams,  of  Centralia,  proprietor  of 
one  of  the  largest  and  most  successful  meat 
markets  of  the  city,  and  in  due  time,  ac- 
quired proficiency  and  skill  in  the  business, 
and  a  familiarity  with  its  every  detail.  After 
remaining  with  the  above  gentleman  for 
nearly  seventeen  years,  he  resigned  his  posi- 
tion, and  on  May  29,  1905,  opened  a  meat 
market  of  his  own  on  Broadway  where  the 
new  Sentinel-News  office  now  stands,  but 
subsequently  removed  to  his  present  location 
on  South  Locust  street,  where  for  two  years 
he  has  conducted  a  very  large  and  lucrative 
business,  his  establishment,  as  already 
stated,  being  one  of  the  largest  and  most 
successful  of  the  kind  in  the  city. 

Mr.  Netherton's  long  experience  in  the 
line  of  business  which  he  follows  enables 
him  to  realize  the  wants  of  his  customers 
and  to  meet  the  same  regardless  of  pains  or 
expense.  From  the  beginning  of  his  enter- 


776 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


prise  until  the  present  time,  he  has  been  actu- 
ated by  an  ambition  to  keep  a  first  class  and 
fully  up-to-date  market,  and  to  treat  his  pa- 
trons fairly  and  honorably,  the  result  being 
a  constantly  growing  trade,  with  a  corre- 
sponding advance  in  public  favor  until  he  is 
now  one  of  the  most  popular  as  well  as  one 
of  the  most  enterprising  and  successful  men 
of  the  city  in  which  he  resides. 

Politically  Mr.  Netherton  is  a  Democrat, 
but  very  liberal  in  his  views  and  principles, 
and  he  has  ever  manifested  a  lively  interest 
in  public  matters,  and  given  his  support  to 
enterprises  and  measures  having  for  their 
object  the  advancement  and  prosperity  of  his 
county  and  state.  Fraternally  he  is  identi- 
fied with  the  Order  of  Maccabees  and  reli- 
giously is  a  friend  of  all  churches  and  reli- 
gious organizations,  having  been  reared  by 
Baptist  parents  and  early  trained  under  the 
influence  and  teachings  of  that  denomina- 
tion. He  is  in  hearty  accord  with  all  that 
makes  for  moral  worth  and  a  high  standard 
of  manhood  and  citizenship. 

On  the  Qth  day  of  February,  1882,  Mr. 
Netherton  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mary  E.,  daughter  of  William  and  Emily 
C.  Bean,  a  union  resulting  in  the  birth  of  ten 
children,  namely:  Oscar  C. ;  C.  H.,  de- 
ceased ;  Ralph  E. ;  Harvey  C. ;  Florence  A. ; 
John  R. ;  Edna  M. ;  Eva  R. ;  Fred  R. ;  Ed- 
gar C. ;  the  youngest  child  is  deceased.  The 
eight  living  received  their  educational  train- 
ing in  the  public  schools  of  Centralia,  all  ex- 
cept the  oldest  son  being  at  home  and  with 
their  parents,  constituting  a  mutually  happy 
and  contented  domestic  circle.  Oscar  C. 


married  Millie  Pliski  and  lives  in  Chicago, 
the  other  sons  assisting  their  father  in  the 
meat  market,  and  giving  promise  of  ulti- 
mately becoming  intelligent  and  substantial 
business  men. 


I.  D.  LEAR. 

A  well  known  citizen  of  Centralia,  Marion 
county,  is  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  whose 
life  has  been  replete  with  honor  and  success 
owing  to  the  honest  and  careful  business 
methods  he  has  elected  to  pursue  from  his 
boyhood  days. 

I.  D.  Lear  was  born  near  Culpeper,  Vir- 
ginia, May  12,  1843,  the  son  of  Henry 
Lear,  of  Virginia,  who  was  an  engineer  of  a 
boat,  "Forest  Queen",  on  the  river.  When 
the  subject  was  one  year  old  he  moved  to 
Pennsylvania,  settling  in  Westmoreland 
county.  Having  lost  his  mother  at  the  age  of 
four  years  he  was  reared  by  a  step-mother. 
Henry  Lear  ran  an  engine  for  some  time 
for  a  large  still  house.  The  early  education 
of  our  subject  was  obtained  in  the  common 
schools  of  Pennsylvania,  and  in  Hamilton 
county,  Ohio,  and  in  the  common  schools  of 
Cincinnati  and  Harrison.  He  worked  on  a 
farm  during  the  summer  months.  He  also 
worked  at  farm  labor  after  coming  to  Illi- 
nois, having  located  in  Marion  county  in 
1859,  and  worked  here  until  the  breaking 
out  of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  responded  to 
his  patriotism  by  enlisting  in  April,  1861,  in 
Company  G,  Twenty-second  Illinois  Volun- 
teer Infantry,  under  Capt.  James  S.  Jack- 


URIXKEKHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


777 


son  and  Colonel  Daugherty,  of  Carlyle.  The 
subject  was  at  first  at  Camp  Institution,  at 
Belleville,  for  three  months,  subject  to  a 
three  years'  call.  He  was  sworn  into  ser- 
vice at  Kagyville,  Illinois,  in  May,  1861,  and 
was  sent  to  Cairo  and  to  St.  Louis,  encamp- 
ing on  the  Missouri  side  of  the  river  at 
Bird's  Point.  He  was  later  in  the  engage- 
ment at  Charlestown,  Missouri,  in  August 
of  that  year,  also  in  the  fight  at  Belmont, 
having  been  wounded  in  the  right  arm.  He 
was  sent  to  the  hospital  at  Cairo,  where  he 
was  confined  from  November  7th,  until  De- 
cember 27th  following,  when  he  came  home, 
where  he  remained  until  May,  when  he  was 
ordered  to  return  to  the  army  and  unite  with 
his  regiment  at  Corinth,  Mississippi,  to  be 
discharged,  but  he  remained  with  the  regi- 
ment for  a  year  and  was  orderly  for  General 
Palmer.  He  went  to  Florence  and  Athens, 
Alabama,  then  to  Nashville,  Tennessee,  with 
General  Palmer,  who  brought  provisions 
for  ten  thousand  to  relieve  the  garrison  at 
Nashville,  Tennessee.  He  remained  there 
for  four  months,  when  he  was  discharged 
and  came  with  three  hundred  convalescent 
soldiers  to  Louisville,  Kentucky.  They  were 
met  twelve  miles  from  that  city  by  the  enemy 
who  took  all  letters  from  them.  He  bought 
a  horse  at  Nashville  and  rode  home,  visiting 
Camps  Morgan  and  Forest,  where  he  was 
fed  and  given  his  liberty.  While  stopping  at 
a  hotel  in  Kentucky  on  his  way  home,  Con- 
federates tried  to  take  him  out,  and  the  next 
day  also  tried  to  take  his  horse.  After  sev- 
eral trying  experiences  he  reached  Louis- 
ville, where  he  received  his  pay,  all  in  gold, 
from  the  paymaster. 


He  returned  to  luka,  Illinois,  and  met 
Lizzie  Jackson,  niece  of  his  captain,  J.  S. 
Jackson,  and  they  were  married  in  Septem- 
ber, 1867,  at  her  home  in  Frankfort,  Ken- 
tucky. 

Mr.  Lear  was  a  farmer  and  merchant  up 
to  the  fall  of  1866,  at  each  of  which  he  was 
successful.  He  was  candidate  for  Sheriff, 
of  Marion  county,  having  been  elected  by 
eleven  votes  on  the  Democratic  ticket,  he  be- 
ing the  only  man  on  the  ticket  who  won, 
the  county  going  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
five  Republican ;  this  shows  his  unquestioned 
popularity  in  the  county.  He  served  this 
office  in  a  most  capable  manner  for  a  period 
of  two  years,  after  which  he  bought  a  farm 
in  Marion  county  and  resumed  agricultural 
pursuits,  following  the  same  for  three  years, 
when  he  sold  out  and  went  into  the  hay  and 
grain  business,  which  he  followed  very  suc- 
cessfully until  1879,  when  he  was  again 
elected  Sheriff  by  a  majority  of  four  hun- 
dred, and  again  made  a  most  excellent  rec- 
ord for  two  years,  being  a  candidate  for  re- 
election, but  was  defeated  at  the  polls.  He 
then  went  on  the  road  as  a  commercial  sales- 
man in  Southern  Illinois  for  a  St.  Louis 
firm,  selling  groceries,  which  line  of  work 
he  followed  for  sixteen  years,  giving  the 
firm  satisfaction  in  every  respect.  He  then 
conducted  the  hotel  in  Kinmundy  for  eight- 
een months.  He  is  now  living  in  Centralia, 
and  is  interested  in  the  "Wizard  Floor 
Cleaning  Company",  a  Chicago  firm,  Mr. 
Lear  having  the  agency  or  Illinois  and  In- 
diana. 

Mr.  Lear's  family  consists  of  two  chil- 
dren, one  boy  and  one  girl,  namely :  Emmit 


77» 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Dozier,  who  is  single ;  and  Laura  Ethel,  who 
is  a  graduate  of  Brown's  Business  College. 
The  mother  of  the  subject's  wife  has  lived 
with  the  subject  and  wife  for  twenty-four 
years.  She  was  born  in  Lexington,  Ken- 
tucky, and  is  now  seventy  years  of  age.  The 
subject's  wife  was  born  in  Louisville,  Ken- 
tucky. Mr.  Lear  is  a  Democrat  and  in  reli- 
gious matters  is  a  Christian  Scientist.  He 
draws  a  pension  of  fifty-five  dollars. 


THE  MERCHANTS'  STATE  BANK  OF 
CENTRALIA. 

This  institution  was  organized  under  the 
general  laws  of  the  state  of  Illinois,  on  the 
22d  day  of  May,  1900,  for  the  purpose  of 
conducting  and  transacting  a  general  bank- 
ing business,  receiving  deposits  payable  on 
demand  or  on  time  with  interest,  making 
loans  on  personal  as  well  as  on  real  estate 
securities,  discounting  commercial  paper, 
and  engaging  in  such  other  business  as  is 
customary  to  conservative  banking  institu- 
tions. The  promoters  of  the  enterprise  were 
B.  Pullen,  J.  Hefter,  E.  S.  Condit  and  W. 
D.  Richardson,  all  well  known  and  promi- 
nent citizens. 

The  bank  opened  its  doors  to  the  public  on 
the  23d  day  of  May,  1900,  with  a  paid-up 
capital  of  fifty  thousand  dollars,  and  has 
been  in  successful  operation  ever  since. 

The  first  officers  of  the  institution  were 
B.  Pullen,  president;  W.  D.  Richardson, 
vice-president;  Joseph  Hefter,  cashier;  and 


E.  S.  Condit,  assistant  cashier,  who  were 
retained  in  office  by  annual  election  until 
January,  1906,  when  the  president,  B.  Pul- 
len, and  the  assistant  cashier,  E.  S.  Condit, 
retired  from  office,  the  former  on  account  of 
ill  health,  and  the  latter  through  removal  to 
Chicago. 

At  the  next  election  the  following  officers 
were  chosen  by  the  board  of  directors :  W. 

D.  Richardson,  president ;  Jacob  Peifer,  vice- 
president  ;  Joseph  Hefter,  cashier,  and  J.  S. 
Condit,  assistant  cashier,  all  of  whom  are  in 
office  in   1909.     The  present  directors    are 
W.    D.    Richardson,   Jacob    Peifer,   Joseph 
Hefter,  W.  E.  O'Melveny,  Robert  Barren, 

E.  S.  Condit  and  Joseph  E.  Hefter. 

On  December  8,  1900,  a  savings  depart- 
ment was  added  to  the  institution,  which  met 
with  great  success.  The  new  department 
became  very  popular,  and  at  present  has- 
twelve  hundred  accounts  with  deposits  ag- 
gregating one  hundred  and  twenty-five  thou- 
sand dollars. 

In  the  fall  of  1903  a  new  building  was 
erected  for  a  banking  house  on  the  old  Dr. 
McCord  lot  on  the  corner  of  East  Broad- 
way and  Pittenger  avenue  at  a  cost  of 
twenty-eight  thousand  two  hundred  dollars. 
This  stone  structure,  a  very  fine  addition  to 
the  city  of  Centralia,  is  a  guarantee  of  the 
stability  of  the  bank  and  a  proof  of  the  pub- 
lic spirit  of  the  officers  of  the  institution.  At 
the  same  time  a  safety  deposit  vault  was  in- 
stalled, which  gained  a  well  deserved  popu- 
larity. 

The  Merchants'  State  Bank  with  its  sav- 
ing department  and  safe  deposit  vaults,  em- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


779 


ploying  four  regular  employees,  and  aided 
by  its  officers  and  directors,  seven  in  num- 
ber, all  of  whom  are  prominent  professional 
or  business  men,  promises  "a  bright  future. 

The  deposits  now  amount  to  two  hundred 
and  thirty-five  thousand  dollars,  the  loans 
and  discounts  to  one  hundred  and  twenty- 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  their  holdings  in 
bonds,  most  of  which  are  Centralia  and 
school  bonds  from  the  immediate  vicinity, 
amount  to  fifty-one  thousand  six  hundred 
and  sixty  dollars. 

The  institution  has  paid  regular  dividends 
since  July  i,  1901,  and  started  a  surplus 
fund  which  will  be  increased  from  time  to 
time. 

The  bank  enjoys  the  confidence  of  the  en- 
tire community.  During  the  last  panic  the 
bank  paid  its  deposits  in  cash,  dollar  for 
dollar,  without  borrowing  a  dollar  or  im- 
pairing its  assets  in  the  least.  No  restric- 
tions were  made  to  any  of  its  customers 
during  this  period,  which  is  a  proof  of  the 
most  able  management  of  the  institution  by 
its  officers,  and  deserves  the  confidence  of 
anyone  who  wishes  the  services  of  a  bank. 

Joseph  Hefter,  the  cashier  of  the  institu- 
tion, has  had  forty  years'  experience  in  the 
banking  businss ;  he  is  courteous  and  accom- 
modating, and  tries  to  do  all  he  can  to  fur- 
ther the  interest  of  the  bank's  patrons  with 
advanced  business  ideas. 

The  assistant  cashier,  J.  S.  Condit,  and 
the  entire  bank  force  are  always  ready  and 
willing  to  promote  the  interest  of  the  bank 
and  its  customers. 


HARRIET  LEONARD. 

This  well  known  lady  who  occupies  a  con- 
spicuous position  among  the  best  society  cir- 
cles of  Centralia,  is  a  native  of  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  a  member  of  one  of  the 
old  and  highly  esteemed  families  of  the 
southern  part  of  the  state,  has  borne  well  her 
part  in  life,  and  is  deserving  of  more  than  a 
passing  notice  in  a  record  such  as  this  vol- 
ume purports  to  be.  Her  family  name  was 
Harriet  Frazier,  and  she  being  the  fifth  of 
six  children  whose  parents,  Simpson  and 
Julia  Frazier,  were  among  the  earliest  set- 
tlers and  widely  known  people  of  Marion 
county,  having  moved  to  this  part  of  the 
state  when  the  country  was  a  wilderness  and 
taken  an  active  interest  in  the  development 
of  its  resources.  Simpson  Frazier  was  a 
man  of  intelligence  and  high  social  stand- 
ing, much  better  educated  than  the  majority 
of  his  pioneer  neighbors,  and  for  a  number 
of  years  he  labored  earnestly  for  the  mental 
improvement  of  those  about  him,  and  put 
forth  every  effort  at  his  command  to  intro- 
duce schools  and  disseminate  knowledge 
among  the  people  of  his  own  and  other  com- 
munities. 

Harriet  Frazier,  whose  birth  occurred  on 
the  27th  day  of  December,  1854,  was  reared 
under  excellent  home  influences,  early  ac- 
quired habits  of  industry  and  self-reliance, 
and  while  still  young  eagerly  reading  every- 
thing in  the  way  of  literature  to  which  she 
could  lay  her  hands.  In  due  time  she  en- 
tered the  public  schools  of  Centralia,  where 


78o 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


she  made  commendable  progress  in  the  usual 
branches  of  learning,  and  after  finishing  the 
prescribed  course,  continued  to  improve  her 
mind  by  private  study  and  a  wide  range  of 
reading,  in  this  way  becoming  familiar  with 
the  world's  best  literature,  as  well  as  keep- 
ing in  touch  with  the  times  on  all  matters  of 
local  and  public  interest.  On  the  6th  day 
of  October,  1878,  she  was  united  in  mar- 
riage to  Walter  Leonard,  of  Jeffersonville, 
Indiana,  a  high  minded  gentleman,  and  for 
a  number  of  years  a  successful  teacher,  the 
ceremony  being  solemnized  in  Centralia,  by 
Rev.  A.  Martin,  the  pastor  of  the  Christian 
church  of  this  city.  Mr.  Leonard  was  born 
in  the  year  1852,  received  a  good  education 
in  Centralia  schools,  and  as  stated  above, 
devoted  about  ten  years  of  his  life  to  teach- 
ing, retiring  from  the  profession  at  the  ex- 
piration of  that  time  to  engage  in  business. 
Opening  a  general  store  in  Centralia  he  soon 
built  up  a  lucrative  patronage,  and  for  a  pe- 
riod of  seventeen  years  was  the  head  of  one 
of  the  largest  and  most  successful  mercantile 
establishments  of  the  kind  in  the  city.  He 
was  a  man  of  high  character  and  unim- 
peachable integrity,  always  manifested  a 
lively  interest  in  the  intellectual  advance- 
ment of  the  city  of  his  residence,  and  was 
also  a  leader  in  various  enterprises  and 
measures  for  the  moral  advancement  of  the 
community.  His  father,  Rev.  Silas  W. 
Leonard,  was  one  of  the  first  ministers  of 
the  Christian  Disciple  church  in  Centralia, 
and  in  addition  to  building  up  the  cause  of 
the  current  reformation  in  this  city  he  was 
also  instrumental  in  organizing  a  number  of 


congregations  and  spreading  the  doctrines 
peculiar  to  the  church  in  other  counties  of 
Centralia  and  Southern  Illinois.  He  was  one 
of  the  compilers  of  a  book,  a  collection  of 
hymns,  called  the  "Christian  Psalmist". 
Walter  Leonard  grew  up  under  the  influence 
of  pious  parents  and  profited  by  the  instruc- 
tion received  in  his  childhood  and  youth, 
becoming  in  after  years  a  symmetrically  de- 
veloped Christian  gentleman  and  a  potential 
as  well  as  an  active  factor  in  promoting  the 
cause  of  religion  and  education  among  the 
people  with  whom  his  lot  was  cast.  During 
his  residence  in  Centralia  he  became 
prominent  in  many  lines  of  good  work,  rose 
to  high  standing  among  the  business  of  the 
city  and  enjoyed  the  respect  and  confidence 
of  all  with  whom  he  mingled.  He  died  at 
his  home  in  this  city  November  14,  1906,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-four  years,  and  in  the  prime 
of  his  physical  and  mental  powers,  his  loss 
being  greatly  deplored  by  those  who  knew 
him  best,  and  who  had  learned  to  prize  him 
for  his  sterling  worth. 

To  Walter  and  Harriet  Leonard  nine 
children  were  born,  seven  of  whom  are  liv- 
ing, namely :  Ora,  who  married  Albert  Cop- 
pie,  and  makes  her  home  with  her  mother; 
Daisy,  Shirley,  Bessie,  Harry,  Josie  and 
Raymond,  all  residing  at  home  and  consti- 
tuting a  very  happy  and  pleasing  household. 
Mrs.  Leonard's  home  on  South  Locust  street 
is  a  favorite  resort,  not  only  for  her 
friends  who  are  many,  but  also  for  the  best 
society  circles  of  the  city,  being  the  abode  of 
a  genuine  old-time  hospitality.  A  lady  of 
intelligence  and  beautiful  character,  Mrs. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


78i 


Leonard  fills  a  large  place  in  the  social  life  of 
the  city,  while  her  heart  and  hand  are  ever 
open  to  the  cry  of  poverty  or  distress. 
Among  the  sick  and  suffering  she  is  a  veri- 
table angel  of  mercy.  She  is  a  woman  of 
unusual  energy  and  ability,  as  the  keeping  of 
her  children  together  and  planning  for  their 
future  abundantly  attest,  and  she  looks  after 
her  business  interests  and  manages  her  af- 
fairs with  judgment  and  discretion  such  as 
few  women  possess. 

Mrs.  Leonard  was  well  born,  and  inherits 
from  a  long  line  of  sturdy  ancestors  many 
of  the  amiable  qualities  and  sterling  virtues 
which  have  made  her  so  well  known  and 
popular  among  her  neighbors  and  friends. 
She  is  connected  by  the  ties  of  blood  with  a 
number  of  prominent  families  throughout 
the  United  States,  being  a  cousin  of  the 
Pearcys,  of  Ohio,  Indiana  and  Michigan, 
all  eminent  as  teachers  and  professors  in 
various  colleges  and  institutions  of  learning 
in  their  respective  states,  besides  being  close- 
ly connected  with  others  equally  prominent 
in  educational  work  and  professional  life. 


THOMAS  J.  WRIGHT. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  well  known 
in  Centralia  township  and  Marion  county  in 
general.  For  a  great  number  of  years  he 
was  a  familiar  figure  as  a  conductor  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad,  where  his  friendli- 
ness and  geniality  won  for  him  a  host  of 
friends  and  acquaintances.  Since  his  retire- 


ment  from  active  railroad  life  he  has  en- 
gaged in  the  life  insurance  business  on  behalf 
of  that  great  New  York  industrial  insurance 
company,  the  Metropolitan.  In  his  new 
calling,  Thomas  J.  Wright  has  been  as  suc- 
cessful, if  not  more  so,  than  in  his  first.  At 
any  rate  it  is  a  position  more  suitable  for 
his  advanced  years,  and  in  it  he  has  made 
record  progress,  for  he  brought  into  his 
work  in  the  insurance  line  all  the  forceful- 
ness  and  pleasing  characteristics  that  have 
ever  been  embodied  in  his  personality. 

Thomas  J.  Wright  was  born  in  Lafay- 
ette county,  Wisconsin,  on  March  4,  1846, 
and  is  the  son  of  John  M.  Wright  and  Baily 
M.  Brady.  His  father  was  born  near  Lan- 
cashire, England,  and  came  of  an  English 
family.  On  coming  to  this  country  with 
his  parents  he  later  married  Baily  M.  Brady, 
who  was  born  near  Dublin,  Ireland,  in  1829, 
and  died  at  East  Dubuque,  at  the  age  of 
fifty-two,  in  the  north  part  of  the  state  of 
Illinois.  They  reared  a  family  of  four  chil- 
dren, three  boys  and  one  girl,  of  whom 
Thomas,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  is  the 
eldest. 

Thomas  J.  Wright  received  his  education 
in  the  public  schools  of  Benton,  Wisconsin, 
and  East  Dubuque,  Illinois,  and  the  com- 
mon schools  in  that  place.  At  the  age  of 
eight  years  he  moved  with  his  parents  to 
East  Dubuque,  afterwards  moved  to  New 
York  state,  then  back  to  Iowa,  and  from 
there  to  Centralia,  Illinois.  For  two  years 
he  was  a  clerk  in  the  news  and  cigar  stand 
at  the  Illinois  Central  depot,  and  acted  as 
newsboy  for  two  years.  For  four  years  fol- 


782 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


lowing  he  acted  as  a  passenger  brakeman  on 
the  Illinois  Central;  then  as  a  baggageman 
on  freight  trains  for  nine  years.  At  the  ex- 
piration of  that  time  he  was  promoted  and 
made  a  freight  train  conductor,  in  which  ca- 
pacity he  remained  for  nine  years.  He  was 
then  made  passenger  train  conductor  and 
occupied  the  same  position  when  he  located 
in  Centralia,  and  filled  that  position  until  his 
retirement  from  active  railroad  service  nine 
years  ago.  During  his  life  on  the  Illinois 
road  he  was  a  diligent  and  faithful  employee 
and  stood  high  in  the  estimation  of  his  fel- 
low railroad  workers.  Upon  leaving  the 
Illinois  Central  he  interested  himself  in  the 
industrial  insurance  business,  connecting 
himself  with  the  Metropolitan,  of  New- 
York.  He  has  continued  to  labor  in  this 
profession  up  to  the  present  time,  and  his 
active  propagandist  work  along  the  life  in- 
surance canvassing  line  has  resulted  in  his 
having  saved  many  an  untimely  widow  and 
many  a  helpless  family  from  destitution. 
Thomas  J.  Wright  has  been  looked  upon  by 
the  company  he  represents  as  one  of  their 
largest  producers  of  business  in  his  section 
of  the  state.  He  possesses  many  of  the 
qualities  which  bring  success  in  his  line  of 
work,  and  is  both  tactful  and  aggressive. 

Thomas  J.  Wright  married  Mary  N. 
Nichols,  the  daughter  of  James  H.  and 
Julia  (Busby)  Nichols,  both  natives  of 
Pennsylvania  who  came  to  Illinois.  Their 
family  consisted  of  two  girls.  The  mar- 
riage of  the  subject  of  our  sketch  and  Mary 
Ann  Nichols  took  place  October  26.  1871. 


They  have  had  two  children.  Maud,  who 
married  Amos  A.  Hobbs,  a  manufacturer 
of  map  cases  and  lives  in  Chicago;  Gladys, 
the  second  daughter,  is  at  home  witli 
her  parents.  Thomas  J.  Wright  and  his 
wife  and  family  live  a  happy  domestic  life  in 
their  comfortable  and  substantial  home  at 
218  South  Maple  street.  He  is  in  prosper- 
ous circumstances  and  owns  real  estate  in 
Chicago  and  in  East  Dubuque,  and  also 
eighty  acres  of  land  in  Kansas. 

In  politics  Thomas  J.  Wright  is  an  en- 
thusiastic Republican.  He  is  an  acute  ob- 
server of  public  affairs  and  keeps  himself 
well  posted  on  the  political  happenings  of 
the  day.  Both  he  and  his  wife  are  Episco- 
palians, as  are  also  his  daughters.  They  are 
attentive  to  church  duties  and  are  popular  in 
religious  circles. 

In  fraternal  affairs  Thomas  J.  Wright  is 
very  prominent.  He  is  an  influential  Ma- 
son and  belongs  to  Masonic  lodge,  Blue 
Chapter  No.  178,  Amboy,  Illinois,  and  the 
Council,  Commandery  and  Consistory  at  Cen- 
tralia and  Freeport,  Illinois;  he  belongs  to 
the  Benevolent  and  Protective  Order  of 
Elks,  Lodge  No.  493,  Centralia;  and 
also  to  the  Order  of  Railroad  Conduc- 
tors, No.  112,  Centralia.  In  Masonic  af- 
fairs the  subject  of  our  sketch  is  the  sword- 
bearer  in  the  Commandery  to  which  he  be- 
longs and  third  vail  in  Chapter. 

Thomas  J.  Wright  is  now  in  his  sixty- 
second  year,  and  is  still  active  in  business 
life,  and  is  as  alert  and  energetic  as  ever  he 
has  been. 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


-     .  ARNOLD   SAXER. 

Arnold  Saxer,  the  successful  wholesale 
and  retail  merchant  of  626  East  Broadway 
street,  Centralia,  is  known  and  re- 
spected throughout  Marion  county.  Thir- 
ty-five years  have  now  passed  since  he 
came  to  the  United  States  from  his  native 
Canton  of  Zurich  in  Switzerland,  that  land 
of  snow-clad  Alpine  heights,  and  sturdy, 
active  mountaineers.  •  For  many  years 
Switzerland  has  continued  to  send  us  many 
of  her  strong  and  healthy  sons  and  daugh- 
ters, who,  once  they  arrive  in  the  United 
States,  start  upon  the  careers  of  desirable 
and  industrious  citizens. 

Arnold  Saxer  was  born  in  Zurich,  in 
the  Canton  of  the  same  name,  Switzerland, 
on  July  29,  1854.  He  was  the  son  of  J.  J. 
Saxer  and  Berina,  his  wife,  who  had  a  fam- 
ily of  two  children.  They  were :  Emma,  who 
was  born  in  1846,  and  who  still  lives  in 
Switzerland,  and  Arnold,  the  subject  of  our 
present  sketch. 

Arnold  Saxer  came  to  America  in  the 
year  1873,  and  settled  in  St.  Louis,  Mis- 
souri. He  had  received  a  good  education  in 
Switzerland,  as  good  educational  laws  and 
good  educational  facilities  have  received 
much  attention  for  a  great  many  years  in 
the  Swiss  Cantons.  Our  subject  was 
trained  in  the  common  and  high  schools, 
was  an  apt  pupil,  and  derived  much  benefit 
from  his  schooling.  In  St.  Louis  he  entered 
the  wholesale  and  retail  business  and  later 
married  Amanda  Stahman,  of  that  city,  on 
the  8th  of  November.  1877.  and  nine 


children  were  born  to  this  union,  namely : 
August,  Arnold  C.,  who  lives  in  Newr 
York;  Louis  H.,  who  lives  in  St.  Louis; 
John  J.,  a  midshipman  at  the  Annapolis 
Naval  Academy;  Verina,  Amanda,  Elzie, 
Florence  and  Lillian,  all  of  whom  are  at 
home.  August  Saxer  married  Ada  Brenton, 
of  St.  Louis,  and  is  in  the  treasurer's  de- 
partment of  the  Annheuser-Busch  Brewing 
Company. 

In  the  year  of  1887,  the  subject  of  our 
sketch  came  to  Centralia,  locating  at  128 
East  Broadway  street,  where  he  worked  for 
Henry  Kurth  for  ten  years.  In  1898  he 
branched  out  into  business  for  himself  and 
^ince  that  time  he  has  been  most  successful. 
He  was  elected  for  one  term  City  Treasurer 
and  carried  out  the  duties  of  office  with 
credit.  In  fraternal  and  society  circles,  he 
is  very  prominent  and  is  an  active  member 
of  the  following  lodges:  The  Knights  of 
Honor,  the  Eagles,  the  Treubund,  the 
Turn-Verein  and  the  Grutlig-Verin.  In 
political  affairs  he  takes  an  observant  in- 
terest and  is  a  Republican.  He  was  reared 
a  member  of  the  Protestant  Evangelical  be- 
lief. He  is  the  owner  of  some  property  in 
Centralia,  including  his  business  place  at 
626  East  Broadway.  He  has  been  success- 
ful in  all  ventures  in  which  he  has  interested 
himself  and  has  the  reputation  of  being  a 
conservative  business  man.  He  is  in  his 
fifty-fourth  year  and  many  more  years  in 
which  to  perfect  and  expand  his  commer- 
cial enterprises  will  very  likely  be  his.  His 
uprightness  and  integrity  have  shown  him 
to  be  a  worthy  citizen. 


784 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


.   JACOB  TOUVE. 

A  great  proportion  of  our  German- Amer- 
icans are  of  the  first  generation,  having  left 
the  "Fatherland"  in  their  youth,  and  the 
love  they  bear  for  the  land  of  their  birth 
does  not  preclude  nor  hinder  them  from  be- 
coming good,  hard-working  American  citi- 
zens, their  steady  measured  industry  having 
brought  them  to  the  fore  in  large  numbers 
in  every  avenue  of  life. 

In  Jacob  Touve,  Centralia  possesses  a 
German-American  citizen  of  the  highest 
type,  a  man  who  has  arrived  in  the  front 
rank  mainly  by  the  qualities  that  have  char- 
acterized him  all  through  life,  self-reliance, 
energy  and  common  sense.  He  was  born  in 
Rhinish  Bavaria,  Germany,  on  the  I4th  of 
October,  1838,  the  son  of  Jacob  and  Louise 
(Sattaner)  Touve.  His  father  was  a  wood 
turner  by  trade,  who  brought  his  family  to 
America  in  1867.  The  family  settled  in 
Centralia,  where  the  elder  Jacob  remained, 
dying  in  1869  in  Atchison,  Kansas.  His 
wife  died  in  Pleasant  Hill,  Missouri,  in 
1870.  Their  family  consisted  of  six  chil- 
dren, two  boys  and  four  girls,  Jacob  being 
the  third  child  born  to  them. 

Jacob,  the  subject  of  our  sketch,  preceded 
his  family  to  America,  arriving  here  in 
1856,  and  going  first  to  Wisconsin.  In  1860 
he  went  to  St.  Louis  and  engaged  in  the 
barber  trade,  and  in  1863  on  the  3d  of  No- 
vember he  removed  to  Centralia,  where  he 
has  been  located  in  the  barber  trade  for  the 
past  forty-five  years.  For  several  years  he 
engaged  in  the  gents'  furnishing  business  in 


Centralia,  but  discontinued  it  about  .five 
years  ago. 

His  marriage  took  place  on  September  27, 
1865,  when  he  espoused  Magdalena  Muer- 
ley,  daughter  of  Joseph  and  Eva  Muerley. 
The  marriage  ceremony  was  performed  by 
John  Williams  in  Salem,  Illinois,  the  wed- 
ding party  having  driven  over  there  from 
Centralia  in  a  buggy.  Mrs.  Touve  was  one 
of  four  children  born  to  her  parents.  To 
Jacob  and  Mrs.  Touve  nine  children,  three 
sons  and  six  daughters,  have  been  born  as 
follows :  Louisa,  Sophia,  Clara,  Bertha ;  Os- 
car, an  employee  of  the  Colorado  Midland 
Railroad ;  Lesetta  M.  is  in  the  millinery  busi- 
ness and  resides  with  her  parents ;  Jacob  J. 
is  a  timekeeper  in  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road shops;  Walter  B.  follows  his  father's 
occupation,  and  Anna  an  infant,  is  deceased. 
Sophia  married  Albert  S.  Owen,  an  engineer 
on  the  Big  Four  Railroad  at  Mattoon,  Il- 
linois, where  they  are  living  and  has  one 
girl.  Clara  married  William  L.  Derlith,  a 
jeweler  of  Centralia.  Bertha  is  at  home 
with  her  parents. 

The  life  of  Jacob  Touve  has  been  an 
eventful  one  from  the  time  of  his  arrival  in 
this  country.  When  not  quite  eighteen 
years  old  he  went  to  work  for  three  years 
as  a  wagon  maker,  ten  miles  from  Milwau- 
kee. He  obtained  his  citizenship  papers  in 
1866  from  Judge  Bryan,  and  the  first  presi- 
dent he  had  the  honor  to  vote  for  was 
Ulysses  S.  Grant.  In  the  politics  of  the  day 
he  is  a  staunch  Republican  and  has  been 
quite  active  in  the  political  life  of  Centralia. 
He  has  been  for  two  years  City  Collector, 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  filled  the  office  of  City  Treasurer  with 
distinction  for  two  years.  In  Masonic  af- 
fairs he  has  taken  an  active  part,  being  one 
of  the  oldest  living  members  of  the  local  ma- 
sonic fraternity.  He  has  also  been  a  Turner. 
Thought  reared  a  Catholic  he  is  not  now  a 
member  of  any  orthodox  church.  All  the 
members  of  the  family  are  gifted  musicians 
and  their  accomplishments  have  rendered 
them  very  popular  in  social  life. 

Jacob  Touve  has  a  nice  comfortable  home 
in  which  he  with  his  wife  and  the  unmar- 
ried members  of  his  family  live  very  happily. 
His  business  place  at  112  East  Broadway  is 
equipped  throughout  with  first-class  tonso- 
rial  appliances.  In  his  shop  there  are  four 
chairs  of  the  improved  type,  and  the  lava- 
tory attached  contains  two  porcelain  baths, 
He  has  been  thirty-three  years  in  his  present 
location  and  during  that  long  time  he  has 
experienced  a  steady  flow  of  prosperity. 


LYDIA  E.  CONNELL. 

Our  subject  has  the  distinction  of  being 
one  of  the  oldest  living  residents  of  the 
township  in  which  she  lives  in  Marion 
county.  She  comes  of  an  old  and  illustrious 
New  Hampshire  family;  her  grandfather, 
on  her  father's  side,  fought  in  the  war  of 
the  Revolution,  and  was  a  personal  acquaint- 
ance of  General  Washington.  She  is  the 
possessor  of  the  old  family  Bible,  which  con- 
tains the  records  of  the  births,  marriages 
and  deaths  of  the  members  of  her  famliy  for 
50 


many  generations.  Since  the  time  of  her 
settlement  in  Centralia  in  1867,  the  years 
have  seen  the  increased  prosperity  of  both 
herself  and  her  children. 

Lydia  E.  Connell  was  born  in  Wilton; 
New  Hampshire,  on  the  ist  of  October, 
1827,  and  was  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Cloah  (Holt)  Connell,  both  natives  of  Wil- 
ton, New  Hampshire.  William  Bales  Con- 
nell, who  was  a  farmer  and  trader,  moved  to 
Ohio  in  the  year  1835.  He  was  born  in 
1777  and  died  in  Ohio  in  1872,  at  the  ad- 
vanced age  of  ninety-five.  His  father,  as 
we  have  stated,  fought  in  the  Revolutionary 
war  and  knew  General  Washington  as  he, 
also,  did.  Our  subject's  mother,  too,  was  a 
native  of  Wilton,  New  Hampshire,  having 
been  born  there  in  1782,  and  she  died  at  the 
age  of  seventy-two,  in  the  year  1855,  in 
Ohio.  She  was  the  mother  of  nine  children, 
Lydia,  our  subject,  being  the  only  one  now 
living. 

Lydia  E.  Connell  was  educated  in  the  lo- 
cal common  schools  of  her  native  township 
in  New  Hampshire,  and  afterwards  went 
for  one  year  to  the  Hancock  Ladies'  Acad- 
emy, in  Hancock  City,  New  Hampshire, 
and  she  afterwards  taught  school  for  seven 
years  in  Ohio.  On  June  10,  1852,  she  mar- 
ried Zachariah  A.  Connell,  the  son  of  a 
Methodist  Episcopal  minister,  Zachariah 
Connell,  who  was  born  in  Ireland  on  the 
nth  of  September,  1794,  and  came  to 
America  at  the  age  of  three  years  with  his 
parents.  Lydia  E.  Council's  husband  was  a 
harness  maker  by  trade  and  a  skilled  and 
industrious  workman.  He  was  born  in 


786 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Worthington,  Ohio,  on  May  14,  1831,  and 
died  June  26,  1889,  in  Centralia,  Illinois. 
Three  children  were  born  of  their  marriage, 
namely:  Charles  A.,  who  is  deceased; 
George  C.  and  Ida  M.  George  C.  married 
Adalaid  Swartout,  of  Centralia.  They  had 
one  child,  a  girl,  now  deceased.  George  C. 
is  a  harness  maker  in  Centralia.  Ida  M. 
married  Thomas  B.  Cunningham,  of  Cen- 
tralia, on  June  28,  1883,  the  marriage  being 
performed  by  the  Rev.  J.  M.  Green,  of  the 
Presbyterian  church.  Mrs.  Cunningham  is 
the  mother  of  three  children,  Hazel  A.,  Don- 
ald C.,  and  Percival  C.  The  two  latter  chil- 
dren are  still  in  school.  Hazel  A.  holds  a 
position  in  the  City  Real  Estate  office  of  B. 
M.  English.  Mrs.  Cunningham's  husband, 
Thomas  B.,  was  the  son  of  Matthew  J.  and 
Esther  (Little)  Cunningham,  well  known 
residents  of  Centralia,  now  deceased.  Eight 
children  were  born  to  them. 

Lydia  E.  Connell  moved  with  her  hus- 
band from  Ohio  to  Illinois  in  the  year  1867, 
and  settled  in  Centralia,  where  Zachariah  A. 
opened  a  flourishing  harness  making  busi- 
ness. He,  himself,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Civil 
war  and  served  his  country  for  two  years. 
He  enlisted  in  May,  1862,  in  Columbus, 
Ohio,  in  the  Forty-third  Volunteer  Infantry 
under  Col.  J.  Kirby  Smith,  and  fought  in 
the  protracted  two  days'  fight  at  Corinth, 
Mississippi,  in  which  engagement  he  con- 
tracted acute  rheumatism.  During  his  two 
years'  absence  Lydia  took  upon  herself  the 
work  of  bread-winner  for  her  family.  Her 
three  children  were  little  at  the  time,  the 
youngest  being  but  three  years  old.  She 


taught  school  for  one  year,  took  in  sewing, 
and  did  her  own  garden  work  with  the  oc- 
casional help  of  thoughtful  neighbors.  Her 
daughter,  Ida  M.,  was  well  educated  in  Ohio 
and  in  Centralia  public  schools.  She  was  a 
seamstress  for  ten  years  previous  to  her 
marriage.  She  also  held  the  important  po- 
sition of  public  librarian  of  Centralia  for 
four  years.  Zachariah  A.  Connell  was  a 
staunch  Democrat  in  politics,  and  was  old 
enough  to  vote  for  President  Tyler  at  the 
time  of  his  election.  Thomas  B.  Cunning- 
ham, husband  of  Ida  M.,  daughter  of  our 
subject,  is  a  Republican  in  politics  and  a 
member  of  the  Congregational  church,  as 
are  the  members  of  the  family.  Lydia  E. 
Connell  was  reared  in  the  Baptist  faith.  The 
family  all  live  at  410  South  Sycamore 
street,  in  a  comfortable  and  substantial 
home,  which  is  the  property  of  the  subject  of 
our  sketch. 


J.  VV.  TATE  LUMBER  COMPANY, 
INCORPORATED. 

The  individual  who  is  at  the  head  of  this 
sketch  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
January  26,  1862,  and  is  the  son  of  Robert 
E.  and  Sarah  E.  (Wooters)  Tate,  both  of 
whom  were  born  in  Marion  county,  and 
were  the  parents  of  three  children,  two  of 
whom  are  now  living,  son  and  daughter. 

The  father,  Robert  E.  Tate,  for  some 
years  followed  the  livery  business  with  his 
son,  and  also  farmed.  He  was,  at  one  time, 
a  member  of  the  City  Council  and  was  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


787 


.useful  and  honorable  citizen.  He  died  June 
J3>  I9°5-  at  tne  age  °f  seventy-one  years. 
The  mother,  Sarah  E.  Tate,  died  in  1901. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch,  J.  W.  Tate, 
received  his  early  education  in  the  common 
and  public  schools  of  Centralia.  Being  of 
an  active  disposition  both  of  body  and  mind, 
his  natural  bent  was  turned  to  that  of  busi- 
ness and  commercial  enterprises.  He  was 
first  interested  with  his  father  in  the  livery 
business,  where  they  handled  many  horses 
in  buying  and  selling  and  trading  for  some 
ten  years.  After  this  he  changed  his  occu- 
pation and  was  or  about  three  years  in  the 
implement  business,  then  embarked  in  the 
lumber  business,  which  has  more  or  less  en- 
gaged his  attention  for  the  past  eleven  years. 
Their  offices  are  at  217  North  Oak  street. 
The  building  and  property  of  the  Tate  Lum- 
ber Company  has  a  frontage  of  two  hundred 
feet,  and  one  hundred  and  sixty  feet  deep, 
where  he  and  his  partner,  and  his  son,  can 
be  found  at  regular  business  hours,  where 
they  handle  all  kinds  of  lumber  and  building 
materials,  also  implements,  such  as  wagons 
and  buggies,  and  a  general  line  of  farmers' 
supplies,  in  fact  everything  up-to-date  in  the 
lumber  line. 

J.  W.  Tate  was  married  to  Ella  Show- 
ier March  8,  1885.  To  this  union  were 
born  three  children,  Hulda  E.  Tate,  now 
living  at  home  with  her  parents;  Robert  E. 
Tate,  who  received  his  education  in  the  Cen- 
tralia schools  and  is  one  of  his  father's  main 
assistants  in  the  lumber  office ;  Mildred  Tate, 
who  is  now  attending  the  public  schools  of 
Centralia. 

In  politics  Mr.  Tate  is  a  Democrat.     In 


religious  matters  his  parents  were  members 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church.  He  has 
been  a  member  of  the  City  Council,  owns  a 
controlling  interest  in  the  Ice  and  Cold 
Storage  plant  of  Centralia  that  does  a  large 
and  flourishing  business.  He  also  owns  the 
Walnut  Hill  Pressed  Brick  Company,  in 
which  he  is  largely  interested,  the  output  of 
which  is  about  two  million  bricks  a  year. 
The  company  makes  a  dry  pressed  brick  for 
lime  work,  and  their  machines  of  all  kinds 
for  various  patterns  of  outside  and  inside 
brick  work.  Mr.  Tate  also  owns  a  very  fine 
stock  farm  of  two  hundred  acres  north  of 
Centralia,  where  he  raises  thoroughbred 
race  horses  of  the  Kentucky  variety,  keeping 
constantly  on  hand  thirty  or  more  head.  He 
is  the  proud  possessor  of  the  mare  Mamie 
Algol,  which  took  the  world's  record  of 
three  miles  in  February,  1907.  Mr.  Tate  is 
also  a  member  of  the  Masonic  Blue  Lodge, 
Chapter,  Council,  Oriental  Consistory  of 
Chicago  and  is  also  a  Thirty-second  Degree 
Mason.  He  is  also  a  member  of  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  and 
the  Knights  of  Pythias,  also  of  the  Modern 
Woodmen,  but  carries  most  of  his  insurance 
in  the  old  line  companies. 

Mr.  Tate  enjoys  a  large  acquaintance  in 
the  various  commercial  fields  of  his  activity. 
He  is  a  man  who  is  well  posted  in  the 
routine  of  daily  affairs,  is  a  "hale  fellow 
well  met,"  and  a  true  friend  to  his  fellow 
man.  He  is  a  man  who  can  thoroughly  be 
depended  upon,  his  word  being  as  good  as 
his  bond,  and  he  is  one  of  the  substantial 
citizens  of  the  city  of  Centralia  and  Marion 
county. 


788 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


MRS.    ELIZABETH  J.   ANDERSON. 

This  estimable  lady  who  is  now  in  the 
serene  years  of  her  life,  on  the  last  incline 
of  the  hill,  can  look  backward  over  a  career 
with  no  regret  for  past  deeds,  for  hers  has 
been  a  life  replete  with  good  deeds  and 
faithful  service. 

Mrs.  Elizabeth  J.  Anderson,  widow  of  A. 
M.  Anderson,  was  born  in  Blount  county, 
East  Tennessee,  March  12,  1834,  the  daugh- 
ter of  D.  R.  and  Lavina  Wheeler,  the  for- 
mer a  native  of  near  Vergennes,  Vermont. 
A.  M.  Anderson  was  born  in  Washington 
county,  Illinois,  December  12,  1831,  and 
after  an  eminently  useful  life  his  spirit 
passed  to  its  rest  on  October  9,  1904.  He 
was  educated  in  Washington  county.  He 
owned  and  successfully  managed  a  fruit 
farm.  He  also  sold  agricultural  implements 
for  a  number  of  years.  In  1864  he  enlisted 
in  Company  D,  Thirteenth  Illinois  Cavalry, 
under  Colonel  Davis  and  went  out  as  second 
lieutenant.  He  became  ill  from  using  bad 
water  and  was  in  the  hospital  for  several 
months,  but  he  never  received  his  discharge 
papers.  He  got  a  pension  of  fifteen  dollars 
per  month  under  Cleveland's  administration. 
In  politics  he  was  a  Republican  and  he  was 
was  reared  by  Methodist  parents. 

Mr.  Anderson  was  married  to  Elizabeth 
J.  Spencer,  near  Dubois,  Washington  coun- 
ty, this  state,  by  Rev.  J.  A.  Robinson,  of  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church.  The  subject 
of  this  sketch  came  to  Illinois  with  her 
parents  when  a  few  months  old  in  Septem- 
ber, 1834.  Her  father,  D.  R.  Spencer,  was 
a  whale  fisherman  on  the  Atlantic  coast  for 


several  years.  He  sailed  on  the  "Diana" 
and  the  seventy-four  ships  on  that  expedition 
had  many  thrilling  experiences  while  pur- 
suing the  leviathans  of  the  deep.  She  and  her 
husband  both  came  from  old  line  Whig 
families  of  the  East,  Elizabeth,  our  subject, 
being  the  oldest  girl  of  a  family  of  seventeen 
children,  twelve  of  whom  are  living  in  1908. 
The  mother  gave  birth  to  two  pairs  of  twins, 
a  boy  and  girl  in  each.  There  were  nine 
boys  and  eight  girls.  John  W.  Spencer, 
brother  of  our  subject,  was  a  soldier  in  the 
Civil  war  as  commissary-sergeant  in  Com- 
pany D,  Thirteenth  Illinois  Cavalry.  He  is 
now  living  in  Columbus,  Kansas,  owning 
large  interests  in  coal  mines  in  Kansas  and 
also  a  large  farm  in  that  state. 

When  the  husband  of  Mrs.  Anderson  re- 
turned from  the  army  in  1865,  he  bought 
and  managed  a  flouring  mill  in  Tamaroa, 
Perry  county,  Illinois,  which  was  burned  by 
the  rebels.  He  afterwards  sold  out  and 
bought  a  home  in  Centralia,  where  their  two 
children  were  born  and  reared,  Charles  R. 
having  been  born  September  i,  1865,  died 
in  infancy ;  Harry  Spencer,  the  younger  son, 
was  born  in  Centralia,  June  8,  1868.  He  is 
single  and  cares  for  his  mother.  They  live 
at  5 1 1  South  Locust  street,  where  they  own 
a  neat  and  comfortable  residence  property. 

Daniel  R.  Spencer  gave  his  daughter, 
Elizabeth  J..  an  excellent  farm  of  two  hun- 
dred and  sixty  acres  near  Patoka,  which  is 
especially  adapted  to  the  raising  of  small 
grain  and  it  also  has  a  fine  orchard  of  twenty 
acres  of  a  good  variety  of  fruit.  She  still 
owns  eighty  acres  of  this  choice  land. 

Mrs.  Anderson,  who  is  well  preserved  for 


1IKIXKKKIIOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


a  woman  of  her  age,  has  deep  religious  con- 
victions and  she  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
good  elderly  mothers  of  the  city,  where  she 
is  held  in  highest  regard  by  a  wide  circle  of 
friends,  as  was  also  her  worthy  husband, 
who  was  an  honest  and  industrious  as  well 
as  a  patriotic  man. 


HENRY  MCMILLAN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
oldest  and  best  known  steam  engineers  in 
Centralia,  having  devoted  his  life  work  to 
this  profession,  mastering  it  in  every  detail. 
To  become  a  proficient  engineer  requires  no 
little  natural  ability  together  with  careful 
training  and  persistent  efforts. 

Henry  McMillan  was  born  in  Saratoga 
Springs,  New  York,  June  14,  1836,  the  son 
of  Huston  and  Electa  (Reed)  McMillan, 
who  were  the  parents  of  ten  children,  our 
subject  being  the  ninth  in  order  of  birth. 
He  received  his  early  education  in  the  state 
of  New  York  in  the  common  schools  which 
he  attended  until  he  was  sixteen  years  old. 
He  early  in  life  decided  to  become  a  rail- 
roader and  entered  the  employ  of  the  Sara- 
toga &  Troy  Railroad  Company,  where  he 
worked  for  six  months.  Then  in  1853  he 
went  to  Dayton,  Ohio,  and  worked  on  the 
Panhandle  Railroad.  Then  he  returned  to 
the  Empire  state  in  1854,  and  worked  on  the 
Saratoga  &  Troy  Railroad  for  another  six 
months;  then  came  to  Dayton.  Ohio,  and  to 
New  Castle,  Indiana.  He  acted  in  the  ca- 


pacity of  fireman,  helped  to  build  a  tank  on 
the  Panhandle  Railroad.  His  run  was  from 
Richmond  to  Anderson,  Indiana,  until  July, 
1856,  when  he  came  to  Centralia,  and  began 
work  on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad  as 
engineer,  hauling  iron  for  a  track  from  Cin- 
cinnati to  Mattoon  in  1856  on  the  Chicago 
branch. 

Our  subject  has  followed  engineering 
nearly  all  his  life.  He  is  now  on  the  day 
shift  at  the  Centralia  Water  plant,  where  a 
million  gallons  of  water  is  pumped  daily. 
He  is  a  most  efficient  engineer  and  is  regard- 
ed by  those  under  whose  direction  the  plant 
is  managed  as  a  most  capable  employe. 

Mr.  McMillan  was  married  to  Mary  Um- 
phrey,  July  7,  1857,  the  daughter  of  Pat- 
rick Umphrey,  and  to  this  union  the  follow- 
ing children  have  been  born :  Albert,  who 
married  Clara  Biddle  and  who  has  four 
children  and  one  granddaughter.  Albert  is 
an  engineer  and  lives  in  New  York  City. 
Charles,  the  second  child,  is  unmarried,  liv- 
ing with  his  father,  and  is  the  second  en- 
gineer in  the  Centralia  water  works;  Ed- 
ward married  Fannie  Vanpatent,  and  they 
have  three  children.  Edward  is  a  black- 
smith in  the  Illinois  Central  shops;  Harry, 
the  fourth  child,  married  Annie  Kutz,  and 
they  are  the  parents  of  two  children.  He  is 
a  boiler-maker  in  the  shops  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad. 

In  politics  Henry  McMillan  is  a  stanch 
Republican,  having  cast  his  first  vote  for 
John  C.  Fremont  and  his  second  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln  and  he  has  voted  for  every  Re- 
publican Presidential  candidate  since  that 


790 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


time  and  is  a  very  active  worker  at  the  pri- 
maries. He  was  reared  by  Presbyterian 
parents.  His  wife  was  a  Baptist.  Mr.  Mc- 
Millan has  a  very  comfortable  residence  at 
910  Hateman  street,  Centralia.  "He  is  one  of 
the  youngest  old  men  in  the  city,"  according 
to  his  friends.  He  does  a  full  man's  work 
every  day,  is  happy,  hearty  and  very  good 
natured.  He  loves  the  company  of  young 
people,  and  he  is  familiarly  known  to  many 
as  "one  of  the  boys"  of  the  town.  He  tells 
a  good  joke  with  relish  and  enjoys  a  good 
story,  for  the  heart  of  the  old  engineer  is 
still  young. 


WILLIAM  F.  RAINES. 

No  greater  badge  of  honor  can  be  worn 
by  any  man  living  today  than  that  designat- 
ing the  fact  that  the  bearer  is  a  veteran  of 
the  great  War  of  the  Rebellion.  What  more 
could  a  man  do  to  merit  the  applause  of  suc- 
ceeding generations  than  to  forsake  home 
and  business  -and  go  forth  to  fight  for  the 
integrity  and  safety  of  his  country,  thereby 
transmitting  to  posterity  a  priceless  herit- 
age? 

William  F.  Raines  was  born  in  Ruther- 
ford county,  Tennessee,  March  8,  1844,  the 
son  of  John  N.  and  Sallie  (Bottom)  Raines, 
both  natives  of  Virginia.  After  the  parents 
of  the  subject  were  married  they  moved  to 
Tennessee  and  four  children  were  born  to 
them,  of  which  number  William  F.,  our 
subject,  was  the  oldest.  The  family  moved 
from  Tennessee  to  Jefferson  county,  Illinois, 
when  our  subject  was  a  small  boy.  The 


early  education  of  William  F.  Raines  was 
very  limited,  for  he  was  reared  on  his 
father's  farm,  the  hard  labor  on  which  in- 
terfered with  his  schooling,  but  he  has  since 
become  generally  educated  by  contact  with 
the  world  and  by  home  reading. 

Our  subject  enlisted  February  i,  1864,  as 
a  private  soldier  in  the  Union  ranks  in  Com- 
pany H,  Sixth  Illinois  Cavalry,  under 
Colonel  Starr,  the  enlistment  of  Mr. 
Raines  having  been  made  in  Jefferson  coun- 
ty. The  company  went  to  Camp  Butler  at 
Springfield,  Illinois,  then  to  St.  Louis,  later 
to  Cairo,  Illinois,  and  from  there  to  Mem- 
phis, Tennessee,  where  they  began  active 
service  and  drew  their  horses  by  lot.  As  each 
man's  name  was  called  he  took  the  first  horse 
in  the  line.  Our  subject  enlisted  against 
his  father's  wishes,  who  threatened  to  come 
and  take  him  back  home,  and  in  relating  the 
incident,  the  subject  said  he  wished,  when  in 
the  first  battle,  that  his  father  would  come 
and  take  him  home.  He  was  in  many  hard 
engagements  and  always  bore  himself  brave- 
ly, among  which  were  those  of  Nashville, 
Franklin,  Holly  Springs,  having  been  in 
General  Wilson's  command.  While  on  a 
foraging  trip  at  Lagrange,  Mississippi,  and 
pursued  by  Confederates,  his  horse  fell 
with  him  and  broke  his  right  arm  at  the  el- 
bow, but  he  escaped  with  his  sack  of  corn. 
He  still  has  much  trouble  with  his  arm, 
which  is  nearly  useless  at  this  writing,  being 
almost  completely  paralyzed.  He  was  mus- 
tered out  of  service  in  November,  1865,  at 
Jackson,  Mississippi,  but  he  did  not  receive 
his  discharge  papers  until  he  reached  Spring- 
field, Illinois. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


791 


After  the  war  Mr.  Raines  returned  to 
Centralia  and  managed  a  mill,  also  farmed. 
He  conducted  both  a  saw  and  grist  mill, 
owned  by  Sam  Carpenter. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  to 
Amanda  Radley,  February  28,  1871.  She 
was  the  daughter  of  John  and  Mary  Radley, 
to  whom  ten  children  were  born,  Amanda 
being  the  fifth  child  in  order  of  birth.  Our 
subject  and  wife  are  the  parents  of  seven 
children,  three  living,  namely:  Charles  S., 
George  and  Wesley  E.  Charles  S.  married 
Mattie  Leak.  George  is  single  and  lives 
at  Anna,  Illinois;  Wesley  E.  married  Mag- 
gie Heap.  They  are  the  parents  of  two  sons, 
Clarence  and  Wesley  M.  Wesley's  wife 
died  in  1905  and  he  and  his  one  little  son 
make  their  home  with  the  subject  and  wife, 
who  have  a  pleasant  dwelling  at  403  Ceme- 
tery avenue.  Wesley  E.  is  in  the  tar  roofing 
business. 

Our  subject  draws  a  pension  of  twelve 
dollars  per  month.  He  is  a  loyal  Repub- 
lican. Hq  was  reared  to  be  a  Baptist,  which 
was  the  faith  of  his  parents.  He  is  a  kind, 
generous-hearted  old  soldier,  now  practical- 
ly unable  to  do  any  effective  labor  on  ac- 
count of  rheumatism  and  his  wounded  arm. 


J.  W.  ROSS. 

Conspicuous  among  the  representative 
citizens  of  Marion  county  is  the  gentleman 
whose  name  appears  at  the  head  of  this  bi- 
ography, who  is  recognized  as  one  of  the 


leading  florists  of  this  part  of  the  state,  and 
his  efforts  have  always  been  for  the  ad- 
vancement of  home  industries. 

J.  W.  Ross  was  born  in  Bureau  county, 
Illinois,  July  6,  1865.  He  moved  with  his 
parents  to  Texas  in  1875,  settling  on  a 
ranch  nine  miles  west  of  Sherman,  when 
numerous  Indians  lived  there  and  only  eight 
or  ten  white  families  were  to  be  found 
within  a  radius  of  several  hundred  miles. 
Later  the  family  moved  to  Gainesville, 
Texas,  where  they  remained  until  1885,  at 
which  time  they  moved  to  Alma,  Illinois, 
the  father  of  the  subject  then  first  began 
business  as  a  nurseryman  in  Marion  county, 
with  his  son,  our  subject,  as  a  partner,  the 
firm  being  known  as  Ross  &  Son,  Nursery- 
men. They  continued  with  gratifying  suc- 
cess until  1898,  when  J.  W.  Ross  sold  his 
share  to  his  father  and  went  to  Rockford, 
Illinois,  where  he  joined  H.  W.  Buckbee,  a 
florist  and  seed  man,  with  whom  he  was 
associated  for  two  years.  He  then  returned 
to  Alma,  Illinois,  where  he  embarked  in  the 
market  and  gardening  business  with  much 
success  for  three  years,  shipping  produce  to 
Chicago.  At  the  expiration  of  this  time  he 
came  to  Centralia  and  bought  out  A.  M. 
Seley,  an  old  and  well  known  florist  of  this 
city,  who  had  been  in  this  business  for  twen- 
ty years.  Our  subject  proceeded  to  re- 
model, rebuild  and  beautify  the  plant  which 
he  now  occupies.  It  has  a  frontage  of  one 
hundred  and  eighty-five  feet  on  one  street 
and  seventy  feet  on  another.  There  are 
now  twenty-two  thousand  square  feet  of 
glass  in  the  spacious  building,  divided  into 


792 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


four  big  houses,  each  one  being  heated  with 
steam  and  being  equipped  with  all  the  latest 
and  most  modern  improvements  and  appli- 
ances upon  a  new  and  modern  basis.  These 
buildings  have  all  been  rebuilt  within  the 
past  three  years. 

Mr.  Ross  does  a  very  large  mail  order 
business.  During  the  past  twelve  months 
he  has  sent  goods  into  twenty-six  different 
states  and  carries  on  both  a  large  wholesale 
and  retail  business  in  cut-flowers  as  well  as 
plants,  in  fact,  he  is  sometimes  unable  to 
fill  his  numerous  orders  upon  receiving  them. 
He  has  customers  in  one  hundred  and  twen- 
ty-five towns  in  Southern  Illinois,  and  his 
goods  are  always  of  such  fine  quality,  his 
prices  so  reasonable  and  his  treatment  of 
customers  so  fair  that  he  never  loses  them, 
but  is  constantly  gaining  others. 

Mr.  Ross  grows  a  complete  line  of  dec- 
orative and  bedding  plants,  however,  he 
makes  cut  flowers  a  specialty  and  caters  to  a 
high  class  of  trade,  such  as  weddings,  fu- 
nerals and  special  social  functions.  Much 
of  his  finer  goods  go  to  St.  Louis.  He  is 
located  in  an  ideal  place  for  the  successful 
development  of  this  business,  owing  to  the 
excellent  shipping  facilities  of  Centralia  to 
all  points.  Cheap  fuel  from  nearby  coal 
mines  is  also  an  advantage. 

Our  subject's  domestic  life  began  March 
1 6,  1887,  when  he  was  united  in  the  bonds 
of  wedlock  with  Amanda  J.  French,  daugh- 
ter of  Gilbert  W.  French,  a  native  of  Ten- 
nessee. Her  mother  was  Louisa  O'Brien. 
Mrs.  Ross  is  popular  in  Centralia  social 
circles. 


Our  subject  and  wife  are  the  parents 
of  five  children,  namely:  Ruth,  deceased; 
Edith  D.,  Rufus  W.  and  Frances  Juanita, 
Earl  being  the  eldest  of  the  family.  They 
are  living  at  home  and  attending  school.  Mr. 
Ross  is  a  model  father  and  indulgent  hus- 
band, and  his  faithful  life  companion  is  ever 
by  his  side  to  aid  him  in  his  work. 


CHARLES  A.  GLORE. 

It  is  to  such  progressive  men  as  Mr. 
Glore  that  the  city  of  Centralia  is  indebted 
for  its  substantial  growth  and  for  the  high 
position  it  occupies  as  a  center  of  industrial 
activity  and  progress. 

Charles  A.  Glore,  the  prominent  lumber 
merchant,  was  born  in  Sherman,  Texas,  Oc- 
tober 10,  1874,  the  son  of  Alonzo  and  Sarah 
(Johnson)  Glore,  in  whose  family  there 
were  four  children,  two  of  whom  are  now 
deceased;  Henry  and  Charles  are  the  two 
living  children,  our  subject  being  the  third 
child  in  order  of  birth.  His  parents  died 
when  he  was  about  seven  years  old. 

Our  subject  received  his  education  in  the 
common  schools  in  California,  Colorado, 
and  in  Centralia,  Illinois,  to  which  place  he 
came  in  1887.  After  leaving  school  he  de- 
cided to  enter  the  newspaper  field  and  was 
employed  as  devil  in  the  office  of  The  Cen- 
tralia Sentinel  for  eleven  months  for  Thom- 
as Joy.  He  then  went  to  Valparaiso  Uni- 
versity, taking  a  business  course  for  one 
year,  after  which  he  accepted  a  position  with 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


793 


the  Centralia  Mining  and  Manufacturing 
Company,  with  which  firm  he  continued  for 
six  years,  giving  the  utmost  satisfaction. 
He  resigned  this  position  On  February  20, 
1897,  and  on  the  first  day  of  May  that  year 
he  purchased  the  interests  of  the  Johnson 
Lumber  Company,  of  Centralia,  at  327 
South  Locust  street,  where  he  is  now  in  ac- 
tive business,  having  built  up  an  excellent 
patronage,  his  trade  extending  to  remote  lo- 
calities and  is  constantly  increasing.  This 
lumber  yard  is  one  of  the  largest  in  Cen- 
tralia or  the  southern  part  of  the  state.  It 
occupies  one  hundred  and  sixty  square  feet 
of  flooring.  The  sheds  are  brick,  covering 
fifty  by  sixty  feet.  The  frame  sheds  cover 
from  one  hundred  to  one  hundred  and 
twenty-three  feet.  The  firm  carries  a  full 
line  of  building  material  of  all  kinds,  both 
hard  and  soft  lumber,  shingles,  doors,  sash 
and  blinds,  also  paints  and  a  complete  line 
of  glass  and  builders'  hardware,  selling  di- 
rect to  the  contractors  and  builders  of  Cen- 
tralia and  other  cities.  They  are  known  to 
handle  excellent  grades  of  material  and  their 
prices  are  reasonable. ' 

Charles  A.  Glore  was  happily  married  to 
Grace  I.  Brewster,  daughter  of  H.  B.  and 
Fanny  (Van  Patten)  Brewster,  in  whose 
family  there  were  three  children,  the  sub- 
ject's wife  being  the  second  in  order  of  birth. 
Mrs.  Glore  is  a  graduate  of  the  Centralia 
high  school  and  is  an  excellent  musician. 

Our  subject  is  a  member  of  the  Masonic 
fraternity,  the  Knights  of  Pythias,  the  Be- 
nevolent and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  also 
the  Hoo-Hoo,  an  organization  of  lumber- 


men. In  politics  he  is  a  Republican,  and  in 
religion  he  was  reared  a  Presbyterian,  how- 
ever, he  is  not  a  member  of  any  orthodox 
bodv. 


MRS.   HATTIE  VAN   PATTEN. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  has  for  many 
years  enjoyed  the  high  esteem -of  a  wide 
circle  of  friends  in  Marion  county.  She  is 
the  widow  of  the  late  Martin  Van  Patten, 
and  the  daughter  of  Alfred  P.  and  Virginia 
(Falbert)  Crosby.  Her  father,  Alfred 
Crosby,  was  born  in  Delaware  county,  Ohio, 
September  4,  1825,  and  he  passed  to  his  rest 
November  9,  1908.  The  mother,  Virginia, 
was  born  in  Kentucky,  near  Covington,  Jan- 
uary 8,  1837,  and  passed  away  in  Centralia 
in  1862.  Alfred  and  Virginia  Crosby  were 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  five  boys  and 
three  girls,  five  of  whom  are  living  at  this 
writing,  three  girls  and  two  boys. 

Alfred  Crosby  followed  farming,  was  also 
in  the  mercantile  and  real  estate  and  in- 
surance business,  having  had  the  distinction 
of  owning  the  first  store  in  Centralia,  and 
he  made  a  success  at  all  the  above  lines.  He 
came  from  Waterloo,  Monroe  county,  II- 

Mrs.  Hattie  (Crosby)  Van  Patten,  was 
born  in  Centralia  April  I,  1855,  and  she 
has  the  proud  distinction  of  being  the  first 
white  girl  born  in  Centralia.  Her  father, 
Alfred  Crosby,  assisted  in  laying  out  the 
city  of  Centralia  and  naming  it.  He  also 
donated  the  ground  for  the  first  Methodist 
church  in  the  city  and  helped  to  hew  out  the 


794 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


sills  of  the  same.  He  was  for  many  years 
a  public  official  of  Brookfield,  Missouri.  He 
died  at  the  home  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  W. 
B.  Needles,  of  2643  East  Sixth  street,  Kan- 
sas City,  Missouri,  Sunday,  November  8, 
1908,  after  a  long  and  useful  life.  Alfred 
P.  Crosby  was  no  ordinary  man  of  his  day. 
He  and  his  wife  journeyed  to  Covington, 
Kentucky,  then  to  St.  Louis,  coming  to  Cen- 
tralia  in  18,52,  in  which  city  he  followed 
merchandising  until  1862.  While  in  Cen- 
tralia  he  was  elected  Treasurer  and  Assessor 
of  Marion  county.  In  1874  he  was  sent  to 
the  Legislature  and  ''he  won  considerable 
distinction  for  his  work  while  a  member  of 
the  same.  He  was  closely  associated  with 
Judge  Silas  Bryan,  father  of  William  J.  Bry- 
an. He  became  a  citizen  of  Brookfield,  Mis- 
souri, in  November,  1877,  where  he  followed 
the  real  estate  and  insurance  business  and 
where  he  was  elected  Police  Judge  for  two 
terms  and  he  was  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  a 
number  of  years.  In  1901  he  moved  to 
Kansas  City,  Missouri,  where  his  death  oc- 
curred as  already  stated.  In  1851  he  mar- 
ried Virginia  Talbot  and  five  children  were 
born  to  them.  After  the  loss  of  his  first 
wife  he  again  married,  his  second  wife  being 
Mary  E.  Charles  and  to  this  union  three 
children  were  born,  two  boys  and  one  girl, 
all  living  in  Kansas  City.  He  was  a  faith- 
ful Christian  man  and  a  noble  citizen. 

Mrs.  Hattie  Van  Patten  was  married  to 
Martin  Van  Patten  January  2,  1876.  The 
latter  was  born  in  Schenectady,  New  York. 
His  parents  were  of  Holland-Dutch  descent. 
He  came  to  Centralia  when  twentv-one  vears 


of  age  and  spent  his  life  here,  having  been 
called  from  his  labors  July  13,  1908.  He 
was  an  engineer  on  the  Illinois  Central  Rail- 
road for  a  period  of  twenty-nine  years,  hav- 
ing worked  for  the  same  road  in  all  about 
forty-five  years,  part  of  that  time  as  ma- 
chinist in  the  company's  shops.  He  was  one 
of  the  most  faithful  employes  of  this  com- 
pany, having  been  so  regarded  by  the  offi- 
cials. There  were  six  children  born  to  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  Martin  Van  Patten,  two  boys  and 
four  girls,  namely :  Mary,  who  is  deceased ; 
Frances  M.,  who  married  Ed  McMillan  of 
Centralia,  and  who  is  the  mother  of  three 
children,  living  and  one  dead;  Edward  is  a 
blacksmith  in  the  Illinois  Central  shops; 
James  A.  married  Edith- A.  Sogan,  of  Odin, 
Illinois,  and  they  have  three  children,  two 
boys  and  one  girl,  the  oldest  boy  being  de- 
ceased; Ada  is  a  stenographer  in  Chicago 
in  the  claim  and  freight  department  of  the 
Illinois  Central,  and  is  a  very  accomplished 
lady;  Hazel  Erretta  married  Bert  Wallis, 
and  she  lives  in  East  St.  Louis,  employed  by 
the  Adams  Express  Company,  and  to  them 
one  son  has  been  born;  William  Brooks  is 
nine  years  old  at  this  writing,  and  he  at- 
tends the  Centralia  schools. 

Mrs.  Van  Patten  lives  in  a  cozy  and  neat 
residence  on  the  corner  of  Elm  and  Second 
South  street,  with  her  son  and  daughter-in- 
law.  He  is  in  the  plumbing  and  machinist 
business  on  South  Locust  street  in  this  city. 

Our  subject  was  reared  in  the  Methodist 
faith,  but  she  is  now  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church.  She  also  belongs  to  the  Ladies' 
Relief  Corps  of  Centralia.  Her  early  educa- 


BKINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,   ILLINOIS. 


795 


tion  was  received  in  Centralia,  where  she 
attended  the  public  and  high  schools  and  she 
also  attended  school  at  Normal,  Illinois. 
After  completing  a  normal  training  course 
at  the  university  for  teachers,  she  returned 
to  Centralia  and  taught  in  the  city  schools 
and  at  Sandoval  for  three  years.  She  is  a 
woman  of  rare  refinement  and  true  modest 
womanly  culture,  and  she  bears  her  part 
nobly  in  the  affairs  of  her  home,  the  church 
and  society. 


SEVERT  LEGREID. 

Xo  foreign  country  has  sent  more  men  of 
sterling  worth,  indomitable  and  trustworthy, 
to  the  United  States  than  the  little  kingdom 
of  Norway,  and  although  the  subject  of  this 
sketch  is  of  the  second  generation  of  Nor- 
wegians in  this  country,  he  is  a  true  type  of 
that  hardy  race. 

Severt  Legreid,  the  well  known  general 
contractor  and  planing  mill  proprietor,  of 
Centralia,  Illinois,  was  born  in  Deerfield, 
Wisconsin,  December  6,  1868,  the  son  of  H. 
S.  and  Ingeboror  Legreid,  both  natives  of 
Norway,  who  came  to  America,  settling  in 
Wisconsin,  the  former  having  come  about 
1846  and  the  latter  in  1848.  They  were 
married  in  1852. 

Seven  children  were  born  to  this  union, 
five  boys  and  two  girls,  our  subject  being 
the  youngest  of  the  family.  He  received 
his  education  in  the  district  schools  of  Deer- 
field  township,  in  Wisconsin,  later  taking  a 


course  in  business  practice  and  general  com- 
mercial branches.  He  worked  on  the  farm 
until  he  was  fourteen  years  old,  when  he 
was  apprenticed  to  A.  S.  Dyer  as  a  carpen- 
ter. He  then  went  to  Cozad,  Nebraska,  to 
work  for  Nordyke  &  Marmon,  of  Indianap- 
olis, Indiana,  who  were  building  a  flouring 
mill  there.  He  remained  in  Cozad  one  year, 
then  he  worked  for  the  Missouri  River  Rail- 
road, remaining  in  their  employ  as  a  brake- 
man  for  eight  months,  when  he  took  sick 
and  returned  to  Deerfield,  Wisconsin.  His 
run  while  on  the  road  was  from  Holdrege 
to  Cheyenne.  Mr.  Legried  then  went  to 
work  :for  the  Chicago-Northwestern  Rail- 
road company  as  brakeman,  having  re- 
mained with  this  company  eighteen  months 
when  he  went  to  Chicago  and  took  up  his 
trade,  working  for  J.  W.  Andrews  at  the 
corner  of  Cottage  Grove  and  Twenty-ninth 
street,  with  whom  he  stayed  until  1886,  in 
which  year  Mr.  Andrews  went  out  of  busi- 
ness, and  for  the  next  two  years  our  subject 
contracted  on  his  own  'account,  handling 
some  big  jobs  and  making  a  success  of  the 
venture.  He  was  compelled  to  take  his  wife 
to  Centralia  in  1898,  on  account  of  her 
failing. health,  and  he  gave  up  his  work  in 
Chicago.  Mrs.  Legreid  died  in  April,  1899. 
They  were  married  December  23,  1891,  and 
to  this  union  two  children  were  born,  name- 
ly: Earl  J.  and  Florence  I.,  who  > are  both 
living  at  home  and  attending  school.  Our 
subject  was  again  married,  his  second  wife 
being  Clara  Gertrude  Whitchurch,  daughter 
of  John  White  and  i  Clara  Whitchurch,  the 
subject's  wife  being  the  fourth  child  of  this 


796 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


family.  The  date  of  the  subject's  second 
marriage  was  June  6,  1900.  Two  sons, 
Robert  and  Raymond,  both  •  deceased,  were 
born  to  this  union. 

When  our  subject  came  to  Centralia  in 
1898,  he  began  working  for  W.  A.  Hamil- 
ton as  a  journeyman  carpenter  with  whom  he 
worked  for  two  years,  then  started  in  busi- 
ness for  himself.  He  now  has  a  well 
equipped  shop  on  the  rear  of  his  dwelling, 
720  South  iElm  street.  He  uses  all  up-to- 
date  machinery,  including  a  twelve  horse 
power  motor  to  run  the  machines,  ten  in 
number.  He  makes  a  specialty  of  high  class 
mill  work  for  interior  finish  and' office  fur- 
niture. His  eight  room,  substantial  and 
modern  home  is  one  of  neatness  and  beauty. 
Mr.  Legreid  has  built  many  of  the  best  and 
most  .attractive  buildings  in  Centralia  and 
he  always  gives  entire  satisfaction  in  his 
work. 

In  politics  our  subject  is  a  Republican. 
He  was  reared  a  Lutheran,  but  he  attends 
the  Baptist  and  Methodist  churches.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Carpenters  and  Joiners  of 
America,  also  the  Modern  Woodmen,  the 
Knights  of  <  Pythias  and  the  Free  and  Ac- 
cepted Masons,  all  of  Centralia. 


BOWIE  C.  WARFIELD. 

He  to  whom  this  sketch  is  dedicated  has 
lived  in  Marion  county  through  many 
changes  during  which  he  has  been  one  of  the 
active  participants.  He  represents  a  long 


line  of  distinguished  ancestors,  many  of 
them  having  taken  a  prominent  part  in  the 
military  history  of  our  country,  and  it  was 
quite  'in  keeping  with  the  family  traditions 
that  he  should  desire  to  continue  their  rep- 
utation, consequently  when  an  opportunity 
came  in  the  sixties,  he  was  quick  to  avail 
himself  of  a  chance  to  go  to  the  battle  field. 

Bowie  C.  Warfield  was  born  in  Maryland, 
in  the  county  of  Howard,  October  27,  1835, 
the  son  of  William  and  Eleanor  (Walkins) 
Warfield.  Grandfather  Beale  Warfield  was 
a  native  of  Maryland,  who  spent  his  life  in 
that  state  on  a  farm.  His  wife  was  Emily 
Ridgely,  and  they  were  the  parents  of  three 
children,  the  father  of  the  subject  'having 
been  the  second  in  order  of  birth.  He  in- 
herited the  homestead,  the  old  house  which 
was  built  in  1793. 

The  subject's  father  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  of  Maryland.  His  father  died 
when  he  was  young  and  an  uncle  was  ap- 
pointed his  guardian.  He  remained  under 
this  guardianship  until  he  was  twenty-one 
years  of  age  when  he  took  possession  of  the 
old  homestead,  where  his  children  were  born 
and  reared  and  there  he  lived  until  his  death, 
which  occurred  at  the  age  of  fifty-seven 
years.  There  were  thirteen  children  born 
to  this  family,  ten  lived  to  maturity.  The 
mother  of  the  subject  died  at  the  age  of  six- 
ty-one years.  William  R.,  the  youngest 
son,  was  a  civil  engineer.  He  was  one  of 
the  engineers  on  the  Crolin  Water  Works 
in  New  York,  and  he  was  associate  engineer 
in  building  the  water  works  at  Baltimore, 
which  at  that  time  was  considered  one  of 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


797 


the  most  correct  pieces  of  civil  egineering 
on  record. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  on  his 
mother's  side  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war,  having  been  a  captain.  He 
was  a  man  of  'magnificent  physique,  six  feet 
and  two  inches  in  height,  well  proportioned 
and  was  conspicuous  wherever  he  went.  He 
led  his  men  in  the  thickest  of  the  fight  at 
Cowpens.  He  was  toasted  by  General  Green 
at  a  public  dinner  on  the  high  hills  Santer 
as  one  of  the  bravest  officers  of  Maryland. 
He  was  in  the  battles  of  Long  Island,  White 
Plains,  Germantown  and  was  in  winter 
quarters  with  Washington  in  1778,  was 
later  at  Monmouth,  Guilford  Court  House 
and  Camden.  He  was  given  a  large  tract 
of  government  land  in  recognition  of  his 
services.  When  the  War  of  1812  broke  out 
he  was  quick  to  offer  his  services  and  was 
commissioned  colonel.  He  was  president  of 
the  society  of  Cincinnati.  He  was  a  slave 
holder  and  the  owner  of  a  large  plantation. 
He  lived  to  be  eighty-eight  years  old,  dying 
in  1840. 

Benjamin  Warfield,  the  subject's  great- 
grandfather was  a  captain  in  the  Revolu- 
tionary war.  He  died  March  17,  1878. 

Bowie  C.  Warfield  was  educated  in  the 
public  schools  in  Maryland,  and  at  the  War- 
field  Academy.  He  worked  on  the  farm  dur- 
ing his  vacations  and  walked  four  and  one- 
half  miles  to  school,  having  finished  school 
when  nineteen  years  old,  after  receiving  a 
good  education.  He  remained  on  the  farm 
until  he  was  twenty-one  years  old  when  he 
came  to  Illinois  and  settled  in  Marshall 


county  on  a  farm,  the  first  year  having 
worked  as  a  farm  hand.  Then  he  rented  a 
farm  and  worked  it  until  1862  when  he  en- 
listed in  August  of  that  year  in  Company  I, 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Mounted  Infan- 
try. He  was  in  the  first  siege  of  Vicksburg, 
was  at  Jackson,  Mississippi,  and  in  the  bat- 
tles from  Vicksburg  to  that  place  on  all  the 
way  back.  He  was  at  New  Orleans  and  at 
Spanish  Fort  and  Blakely.  After  efficient 
service  he  was  mustered  out  July  14,  1865, 
and  was  permanently  discharged  at  Spring- 
field, Illinois,  July  28,  1865.  After  his  ca- 
ceer  in  the  army  he  went  to  Marshall  county, 
Illinois,  where  he  remained  for  one  year  and 
then  came  to  Marion  county,  buying  eight- 
een acres  of  land  on  which  he  built  a  small 
house  and  went  to  farming.  He  was  suc- 
cessful from  the  first  and  has  since  added  to 
the  original  farm  until  he  now  has  one  hun- 
dred and  eleven  acres  of  valuable  land.  It 
is  now  a  fruit  farm  on  which  many  varieties 
of  excellent  fruit  are  grown.  He  is  the 
originator  of  the  well  known  Warfield 
strawberry  and  makes  a  specialty  of  straw- 
berries, having  had  as  many  as  eleven  acres. 
The  farm  is  mostly  rented  out  at  present. 

Mr.  Warfield  was  married  August  24, 
1862,  to  Julia  C.  Gregory,  daughter  of  Hall 
S.  and  Amanda  (Culver)  Gregory,  both 
natives  of  Vermont,  who  moved  to  Illinois 
in  an  early  day  and  settled  in  Marshall 
county.  Mr.  Gregory  was  an  agent  for  the 
McCormick  Harvesting  Machine  Company; 
of  Chicago,  and  later  a  grain  buyer.  He 
lived  to  a  good  old  age. 

Two  daughters  have  been    born  to  Mr. 


798 


DKINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


and  Mrs.  Warfield,  the  first,  Alverta,  was 
born  in  1871  and  is  the  widow  of  Rudolph 
W.  Crapster,  of  Maryland,  and  is  the  mother 
of  three  living  children.  Rudolph  was  born 
in  1898,  is  living  with  his  mother,  who 
makes  her  home  with  her  father ;  her  second 
child  is  Charles  Gregory,  who  was  born  in 
1899,  and  the  third  is  Ralph  Claggett.  One 
daughter,  Dorothy,  was  born  in  1897,  died 
in  1899.  The  subject's  second  child,  Alice, 
was  born  in  1874,  and  is  the  wife  of  Clinton 
N.  Power,  living  in  Pueblo,  Colorado.  They 
have  one  child  named  Clifton  Warfield.  Mrs. 
Crapster's  sons  are  eligible  to  belong  to  the 
Sons  of  the  Revolution,  owing  to  their  mil- 
itary ancestors. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  our  subject  is  a 
member  of  the  Independent  Order  of  Odd 
Fellows.  The  subject's  wife  passed  away 
August  28,  1905,  at  the  age  of  sixty-eight 
years.  She  was  a  member  of  the  Presby- 
terian church.  Mr.  Warfield  is  a  Bryan 
Democrat. 


ROBERT  M.  McKEE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
•substantial  citizens  of  Carrigan  township  in 
the  development  of  which  he  has  played  a 
prominent  part  for  many  years  and  where 
lie  is  known  as  a  man  of  thrift,  industry  and 
honesty  of  purpose. 

Robert  M.  McKee  was  born  February  3, 
1839,  in  Vermilion  county,  Illinois.the  son  of 
John  A.  McKee,  who  was  born  in  Fleming 
county,  Kentucky,  in  1808,  and  who  there 


married  Anna  Kern,  a  native  of  that  county 
where  she  was  born  in  1810.  They  were 
married  about  1830.  Ten  children  were 
born  to  them,  of  whom  the  subject  and  one 
other  son,  who  is  living  in  Centralia,  sur- 
vive. The  father  of  the  subject  was  a  farm- 
er and  also  a  preacher  in  the  Methodist 
Episcopal  church.  He  was  regarded  as  a 
fine  talker  and  became  well  known  in  his 
community.  The  subject's  parents  came  to 
Marion  county  in  1842  and  settled  four 
miles  east  of  Kinmundy,  then  in  1854 
moved  to  Salem,  where  they  lived  one  year, 
then  to  Clinton  county.  The  subject's 
mother  was  called  in  her  rest  in  1852,  and 
John  A.  McKee  married  again  in  1854,  his 
last  wife  being  Mary  B.  (Hughie)  French. 
Our  subject's  father  passed  away  in  1886 
in  Centralia  and  was  buried  at  that  place. 

Robert  M.  McKee  received  a  common 
school  education,  his  early  advantages  hav- 
ing been  limited.  He  was  reared  in  a  Chris- 
tian family.  He  was  something  of  a  hunter 
in  his  youth  and  has  seen  all  kinds  of  wild 
game,  having  killed  wolves  on  his  place  since 
he  came  to  Marion  county. 

Mr.  McKee  was  one  of  the  patriotic  men 
who  stood  by  the  stars  and  stripes  during 
the  days  of  the  rebellion,  having  enlisted  on 
July  25,  1862,  in  Company  H,  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry, 
serving  under  Captain  George  E.  Castle, 
was  in  the  battle  of  Resaca,  also  with  Sher- 
man on  his  march  to  the  sea,  and  he  re- 
mained in  the  service  for  three  years  and 
was  not  wounded  nor  in  prison.  He  became 
a  corporal  and  was  a  most  gallant  soldier. 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


799 


He  receives  a  pension  of  seventeen  dollars 
per  month. 

Our  subject  went  to  farming  on  the  old 
home  place  in  Clinton  county,  having  bought 
a  piece  of  land  close  to  Centralia,  where  he 
lived  for  some  time,  also  lived  near  Salem, 
having  come  to  Marion  conuty  in  1871  to 
make  his  permanent  home  and  he  has  lived 
on  his  present  place  for  thirty-one  years.  He 
made  most  of  the  improvements  on  it  him- 
self. His  land  is  located  in  section  28,  Car- 
rigan  township.  It  is  an  excellent  farm  of 
one  hundred  and  twenty  acres  which  was 
purchased  by  him  from  the  Illinois  Central 
Railroad.  He  says  there  were  only  three 
or  four  houses  in  Centralia  when  he  came 
here.  He  has  a  fine  dwelling,  surrounded 
by  beautiful  grounds  a  few  miles  north  of 
Sandoval.  He  carries  on  general  farming 
and  stock  raising  in  such  a  manner  as  to  in- 
sure a  comfortable  living  from  year  to  year 
and  is  at  the  same  time  enabled  to  lay  by  a 
competency  for  his  aid  age. 

Mr.  McKee  was  united  in  marriage  in 
1866  to  Mary  Augustus,  who  was  born 
February  17,  1839,  the  daughter  of  Gideon 
and  Roby  (Hite)  Augustus.  Her  parents 
were  born  in  Canada  and  first  moved  to 
Michigan.  The  father  of  the  subject's  wife 
died  in  Clinton  county  and  her  mother  died 
in  Michigan.  They  lived  on  a  farm.  The 
marriage  of  our  subject  took  place  in  Clin- 
ton county,  this  state.  May  31,  1865.  The 
following  children  have  been  born  to  this 
union;  Phcebe,  who  was  born  March  20, 
1867,  married  James  S.  Jolliff,  who  are  the 
parents  of  seven  children  and  live  in  Okla- 


homa;  James  was  bom  June  27,  1868,  mar- 
ried Amy  Full  and  they  reside  in  this  coun- 
ty; Ida,  who  was  born  August  26,  1869, 
married  Ralph  Kennie.  They  have  two 
children  and  make  their  home  at  Neoga,  Il- 
linois; Johnny,  born  February  22,  1871,  is 
still  a  member  of  the  family  circle.  Virginia 
was  born  in  1875  and  married  a  contractor. 
Myrtle  died  when  one  year  old.  James, 
who  married  Virginia  Edwards,  lives  in  St. 
Louis,  and  they  have  two  children.  Perry 
was  born  November  10,  1877,  and  lives  at 
home.  Joseph,  who  was  born  in  1870,  died 
when  eighteen  years  old.  Dora  was  born 
October  4,  1881,  married  Fred  Stein,  a  tele- 
graph operator  in  Mattoon,  Illinois. 

Mr.  McKee  is  a  Republican  and  a  Pro- 
hibitionist, but  has  never  aspired  to  office. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Methodist  Protestant 
church  and  belongs  to  the  Grand  Army  of 
the  Republic,  No.  584  Post  at  Sandoval. 


ALEXANDER  C.  SMITH. 

Self-reliance  and  honorable  business 
methods  have  been  the  salient  features  in 
the  career  of  the  subject  of  this  sketch  and 
his  life  record  contains  many  standard  ele- 
ments. He  is  one  of  the  old  and  highly  re- 
spected citizens  of  Carrigan  township. 

Alexander  C.  Smith  was  born  in  Lincoln 
county,  Kentucky,  December  10,  1833,  the 
son  of  Robert  Smith,  who  came  to  Kentucky 
in  1796,  and  to  Marion  county  in  1840, 
when  the  subject  was  seven  years  old.  He 


8oo 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


entered  government  land  upon  his  arrival 
for  one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per 
acre,  settling  east  of  Omega,  near  the  Clay 
county  line.  He  was  a  great  stock  raiser 
and  became  one  of  the  substantial  citizens 
of  that  community,  but  he  took  no  part  in 
public  life,  although  one  of  the  influential 
pioneers  of  the  county.  When  he  located 
here  the  nearest  trading  point  was  Salem, 
which  consisted  of  but  a  few  houses;  most 
of  the  trading  by  the  residents  here  was 
done  in  St.  Louis.  The  father  of  the  sub- 
ject died  in  1882  in  this  county.  Our  sub- 
ject drove  a  yoke  of  oxen  to  the  plow.  The 
subject's  mother,  Catherine  Eastham,  was 
born  in  Virginia  and  died  when  the  subject 
was  a  small  boy,  he  being  one  of  fourteen 
children  and  the  eighth  in  order  of  birth. 

Alexander  C.  Smith  started  life  for  him- 
self when  eighteen  years  old,  having  re- 
ceived a  limited  education  enjoying  few  ad- 
vantages to  attend  school  in  those  early 
days.  He  learned  carpentry  and  worked  at 
his  trade  until  the  commencement  of  the 
Civil  war  when  he  gave  way  to  his  patriotic 
fervor  and  enlisted  in  Company  A,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  in  1862,  under  command  of 
Doctor  Rainey,  of  Salem,  who  was  cap- 
tain of  that  company,  later  serving  under 
Captain  Clark  and  Colonel  Martin.  He  was 
in  the  ranks  until  the  close  of  the  war  and 
saw  hard  service.  He  lost  an  arm  at  the 
battle  of  Atlanta,  Georgia  and  was  also  shot 
in  the  breast  at  the  same  time.  Being  cap- 
tured at  that  time  he  was  taken  as  a  prisoner 
to  Andersonville,  where  he  remained  four 


months  and  was  then  paroled  and  sent  home 
on  account  of  the  loss  of  his  arm.  He  was 
in  the  battles  of  Resaca,  New  Hope  Church, 
Dallas  and  Kenesaw  Mountain.  He  says  he 
did  nothing  but  fight  for  four  months.  He 
receives  a  pension. 

After  returning  from  the  war  he  engaged 
in  the  mercantile  business  in  Odin,  this 
county,  for  about  three  years.  From  there 
he  came  to  Carrigan  township  and  has  made 
his  home  here  for  over  forty  years  in  the 
corner  of  the  township.  When  he  moved 
here  the  township  was  laid  out  and  named. 
His  land  lies  in  sections  n  and  14. 

Mr.  Smith  was  united  in  marriage  in  Ma- 
rion county,  in  1857,  with  Martha  McCarty. 
His  wife  was  a  native  of  Indiana,  and  came 
to  Marion  county  with  her  parents  when 
ten  years  old,  settling  in  the  northeast  cor- 
ner of  the  county.  Eight  children  were 
born  to  the  subject  and  wife  as  follows: 
Alice,  born  in  1858,  married  Louis  Cline. 
They  are  the  parents  of  six  children  and  live 
in  Tonti  township;  Margaret,  the  second 
child,  was  born  in  1860,  and  married  Sam- 
uel Galiant.  They  have  four  children 
living  and  one  daughter  dead.  Ellen,  the 
third  child,  was  born  in  1862,  married  John 
Warren.  They  live  in  Marion  county ;  four 
children,  all  deceased,  were  born  to  them. 
Eddie,  the  subject's  fourth  child,  was  born 
in  1867.  He  married  Dora  Westfall;  they 
have  four  children  living  and  three  deceased. 
They  live  in  Oklahoma.  Isaac,  the  fifth 
child,  was  born  in  1870.  He  married  Lillie 
Summers.  They  live  in  the  state  of  Wash- 
ington, and  are  the  parents  of  six  children 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


801 


living  and  two  children  deceased.  Mary,, 
the  sixth  child,  was  born  in  1873.  She  mar- 
ried Charles  I.  Harris.  They  live  with  the 
subject  and  are  the  parents  of  three  chil- 
dren. The  seventh  child  of  the  subject  is 
Levi  H.,  who  was  born  in  1877.  He  mar- 
ried Viola  Chitister.  They  live  in  Arkansas 
and  have  one  child.  Martha  E.,  the  young- 
est child,  was  born  in  1884.  She  married 
Edgar  Sparling.  They  live  in  Carrigan 
township,  and  are  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren. Charles  I.  Harris,  the  husband  of 
Mary  Smith,  is  a  native  of  West  Virginia, 
where  he  lived  for  many  years.  He  has 
lived  in  this  township  for  the  past  seventeen 
years.  Their  children  are  named:  Clara, 
who  was  born  in  1894;  Robert  L.,  who  was 
born  in  1896,  and  Samuel  L.,  who  was  born 
in  1900.  They  keep  house  for  the  subject, 
and  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Harris  delight  in  taking 
care  of  the  subject.  Mr.  Smith  took  the 
census  of  Carrigan  township  in  1880.  He 
was  a  committeeman  of  the  township  for 
fifteen  years.  He  is  a  well  known  man  in 
the  county,  where  his  life  has  been  honorably 
spent. 


JOSEPH  A.  COZAD. 

Mr.  Cozad  has  long  been  identified  with 
the  growth  of  this  community,  having  come 
here  forty-one  years  ago,  the  25th  of  Decem- 
ber, 1908,  during  which  time  he  has  wit- 
nessed vast  changes  and  has  taken  a  promi- 
nent part  in  them,  so  that  he  is  today  re- 
garded as  one  of  the  representative  citizens 
of  Carrigan  township. 
51 


Joseph  A.  Cozad  was  born  in  Wirt  coun- 
ty, West  Virginia,  May  10,  1845,  the  son 
of  David  S.  and  Nancy  (Lee)  Cozad,  the 
former  a  native  of  Dayton,  Ohio,  where 
he  was  born  in  1790,  where  he  lived  until 
he  was  grown  when  he  went  to  West  Vir- 
ginia, where  he  married  Nancy  Lee,  a  cousin 
of  old  Richard  Lee,  who  was  prominent  in 
the  Confederacy.  The  family  of  David  S. 
were  all  grown  before  coming  to  Marion 
county,  Illinois.  The  subject's  father  made 
twenty  thousand  dollars  in  oil  in  Virginia, 
having  sold  his  oil  rock  farm  for  that 
amount,  which  he  invested  in  one  thousand 
acres  of  land  in  Illinois,  becoming  a  farmer 
and  stockman  on  an  extensive  scale.  He 
was  at  one  time  wealthy,  but  lost  almost 
everything  before  his  death.  There  were 
seven  boys  and  seven  girls  in  this  family, 
three  brothers  and  two  sisters  of  the  subject 
are  still  living,  one  sister  being  now  eighty- 
two  years  old,  who  is  living  in  Missouri. 

The  subject's  education  was  somewhat 
limited.  However,  he  attended  high  school 
and  later  learned  pharmacy  in  Cincinnati. 
He  was  at  one  time  a  member  of  the  mili- 
tia. He  started  in  life  as  an  oil  contractor 
in  West  Virginia  as  a  driller  and  spent  about 
twelve  years  in  this  business  and  then  came 
to  Illinois  to  engage  in  farming,  settling  in 
Carrigan  township,  where  he  has  since  re- 
mained. He  has  made  all  the  improvements 
on  the  place,  which  is  located  in  section  13. 
where  he  has  carried  on  general  farming 
in  a  most  successful  manner  and  also  stock 
raising,  always  keeping  large  numbers  of 
standard  bred  stock.  Everything  about  his 
place  shows  thrift  and  prosperity  as  well 


802 


3RINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


as  good  management.  He  has  a  beautiful 
home  and  many  convenient  out  buildings. 
Much  credit  is  due  Mr.  Cozad  for  his  suc- 
cess for  he  has  made  early  everything  him- 
self by  his  good  management  and  persistent, 
honest  efforts. 

Our  subject  was  first  married  to  Rebecca 
Harris,  whom  he  brought  to  Illinois  with 
him.  She  was  of  Scotch  descent.  They 
were  married  October  n,  1867.  Her  par- 
ents came  from  Scotland,  but  she  was  born 
in  West  Virginia.  The  following  children 
were  born  to  the  subject  and  his  first  wife, 
six  of  whom  are  now  living  in  1908:  Ida 
Belle,  born  May  8,  1868,  died  March  14, 
1898;  Theodore  M.  was  born  January  7, 

1871,  and  died  in  infancy,  on  the  22d  of 
that  month;  Louis  B.  was    born    April  6, 

1872,  married    Eva  Moore,  to  whom  one 
child  has  been  born.      He    is    in    the  fruit 
business  in  Decatur;  Margaret  J.  was  born 
July   25,    1876,   and  died   in   infancy;   Ed- 
ward  was  born  October  7,    1878;   Samuel 
M.   was   born   April   3,    1879,   and  died   in 
1 88 1 ;  Charles  V.  was  born  September  20, 
1 88 1,  married  Mayme  Galker.    He  is  in  the 
grocery  business  in  Decatur.     Edward  mar- 
ried Jessie   Wickline   and    they    have  two 
children.    He  is  in  the  meat  business  in  De- 
catur.    John  H.  was  bom  June  25,   1884, 
became  a  Missionary  Baptist  preacher,  also 
became  a  teacher,  having  been  educated  in 
the  Carbondale  schools.     He    is  at  present 
pastor  of  the    Salem    Baptist    church,  and 
lives  at  home  with    the    subject.      Alphey, 
who    was   born  March  2,  1889,    is  a  dress- 
maker in   Decatur.     Nellie,  who  was  born 


May.  22,  1891,  is  a  teacher  in  the  schools 
of  Carrigan  township. 

The  subject's  second  wife  was  Josephine 
(Lonnan)  Meyer,  who  was  born  July  27, 
1866,  and  whom  he  married  August  II, 
1898,  and  to  whom  the  following  children 
have  been  born:  Theresa  Lucile  was  born 
January  26,  1902;  Leo  Raines  was  born 
February  8,  1905;  Alice  Marie  was  born 
September  9,  1907.  Mrs.  Cozad  had  one 
child  by  her  former  husband,  Albert  Lon- 
nan, born  October  12,  1890,  who  makes  his 
home  with  his  step- father,  our  subject.  Mrs. 
Cozad's  father  came  to  America  from  Ber- 
lin, Germany,  where  he  was  born  in  1833, 
having  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
about  1853  or  1854.  Mrs.  Cozad's  mother 
was  also  from  that  place.  Mrs.  Cozad's 
father  was  a  well  known  farmer  who  lived 
in  the  southern  part  of  Salem,  on  the  old 
Judge  Hull  farm  for  many  years.  He  died 
in  1897  in  this  county,  being  known  by  ev- 
erybody as  a  thrifty  German  farmer.  His 
wife  was  born  in  1847. 

The  Cozad  family  have  long  been  stanch 
Democrats  and  Missionary  Baptists.  Lee 
Cozad,  brother  of  our  subject,  is  a  preacher 
in  this  church.  Our  subject  has  long  taken 
an  active  interest  in  church  affairs,  and  he 
is  known  as  a  fine  Christian  gentleman  and 
well  informed. 


CENTRALIA   PUBLIC  LIBRARY. 

The  beautiful,  well  equipped  and  care- 
fully managed  public  library  in  Centralia, 
Illinois,  was  established  in  1873,  and  or- 


JRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


8o3 


ganized  in  1880.  On  February  14,  1901, 
Andrew  Carnegie  offered  fifteen  thousand 
dollars  to  be  spent  for  a  library  building, 
which  offer  was  accepted  and  the  City  Park 
was  chosen  for  the  site.  Mr.  Carnegie 
added  five  thousand  dollars.  The  plan  for 
the  new  building  drawn  by  Oscar  L.  Mc- 
Murry,  of  Chicago,  was  chosen  by  the  board 
which  had  the  matter  in  hand  and  the  con- 
tract was  let  April  12,  1902.  Ground  was 
broken  for  the  building  on  June  loth,  fol- 
lowing, the  corner-stone  being  laid  July  17, 
1902,  under  the  auspices  of  the  Masons. 
The  work  progressed  rapidly  under  skill- 
ful workmen  until  its  completion  the  latter 
part  of  the  year,  and  the  building  was 
•opened  to  the  public  January  14,  1903. 

The  building  is  an  attractive  one  from  an 
architectural  standpoint,  being  two  stories 
high,  sixty-four  by  sixty-six  feet,  is  of 
pressed  red  brick  and  blue  Bedford  stone, 
located  in  the  center  of  the  City  Park,  hav- 
ing the  most  beautiful  and  withal  desirable 
surroundings  of  any  library  building  in  the 
state.  A  large  hall  divides  the  first  floor, 
giving  both  a  north  and  a  south  entrance. 
East  of  the  hall  are  rooms  for  the  secretary 
and  the  library  board.  West  of  it  is  a  lec- 
ture room  with  a  small  stage.  On  the  sec- 
ond floor  are  the  main  reading  room  on  the 
west,  a  small  newspaper  room  at  the  head 
•of  the  stairs,  the  children's  room  being  on 
the  east.  The  librarian's  room  and  the  fire- 
proof stock  room  are  also  on  this  floor. 
Over  the  stairs  is  a  small  reference  room. 
The  rooms  are  all  well  arranged,  properly 
•equipped  and  carefully  kept.  The  cost  of 


the  entire  building  was  nineteen  thousand 
nine  hundred  and  ninety  dollars. 

The  regulations  of  the  library  board  pro- 
vide that  children  under  fifteen  years  of 
age  may  borrow  books  if  they  are  attend- 
ing the  public  schools  of  the  city,  but  each 
child  is  restricted  to  one  book  a  week. 

The  entire  building  is  heated  by  steam. 
It  also  contains  two  neat  toilet  rooms  and 
a  large  storage  room.  The  annual  statement 
made  on  June  30,  1908,  by  the  librarian, 
Celia  M.  Miles,  shows  that  there  are  five 
thousand  six  hundred  and  fifty-nine  vol- 
umes in  the  library  and  twenty  thousand 
four  hundred  and  eighty-six  volumes  in  the 
circulation  department  for  the  year.  Thirty- 
eight  periodicals  are  taken,  including  six 
daily  papers.  The  annual  income  of  the  li- 
brary is  two  thousand  dollars. 

The  present  trustees  and  officers  are  as 
follows:  Daisy  I.  Hallam,  president;  D.  B. 
Robertson,  secretary;  F.  F.  Noleman,  treas- 
urer; Miss  I.  Brunton,  Mrs.  W.  G.  Weldon, 
W.  F.  Bundy,  H.  M.  Warner,  C.  C.  Davis 
and  T.  L.  Joy.  Chairman  of  the  commit- 
tees are  as  follows:  library,  Miss  I.  Brun- 
ton ;  building,  T.  L.  Joy ;  finance,  C.  C.  Da- 
vis; by-laws,  H.  M.  \Varner.  Librarian 
Celia  M.  Miles;  assistant  librarian,  God- 
dena  Weldon.  Following  is  a  list  of  the 
librarians  who  have  served  the  library  since 
its  establishment:  Kate  McKee,  Alice  Staf- 
ford, Cora  Hand,  Mary  Wild.  Ida  Council, 
Mae  Viquesney,  Carrie  McMillan,  Celia  M. 
Miles,  Ella  Babbitt,  Mabel  Kerr,  Nellie 
Surles,  Maud  Sisson  and  Celia  M.  Miles. 

Celia  M.  Miles   is  a  very  proficient  libra- 


8o4 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


rian,  giving  satisfaction  to  all  concerned, 
being  not  only  a  woman  of  education,  tact, 
refinement  and  culture,  but  also  of  pleasing 
personality  that  makes  her  popular  with  all 
classes. 


SAMUEL  R.  CARRIGAN. 

Our  subject  is  one  of  the  old  and  honored 
residents  of  Marion  county,  where  his  long 
life  of  usefulness  has  been  spent  and  he  has 
witnessed  a  great  development  in  the  ma- 
terial life  of  the  community,  taking  no  little 
part  in  its  affairs. 

Samuel  R.  Carrigan  was  born  March  17, 
1834,  two  and  one-half  miles  from  where  he 
now  resides  in  Carrigan  township,  the  son 
of  Robert  M.  and  Sarah  (Hough)  Carri- 
gan, the  former  having  been  born  in  Geor- 
gia, December  9,  1800.  He  first  moved  to 
South  Carolina  and  then  to  Clinton  county, 
Illinois,  settling  there  in  about  1817.  John 
Carrigan,  grandfather  of  the  subject  came 
to  South  Carolina  from  Ireland.  The  sub- 
ject's father  bought  Government  land  for 
one  dollar  and  twenty-five  cents  per  acre 
when  he  came  to  this  state.  He  built  a  log 
cabin  and  cut  and  split  rails  with  which  to 
fence  his  land,  often  working  after  night 
on  account  of  the  green-head  flies  being  so 
numerous  and  troublesome  that  he  couldn't 
work  in  the  daytime.  The  Indians  were 
all  peaceful  at  that  time.  Robert  Carrigan 
took  no  part  in  politics,  but  the  uncles  of 
the  subject  were  all  politicians.  The  father 
of  our  subject  did  all  h'ls  trading  in  St. 


Louis,  hauling  what-  he  had  to  sell  to  that 
market. 

Our  subject  was  the  third  child  in  order 
of  birth  in  his  father's  family,  the  names 
of  these  children  being,  John  S.,  who  was 
born  May  13,  1830,  died  October  7,  1837: 
Nancy  Jane,  December  10,  1831;  Samuel 
R.,  our  subject. 

Samuel  R.  Carrigan  was  educated  in  a 
log  school-house,  where  subscription  schools 
were  taught.  The  furnishings  were  very 
rude  and  the  sessions  of  school  lasted  only  a 
few  months  each  winter,  however,  he  se- 
cured a  fairly  good  education  and  taught 
school  for  a  few  terms  with  success. 

About  1864  Mr.  Carrigan  bought  land  in 
section  21,  this  township,  and  remained  on 
the  same  until  1890,  where  he  prospered 
and  developed  a  model  farm.  In  that  year 
he  moved  two  miles  west  of  his  present 
place.  On  October  4,  1871,  the  subject 
married  Hester  Ann  Williams,  the  daughter 
of  J.  A.  and  Susan  (Cameron)  Williams. 
She  was  born  March  28,  1850.  J.  A.  Wil- 
liams was  born  July  31,  1818,  in  Shelby 
county,  Indiana,  and  he  was  for  years  one 
of  the  most  noted  preachers  in  Southern  Il- 
linois and  a  personal  friend  of  Prof.  J.  H. 
G.  Brikerhoff,  of  this  county.  Susan  Cam- 
eron was  born  in  Orange  county,  Indiana, 
February  13,  1820.  Mrs.  Carrigan's 
father  died  November  4,  1907,  her  mother 
having  passed  away  in  1893.  They  were 
married  in  September,  1844,  in  Jefferson 
county,  Illinois.  The  following  children 
have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife: 
Robert  M.,  born  August  15,  1872,  married 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


8o5 


Etta  Dolsen.  They  are  living  at  Fairman, 
Illinois,  and  are  the  parents  of  four  chil- 
dren. John  A.,  the  subject's  second  child, 
was  born  December  13,  1874,  and  was 
drowned  June  i,  1888;  Susie,  who  married 
J.  C.  Hawkins,  of  Bessie,  Tennessee,  where 
she  now  resides;  Samuel  D.  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 23,  1882,  married  Ada  Brinkley,  of 
Appleton,  Wisconsin.  They  have  one 
daughter.  Samuel  D.  is  a  practicing  physi- 
cian at  Sandoval.  He  has  been  engaged  in 
practice  for  three  years.  He  was  educated 
at  Sims  Medical  College  in  St.  Louis. 

Samuel  R.  Carrigan  has  a  beautiful  home 
located  between  Sandoval  and  Patoka,  sur- 
rounded by  well  laid  out  grounds,  orchards, 
etc.  He  owns  several  hundred  acres  of 
land  in  Carrigan  township,  which  is  in  a 
high  state  of  improvement  and  cultivation, 
everything  about  the  place  showing  that  a 
man  of  good  judgment  has  its  management 
in  hand.  Although  Mr.  Carrigan  has  been 
a  hard  worker  all  his  life,  he  is  a  well  pre- 
served man  and  hale  and  hearty  for  one  of 
his  age.  He  is  one  of  the  oldest  men  and 
one  of  the  oldest  settlers  in  the  township. 
Since  1870  he  has  spent  all  his  time  on  the 
farm,  carrying  on  general  farming  and 
raising  horses,  cattle  and  mules,  and  he  has 
been  especially  interested  in  shorthorn  cat- 
tle. He  made  most  of  the  large  competency 
he  can  now  claim  dealing  in  mules.  He  is 
still  actively  engaged  in  fanning  and  stock 
raising.  He  has  been  a  lifelong  Democrat, 
and  served  two  terms  as  Sheriff,  making 
one  of  the  best  Sheriffs  the  couny  ever  had. 
He  was  first  elected  in  1862  and  the  last 


time  in  1868.  He  says  he  used  to  have  some 
exciting  times  when  performing  the  duties 
of  this  office.  While  he  was  incumbent  of 
the  same,  Hank  Leonard  was  taken  from 
the  jail  and  hanged  by  a  mob.  He  has  also 
very  creditably  held  most  all  of  the  town- 
ship offices. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Carrigan  are  a  fine  old 
couple  and  are  admired  especially  by  the 
young  people  of  their  community,  having 
led  honest  and  useful  lives. 


DAVID  HEADLEY. 

The  life  of  Mr.  Headley  has  been  one  of 
unceasing  industry  and  perseverance,  and 
the  systematic  and  honorable  methods  which 
he  has  followed  have  won  for  him  the  un- 
bounded confidence  of  his  fellow  citizens 
of  Marion  county. 

David  Headley  was  born  in  Monroe  coun- 
ty, Ohio,  May  16,  1843,  tne  son  °f  Jesse 
Headley,  a  native  of  the  Buckeye  state,  who 
lived  both  in  Pike  and  Monroe  counties,  and 
who  married  Elsie  Mahan,  a  native  of 
Pennsylvania,  having  married  in  Monroe 
county,  Ohio,  where  he  grew  up,  and  where 
he  owned  a  farm.  In  1832  he  moved  with 
his  family  to  Illinois,  locating  among  the 
pioneers  south  of  Salem,  Marion  county. 
After  remaining  there  for  a  short  time  he 
moved  to  Kinmundy  township,  three  miles 
south  of  the  present  village  of  Kinmundy, 
where  he  rented  land  for  several  years,  then 
moved  to  Foster  township.  He  lived  on 


8o6 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


the  old  Arnold  place  for  several  years, 
then  moved  south  of  where  the  subject 
of  this  sketch  now  lives.  He  died  in 
1887,  his  wife  having  preceded  him 
to  the  silent  land  in  1865.  He  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  a 
Democrat,  but  held  no  offices.  Seven  chil- 
dren were  born  to  this  couple,  namely: 
Rosanna;  Mary,  deceased;  Eli,  who  lives  in 
Alma,  Illinois,  was  in  the  Civil  war  in  Com- 
pany D,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  having  served 
three  years ;  Sarah  is  living  in  Foster  town- 
ship, the  wife  of  John  Smith;  Jeptha,  who 
was  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred  and 
Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry,  died 
in  1864  at  Marietta,  Georgia,  of  sickness, 
contracted  while  in  line  of  duty;  Levi  was 
in  Company  H,  Twenty-sixth  Illinois  Vol- 
unteer Infantry,  and  was  captured  at  Mis- 
sionary Ridge  and  died  in  Andersonville 
prison  in  March,  1864;  David,  our  subject. 
David  Headley  had  little  chance  to  go  to 
school.  However,  he  attended  such  schools 
as  there  were  in  those  early  times,  going  to 
the  old  log  school-house  in  his  neighbor- 
hood. He  remained  at  home  until  he  was 
moved  by  a  patriotism  that  knew  no  satis- 
fying until  it  was  gratified  on  the  fields  of 
battle  in  defense  of  the  flag,  consequently 
he  enlisted  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred 
and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry 
on  August  9,  1862.  He  was  sent  to  Cen- 
tral City  and  then  to  Salem,  Illinois,  and 
drilled.  In  the  fall  of  the  same  year  he 
was  sent  to  Columbus,  Kentucky,  where  he 
did  general  duty  until  the  spring  of  1863, 


when  he  went  to  Fort  Hinman,  Tennessee, 
remaining  there  until  May,  when  he  was 
sent  to  Paducah,  Kentucky,  for  six  months, 
and  up  the  Tennessee  river  to  East  Fort 
and  to  Gravel  Springs,  then  to  Pulaski, 
Tennessee,  then  to  Decatur,  Huntsville  and 
Larkinsville,  Alabama.  Later  he  was  in 
the  Atlanta  campaign,  being  in  the  battles 
of  Resaca,  Dallas,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  New 
Hope  Church,  and  in  the  Atlanta 
campaign.  He  was  wounded  July  22, 
1864,  having  been  shot  in  the  left  foot. 
After  spending  some  time  in  hospitals  he 
was  sent  home  on  a  furlough,  where'  he 
remained  from  August  nth  to  October  ist, 
when  he  joined  his  regiment  near  Atlanta 
and  was  with  Sherman  in  his  march  to  the 
sea  and  in  the  charge  of  Fort  McAllister, 
later  being  in  several  severe  skirmishes. 
Our  subject  was  wounded  at  Fort  McAllis- 
ter, where  he  was  shot  in  the  right  side.  He 
carries  the  ball  today,  which  at  times  gives 
him  considerable  trouble.  He  took  part  in 
the  grand  review  at  Washington  City,  May 
21,1865.  On  June  7th,  following,  he  was 
mustered  out  at  Washington,  D  C.,  and  was 
discharged  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  on  the 
27th  of  that  month.  After  the  war  he  set- 
tled in  Foster  township  and  in  1866  was 
married  the  first  time  to  Hannah  I.  Cole, 
who  was  born  in  that  township,  the  daugh- 
ter of  Mark  and  Winnie  Cole,  the  former 
of  Tennessee,  the  latter  of  Georgia.  Her 
parents  were  early  settlers  in  Marion  coun- 
ty, having  located  in  Foster  township, 
where  he  farmed  and  where  they  both  died. 
Eight  children  were  born  to  the  subject  and 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


8o7 


wife,  namely:  Minnie  O.,  the  wife  of  War- 
ren Lowe,  of  Kinmundy ;  Winf ord,  who  mar- 
ried Lillian  Doolen,  is  living  in  Foster  town- 
ship on  a  farm ;  Myrtle,  the  wife  of  Edward 
Doolen,  is  living  in  Kunmundy;  Mabel  is 
the  wife  of  Frank  Jones,  of  Foster  town- 
ship; Pearl  is  the  wife  of  Clement  Doolen, 
of  Foster  township ;  Fred  is  living  at  home ; 
Eugene,  who  remained  single,  died  at  the 
age  of  twenty-three  years ;  Mark  died  when 
eighteen  months  old.  These  children  have 
attended  the  home  schools  and  are  fairly 
well  situated  in  life.  Mrs.  Headley  passed 
to  her  rest  September  25,  1904. 

After  his  marriage  the  subject  located  in 
1866,  where  he  now  lives  in  section  i,  Fos- 
ter township,  having  bought  forty  acres,  part 
of  the  Mark  Cole  place.  Mr.  Headley  now 
owns  two  hundred  and  eight  acres  of 
good  land,  all  of  which  is  under 
a  high  state  of  cultivation  and  im- 
provement. On  this  he  raises  fine  crops  of 
wheat,  corn,  hay  and  oats  and  under  the 
able  management  of  the  subject  this  land 
has  never  grown  thin,  being  as  productive 
today  as  when  he  first  took  possession  of  it. 
He  has  made  all  the  improvements  on  the 
place  himself.  He  raises  English  sheep, 
draft  and  Percheron  horses,  Poland  China 
and  Chester  White  hogs.  He  raises  Dur- 
ham and  Red  Pole  cattle  and  some  fine 
chickens,  carrying  on  a  general  farming. 
He  has  been  a  faithful  Democrat  and  has 
held  in  a  very  creditable  manner  the  office 
of  Township  Clerk,  Collector  and  Assessor. 
He  is  a  liberal  subscriber  of  the  Methodist 
church,  of  which  he  has  been  a  member  for 


many  years.  Mr.  Headley  started  in  life 
poor,  but  he  has  been  a  hard  worker  and 
has  prospered. 


GEORGE  HANSON  PERRINE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  born  No- 
vember n,  1821,  in  Lyons,  New  York, 
and  although  his  life's  history  has  been 
brought  to  a  close  by  the  hand  of  death,  his 
influence  still  pervades  the  lives  of  those 
who  knew  him,  for  his  honorable  career  was 
one  worthy  of  emulation. 

The  first  member  of  the  Perrine  family 
to  come  to  America  was  Henri  Perrine, 
the  son  of  a  Baronet  of  La  Rochelle,  Lower 
Charente,  France,  was  one  of  about  seven 
hundred  other  Huguenot  refugees  on  the 
sailing  vessel  Caledonia  about  1635,  which 
ship  was  wrecked  on  the  southeast  shore  of 
Staten  Island.  Among  those  saved  were 
Henri  and  Daniel  Perrine.  The  former 
lived  on  Staten  Island  and  married  there. 
His  children  were  John,  Henry,  Peter  V. 
and  Daniel.  The  pioneer  home  of  this 
family  was  a  stone  house,  still  standing  on 
the  Richmond  Road  then  known  as  the 
King's  Highway.  It  is  the  oldest  house  on 
the  island.  Henri  spent  the  remainder  of 
his  life  on  Staten  Island.  His  son,  John, 
settled  in  Central  New  Jersey.  John  Per- 
rine married  Catherine  Williamson  in  1781. 
The  date  of  his  death  was  July  31,  1803. 
He  was  a  merchant  in  Freehold,  New  Jer- 
sey. His  children  were  Elinore  W.,  born 


8o8 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


in  1784,  who  married  Judge  John  Cooper; 
Henry,  born  in  1786;  David  W.,  born  De- 
cember 17,  1789,  at  Freehold,  New  Jersey, 
died  at  the  age  of  ninety-six  years,  a  veteran 
of  the  War  of  1812.  He  married  Margaret 
D.  Reed.  His  wife  was  born  November  19, 
1793,  and  died  April  9,  1824.  He  married 
a  second  time,  the  last  wife  being  Caroline 
Maynard,  an  English  lady,  who  died  Au- 
gust 27,  1 88 1.  He  went  to  Western  New 
York  in  1803.  The  following  children  were 
born  to  David  W.  Perrine  and  his  first 
wife:  Charles,  born  in  1814,  was  a  hop  and 
fruit  grower  in  Ripley  county,  Indiana, 
later  moved  to  Centralia,  Illinois ;  he  was 
a  deacon  in  the  Baptist  church;  Margaret 
who  was  born  in  1817,  married  first  a  Mr. 
Moore,  and  later  Richard  Clark,  first  lived 
in  Ripley  county,  Indiana,  and  later  lived 
near  Oblong,  Illinois;  Catherine  B.,  who 
was  born  in  1819,  married  Jeremiah  Crane, 
of  Kendall,  New  York;  George  Hanson, 
the  subject  of  this  sketch,  who  passed  to  his 
rest  June  25,  1901,  after  a  life  of  honor  and 
usefulness,  which  was  crowned  with  success 
as  a  result  of  his  industry  and  honesty  of 
purpose. 

John  Perrine,  the  subject's  grandfather, 
was  sergeant  in  the  patriot  army  during  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  fought  side  by  side 
with  his  brothers  at  the  battle  of  Monmouth. 
He  was  once  taken  prisoner.  In  later  years 
he  moved  to  Lyons,  New  York,  and  became 
the  owner  of  six  hundred  acres  of  land. 
David  Williamson  Perrine  was  in  the  War 
of  1812,  and  a  pioneer  of  Lyons,  New  York. 
He  helped  build  the  Erie  and  Miami  canals, 


and  later  assisted  in  laying  out  Milwaukee, 
Wisconsin.  He  moved  to  Ripley  county, 
Indiana,  and  in  1872  came  to  Marion  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  where  he  and  his  second  wife 
died.  He  was  an  elder  in  the  Presbyterian 
church  and  later  joined  the  Baptist  church. 
He  was  a  Republican  and  a  great  worker 
in  the  party.  The  Republican  headquarters 
of  that  district  were  at  his  home. 

The  early  education  of  George  Hanson 
Perrine,  our  subject,  was  obtained  in  the  pub- 
lic schools.  He  spent  his  early  life  in  Rip- 
ley  county,  and  for  twenty  years  was  a 
large  stock  dealer  and  grower  in  Greens- 
burg,  Indiana.  In  1867  he  came  to  Cen- 
tralia township,  where  he  secured  one  hun- 
dred and  twelve  acres  of  land  in  section  20, 
which  had  some  improvements  on  it.  He 
started  extensively  in  the  fruit  growing 
business  of  which  he  made  a  pronounced 
success.  He  was  a  stanch  Republican,  was 
well  known  and  highly  respected  by  all.  He 
was  a  faithful  member  of  the  Baptist  church 
and  a  man  of  influence  in  his  community. 

He  was  married  to  Nancy  Mills,  who 
was  born  in  October,  1825,  and  who  died 
in  1847.  He  married  a  second  time  to  Ro- 
setta  L.  Alden,  of  Ripley  county,  Indiana, 
who  was  born  May  12,  1827,  and  who  died 
October  9,  1902.  Two  children  were  born 
by  the  first  union,  Cyrus,  born  December 
27,  1844,  who  married  Matilda  Parken. 
Cyrus  is  a  fruit  grower  at  Fairfield,  Illinois ; 
Caroline,  the  second  child,  who  was  born 
June  6,  1845,  is  deceased.  The  following 
children  were  born  of  the  second  union: 
David  C,  born  January  5,  1850,  died  April 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


8o9 


i,  1889.  He  lived  at  home  with  his  father 
and  attended  Shurtleff  College  two  years 
and  graduated  from  the  Chicago  Univer- 
sity. Caroline  E.,  the  second  child,  was 
born  February  9,  1852,  is  single  and  is  now 
located  in  Chicago,  Secretary  of  the 
Women's  Baptist  Foreign  Missionary  So- 
ciety of  the  West.  She  was  educated  in  In- 
dianapolis and  Upper  Alton,  Illinois; 
Charles  Thomas,  the  third  child,  was  born 
April  21,  1857,  married,  January  29,  1901, 
Bella  J.  Duff,  of  Washington,  Iowa.  She 
was  a  daughter  of  Alexander  Duff  and 
Margaret  J.  Lemmon,  who  were  of  Guern- 
sey county,  Ohio.  .Charles  Thomas  Per- 
rine  was  educated  in  the  public  schools  and 
Shurtleff  College,  which  he  attended  for 
three  terms.  He  was  engaged  in  the  news- 
paper business  in  Chicago  for  seven  years. 
He  was  in  Shoshone,  Idaho,  for  three  years 
in  the  fruit  growing  business,  with  his 
cousin,  B.  Perrine.  Then  he  moved  back 
to  the  old  place  in  Centralia,  where  he  has 
since  resided.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church.  Samuel  Alden,  the  fourth  child, 
was  born  February  19,  1859,  and  married 
Rosie  Lamb,  of  Davenport,  Iowa.  He  was 
a  graduate  of  the  University  of  Chicago, 
and  the  Morgan  Park  Theological  Semi- 
nary, under  Doctor  Harper.  He  was  pastor 
at  Marshalltown,  Iowa,  for  a  part  of  three 
years.  He  was  sent  with  his  wife  by  the 
Baptist  Missionary  Union  to  Impur  Naga 
Hills,  Assam,  India,  as  a  missionary,  where 
his  son,  Linden  L.,  was  born,  November  26, 
1905.  He  is  now  located  at  Port  Norris, 
New  Jersey,  where  he  is  the  pastor  of  the 


Baptist  church.  William  Schuyler,  the  fifth 
child,  was  born  July  4,  1862,  and  married 
Genevieve  Frazier,  of  Centralia,  Illinois, 
who  was  born  July  5,  1877.  Three  children 
were  born  to  this  union;  Schuyler  Alden, 
born  August  16,  1897;  David  Bates,  born 
October  22,  1899;  George  Hamilton,  born 
April  23,  1905. 

William  S.  Perrine  was  educated  in  Chi- 
cago University,  also  the  Boston  University. 
He  has  always  been  a  farmer  and  fruit 
grower;  Cora  Belle,  the  sixth  child,  was 
born  August  3,  1866,  and  is  a  graduate  of 
Wellesley  College  and  attended  the  old 
Chicago  University,  being  now  one  of  the 
librarians  at  the  Chicago  University. 

Since  their  father's  death,  Charles  T.  and 
William  S.  Perrine  have  carried  on  the  busi- 
ness in  a  most  successful  manner,  owning 
three  hundred  acres  of  valuable  land  in  Cen- 
tralia township,  upon  which  they  erected  a 
beautiful  home  in  1892,  modem  in  every  de- 
tail, equipped  with  hot  and  cold  water,  gas, 
and  the  first  one  in  Centralia  to  be  heated  by 
hot  water.  They  are  among  the  largest 
fruit  growers  in  Southern  Illinois,  and  were 
formerly  engaged  in  growing  strawberries 
quite  extensively.  They  are  very  progres- 
sive business  men  and  worthy  successors  of 
their  noble  father. 


CHARLES  M.  SEE. 

No  state  of  the  Union  is  more  deserving 
of  honor  and  praise  for  the  heroic  service 
of  her  sons  during  the  Civil  war  than  is  Il- 
linois. Among  the  thousands  of  noble- 


8io 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


hearted  volunteers  that  answered  to  the  na- 
tion's call  was  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
Charles  M.  See,  of  Alma,  Illinois. 

Mr.  See  was  born  in  Mason  county,  Vir- 
ginia, on  the  4th  of  February,  1841.  He 
was  the  son  of  S.  M.  and  Mary  E.  (Day) 
See,  the  former  born  in  1808  and  the  latter 
in  1818.  S.  M.  See  came  to  Illinois  in 
1846.  Prior  to  this  time  he  was  engaged 
as  a  pilot  on  the  Ohio  river,  being  one  of 
the  pioneers  in  that  work.  He  was  widely 
known  as  a  skillful  guide  and  his  services 
were  constantly  in  demand  during  the  time 
that  he  followed  the  business. 

In  1848  the  balance  of  the  family,  con- 
sisting of  the  mother  and  seven  children, 
joined  the  family  in  Marion  county,  Illinois. 
Charles,  who  was  the  oldest,  joined  in 
marriage  Anna  M.  Hatton,  to  whom 
seven  children  were  born,  six  girls  and  one 
boy.  Etta  C.  was  married  to  William  B. 
Crooker  and  is  the  mother  of  two  children. 
Frances  K.  became  the  wife  of  Doctor  Hoi- 
son,  of  Farina,  Illinois,  and  has  two  chil- 
dren. Isabel  was  joined  in  marriage  to  Ed- 
win \Yelton,  and  four  children  have  been 
born  to  this  union;  Ruby  M.,  is  an  artist 
of  considerable  ability.  She  is  also  an  ex- 
pert telegrapher.  Louise  married  Doctor 
Wilson,  and  is  the  mother  of  two  boys.  Roy 
A.  was  married  to  Cora  Werner,  of  River- 
dale,  Illinois,  is  the  father  of  two  girls; 
Lois  is  the  youngest  of  the  family. 

When  the  Rebellion  began  Mr.  See  joined 
the  Federal  forces  and  for  four  years  put 
in  his  best  strokes  for  the  cause  of  the  na- 
tional union,  becoming  a  member  of  Com- 
pany B,  of  the  Fortieth  Illinois  Volunteer 


Infantry,  under  command  of  Colonel  S.  G. 
Hicks,  acting  as  sergeant  to  Captain  W. 
T.  Sprouse,  and  during  these  years  of  ex- 
posure and  hardship  Mr.  See  saw  much  ac- 
tive service.  He  participated  in  Sherman's 
famous  march  to  the  sea  and  was  at  one 
time  wounded  in  the  left  limb  by  the  burst- 
ing of  a  shell.  Among  the  many  reminis- 
censes  to  which  Mr.  See  delights  to  refer  is 
the  famous  debate  between  Abraham 
Lincoln  and  Stephen  A.  Douglas,  which  he 
was  privileged  to  hear.  The  scene  was  one 
never  to  be  forgotten.  Mr.  See  feels  that 
Abraham  Lincoln  was  even  at  that  time 
the  most  towering  figure  that  appeared 
among  American  statesmen. 

Educated  in  the  common  schools,  Mr. 
See  has  made  good  use  of  his  opportunities, 
industry  and  application  being  a  part  of  his 
daily  equipment.  For  forty  years  he  had 
charge  of  the  agency  of  the  Illinois  Cen- 
tral. Here  his  faithfulness  and  proper  at- 
tention to  business  have  been  recognized  by 
the  officials  of  the  company  and  in  due  time 
he  was  honorably  retired  with  a  pension. 

A  history  of  the  See  family  was  gotten 
np  a  few  years  since,  most  of  which  was  ar- 
ranged under  the  direction  of  Mr.  See 
himself.  A  life  long  Republican,  he  has 
always  stood  firmly  for  honest  and  con- 
scientious discharge  of  all  public  affairs. 


JOHN  A.  KILPATRICK. 

Among  the  enterprising  and  progressive 
citizens  of  Centralia  whose  efforts  have  lent 
to  the  prestige  of  the  community  in  material 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


811 


and  other  ways  is  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view, who  has  spent  the  major  part  of  his 
life  as  an  agriculturist.  Among  the  many 
things  he  has  done  to  show  that  he  has  led 
a  worthy  career  was  his  services  as  a  soldier 
during  the  Rebellion,  when  he  stood  by  his 
country's  flag. 

John  A.  Kilpatrick  was  born  in  Jackson 
county,  Illinois,  March  27,  1843,  the  son  of 
Alfred  and  Martha  (Duncan)  Kilpatrick, 
the  former  a  native  of  Tennessee  who  came 
to  Jackson  county,  Illinois,  when  a  young 
man.  He  was  born  in  1811  and  after  de- 
voting his  life  to  farming  and  rearing  a 
family  of  five  children,  passed  to  the  silent 
land  in  1856.  There  were  three  boys  and 
two  girls  in  his  family  of  whom  John  A., 
our  subject,  is  the  only  survivor.  All  lived 
to  be  married  but  one  child.  Alfred  Kil- 
patrick served  in  the  Black  Hawk  war  of 
1832,  having  been  in  the  army  about  thir- 
teen months. 

Our  subject  was  three  months  old  when 
his  mother  died  and  he  was  reared  by  an 
uncle,  William  Duncan,  with  whom  he  re- 
mained until  he  was  ten  years  old.  He  then 
lived  with  another  uncle,  John  Kilpatrick, 
until  he  was  nineteen  years  old.  He  was  en- 
gaged in  farm  work  while  living  with  his 
uncles.  When  nineteen  years  of  age  he  re- 
sponded to  the  President's  call  for  volunteers 
to  put  down  the  Rebellion,  enlisting  in 
April,  1862,  in  Company  A,  Fourteenth  Il- 
linois Volunteer  Infantry,  under  Colonel 
Rogers  and  Captain  Opitz,  later  serving 
under  Captain  Natty. 

Our  subject  went    from    Carlton,  Greene 


county,  Illinois,  to  Springfield  at  Camp  But- 
ler, remaining  there  ten  days  when  he  was 
sent  to  Bolivar,  Tennessee.  He  first  fought 
in  the  siege  of  Vicksburg,  also  fought  at 
Jackson,  Mississippi,  and  at  Lookout  Moun- 
tain. He  was  with  Sherman  in  his  cam- 
paign around  Atlanta,  and  in  the  march  to 
the  sea.  He  was  captured  at  Big  Shanty, 
near  Marietta,  Georgia,  but  remained  in  the 
chain  pen  only  eight  hours  when  he  crept 
out  during  the  darkness  between  two 
guards,  reaching  Marietta  at  daybreak.  He 
was  mustered  out  in  Washington  City  in 
June,  1865.  He  returned  to  Green  county, 
Illinois,  after  the  war  and  worked  on  a  farm 
for  two  years.  He  then  went  to  Jackson 
county,  where  he  was  married  to  Nancy 
Kelly,  daughter  of  Thomas  and  Elizabeth 
Kelly,  in  whose  family  there  were  six  chil- 
dren, three  boys  and  an  equal  number  of 
girls.  To  our  subject  and  wife  five  children 
were  born,  namely :  Thomas,  who  married 
'Lizzie  McBride,  is  a  foundryman  living  in 
East  St.  Louis,  and  they  are  the  parents  of 
one  girl ;  Belle  married  Zack  Clore,  a  barber 
in  Centralia ;  William,  who  married  Lillie 
Lane  and  who  has  one  son,  lives  with  his 
father;  Daisy  M.,  who  married  Frank  Al- 
bright, lives  in  Chester,  Randolph  county, 
this  state ;  Millie  is  deceased. 

The  subject's  wife  passed  to  her  rest  in 
1895  in  Chester,  Randolph  county,  where 
Mr.  Kilpatrick  owned  a  farm  which  he  had 
developed  and  on  which  he  made  a  good 
living.  He  sold  this  place  in  190x3  and 
moved  to  Centralia.  In  politics  he  is  a 
Democrat  and  he  holds  to  the  Presbyterian 


8l2 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


belief  in  which  faith  he  was  reared.  He  is 
remembered  by  the  government  which  he  so 
faithfully  served  with  a  twelve  dollar  pen- 
sion per  month. 


HENRY  T.  DAVIS. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  known  to  be 
a  business  man  of  clear  ideas  and  aggressive 
in  his  methods,  yet  at  all  times  maintaining 
strict  honesty  of  purpose  and  living  up  to 
the  full  tension  of  the  strenuous  age  in 
which  his  lot  has  been  cast. 

Henry  T.  Davis,  the  well  known  druggist 
living  in  Centralia,  where  he  has  long  car- 
ried on  his  business  affairs  in  a  most  suc- 
cessful manner,  was  born  in  New  Castle, 
Pennsylvania,  July  30,  1870,  the  son  of 
Isaac  P.  and  Louisa  (Hilands)  Davis,  the 
former  a  native  of  New  Castle,  where  he 
was  born  March  4,  1845,  the  latter  having 
been  born  in  Mercer  county,  Pennsylvania, 
October  12,  1845.  The  parentage  of 
the  subject's  father  was  Irish  and  Welsh 
descent,  and  the  parents  of  the  subject's 
mother  were  Scotch,  both  having  been  born 
in  Scotland.  There  were  three  sons  and  an 
equal  number  of  daughters  in  Isaac  Davis' 
family,  our  subject  being  the  second  in  order 
of  birth.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Isaac  Davis  are  at 
present  living  at  Smithborough,  Illinois,  on 
the  Vandalia  Railroad. 

Our  subject  was  educated  in  the  common 
schools  in  his  native  community  and  in  this 
state.  He  came  to  Illinois  with  his  parents 
and  settled  at  Mulberry  Grove  on  a  farm. 
After  leaving  high  school,  where  he  made 


a  record  for  scholarship,  he  began  teaching 
and  for  two  years  made  a  success  of  this 
work.  But  desiring  to  launch  in  a  busi- 
ness career  he  began  his  apprenticeship  in 
the  drug  business  and  took  a  two  years' 
course  in  the  National  Institute  of  Pharmacy 
at  Chicago,  where  he  made  rapid  progress. 
After  leaving  this  institution  he  served  as  a 
druggist  for  one  year  at  Paducah,  Kentucky, 
and  one  year  in  Muncie,  Indiana.  He  was 
also  engaged  for  a  period  of  two  years  in 
Robinson,  Illinois,  giving  entire  satisfaction 
in  all  these  places  to  his  employers. 

In  1896  Mr.  Davis  started  in  business  for 
himself  in  Mulberry  Grove,  'Illinois,  being 
well  equipped  in  all  his  previous  apprentice- 
ships, he  made  a  success  of  his  venture  from 
the  first  and  soon  had  a  liberal  patronage. 
On  December  26,.  1902,  he  moved  to  Cen- 
tralia, believing  that  here  could  be  found  a 
larger  field  for  his  growing  business.  He 
opened  a  store  at  228  East  Broadway,  where 
he  remained  for  a  period  of  four  years, 
having  secured  a  good  foothold  here  and 
gained  a  large  number  of  customers  not 
only  from  all  parts  of  Centralia,  but  from 
the  surrounding  country.  On  February  27, 
1907,  he  moved  to  his  present  location,  118 
North  Locust  street,  where  he  has  a  most 
liberal  patronage,  having  retained  all  his  old 
trade  and  gained  many  new  customers.  His 
store  is  neat,  well  equipped  and  the  stock 
kept  well  up-to-date  in  every  respect,  and 
his  prices  are  reasonable  so  that  his  trade  is 
brisk  all  the  time. 

Mr.  Davis  is  a  member  of  the  Benevolent 
and  Protective  Order  of  Elks,  lodge  No. 


SRINKERHOFF'S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


493,  of  Centralia.  Politically  he  is  a  So- 
cialist and  in  1908  his  friends  nominated 
him  for  Congress  of  the  Twenty-third  Dis- 
trict, and  his  candidacy  was  generally  re- 
garded as  a  most  fortunate  one  for  he  has 
for  years  been  popular  with  the  voters  of 
Marion  county,  having  long  taken  a  deep 
interest  in  political  matters  and  in  the  gen- 
eral welfare  of  the  community.  He  was 
elected  a  member  of  the  City  Council  in 
1906  and  served  two  years  in  a  manner  that 
elicited  the  approbation  of  everyone,  having 
ably  looked  after  the  interests  of  the  Third 
ward,  which  he  represented.  While  at  Mul- 
berry Grove,  Mr.  Davis  was  the  Treasurer 
of  the  town  schools. 

The  parents  of  our  subject-  were  Pres- 
byterians, but  he  and  his  wife  worship  at 
the  Christian  church. 

Mr.  Davis  was  united  in  marriage  on  De- 
cember 24,  1891,  with  Voshti  Jenkins,  the 
accomplished  daughter  of  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Thomas  Jenkins,  natives  of  Tennessee. 
They  were  married  in  Paducah,  Kentucky, 
and  three  children  have  brightened  the  home 
of  our  subject  and  wife  as  a  result  of  this 
happy  union,  namely:  Orville  Wayne,  who 
was  born  November  3,  1892;  Helen  Lavon, 
who  was  born  March  10,  1895;  Exa  May, 
whose  date  of  birth  occurred  August  27, 
1897. 


SAMUEL  SANDERS  CLARK. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  review 
has  spent  the  major  part  of  his  active  life 
engaged  in  agricultural  pursuits,  all  the  de- 


tails of  which  he  mastered  long  ago.  He  is 
better  known  in  Clinton  county,  this  sta^tef 
where  his  fine  farm  is  located  than  in  Cen- 
tralia, but  wherever  he  has  lived  he  has  al- 
ways maintained  a  high  standard  of  moral 
excellence. 

Samuel  Sanders  Clark  was  born  in  old 
Virginia,  in  the  county  of  Patrick,  August 
9.  1835,  the  son  of  William  and  Martha 
(Carter)  Clark;  the  former  was  a  native  of 
old  Virginia  and  was  in  the  War  of  1812, 
having  been  captain.  He  served  three  terms 
cf  enlistment  and  his  brother  one  term. 
William  Clark  was  also  Sheriff  of  Patrick 
county,  Virginia,  having  been  incumbent  of 
this  office  at  the  time  of  his  death,  which  oc- 
curred when  the  subject  of  this  sketch  was 
three  years  old  in  1838.  In  1860  the  mother 
of  the  subject  went  from  Clinton  county,  Il- 
linois, to  Texas,  when  sixty-six  years  old, 
having  been  born  in  1794.  She  passed  to 
her  rest  in  Texas,  May  16,  1869. 

The  subject  is  a  descendant  of  sterling 
ancestors.  Both  his  grandfather  and  great- 
grandfather were  named  John.  The  sub- 
ject's great-grandfather  was  stolen  from 
the  sea  shore  in  Scotland,  put  on  a  ship  ahd 
brought  to  America,  settling  in  South  Caro- 
lina. Grandfather  John  Clark  lived  to  be 
eighty-nine  years  old,  dying  in  1858.  He 
was  born  in  Virginia  in  1769,  and  he  served 
in  the  Revolutionary  war  under  Washing- 
ton, whom  he  knew  well,  having  been  fre- 
quently in  his  company.  Finnil,  an  uncle  of 
our  subject  on  his  mother's  side,  fought 
with  General  Jackson  at  New  Orleans. 

Alexander  Bray  Clark,  brother  of  the  sub- 
ject, was  killed  in  Texas  during  the  war 


8i4 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


by  a  robber.  Four  sons  and  five  daughters 
were  born  to  William  and  Martha  Clark,  of 
whom  Samuel,  our  subject,  is  the  youngest 
in  order  of  birth.  He  was  brought  from 
•old  Virginia  to  Aviston  with  his  mother, 
two  brothers  and  four  sisters  in  1840,  hav- 
ing been  driven  through  in  a  covered 
wagon,  when  five  years  old,  to  Clinton 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  received  a  com- 
mon school  education,  such  as  those  early 
times  afforded.  He  was  reared  on  a  farm, 
on  which  he  worked  until  the  breaking  out 
of  the  Civil  war,  when  he  managed  a  store 
in  Centralia.  He  returned  to  Clinton 
county  and  resumed  farming,  developing  a 
valuable  piece  of  land  which  he  still  owns, 
being  under  a  high  state  of  improvement, 
and  on  which  stand  good  buildings.  Mr. 
Clark  moved  from  his  Clinton  county  home 
to  Centralia  in  March,  1900,  and  is  now 
living  in  retirement,  enjoying  the  respite  of 
a  well  earned  rest. 

Mr.  Clark  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Miss  Harriet  E.  Skipper,  October  26,  1856, 
in  St.  Louis  in  the  City  Hotel.  She  was  the 
•daughter  of  Benjamin  and  Elizabeth  Skip- 
per. There  were  four  sons  and  one  daugh- 
ter in  the  Skipper  family.  To  Samuel  S. 
Clark  and  wife  eight  children  were  born, 
four  lived  to  be  grown,  three  of  whom  are 
living  at  this  writing,  namely:  Gabrellia  H. 
is  single  and  living  at  home  keeping  house 
for  her  father;  Ferdinand  A.,  who  married 
Miss  Dora  E.  Krusa  June  21,  1904,  is  a 
carpenter  and  contractor,  and  is  the  father 
of  one  daughter;  Samuel  S.,  Jr.,  married 
Miss  Aldah  C.  Leffel,  October  28,  1908,  the 


daughter  of  Oliver  C.  and  Lida  E.  Leffel, 
deceased.  C.  Leffel  is  a  carpenter  living  at 
118  South  Hickory  street.  These  children 
were  educated  in  Clinton  county  and  in  Cen- 
tralia. Mr.  Clark,  Jr.,  is  a  carpenter  and 
contractor. 

John  N.  Clark,  the  son  of  the  subject, 
died  August  9,  1885.  Harriet  E.  Haw- 
thorn, a  daughter  of  the  subject,  died  March 
8,  1908.  The  subject's  daughter,  deceased, 
was  a  member  of  the  Christian  church. 
Gabrellia,  the  daughter  of  the  subject,  is  a 
member  of  the  Christian  church.  Mrs.  Har- 
riet Clark,  wife  of  the  subject,  died  May 
6,  1879;  she  was  a  member  of  the  Christian 
church. 

The  subject's  father,  William  Clark, 
owned  what  was  called  the  Chestnut  Ridge, 
in  old  Virginia.  John  N.  Clark,  a  brother 
of  the  subject,  died  in  1842;  Carter  Clark, 
also  a  brother  of  the  subject,  died  A.  D.  1845 
leavig  Samuel,  the  subject,  the  sole  support 
of  his  mother,  which  duty  he  performed  as 
a  dutiful  son.  He  attended  school  in  a  very 
crude  building,  built  of  logs  with  a  slab 
floor  and  slabs  for  seats,  with  no  backs  in 
those  days.  There  was  plenty  of  game,  such 
as  deer  and  wild  turkey.  The  first  horse 
the  subject  owned,  he  worked  for  eight  dol- 
lars a  month  to  purchase.  He  bought  his 
first  farm  near  Aviston,  Illinois,  in  1853.  He 
sold  this  and  bought  a  farm  near  Centralia, 
Illinois,  and  in  1854  he  moved  from  Aviston 
to  his  Clinton  county  home  near  Centralia, 
in  March,  1855.  There  were  but  two  stores 
in  Centralia  at  this  time.  He  tells  many 
incidents  of  early  times  of  which  we  have 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


not  space  here  to  relate.  The  subject  is  tall 
and  slender,  has  blue  eyes  which  are  very 
good,  and  his  hearing  is  also  good  for  one 
of  his  age. 

In  politics  Mr.  Clark  is  a  Republican,  his 
ancestors  having  been  old  line  Whigs.  He 
cast  his  first  vote  for  Millard  Fillmore.  In 
religion  he  was  reared  a  Baptist,  but  joined 
the  Christian  church.  Samuel  S.,  Jr.,  and 
Ferdinand  A.,  sons  of  the  subject,  cast  their 
first  votes  for  William  McKinley. 

Ferdinand  A.  and  Samuel  S.  Jr.,  are  both 
members  of  the  Queen  City  lodge  169,  In- 
dependent Order  of  Odd  Fellows.  Our 
subject  joined  this  order  in  1866,  being  an 
Ancient  Odd  Fellow.  The  subject's  sons 
are  members  of  the  Christian  church. 

The  subject  has  led  a  very  active  life  and 
has  been  successful  in  whatever  he  has  un- 
dertaken, and  he  also  has  won  the  respect 
and  friendship  of  all  with  whom  he  has 
come  in  contact,  owing  to  his  upright  char- 
acter. 


CHRISTIAN  M.  DAGGETT. 

One  of  the  progressive  agriculturists  of 
'Romine  township,  Marion  county,  is  the 
gentleman  whose  life  record  is  herewith  ap- 
pended. Christian  M.  Daggett  was  born 
February  23,  1849,  at  Greendale,  luka  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  Illinois,  the  son  of 
Oren  and  Elizabeth  (Myers)  Daggett. 
They  were  both  natives  of  Genesee  county, 
New  York,  where  they  grew  up  and  mar- 
ried. They  came  West  in  1830  and  located 


in  luka  township,  this  county,  near  Green- 
dale,  where  Mr.  Daggett  got  wild  land 
which  he  cleared  and  improved,  later  buy- 
ing land  in  Romine  township,  his  farm  con- 
sisting of  eighty  acres.  He  died  there  in 
1884,  his  wife  having  survived  until  1902. 
Mr.  Daggett  was  a  millwright  and  a  farmer, 
achieving  success  in  both  lines.  The  follow- 
ing children  were  born  to  them:  Hartwell, 
who  was  a  soldier  in  Company  E,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  in  which  he  served  for  two  years, 
and  was  killed  in  the  battle  of  Atlanta, 
Georgia ;  Roxie  was  the  second  in  order  of 
birth;  Louis  served  one  year  in  Company  H, 
One  Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Regi- 
ment ;  Lyman,  who  was  also  a  soldier  in  the 
same  company  and  regiment  as  Louis,  died 
while  in  prison;  Olive  was  the  next  child; 
William  was  in  the  Civil  war  as  a  recruit; 
Polly,  Lizzie,  Sallie;  Christian  M.,  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  was  the  seventh  child  in 
order  of  birth.  The  subject's  maternal 
grandfather  served  in  the  War  of  1812. 

Christian  M.  Daggett  had  little  chance  to 
attend  school  in  his  youth  and  therefore  re- 
ceived but  a  limited  education  in  the  home 
schools.  When  eighteen  years  old  he  went 
to  work  out,  doing  whatever  was  honorable 
and  remunerative  until  his  first  marriage, 
which  occurred  in  1870,  to  Emeline  Hainey, 
of  Romine  township,  this  county.  She  died 
in  1874.  The  subject  then  married  on  Au- 
gust 17,  1878,  Ella  Belt,  daughter  of  Green- 
bury  Belt,  who  was  a  minister  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  of  Clay  county,  this  state.  Her 
mother  was  Nancy  ( Grumes)  Belt,  who 


8i6 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


lived  in  Clay  and  Jefferson  counties,  this 
state,  as  did  also  Mr.  Belt,  who  was  in 
the  Civil  war  in  Company  D,  One  Hundred 
and  Forty-third  Illinois  Infantry,  under 
Captain  Hayes.  He  died  in  Kentucky.  To 
Mr.  and  Mrs.Belt  eight  children  were  born, 
namely:  Charles,  Joseph,  William,  Sarah, 
Greenbury,  Ella.  Martha,  Logan. 

Two  children  were  born  to  the  subject 
by  his  first  wife:  Nellie,  who  married  Joel 
Talbert  Meador,  of  Romine  township,  is 
the  mother  of  four  children,  Calvin,  Phcebe, 
Mason  and  Hester;  Millard,  who  married 
Pearl  Wayburn,  lives  in  Chulsa,  Oklahoma, 
and  is  the  father  of  two  children,  Louisa  and 
Ray.  Five  children  have  been  born  to  the 
subject  and  his  second  wife,  namely:  Flor- 
ence, the  wife  of  William  Mackey,  of  Sa- 
lem, Illinois,  is  the  mother  of  two  children, 
Merrill  and  Floyd ;  Flora,  who  married  Per- 
ry Haney.  has  one  child,  Lois.  They  live 
with  the  subject.  Lizzie,  the  third  child, 
married  Lela  Meador,  of  Romine  township, 
and  they  have  two  children,  Edna  and  Hat- 
tie;  Pearlie  and  Eva  are  living  at  home. 

After  his  first  married  the  subject  lived 
with  his  mother  about  two  years,  and  then 
bought  forty  acres  of  land  in  Romine  town- 
ship on  which  he  lived  for  one  year,  when 
he  sold  it  and  bought  another  farm  on  which 
he  lived  for  two  years.  In  1885  he  bought 
the  place  where  he  now  lives  in  section  15, 
having  lived  here  continuously  ever  since. 
He  has  one  hundred  thirty-one  and  one-half 
acres  and  he  is  also  interested  in  out  lands. 
He  has  always  been  a  farmer  and  he  carries 
on  general  farming  in  a  manner  that  shows 


him  to  be  up-to-date  in  every  respect.  He 
keeps  some  excellent  stock,  especially  cattle. 
Mr.  Daggett  has  served  on  the  school 
board ;  also  as  Constable  and  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  He  is  a  Democrat  and  has  long  been 
active  in  politics. 


THOMAS  STONECIPHER. 

The  subject  of  this  biographical  memoir, 
whose  earthly  career  has  been  closed  by  the 
hand  that  must  set  the  seal  on  the  life  rec- 
ords of  us  all,  is  remembered  as  a  sterling 
pioneer  and  worthy  citizen,  whose  life  was 
exemplary  in  every  respect. 

Thomas  Stonecipher  was  born  in  Ash 
county.  North  Carolina,  March  12,  1809, 
thesonofErza  and  Susan  (Curtis)  Stone- 
cipher.  The  subject's  parents  grew  up  and 
married  in  the  Tar  Heel  state,  and  in  1813 
moved  to  Morgan  county,  Tennessee,  where 
they  lived  for  several  years  and  later  came 
to  Illinois;  after  locating  a  home  here  they 
started  back  to  Tennessee,  and  the  subject's 
father  died  at  Hopkinsville,  Kentucky.  His 
wife  died  in  Haines  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty, Illinois.  To  them  the  following  chil- 
dren were,  born:  Curtis,  Joseph.  Samuel 
Noah,  Thomas,  Wayne,  Lizzie,  Lucinda, 
Eliza  and  Rebecca. 

Thomas  Stonecipher  had  little  chance  to 
attend  school.  He  wTas  married  in  1827  to 
Elender  Goddard,  of  Sullivan  county,  Ten- 
nessee, the  daughter  of  Thomas  Goddard. 
They  lived  in  Sullivan  and  Morgan  coun- 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


8l7 


s,  Tennessee,  and  died  in  that  state.  To 
:m  the  following  children  were  born:  El- 
der, wife  of  Thomas  Stonecipher,  our 
bject ;  Annie,  Pollie,  Rathmus,  Jesse,  Wil- 
m,  John,  David,  Thomas,  Timothy  and 
:orge.  After  their  marriage,  Thomas 
onecipher  and  wife  lived  in  Morgan  coun- 
,  Tennessee,  until  their  death.  He  was  a 
rmer  and  blacksmith ;  also  a  wood  worker 
d  could  make  almost  anything  that  could 
made  with  the  tools  in  those  days.  They 
;re  members  of  the  Missionary  Baptist 
urch.  Their  children  were:  Lavina,  who 
irried  Jackson  M.  Brown,  of  Cumberland 
unty,  Tennessee;  Jesse,  a  farmer  in  Ro- 
ine  township,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  was 
Mexican  war  soldier,  a  farmer  and  school 
icher  in  this  township,  after  1868,  when 
:  came  to  this  county  where  he  has  since 
red  ( See  his  sketch  in  this  volume. )  Mary 
is  the  next  child  born  to  our  subject  and 
ife,  and  she  married  Mathias  Williams, 
icy  made  their  home  in  Eastern  Tennessee, 
ith  are  deceased.  Wayne  was  the  fourth 
lild.  He  was  born  August  2,  1833,  in 
organ  county,  Tennessee,  having  been  ed- 
ated  in  the  common  schools  there.  He 
me  to  Romine  township,  this  county,  in 
567,  having  married,  November  19.  1850. 
'elvina  Morgan,  of  Morgan  county,  Ten- 
:ssee,  who  died  in  September,  1868,  leav- 
g  seven  children,  namely :  Mary,  de- 
ased ;  L.  Mariah  married  Philip  Seiber,  of 
tevenson  township,  Marion  county;  Lydia 
arried  John  Grandon,  of  Flora,  Illinois; 
'uldah,  deceased;  Mahala  married  Abel 
ickering,  of  Xenia,  Illinois;  Thomas,  a 
52 


farmer  in  luka  township,  Marion  county, 
married  Emma  DuRalph;  Carter  is  road- 
matser  on  the  Baltimore  &  Ohio  Railroad, 
on  the  first  division,  with  headquarters  at 
Carlyle,  Illinois,  married  Gertie  Eddings. 

Wayne  Stonecipher  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  August  10,  1 86 1,  Company  B,  Second 
East  Tennessee  Volunteer  Infantry,  and 
was  in  the  middle  division  of  the  army  until 
1863,  when  he  went  to  Middle  Tennessee, 
having  fought  in  the  great  battle  of  Stone 
River  or  Murfreesboro.  He  then  went  into 
Kentucky,  crossed  the  Cumberland  Moun- 
tains into  Virginia,  and  was  with  General 
Burnside.  He  later  returned  to  East  Ten- 
nessee, and  on  October  8,  1863,  he  and  his 
brother,  Curtis,  and  others,  were  captured 
at  Rogersville,  Hawkins  county,  Tennessee. 
He  and  Curtis  escaped  and  were  absent  three 
months  from  their  regiment,  which  they 
joined  at  Clinton,  Anderson  county  Tennes- 
see. Wayne  was  on  picket  duty  until  dis- 
charged October  6,  1864,  at  Knoxville.  He 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  settling  in 
section  12,  Romine  township,  where  he 
bought  a  farm  on  which  he  lived  for  a  period 
of  thirty-four  years.  He  has  been  living  for 
some  time  with  his  children,  retired.  He 
was  a  good  farmer  and  developed  an  excel- 
lent farm. 

Wayne  Stonecipher  was  twice  married, 
the  second  time  in  1873  to  Martha  Ann 
Pierson,  of  Romine  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty. She  passed  to  her  rest  March  23,  1905, 
leaving  one  child,  Lillie  Tennessee,  who 
married  R.  L.  Stevens.  They  live  on  the 
subject's  old  place.  Wayne,  like  his  father, 


8i8 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


is  also  a  blacksmith  and  can  make  almost 
anything  in  that  line.  He  is  well  known  in 
Marion  county  and  has  numerous  friends. 
Louisa  was  the  fifth  child  born  to  Thomas 
Stonecipher  and  wife.  She  married  Jere- 
miah Jones,  who  is  now  deceased,  but  she 
is  living  in  Morgan  county,  Tennessee;  Cur- 
tis, the  sixth  child  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch,  was  born  July  26,  1836,  in  Morgan 
county,  Tennessee,  and  received  a  limited 
education,  having  lived  at  home  until  Au- 
gust 10,  1 86 1,  when  he  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army,  Company  B,  Second  East  Tennessee 
Regiment,  middle  division,  and  he  was  sent 
to  Middle  Tennessee.  He  was  in  the  battle 
of  Stone  River,  then  went  into  Kentucky, 
crossed  the  Cumberland  Mountains  into 
Virginia,  and  was  with  Burnside's  army. 
He  later  retured  to  East  Tennessee,  and 
was  taken  prisoner  on  October  8,  1863, 
when  he  and  his  brother,  Wayne,  fell  into 
the  hands  of  the  enemy,  but  Curtis  and 
Wayne  escaped  as  already  related  and  after 
three  months'  absence  rejoined  their  regi- 
ment at  Clinton,  Tennessee,  and  he  did 
picket  duty  until  the  close  of  the  war.  He 
was  discharged  October  6,  1864,  at  Knox- 
ville.  Curtis  Stonecipher  was  first  married 
in  1856  to  Mary  Ann  Brown,  of  Cumber- 
land county,  Tennessee.  He  married  his 
second  wife,  Polly  Lewellen,  of  Scott  coun- 
ty, Tenessee,  August  15,  1872.  She  was 
the  daughter  of  Walter  W.  and  Ann  Brown, 
who  lived  and  died  in  Scott  county,  Ten- 
nessee. Seven  children  were  born  to  Curtis 
Stonecipher  and  his  first  wife,  and  nine  chil- 
dren were  born  to  him  and  his  second  wife, 


six  of  them  still  living.  The  children  by  his 
first  wife  are:  Lavina,  deceased;  James  T., 
deceased;  Eliza,  deceased;  Andrew,  de- 
ceased; Alice,  deceased;  Samuel  G.,  who 
lives  at  'Athens,  Ohio,  is  a  traveling  sales- 
man for  a  grocery  house;  Jesse  is  a  farmer 
in  Robins,  Tennessee.  The  following  are 
the  names  of  the  children  of  Curtis  Stone- 
cipher  and  his  second  wife;  John  K.,  born 
in  1873,  died  in  1897,  married  Lizzie  Mc- 
Cormick;  Indiana  married  Mark  Hodges, 
and  lives  in  Raccoon  township;  Empire, 
who  married  Nora  Lawrence,  is  a  farmer 
in  Romine  township;  Henry  is  deceased; 
Martha  married  Jesse  J.  Scott,  of  Romine 
township;  Annie  married  Wesley  Fields, 
of  Romine  township;  Maniphe  is  living  at 
home ;  Orlay  is  also  living  at  home ;  Reuben 
C,  is  deceased.  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Stonecipher 
are  rearing  two  of  their  grandchildren,  Wa- 
verly  and  Button. 

On  January  4,  1863,  when  Curtis  Stone- 
cipher  was  still  in  the  army,  he  moved  his 
family  to  Adams  county,  Ohio,  and  after 
the  war  he  lived  there  until  1871,  when  he 
went  back  to  Tennessee,  and  was  there  un- 
til 1898,  when  he  came  to  Marion  county, 
and  later  bought  the  farm  of  sixty-one 
acres,  where  he  now  lives  in  section  15, 
Romine  township.  He  has  always  been  a 
farmer  and  his  place  shows  that  he  is  a  good 
one. 

The  seventh  child  born  to  Thomas  Stone- 
cipher,  the  subject  of  this  sketch,  was  Tim- 
othy, who  was  also  a  soldier  in  the  Federal 
ranks.  He  now  lives  in  Centralia.  is  Justice 
of  the  Peace  and  Notary  Public,  and  he 


KRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


819 


married  Olive  Daggett.  Joseph  Stonecipher 
was  also  in  the  army,  having  been  in  Com- 
pany B,  Second  Tennessee  Regiment,  and 
he  served  with  his  brothers  for  nearly  three 
years.  He  married  Nancy  Parker.  They 
live  in  Scott  county,  Tennessee.  Ezra  T. 
Stonecipher,  the  subject's  youngest  child,  is 
a  farmer  in  luka  township,  Marion  county, 
having  married  California  Todd. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  in  the  same 
company  and  regiment  with  his  sons  during 
the  war  between  the  states,  also  his  sons- 
in-law  served  in  the  army.  Thomas  Stone- 
cipher  served  eighteen  months  when  his 
health  gave  way  under  the  hardships  of 
army  life. 


JOSEPH  JOURDAN,  M.  D. 

In  all  matters  involving  the  interests  of 
Romine  township  or  Marion  county,  in 
which  the  subject  of  this  sketch  resides,  he 
takes  much  interest,  being  enterprising  and 
vigilant  and  many  of  the  movements  look- 
ing to  the  public  weal  has  been  fostered  by 
him  during  his  long  practice  here,  for  he 
is  known  throughout  the  county  and  has  a 
large  practice,  his  name  having  long  since 
become  a  household  word  in  this  locality, 
for  he  has  ever  held  very  high  rank  in  the 
medical  fraternity. 

Dr.  Joseph  Jourdan  was  born  in  Pike 
county,  Ohio,  May  i,  1837,  the  son  of 
Aquilla  and  Elizabeth  (Lockard)  Jourdan, 
both  natives  of  Pike  county,  Ohio,  who 
scame  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  in  1840, 


settling  in  Haines  township,  where  they  se- 
cured a  farm,  the  father  of  the  subject  also 
hauled  goods  across  the  country  from  St. 
Louis,  in  those  early  days,  before  there  were 
any  railroads  here.  He  was  a  hard  working 
man  who  became  well  known  in  his  town- 
ship. He  died  in  1859  and  his  wife  is  still 
living  near  the  age  of  one  hundred  years. 
They  were  members  of  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church  and  were  honest  and  straight- 
forward people.  To  them  the  following 
children  were  born :  Joseph,  the  subject  of 
this  sketch;  Benjamin,  deceased;  James 
was  killed  by  the  Indians  in  1862;  John 
lives  near  Chillicothe,  Iowa;  Sarah  lives  in 
Albia,  Iowa ;  Mary  is  deceased ;  Martha  is 
living  in  Iowa. 

Doctor  Jourdan  received  only  a  limited 
education  in  the  early  public  schools,  not 
having  much  chance  to  go  to  school  when 
a  boy.  He,  however,  applied  himself  as 
best  he  could,  being  an  ambitious  lad.  He 
remained  at  home  assisting  with  the  work 
about  the  place  until  he  was  nineteen  years 
old. 

The  subject's  domestic  life  began  July  20, 
1856,  when  he  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Sarah  H.  Blackbourn,  a  native  of  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  and  the  daughter  of  An- 
drew T.  Blackbourn,  a  native  of  Tennessee. 
He  was  a  minister  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal church.  The  subject's  wife  was  called 
to  her  rest  September  13,  1906. 

To  Doctor  and  Mrs.  Jourdan  the  follow- 
ing children  were  born  :  Aquilla,  a  machinist 
and  farmer  in  Romine  township,  who  mar- 
ried Mary  Boyle;  Pleasant  P.,  who  died  in 


820 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


1863;  Frances  E.,  who  married  William 
Boyles,  lives  in  Globe,  Arizona;  Mary  J.  is 
deceased;  Joseph  was  killed  in  1889;  John 
L.  is  a  tie  maker  at  Lesterville,  Missouri, 
who  married  Lucy  Gosney;  William  L.  is 
a  miner  at  Sandoval,  Illinois,  who  married 
Maria  Callaghan;  Sarah  C,  deceased,  was 
the  wife  of  EliMedders;  Albert  J.,  who  is 
a  farmer  in  Romine  township,  married  Erne 
Scott;  Dora  A.,  who  married  Lee  Dye,  lives 
in  Oklahoma;  Allen  G.,  who  married  Lena 
Tanner,  of  Perry  county,  Illinois,  is  living 
in  Romine  township,  this  county.  The  Tan- 
ners own  a  farm  in  Perry  county. 

After  their  marriage  the  subject  and  wife 
located  in  Romine  township,  Marion  coun- 
ty. He  took  up  farming  and  the  practice  of 
medicine.  He  at  once  had  a  very  large 
practice  and  his  services  were  in  great  de- 
mand, being  called  to  remote  parts  of  the 
county  on  serious  cases  or  in  consultation 
with  other  physicians,  whose  skill  had  been 
baffled,  and  his  advice  in  such  cases  was  al- 
ways followed  with  gratifying  results.  He 
has  been  in  practice  for  over  thirty  years, 
which  have  been  prosperous  and  very  busy. 
He  has  owned  several  different  farms  in 
this  county. 

Our  subject  enlisted  in  Company  H,  One 
Hundred  and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer 
Infantry,  on  August  i,  1861.  He  went  to 
Camp  Marshall  under  Col.  James  S. 
Martin.  From  there  they  were  sent  to  Pa- 
ducah,  Kentucky,  where  they  remained  six 
months,  then  went  down  the  Tennessee  riv- 
er and  were  in  the  battle  of  Lookout  Moun- 
tain. The  subject  also  fought  in  the  rear 


of  Atlanta.  He  was  wounded  on  June  28, 
1 86 1,  having  been  shot  through  the  left  leg. 
He  was  taken  to  the  hospital  at  Moores, 
Pennsylvania,  and  later  went  home  on  a  fur- 
lough, where  he  remained  for  five  months. 
His  wound  proved  to  be  very  severe.  In  1863 
he  reported  to  his  company  and  regiment 
at  Buford,  South  Carolina.  He  was  still 
partly  disabled  and  was  therefore  appointed 
cook,  later  being  sent  to  Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania,  as  cook  in  a  hospital,  where 
he  remained  until  the  close  of  the  war,  hav- 
ing been  discharged  June  10,  1865,  after 
which  he  came  home.  His  old  wound  con- 
tinued to  give  him  a  great  deal  of  trouble, 
and  it  became  necessary  to  have  a  part  of 
the  bone  removed.  He  also  suffered  from 
heart  trouble  and  rheumatism  and  he  has 
been  sick  a  great  deal  since  his  discharge, 
but  he  does  not  regret  his  services  to  his 
country. 

Doctor  Jourdan  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic  at  Orchardville,  Il- 
linois, and  he  has  belonged  to  the  Christian 
church  for  over  thirty  years.  He  is  widely 
known  in  Marion  and  surrounding  counties, 
where  he  is  regarded  as  a  very  useful  man. 
ever  ready  to  do  faithfully  whatever  his 
hands  find  to  do. 


HON.   SILAS  LILLARD  BRYAN. 

Among  the  names  that  add  honor  and  dis- 
tinction to  the  legal  profession  in  Illinois, 
none  shine  with  brighter  luster  or  occupy  a 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


821 


more  exalted  place  in  the  public  mind  than 
that ~of -the  late  Hon.  Silas  L.  Bryan,  of 
Marion  county.  Holding  distinctive  prestige 
at  a  bar  long  noted  for  a  high  order  of 
legal  talent,  achieving  success  in  his  chosen 
calling  such  as  few  attain,  and  bringing  to 
the  bench  the  ability,  erudition  and  dignity 
characteristic  of  the  learned  and  accom- 
plished jurist,  he  discharged  worthily  the  du- 
ties of  his  important  trust  and  impressed  his 
individuality  upon  his  contemporaries  as  one 
of  the  leading  men  of  his  day  and  generation 
in  his  adopted  state. 

In  the  veins  of  Judge  Bryan  flowed  the 
blood  of  a  long  line  of  eminently  honorable 
ancestors  and  in  him  were  reproduced  many 
of  the  sturdy  attributes  and  sterling  qualities 
for  which  both  branches  of  his  family  from 
time  immemorial  had  been  distinguished. 
According  to  data  furnished  by  the  judge 
himself,  his  paternal  antecedents  appear  to 
have  been  Irish  and  among  the  sturdy  yeo- 
manry of  the  part  of  the  historic  isle  in 
which  the  family  had  its  origin.  One  Wil- 
liam Bryan,  who  lived  in  Culpeper  county, 
Virginia,  was  perhaps  the  first  of  the  name 
to  seek  a  home  in  the  New  World — at  least 
he  is  the  first  ancestor  on  this  side  of  the  At- 
lantic of  which  there  is  anything  definitely 
known  and  it  is  to  him  that  the  branch  of 
the  family  to  which  the  judge  belonged  is 
directly 'traceable.  Where  and  when  he  was 
born  is  a  matter  of  conjecture,  but  it  is  a 
well  established  fact  that  in  the  early  part 
of  the  last  century  he  owned  a  large  tract 
of  land  among  the  foothills  of  the  Blue 
Ridge  Mountains  near  the  town  of  Sperry- 


ville  and  that  he  ranked  with  the  successful 
planters  and  representative  men  of  the 
county  in  which  he  lived.  The  name  of  his 
wife  is  not  known  and  but  little  concerning 
himself  could  be  ascertained  further  than 
that  he  was  a  man  of  excellent  parts,  an  in- 
fluential citizen  and  ever  manifested  an  ac- 
tive interest  in  the  growth  and  development 
of  the  part  of  the  country  in  which  he  set- 
tled and  where  his  death  subsequently  oc- 
curred. 

William  Bryan  was  the  father  of  five  chil- 
dren, the  oldest  of  whom,  a  son  by  the  name 
of  James,  removed  many  years  ago  to  Ken- 
tucky and  spent  the  residue  of  his  life  in  that 
state.  John  remained  on  the  family  home- 
stead in  Culpeper  county  and  Aquilla  mi- 
grated to  Ohio  in  an  early  day,  where  he 
lived  until  death  called  him  hence.  Of  the 
other  two,  Francis  and  Elizabeth,  nothing 
definite  is  known. 

John  Bryan,  the  second  son,  whose  birth 
occurred  about  the  year  1790,  was  married 
at  an  early  age  to  Nancy  Lillard,  who  be- 
longed to  an  old  American  family  of  Eng- 
lish origin  which  is  now  represented  by  nu- 
merous descendants  in  various  parts  of  Vir- 
ginia, Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  Mrs. 
Bryan  appears  to  have  been  a  woman  of 
beautiful  character  and  remarkable  talent 
and  proved  a  devoted  wife  and  mother  as 
well  as  a  judicious  counsellor,  sympathetic 
friend  and  intelligent  companion.  She  bore 
her  husband  ten  children,  all  deceased.  Wil- 
liam, the  oldest  of  the  number,  removed  to 
Missouri  when  a  young  man  and  lived  near 
the  town  of  Trov  until  his  death  about  the 


822 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


year  1866.  John  and  Howard  died  in  in- 
fancy ;  June  became  the  wife  of  Joseph  Che- 
ney and  spent  the  remainder  of  her  life  in 
Ohio;  Nancy,  who  married  George  Baltzell, 
lived  in  Marion  county,  Illinois;  Martha, 
wife  of  Homer  Smith,  lived  for  some  years 
in  Ohio  and  subsequently  removed  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  where  she  made  her 
home  until  her  death;  Robert,  a  physician, 
was  killed  in  a  steamboat  explosion  in  early 
manhood;  Silas  Lillard,  the  subject  of  this 
review,  was  the  next  in  order  of  birth  and 
the  youngest,  a  daughter  by  the  name  of 
Elizabeth,  married  another  George  Baltzell 
and  early  moved  to  Missouri.  About  the 
year  1828  John  Bryan  removed  his  family 
to  what  is  now  West  Virginia,  where  both 
he  and  his  wife  died,  the  former  in  1834,  the 
latter  in  1836,  their  last  place  of  residence 
being  near  the  town  of  Point  Pleasant. 

Judge  Silas  Lillard  Bryan  was  born  in 
Culpeper  (now  a  part  of  Rappahannock) 
county,  Virginia,  November  4,  1822,  and 
spent  his  childhood  and  youth  amid  the  ele- 
vating influences  of  the  home  circle,  receiv- 
ing at  a  very  early  age  the  bent  of  mind 
which  had  much  to  do  in  shaping  his  life  and 
character.  From  his  mother,  who  as  already 
stated  was  a  woman  of  strong  mentality  and 
abundant  resources,  he  inherited  a  large 
share  of  his  talents  and  most  prominent  traits 
and  he  is  also  said  to  have  borne  a  striking 
resemblance  to  her  in  his  personal  appear- 
ance. Although  deprived  of  her  loving  care 
and  tender  guidance  at  the  early  age  of  nine 
years,  the  lessons  learned  at  her  knee  sank 
deeply  into  his  mind  and  heart  to  bear  abun- 


dant fruitage  in  after  years  while  the  mem- 
ory of  her  gracious  personality  <-emained 
with  him,  a  conscious  presence  to  keep  his 
youthful  feet  in  the  path  of  rectitude  and 
ultimately  lead  him  to  high  position  and  dis- 
tinguished achievement.  Three  years  after 
the  death  of  his  mother,  his  father  was 
called  to  his  reward,  thus  leaving  the  lad  an 
orphan  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  and  oblig- 
ing him  to  rely  largely  upon  his  own  re- 
sources in  the  matter  of  providing  for  his 
future. 

In  1840,  when  a  young  man  of  eighteen 
with  the  world  before  him,  the  future  lawyer 
and  jurist  left  his  native  state  for  the  West, 
and  during  the  ensuing  year  and  a  half, 
lived  with  a  brother  near  the  town  of  Troy, 
in  Lincoln  county,  Missouri,  where  he  at- 
tended an  academy  and  made  commendable 
progress  in  the  higher  branches  of  learning. 
The  following  year,  1841,  he  came  to  Ma- 
rion county,  Illinois,  where  a  married  sister, 
Mrs.  Nancy  A.  Baltzell,  was  then  living.  To 
this  lady's  cultured  and  refined  home  he 
found  a  generous  welcome,  and  it  was  to 
her  that  he  was  also  largely  indebted  for 
the  assistance  which  enabled  him  to  fit  him- 
self for  the  work  of  teaching  and  to  prepare 
for  the  still  higher  intellectual  discipline 
which  he  had  in  view.  He  attended  school, 
alternating  with  farming,  until  qualified  to 
teach,  after  which  time  he  divided  'his  time 
between  educational  work  and  agriculture 
until  1845,  when  he  entered  McKendree 
College.  During  the  ensuing  four  years  he 
devoted  himself  diligently  to  his  studies  and 
made  an  honorable  record  as  a  close  and 


BRIXKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


critical  student,  graduating  in  1848,  among 
the  first  in  his  class. 

His  intellectual  education  finished,  Mr. 
Bryan  yielded  to  a  desire  of  long  standing 
by  taking  up  the  study  of  law,  but  he  contin- 
ued teaching,  however,  until  1850,  when  he 
was  elected  superintendent  of  the  Marion 
county  schools.  He  filled  this  position  very 
acceptably  for  a  period  of  two  years,  dur- 
ing which  time  he  labored  zealously  to  ad- 
vance the  cause  of  popular  education  within 
his  jurisdiction  and  increase  the  efficiency 
of  the  public  school  system.  In  the  mean- 
time, 1851,  he  was  admitted  to  the  bar  and 
at  the  expiration  of  his  official  term,  began 
the  practice  of  his  profession  at  Salem, 
where  his  studious  habits  and  attention  to 
business  soon  attracted  the  attention  of  liti- 
gants and  within  a  comparatively  brief  pe- 
riod he  built  up  quite  an  extensive  and  lucra- 
tive business.  Soon  after  engaging  in  the 
law,  Mr.  Bryan  became  an  influential  factor 
in  the  political  life  of  Marion  county  and  in 
1852  he  was  elected  on  the  Democratic 
ticket  to  the  State  Senate,  succeeding  him- 
self in  the  year  1856.  His  record  as  a  mem- 
ber of  that  body  was  creditable  to  himself 
and  satisfactory  to  his  constituents  and  he 
achieved  much  more  than  local  repute  as  an 
able  and  discreet  legislator,  becoming  widely 
and  favorably  known  throughout  the  state 
and  gaining  the  confidence  of  the  leaders  of 
his  party.  At  the  close  of  his  legislative  ca- 
reer, he  applied  himself  very  closely  to  his 
profession  in  which  he  soon  took  high  rank 
and  from  the  date  of  his  admission  to  the 
bar  until  his  elevation  to  the  bench,  there 


were  few  important  cases  tried  in  the  courts 
of  Marion  county  with  which  his  name  did 
not  appear.  His  knowledge  of  the  law  and 
ability  as  a  practitioner,  together  with  valu- 
able political  services,  led  to  his  election  in 
1 86 1  as  Judge  of  the  Second  Judicial  Cir- 
cuit, which  honorable  position  he  filled  to 
the  satisfaction  of  the  public,  proving  from 
the  beginning  an  able  and  judicious  jurist 
whose  rulings  and  decisions  were  eminently 
fair  and  impartial  and  whose  uniform  cour- 
tesy and  kindness  to  lawyers  and  litigants, 
together  with  his  high  sense  of  justice  and 
honor,  gained  for  him  a  reputation  second  to 
that  of  no  other  judge  in  the  state.  His  ju- 
dicial course  meeting  with  general  approval, 
he  was  chosen  his  own  successor  in  1867  and 
from  that  time  until  the  close  of  his  official 
term  in  1873,  he  grew  steadily  in  public  fa- 
vor, achieved  high  distinction  and  made  a 
record  which  constitutes  one  of  the  brightest 
pages  in  the  history  of  the  judiciary  of  Illi- 
nois. 

In  1869  Judge  Bryan  was  chosen  a  dele- 
gate to  the  Constitutional  Convention  and 
took  a  prominent  part  in  the  deliberations 
and  debates  of  that  body,  his  counsel  com- 
manding respect  and  his  opinions  carrying 
weight  in  both  committee  work  and  on  the 
floor.  His  influence  as  a  safe  and  conserva- 
tive adviser  was  recognized  and  appreciated 
by  all  and  to  him  as  much  perhaps  as  to  any 
one  member,  is  the  state  indebted  for  the 
preset  form  of  its  basic  law.  In  1872  he  was 
the  Democratic  nominee  for  Congress,  and 
also  received  the  endorsement  of  the  Green- 
back party,  but  after  an  unusually  strenuous 


824 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


and  exciting  campaign,  .was  defeated  by  a 
plurality  of  two  hundred  and  forty  votes  by 
General  James  S.  Martin,  the  Republican 
candidate. 

Judge  Bryan  always  had  a  great  love  for 
rural  life  and  about  the  time  of  his  election 
to  the  judgeship,  he  began  improving  a  beau- 
tiful home  on  a  farm  near  Salem,  which  he 
succeeded  in  transforming  into  one  of  the 
most  tasteful  and  attractive  homesteads  in 
the  southern  part  of  the  state.  In  the  prose- 
cution of  this  enterprise  he  spared  neither 
pains  nor  expense  and  by  taking  counsel  of 
his  own  excellent  judgment  added  greatly  to 
the  appearance  of  the  place,  not  only  in  the 
matter  of  buildings,  which  were  all  mod- 
ern and  fully  up-to-date,  but  in  arranging 
his  fields  and  groves  to  the  best  advantage, 
preserving  the  latter  in  all  their  natural  beau- 
ty, including  a  large  deer  park,  which  with 
its  denizens  of  the  wild,  was  always  ah  ob- 
ject of  interest  to  beholders.  In  this  delight- 
ful and  charming  country-seat  surrounded 
by  his  family  or  dispensing  hospitality  to 
the  many  friends  and  neighbors  who  were 
wont  to  gather  about  his  hearth-stone,  the 
Judge  enjoyed  some  of  his  most  pleasant  ex- 
periences and  spent  not  a  few  of  the  most 
profitable  and  happiest  years  of  his  life.  He 
was  an  ideal  host  and  a  true  type  of  the 
intelligent,  cultured  gentleman  of  the  old 
school,  whose  greatest  pleasure  consisted  in 
ministering  to  the  pleasure  of  others  and 
all  who  crossed  his  threshold  were  received 
with  a  grace  and  charm  which  sweetened 
the  welcome  and  made  them  desirous  of  re- 
peating the  experience.  He  not  only  had 


great  admiration  for  the  beauties  of  nature 
and  an  ardent  liking  for  the  rural  life,  but 
also  manifested  a  lively  interest  in  agricul- 
ture and  stock  raising,  his  excellent  judg- 
ment in  these  pursuits,  enabling  him  to  reap 
bountiful  harvests  from  his  fields,  and  im- 
prove his  breeds  of  domestic  animals  until 
they  were  pronounced  among  the  finest  and 
most  valuable  in  this  section  of  the  state. 

Judge  Bryan,  on  November  4,  1852,  was 
united  in  marriage  with  Mariah  Elizabeth 
Jennings,  daughter  of  Charles  W.  and  Maria 
Jennings,  a  union  blessed  with  nine  children, 
three  of  whom  died  in  infancy,  and  one, 
named  Russel,  in  young  manhood;  those 
who  grew  to  maturity  being  as  follows: 
Frances  Mariah,  born  March  18,  1858;  Wil- 
liam Jennings,  March  19,  1860;  Charles 
Way  land,  February  10,  1867;  Nancy  Lil- 
lard,  November  4,  1869,  and  Mary  Eliza- 
beth, whose  birth  occurred  on  May  i4th  of 
the  year  1872.  These  children  grew  up 
sterling  men  and  women,  inheriting,  to  a 
marked  degree,  many  of  the  amiable  quali- 
ties and  sturdy  characteristics  of  their  par- 
ents and  are  now  esteemed  and  honored  in 
their  respective  places  of  residence,  the  older 
son  being  at  this  time  one  of  the  most  distin- 
guished public  men  and  political  leaders  in 
the  United  States,  to  say  nothing  of  his 
world-wide  reputation  as  a  stateman. 

Before  his  election  to  the  bench  and  after 
his  retirement  therefrom,  Judge  Bryan  prac- 
ticed law  in  Marion  and  adjoining  counties 
and  as  already  indicated,  achieved  signal 
success  in  his  profession.  He  was  a  fluent, 
graceful  and  forcible  speaker  and  seldom 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


825 


failed  to  sway  juries  by  his  strong  and  log- 
ical arguments  and  to  command  the  close 
attention  of  public  assemblages  which  from 
time  to  time  he  was  invited  to  address.  A 
Democrat  in  the  broadest  sense  of  the  word 
and  an  earnest  advocate  of  the  principles  and 
traditions  of  his  party,  he  became  one  of  its 
leading  advocates  in  Southern  Illinois,  and 
ever  manifested  an  abiding  faith  in  Repub- 
lican institutions  and  in  the  capacity  of  the 
people  for  self-government.  He  was  also  a 
friend  of  education,  encouraged  the  dissemi- 
nation of  knowledge  among  the  people  and 
took  special  interest  in  the  higher  institutions 
of  learning  to  which  he  gave  liberal  financial 
assistance  as  well  as  moral  support. 

Judge  Bryan  was  a  member  of  the  Bap- 
tist church,  the  church  to  which  his  par- 
ents belonged,  and  lived  the  life  of  an  hum- 
ble and  devout  Christian.  He  prayed  morn- 
ing, noon  and  night,  was  a  firm  believer  in 
Providential  direction  in  human  affairs  and 
his  daily  life  and  conversation  exemplified 
the  beauty  and  value  of  the  religion  of  the 
Nazarene.  He  was  a  man  of  strong  char- 
acter, stern  integrity  and  high  purpose,  ever 
used  his  influence  on  the  side  of  justice  and 
right  and  impressed  his  individuality  deeply 
and  permanently,  not  only  on  the  minds  of 
his  fellow-citizens,  but  also  upon  the  history 
of  his  county  and  state,  as  well  as  on  the 
times  in  which  he  lived.  In  the  various  re- 
lations of  life,  both  private  and  public,  the 
judge  was  a  recognized  force  and  he  used 
his  strong  personality  in  behalf  of  every  en- 
terprise making  for  the  material  advance- 
ment of  the  communitv  and  for  the  intellec- 


tual and  moral  progress  of  the  body  politic. 
He  was  true  to  manhood  and  to  the  best  in- 
terests of  society  and  as  an  earnest  and  de- 
vout disciple,  bore  willing  testimony  to  the 
goodness  of  a  kind  and  beneficent  Heavenly 
Father  and  at  all  times  and  under  all  circum- 
stances endeavored  to  measure  up  to  the 
high  standard  of  excellence  as  exemplified 
in  the  life  of  the  Gallilean  Carpenter.  After 
a  long  and  honorable  career  which  has  be- 
come one  of  the  brightest  pages  in  the  his- 
tory of  the  bar  and  judiciary  of  his  adopted 
state,  this  eminent  lawyer  and  representative 
citizen  passed  to  his  eternal  reward,  dying  on 
the  3Oth  day  of  March,  1880,  and  leaving  to 
mourn  his  loss  not  only  his  immediate  fam- 
ily and  a  large  circle  of  neighbors  and 
friends,  but  the  people  of  a  great  common- 
wealth as  well. 

Mariah  Elizabeth  Jennings,  wife  of  Judge 
Bryan,  was  born  in  Marion  county,  Illinois, 
near  Walnut  Hill,  May  24,  1834,  the  third 
child  of  Charles  W.  and  Maria  Jennings.  In 
early  life  she  attended  the  schools  of  the 
neighborhood  and  when  nearly  grown  be- 
came a  pupil  of  Silas  L.  Bryan,  between 
whom  and  herself  a  warm  attachment  soon 
sprang  up  which,  ripening  into  the  tender 
passion  in  due  time,  led  to  marriage.  Their 
wedded  experience,  which  extended  over  a 
period  of  thirty  years,  approached  very  near 
the  ideal  in  happiness  and  mutual  helpful- 
ness. Mrs.  Bryan  entered  heartily  into  all 
of  her  husband's  plans  and  aspirations,  as- 
sisted him  materially  in  his  life  work  and  al- 
ways proved  a  wise  and  judicious  counsel- 
lor, contributing  much  to  the  eminent  sue- 


826 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


cess  which  he  achieved.  She,  too,  was  a 
devout  Christian  who  examplified  her  faith 
by  her  daily  life,  and  her  beautiful  character 
and  many  virtues  endeared  her  to  all  with 
whom  she  came  into  contact.  She  died  after 
a  lingering  illness,  June  27,  1896. 


THOMAS  M.  EDWARDS. 

This  well  known  engineer  on  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  has  lived  in  Centralia,  Ma- 
rion county  for  about  thirty  years.  He 
came  of  sturdy  North  Carolina  stock  and 
his  career  during  a  long  and  exacting  life 
has  not  lowered  the  standard  of  his  fam- 
ily traditions.  He  is  now  the  possessor  of 
a  very  desirable  residence  at  610  South  Pop- 
lar street. 

Thomas  M.  Edwards  was  born  in  Mon- 
roe county,  Tennessee,  on  the  26th  of  Feb- 
ruary, 1851,  the  son  of  James  M.  and  Eliza- 
beth J.  (Hackney)  Edwards.  James  M. 
Edwards  was  born  in  Roan  county,  North 
Carolina,  and  he  came  with  his  parents  to 
Tennessee  at  the  early  age  of  two  and  one- 
half  years  in  an  ox  cart.  A  miller  by  trade, 
he  conducted  a  water-power  flour  mill. 
Elizabeth  J.  Hackney,  whom  he  married  on 
March  31,  1846,  in  East  Tennessee,  the  cere- 
mony being  performed  by  the  Rev.  John 
Galbraith  of  the  Methodist  church,  was  also 
a  native  of  Tennessee,  having  been  born 
November  13,  1826.  She  and  her  husband 
became  the  parents  of  four  children,  a  girl 
and  three  boys,  Thomas  M.,  our  subject, 
being  the  oldest  son. 


Thomas  M.  Edwards  came  with  his  par- 
ents from  Tennessee  to  Williamson  county, 
Illinois,  before  his  third  year.  His  grand- 
parents on  both  sides  were  North  Carolina 
people.  He  received  his  education  in  the 
district  schools  of  Williamson  county,  also 
attended  the  Ewing  high  school  one  term, 
in  Franklin  county,  Illinois,  while  working 
on  a  farm  with  his  father.  In  the  year 
1879  he  came  to  Centralia  and  started  in  at 
the  occupation  of  locomotive  fireman  on  the 
Illinois  Central  Railroad.  He  was  promoted 
to  engineer  three  and  one-half  years  later, 
in  February  of  1883,  on  the  road  between 
Centralia  and  Cairo,  running  on  trains  No. 
21,  No.  8,  No.  23  and  No.  24,  at  the  present 
time. 

On  the  24th  of  December,  1874,  he  mar- 
ried Lucy  C.  Hendrickson,  the  daughter  of 
H.  K.  and  Eliza  (Caplinger)  Hendrickson. 
Her  father,  H.  K.  Hendrickson,  of  William- 
son county,  served  as  a  Union  soldier.  He 
joined  Company  E,  of  the  Sixtieth  Illinois 
Regiment  and  was  mustered  in  on  the  I5th 
of  January,  1862,  under  Col.  G.  W.  Evans 
and  Capt.  W.  B.  Anderson.  H.  K.  Hen- 
drickson died  near  Corinth,  Mississippi,  on 
the  25th  of  October,  1862,  from  sickness 
contracted  through  over  marching.  He  was 
buried  at  Farmington,  Mississippi.  Mrs. 
Edwards  was  the  fifth  in  order  of  birth  in 
her  family  and  has  a  twin  sister. 

Thomas  M.  Edwards  and  his  wife  have 
been  blessed  with  five  children.  They  are 
in  order :  Walter  Edwards,  who  married  Co- 
rine  Martin  on  January  3,  1900,  lives  at 
East  St.  Louis,  Illinois,  and  has  two  sons  and 
one  daughter.  He  is  employed  by  the  Ter- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


minal  Railroad  Company.  James  H.  Ed- 
wards married  Lillian  Murray  in  Manila, 
Philippine  Islands.  They  have  a  family  of 
two  girls  and  a  boy.  They  now  live  in  the 
Republic  of  San  Domingo,  where  he  is  the 
Deputy  Receiver  General  for  Customs  of 
the  Dominican  Republic.  James  H,  enlisted 
on  the  2d  of  May,  1898,  as  a  private  in  the 
United  States  Cavalry,  and  afterwards  be- 
came clerk,  stenographer  and  bookkeeper  to 
the  Collector  of  Customs  of  the  Philippine 
Islands.  He  was  transferred  to  the  Cus- 
toms Department  and  in  1899,  was  traveling 
Auditor  for  five  years  for  the  government. 
He  enjoyed  the  distinction  of  a  personal  ac- 
quaintance with  President  W.  H.  Taft,  while 
Judge  Taft  was  Civil  Governor  of  the  Phil- 
ippine Islands.  He  was  also  General  Shaf- 
ter's  private  stenographer  after  the  close  of 
the  Santiago  campaign.  From  San  Do- 
mingo in  1907,  he  came  to  Centralia  on 
leave  of  absence,  and  during  his  stay  went 
to  Alaska  to  bring  home  the  body  of  a  dead 
relative.  He  afterwards  returned  to  the  Re- 
ceivership in  San  Domingo.  Before  begin- 
ning his  career  James  H.  graduated  at  the 
Centralia  high  school  and  the  Southwestern 
Business  College  at  St.  Louis,  Missouri. 
Previous  to  his  going  to  San  Domingo,  he 
went  to  Washington,  D.  C.  He  is 
a  linguist  of  ability,  and  makes  his 
reports  in  both  the  Spanish  and  the  English 
languages  for  the  San  Domingo  and  United 
States  governments.  The  third  son  of 
Thomas  M.  Edwards,  William  C.,  married 
Bertha  Buehler,  of  Centralia,  Illinois,  the 
daughter  of  Emile  Buehler.  William  C. 


graduated  in  the  Centralia  high  school,  is  a 
foreman  in  a  paper-box  factory  and  lives  in 
Chicago.  They  have  two  sons.  Fred  T. 
Edwards  is  single  and  works  for  the  Illinois 
Central  Railroad  at  the  Burnside  shops  in 
Chicago.  Eula  M.  Edwards  graduated  at 
the  Centralia  high  school  and  lives  at  home 
with  her  parents. 

Thomas  M.  Edwards  is  a  stanch  member 
of  the  Republican  party.  In  religion  he  was 
reared  a  Methodist  and  attends  the  Metho- 
dist Episcopal  church  as  does  also  his  wife. 
He  is  a  well  known  member  of  the  Masonic 
Fraternity  and  belongs  to  lodge  No.  201  at 
Centralia,  as  do  also  \Valter  and  James  H. 
He  belongs  to  the  Brotherhood  of  Locomo- 
tive Engineers,  being  a  member  of  Division 
Xo.  24.  His  wife  is  the  secretary  of  the 
Chapter  Order  of  Eastern  Star,  of  Centralia, 
an  organization  in  which  she  is  very  influ- 
ential. 


JAMES  KNOX   POLK  HARMOX. 

The  subject  of  this  ketch  has  long  been  a 
potent  factor  in  the  affairs  of  Marion  coun- 
ty, where  he  is  honored  and  respected  by 
all  for  his  usefulness  in  the  past  years  of 
development,  for  he  has  ever  manifested  a 
willingness  to  do  whatever  duty  devolved 
upon  him,  uncomplainingly  and  with  a 
promptness  that  manifested  his  public  spirit; 
this  was  especially  shown  during  the  dark 
days  of  the  national  crisis  when  he  stood  by 
the  flag. 

James  K.  P.  Harmon  was  born  in  Bed- 


828 


BRIXKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


ford  county,  Tennessee,  August  4,  1839, 
son  of  Elisha  and  Anna  (West)  Harmon. 
Sally  Lee,  cousin  of  the  late  Robert  E.  Lee, 
the  great  Southern  general,  was  the  subject's 
grandmother.  Sally  Lee's  father,  Richard 
Lee,  was  a  soldier  in  the  Revolutionary  war, 
under  Washington  in  1776.  Elisha  Har- 
mon came  from  old  Virginia  to  Tennessee 
in  an  early  day.  He  was  of  Scotch-Irish 
descent.  He  had  three  uncles  who  fought 
under  Jackson  at  New  Orleans  in  the  War 
of  1812.  Elisha  had  six  sisters.  He  came 
to  Illinois  in  1854,  but  returned  to  Tennes- 
see. However,  he  returned  to  Illinois  in 
1873  and  remained  in  Marion  county  until 
his  death  in  1888,  having  reached  an  ad- 
vanced age,  the  date  of  his  death  being  Jan- 
uary i,  1812.  One  son,  our  subject,  was 
born  to  Elisha  and  Anna  Harmon.  Mrs. 
Harmon  passed  away  when  J.  K.  P.  was 
ten  days  old,  August  14,  1839,  and  our  sub- 
ject was  reared  by  his  grandmother,  Mrs. 
West,  who  died  in  Tennessee.  After  her 
death  James  was  reared  by  Cyrena  and  Da- 
vid West.  He  worked  on  the  farm  during 
his  youth  and  received  a  common  school 
education.  He  lived  near  Shelbyville,  Ten- 
nessee, on  an  old  style  stage  route,  between 
Nashville,  Tennessee,  and  Huntsville,  Ala- 
bama. 

Unable  to  longer  suppress  the  wave  of 
patriotism  that  urged  him  to  take  up  arms  in 
defense  of  his  nation's  integrity,  our  subject 
on  September  7,  1862,  enlisted  in  the  Union 
army  at  Nashville,  Tennessee,  in  company 
F,  Fifth  Tennessee  Cavalry,  under  Col.  W. 
B.  Stokes  and  Capt.  E.  G.  Fleming.  He 


was  in  the  army  two  years  and  ten  months. 
He  was  in  the  battle  of  Stone  River.  A 
canteen  was  shot  off  of  him  January  31, 
1863;  he  was  in  three  charges  in  one  day 
and  took  part  in  fifteen  battles,  and  he  stood 
picket  for  twelve  days  and  nights  in  con- 
tinuous service.  He  was  honorably  dis- 
charged at  Fayetteville,  Tennessee,  June  25, 
1865. 

Mr.  Harmon  was  united  in  marriage  on 
October  9,  1861,  to  Sally  C.  Jones,  daugh- 
ter of  Frederick  and  Mariah  P.  (Squires) 
Jones.  Frederick  Jones  was  born  at  Prince 
Edward  Court  House,  Virginia,  in  1800. 
The  wife  of  the  subject  was  a  member  of  a 
family  consisting  of  four  brothers  and  an 
equal  number  of  sisters.  Mariah  P.  Squires 
was  born  in  North  Carolina  in  1811.  Eight 
children  have  been  born  to  the  subject  and 
wife,  six  boys  and  two  girls,  namely: 
Thomas  Jefferson,  a  coal  miner,  married 
Florence  Beasley,  now  living  at  618  South 
Cedar  street,  Centralia,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  four  daughters;  one  died  in  in- 
fancy. Littleton  D.  Harmon,  a  coal  miner, 
married  Addie  Howard,  now  living  at  1118 
Hester  avenue,  Centralia ;  they  have  one 
daughter.  William  Solomon,  who  is  a  ma- 
terial man  in  the  store  room  of  the  Illinois 
Central  Railway  shops  at  Centralia,  Illinois, 
is  single,  and  living  at  home.  Leonidas 
Pope  is  a  miner  also,  married  Mary  Beasley ; 
they  have  two  sons  and  live  at  815  East 
Broadway,  Centralia;  Anna  Mariah  married 
Marshall  E.  Thomas  and  died  January  20, 
1891,  without  issue.  These  children  were 
all  born  in  Tennessee.  Cyrena  S.  was  born 


BRINKERIIOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


829 


in  Marion  county,  this  state;  she  married 
S.  K.  Loomis,  organizer  for  the  Columbian 
Woodmen,  at  Meridian,  Mississippi;  they 
are  the  parents  of  two  sons,  Richard  Lee 
was  born  in  Marion  county,  died  when 
twenty-one  years  old.  He  was  first  ser- 
geant of  Company  F,  Fourth  Regiment  of 
Illinois  National  Guard;  Edward  E.,  who 
was  also  born  in  this  county,  was  a  mem- 
ber of  the  Forty-second  Regiment  United 
States  Volunteer  Infantry,  and  served  under 
Colonel  Thomas;  Edward  E.  was  first  cor- 
poral and  acted  as  sergeant  in  the  Philip- 
pine Islands,  and  was  ordered  to  carry  thir- 
ty-five thousand  dollars,  pay  for  the  soldiers, 
from  Manila  to  Beluchan,  a  distance  of 
forty  miles.  He  was  in  the  islands  twenty 
months  and  was  honorably  discharged  at 
San  Francisco,  California.  He  is  now  en- 
gineer on  the  Illinois  Central  Railroad;  he 
married  Cora  Meyer,  of  Brookport,  Illinois, 
and  they  are  the  parents  of  one  son. 

James  K.  P.  Harmon  was  released  from 
the  army  July  2,  1865,  ranking  as  battalion 
bugler,  and  retunied  to  his  home  in  Bed- 
ford county,  Tennessee,  and  continued  farm- 
ing until  1871,  at  which  time  he  moved  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  worked  on  a 
farm  until  1886.  There  he  entered  the  itin- 
erant ministry  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
Church,  South,  having  in  that  year  been  or- 
dained local  deacon  at  Kinmundy,  by  Bish- 
op William  Wallace  Duncan,  of  Georgia. 
The  subject  located  in  Centralia  in  1889. 
He  has  been  a  faithful  follower  of  the  lowly 
Nazarene  since  he  was  ten  years  old,  and  his 
life  has  been  one  worthy  of  emulation;  he 


has  always  been  ready  to  do  his  duty  in 
every  line  of  work  he  has  found  to  do,  and 
has  justly  won  the  high  esteem  in  which  he 
is  held.  He  began  voting  the  Republican 
ticket  in  1864,  and  voted  that  ticket  until 
1904,  since  then  voting  the  national  Prohi- 
bition ticket. 


MRS.  IDA  JEFFRIES  WRIGHT. 

Our  subject,  the  wife  of  Newton  Wright, 
of  Centralia,  Marion  county,  is  a  woman 
who  owes  her  present  prosperous  stand- 
ing in  the  community  largely  to  her 
own  unaided  efforts.  She  has  been  for  many 
years  a  resident  of  this  city  and  has  won 
the  affection  of  numerous  friends.  She  is 
an  independent  and  resourceful  woman 
whose  naturally  keen  mental  qualities  have 
been  sharpened  through  their  contact  with 
the  perplexing  conditions  of  daily  life,  which 
have  to  be  met  and  overcome  bravely. 
.  Mrs.  Ida  Jeffries  Wright  was  born  in  Cen- 
tralia, on  the  30!  of  October,  1866,  the 
daughter  of  Frank  and  Abby  (Cummings) 
Galbraith.  Her  father  was  born  and  reared 
in  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  and  came  to 
Centralia  when  quite  young.  He  obtained 
employment  in  the  gas  factory,  and  contin- 
ued there  as  a  trusted  employee  for  over 
forty  years.  He  was  born  in  Rome  town- 
ship, Jefferson  county,  on  November  22, 
1829.  Abby  Cummings,  which  was  her 
mother's  maiden  name,  was  born  on  the 
1 3th  of  February,  1838.  Her  marriage  to 


83o 


ERINKERILOFK  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY.    ILLINOIS. 


Frank  Galbraith  took  place  on  the  3d  of 
October,  1856,  at  Rome,  Illinois.  Seven 
children  were  born  to  them,  three  boys  and 
four  girls,  only  three  of  whom  are  now  liv- 
ing, namely:  John,  Edward,  and  Ida,  the 
subject  of  our  sketch. 

Mrs.  Wright  attended  the  Centralia 
schools  until  her  seventeenth  year  and  ob- 
tained a  good  education.  She  first  married 
Robert  S.  Boatwright,  of  Centralia,  on  Oc- 
tober 7,  1884,  and  two  children  resulted 
from  their  married  life.  Frank  F.  Boat- 
wright was  born  on  December  23,  1885.  He 
is  an  electrician  and  lives  at  home.  Hazel 
Delia  was  born  on  the  230!  of  April,  1889, 
and  in  after  life  married  John  Hathaway,  of 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  who  is  buyer  for  the 
Missouri  Packing  House.  Their  marriage 
took  place  at  Salem,  Illinois,  on  the  25th  of 
November,  1907.  Mrs.  Wright's  husband, 
Robert  S.  Boatwright,  died  in  Centralia  on 
the  1 8th  of  September,  1894.  He  was  for 
nearly  fifteen  years  a  brakeman  on  the  Il- 
linois Central  Railroad,  northern  division. 
His  people  were  Easterners  and  his  father 
died  when  he  was  but  five  years  old.  He 
was  an  active  and  industrious  man  and  a 
person  of  intelligence.  In  politics  he  was  all 
through  life  a  Republican. 

After  her  husband's  death  Mrs.  Wright 
went  to  St.  Louis,  Missouri,  and  conducted 
a  boarding  and  rooming  house,  and  at  the 
same  time  caring  for  her  two  young  chil- 
dren, keeping  them  at  school  and  fitting 
them  for  the  responsibilities  of  life.  On  the 
22d  of  August,  1908,  she  married  Newton 
J.  Wright  at  Salem,  Illinois.  Her  husband 


is  the  bookkeeper  at  the  new  coal  mines  at 
Junction  City.  He  was  born  in  1860.  New- 
ton J.  Wright  had  been  previously  married 
to  Laura  Pool,  a  milliner,  of  Centralia. 
Newton  J.  Wright  and  his  wife  live  at  in 
South  Walnut  street  in  prosperous  circum- 
stances. He  owns  four  homes  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Centralia  and  is  known  to  be  a  good 
business  man.  In  politics  he  is  a  Demo- 
crat; and  in  religion  he  was  reared  in  the 
Methodist  faith. 


BENJAMIN  HUDDLE. 

The  lives  of  some  of  our  older  citizens 
read  like  a  page  of  romance  and  the  career 
of  Benjamin  Huddle  is  no  exception  to  the 
rule.  Born  in  Seneca  county,  Ohio,  Septem- 
ber 26,  1829,  in  a  cabin  in  the  woods 
among  Wyandotte  Indians,  he  has  been  in 
turn  a  frontiersman,  a  farmer  and  a  skilled 
mechanic. 

The  Huddles,  or  as  the  name  was  origin- 
ally spelled,  Hottel,  came  of  a  Hollander 
family,  the  great-grandfather  of  the  subject 
of  cur  sketch  emigrating  from  the  low 
country  to  the  United  States  prior  to  the 
Revolutionary  war  and  in  which  event  his 
grandfather.  Daniel  Hottel,  fought  with 
conspicuous  bravery.  He  took  part  in  the 
battle  of  Brandywine,  bore  his  share  of  suf- 
fering at  Valley  Forge,  and  crossed  the 
Delaware  with  Washington,  being  among 
those  who  crossed  the  ice  in  their  bare  feet 
after  having  worn  out  their  footgear.  Dan- 


BRIXKKKHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


iel  Hottel  migrated  from  Virginia,  of  which 
state  he  was  a  native  and  settled  in  Fairfield 
county,  Ohio,  some  time  about  1815,  and 
later  moved  to  Seneca  county,  which  at  that 
time  was  a  frontier  district.  He  did  not  like 
the  location  and  desired  to  return,  which 
request  was  gratified  by  his  children  and 
he  returned  to  Fairfield  county,  where  he 
died  at  an  advanced  age. 

Benjamin  Hottel,  the  father  of  the  subject 
of  our  sketch,  was  but  twelve  years  old  when 
his  father  located  in  Fairfield  county,  Ohio, 
and  where  he  grew  up.  He  was  educated 
in  the  German  and  also  in  the  primitive 
subscription  schools,  where  he  obtained  an 
English  education.  Being  unable  to  spell 
the  words  of  the  English  language  at  the 
time  his  name  was  translated  by  his  Eng- 
lish teachers  as  Huddle  and  which  has  been 
accepted  as  the  family  name  ever  since.  At 
the  age  of  nineteen  the  young  man  married 
Anna  Seitz,  a  native  of  Fairfield  county, 
Ohio.  Some  years  afterwards  Benjamin 
Huddle  with  his  wife  and  four  children  mi- 
grated to  Seneca  county,  where  he  bought 
government  land  at  one  dollar  and  twenty- 
five  cents  an  acre.  Here  Benjamin  Huddle, 
junior,  was  born.  Benjamin  Huddle  im- 
proved the  land  and  built  a  good  home  and 
lived  there  all  his  life  with  the  exception  of 
a  four  years'  sojourn  in  Crawford  county. 
His  death  occurred  January  28,  1860,  at 
the  age  of  fifty-six  years,  at  which  time  he 
was  the  owner  of  over  four  hundred  acres. 
His  wife  died  in  1863,  at  the  age  of  fifty- 
eight.  Eighteen  children  were  born  to  them, 
of  whom  fourteen  grew  to  maturity.  The 


subject  of  our  sketch  was  fifth  in  order  of 
birth  and  has  now  nine  brothers  and  sisters 
living. 

The  portion  of  Seneca  county  on  which 
Benjamin  Huddle,  the  subject  of  our  sketch, 
was  born  formed  a  portion  of  Sandusky, 
which  was  purchased  by  the  government. 
In  his  youth  it  was  a  wild  primitive  country, 
inhabited  largely  by  Indians.  In  the  early 
days  he  helped  to  clear  the  land  and  erect 
the  home.  His  education  was  carried  on 
in  the  country  schools  until  the  age  of  six- 
teen, when  he  was  apprenticed  to  learn  car- 
pentry, after  which  period  he  had  only  two 
months  of  schooling.  At  the  close  of  his 
three  years'  of  apprenticeship,  his  father  pre- 
sented him  with  a  set  of  tools  and  he  started 
in  his  trade  for  himself.  He  worked  for  a 
number  of  years  doing  carpenter  work,  high 
grade  cabinet  work,  or  whatever  came  his 
way  in  this  line  of  work.  He  also  spent 
some  time  as  a  millwright  and  in  1853  ancl 
1854,  worked  in  Illinois  and  Iowa,  which 
was  then  considered  the  edge  of  the  western 
frontier.  He  also  visited  an  aunt  in  Ma- 
rion county  in  1853.  He  also  engaged  for 
some  time  in  bridgebuilding  during  the 
construction  of  the  Ohio  and  Mississippi 
Railroad  in  1853-1854.  During  the  winter 
of  1853-54,  while  work  was  suspended  on 
the  railroad,  he  drove  the  stage-coach  from 
Salem  east  and  west  to  Salem,  to  Carlyle, 
and  where  Flora  now  is  located.  Return- 
ing to  his  Ohio  home  in  the  fall  of  1854, 
he  married  Rachael  Kagy,  who  was  born  in 
1834  in  Seneca  county,  Ohio,  the  daughter 
of  John  and  Catherine  (Kite)  Kagy.  To 


832 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


Benjamin  Huddle  and  his  wife  ten  children 
have  been  born,  namely:  Freeman  E.,  de- 
ceased; Anna;  Amos,  deceased;  Fannie  J., 
Narcissus,  Cora,  John  B.,  Marion  T.,  Mina, 
deceased,  and  Clara  Maud. 

After  his  marriage  in  1854  Benjamin 
Huddle  worked  at  his  trade  until  the  fall 
of  1860,  some  time  after  which  he  came  to 
Marion  county,  Illinois,  and  located  on  a 
farm  in  Omega  township.  He  continued  at 
his  trade  and  for  several  years  built  all  of 
the  bridges  erected  in  the  county  and  had  a 
great  amount  of  prosperity.  In  1873  he 
moved  to  the  village  of  luka,  which  was  his 
home  for  two  years  while  he  was  building  a 
house  adjacent  to  the  town  and  into  which 
he  moved  his  family  when  completed.  Here 
they  lived  until  1888,  when  a  disastrous 
fire  destroyed  .his  home.  He  had  previous- 
ly traded  his  farm  in  Omega  township  for 
one  hundred  and  ten  acres  situated  one  and 
a  half  miles  north  of  the  village  of  luka, 
and  here  he  went  to  live  on  the  spot  where 
he  still  has  his  home.  His  business  during 
all  this  period  was  in  a  flourishing  condi- 
tion. In  1875  he  had  opened  an  undertak- 
ing establishment  in  luka,  making  caskets 
by  hand,  and  continuing  same  until  1885. 
This  was  prior  to  the  time  of  the  manu- 
facturing of  caskets  or  at  least  their  sale  in 
this  section.  After  a  trip  through  Kansas 
and  Nebraska,  he  formed  a  partnership  with 
George  E.  Daniels  in  the  undertaking  busi- 
ness at  luka,  their  business  relations  con- 
tinuing until  1904.  Since  then  he  is  enjoy- 
ing a  period  of  retirement  on  a  farm  which 
he  rents  and  on  which  he  and  his  wife  live 
together  with  members  of  their  family. 


In  politics  Benjamin  Huddle  is  an  un- 
swerving Democrat,  and  a  student  and  a 
believer  in  Jeffersonian  principles.  He  is 
now  serving  his  second  term  as  Justice  of 
the  Peace  in  luka  township,  and  in  this  ca- 
pacity of  public  servant  he  is  favorably 
known  for  his  honest  endeavors. 


A.  C.  GILMORE. 

The  people  who  redeemed  the  wilderness 
and  the  wild  prairies  of  Marion  county  were 
strong-armed,  hardy  sons  of  the  soil,  who 
hesitated  at  no  difficulty,  and  for  whom 
hardships  had  little  to  appall.  The  subject  of 
this  sketch  is  one  of  those  sterling  characters 
of  pioneer  days  and  has  spent  his  long  life 
in  this  locality. 

A.  C.  Gilmore  was  born  in  Clinton  county, 
Illinois,  west  of  Centralia,  April  6,  1831, 
the  son  of  John  and  Elenore  (Dawson)  Gil- 
more.  The  subject's  father  spelled  his  name 
Gilmour,  but  in  recording  the  birth  record 
of  his  son,  A.  C.,  he  wrote  it  Gilmore,  which 
spelling  the  latter  has  always  adhered  to.  Mr. 
and  Mrs.  John  Gilmore  were  the  parents  of 
twelve  children,  eight  boys  and  four  girls, 
A.  C.  being  the  youngest  in  order  of  birth. 
John  Gilmore  came  from  Urbana,  Ohio,  in 
1818.  He  was  born  in  Glasgow,  Scotland. 
His  wife,  who  was  born  in  Kentucky,  near 
the  Licking  river,  moved  to  Ohio  where  she 
and  John  Gilmore  were  married.  Mr.  Gil- 
more  was  a  silk  weaver  by  profession  in 
Scotland,  but  after  he  came  to  America  he 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


833 


followed  the  trade  of  brick  mason,  also 
farmed. 

A.  C.  Gilmore  was  reared  on  his  father's 
farm,  where  he  worked  until  he  reached  the 
age  of  twenty-one  years,  when  he  started  to 
school  in  Springfield,  Ohio,  where  he  re- 
mained two  years.  He  lived  with  his 
brother  for  five  years,  assisting  him  in  the 
nursery  business. 

Our  subject  has  lived  to  see  Centralia 
grow  from  the  wild  prairie,  from  a  cabin  in 
the  swamp  to  its  present  flourishing  popula- 
tion. After  leaving  Ohio  Mr.  Gilmore  re- 
turned to  Illinois  and  began  farming,  teach- 
ing school  during  the  winter  months,  continu- 
ing to  teach  in  Marion  and  Clinton  counties 
for  a  period  of  twenty  years  with  great  suc- 
cess, becoming  known  as  one  of  the  leading 
educators  of  his  day  and  his  services  were 
eagerly  sought.  Although  he  attended  school 
but  a  comparatively  short  time  in  the  high 
school,  later  a  college  at  Springfield, 
Ohio,  which  was  conducted  by  Rev.  John 
W.  Weekly,  an  eminent  divine  in  his  day, 
our  subject  gained  a  good  education,  for  he 
never  ceased  to  study. 

Besides  farming  in  a  general  way  during 
the  years  that  he  engaged  in  teaching,  Mr. 
Gilmore  devoted  much  attention  to  the  rais- 
ing of  small  fruits  which  he  has  continued 
to  grow  the  remainder  of  his  life  with  great 
success.  He  now  owns  thirty  acres  of  fine 
small  fruits  of  all  kinds.  He  is  well  known 
throughout  the  district. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage  in 
Centralia  to  Lucy  Dille,  daughter  of  Lib- 
bias  and  Eliza  (Allen)  Dille.  Mr.  and 
53 


Mrs.  Gilmore  became  the  parents  of  six  chil- 
dren, four  of  whom  are  living  at  this  writ- 
ing, namely:  William  Lee,  who  married 
Dora  Maddox,  and  to  them  one  girl  has  been 
born :  Carrie  E.,  Robert  and  Millie  E.,  the 
last  three  all  living  at  home.  Robert  Gil- 
more  is  employed  as  switchman  on  the  Illi- 
nois Central  Railroad.  Millie  is  a  clerk  in 
the  bookstore  in  the  post-office  building. 

Mrs.  Gilmore,  who  was  a  faithful  help- 
meet, passed  to  her  rest  on  April  6,  1895, 
in  the  old  home. 

Fraternally  our  subject  is  a  Master  Ma- 
son in  the  Centralia  lodge.  Mr.  Gilmore 
was  Assessor  and  Collector  of  Clinton 
county  for  a  number  of  years.  In  politics 
he  is  a  Republican,  first  voting  the  old  Whig 
party  ticket,  then  he  cast  his  ballot  for  Abra- 
ham Lincoln,  and  he  has  never  missed  vot- 
ing since  reaching  maturity.  He  is  a  faith- 
ful member  of  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church. 

Our  subject  is  strong  for  one  of  his  years, 
in  fairly  good  health  and  active.  He  has 
made  a  success  of  his  life  work  owing  to  his 
close  application  to  whatever  business  he  has 
in  hand. 


GEORGE  PLINEY  BALDRIDGE. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
representative  citizens  of  Marion  county,  be- 
ing a  stock  dealer  on  an  extensive  scale,  and 
he  has  shown  that  he  is  a  man  of  rare  busi- 
ness ability.  George  Pliney  Baldridge  was 
born  December  12,  1853,  in  Grand  Prairie 


834 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


township,  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  the  son 
of  James  Clark  Baldridge,  who  was  born 
December  10,  1811,  in  North  Carolina.  He 
first  married  Margaret  Rainey,  of  Marion 
county,  who  was  born  October  12,  1813, 
and  she  passed  away  October  3,  1844,  and 
Mr.  Baldridge  married  a  second  time,  his 
last  wife  being  Tabitha  White,  who  was 
born  July  10,  1811,  and  who  survived  until 
April  13,  1899.  She  was  the  daughter  of 
Rev.  Robert  White,  a  minister  in  the 
Methodist  Episcopal  church,  having  a  large 
circuit.  In  early  life  he  lived  in  Indiana, 
and  in  an  early  day  came  to  Marion  county, 
Illinois,  and  later  to  Jefferson  county,  locat- 
ing in  Grand  Prairie  township,  where  he 
secured  a  farm.  His  children  were :  Rob- 
ert, who  was  drowned  in  Madison  county, 
Illinois;  Martha  White  married  Thomas 
Flannigan,  and  to  this  union  was  born  a 
daughter  named  Martha  and  became  the 
wife  of  Eli  Copple;  Louisa  White  married 
Allen  Dolson,  and  to  this  union  was  born  a 
daughter,  Sarah,  who  became  the  wife  of 
Eli  Copple,  whose  wife  had  died,  and  was 
the  cousin  of  Sarah,  his  second  wife.  Eli 
Copple  is  now  deceased,  but  his  second  wife, 
Sarah,  is  still  living  in  Centralia  township. 
Tabitha  White  married  Isaac  Casey ;  after 
his  death  she  married  James  Clark  Bald- 
ridge, father  of  the  subject,  who  departed  this 
life  May  16,  1897.  The  subject's  paternal 
grandfather  was  Dornton  Baldridge,  who 
married  a  Miss  Boggs,  who  was  a  native  of 
Tennessee,  while  he  was  a  native  of  North 
Carolina.  He  came  to  Illinois  in  1820  in  a 
covered  wagon,  his  wife  riding  horseback 


on  the  trip  and  carried  a  boy.  They  settled 
at  East  Walnut  Hill,  Jefferson  county, 
where  they  secured  wild  land  which  they 
sold  and  later  moved  to  Centralia  township, 
Marion  county.  He  often  drove  a  four 
horse  team  hauling  goods  to  and  from  St. 
Louis,  besides  his  farming  in  the  early  days. 
He  was  a  well  known  man  in  this  locality, 
and  his  death  occurred  June  14,  1832.  To 
he  and  his  wife  the  following  children  were 
born:  James  C.,  born  December  10,  1811  ; 
John  P.,  born  December  22,  1813,  farmed 
near  Irvington,  Illinois;  Sarah,  who  was 
born  December  13,  1815,  married  James 
Porter,  who  lived  in  Jefferson  county,  Illi- 
nois; Margaret,  who  was  born  March  10, 
1818,  married  James  Kell,  of  Walnut  Hill, 
Illinois;  Joseph  was  a  farmer  in  Jefferson 
county;  William,  who  was  born  February 
23,  1822,  died  when  young;  Alexander,  who 
was  born  October  II,  1823,  was  a  farmer 
in  Jefferson  county;  Rebecca  Jane,  born 
April  ii,  1825,  married  William  Porter. 
who  lived  in  Jefferson  county;  Dornton. 
who  was  born  March  7,  1827,  was  a  farmer 
in  Jefferson  county ;  Thomas,  who  was  born 
January  16,  1829,  was  a  farmer  in  Jeffer- 
son county ;  Samuel  was  also  a  farmer  in 
Jefferson  county;  Mary,  born  May  19,  1831, 
married  Samuel  Telford. 

The  subject's  father,  James  Clark  Bald- 
ridge, had  no  opportunity  to  attend  school, 
and  he  went  but  very  little.  He  was  bitten 
by  a  rattlesnake  one  day  at  school  and 
nearly  died  from  the  effects.  He  lived  at 
home  until  his  first  marriage  and  then  lo- 
cated in  section  4,  in  Grand  Prairie  town- 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


835 


ship,  Jefferson  county,  securing  government 
land  on  which  he  made  all  the  improve- 
ments, owning  at  one  time  six  hundred 
acres.  He  was  a  good  farmer  and  a  stock 
dealer.  He  was  highly  successful,  well 
known  and  respected  by  all.  In  politics  he 
was  a  Republican  and  a  member  of  the  Pres- 
byterian church,  as  was  also  his  wife.  The 
subject's  grandmother  Baklridge  married  a 
second  time,  her  last  husband  being  Matthew 
J.  Cunningham,  becoming  the  mother  of 
one  daughter,  Sarah  Ann,  who  married 
William  Parkinson,  who  was  killed  at  Fort 
Donelson  while  fighting  in  the  Union 
army.  His  widow  lives  in  Centralia,  being 
the  mother  of  two  children,  Oscar  and  Zet- 
tie.  The  following  children  were  born  to 
the  parents  of  our  subject:  Sarah  Ann, 
widow  of  Owen  Breeze,  of  Centralia ;  Spen- 
cer A.,  born  December  16,  1837,  died  when 
young:  Mary  J.,  born  February  3,  1840,  is 
the  wife  of  Z.  C.  Jennings,  of  Centralia 
township:  John  C.,  born  November  5,  1841, 
died  young :  Samuel  Rainey.  born  December 
27,  1842,  was  in  Company  H,  Eighth  Illi- 
nois Volunteer  Infantry,  in  the  Civil  war. 
having  died  in  a  hospital  in  Kentucky,  De- 
cember 7,  1862;  Calvin  was  born  December 
22,  1844,  now  lives  in  Chicago,  was  for- 
merly a  preacher  in  the  Methodist  Episcopal 
church,  later  going  into  the  commission 
business  at  the  stock  yards  in  Chicago.  He 
was  captain  in  the  commissary  department 
in  the  Philippine  Islands,  having  been  ap- 
pointed by  President  McKinley,  who  was  a 
great  friend  of  his.  He  is  now  living  in 
•-Chicago,  engaged  in  the  insurance  business. 


He  first  married  Clara  Hartley,  and  his  sec- 
ond wife  was  Margaret  Egger.  Three 
daughters  were  bom  to  his  first  wife, 
namey:  Belle,  Grace  and  Mamie.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  born  to  James  Clark 
Baklridge  and  his  second  wife:  Harriett, 
born  September  28,  1846,  died  October  5, 
1852 ;  the  second  was  an  infant  son;  Joseph, 
D.,  a  farmer  in  Grand  Prairie  township,  Jef- 
ferson county,  was  born  October  6,  1848, 
married  first  Cynthia  Fonts,  and  later  Julia 
Telford;  George  P.,  our  subject,  was  the 
youngest  child. 

George  P.  Baklridge  received  only  a  com- 
mon school  education,  and  he  remained  at 
home  until  he  was  twenty  years  of  age.  On 
January  22,  1874,  he  married  Sarah  J.  Tel- 
ford,  who  was  born  in  Haines  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  the  daughter  of  William  and 
Mary  ( Porter)  Telford,  the  former  a  native 
of  Illinois.  The  latter  was  born  in  Jefferson 
county,  this  state.  William  Telford  was 
the  son  of  James  and  Margaret  (Kell)  Tel- 
ford, pioneers  of  Walnut  Hill,  Romine  Prai- 
rie, near  Cartter,  Marion  county,  where  they 
died.  William  Telford  was  a  prominent 
farmer  in  Haines  township,  also  dealt  in 
stock  and  was  successful  and  well  known. 
His  death  occurred  in  1875,  and  that  of  his 
wife  in  1858.  His  second  wife  was  Mary 
Ann  Kell.  He  was  the  father  of  four  chil- 
dren by  his  first  wife  and  nine  by  his  second 
wife,  namely:  Sarah  J.,  wife  of  the  subject 
of  this  sketch :  James  Thomas,  who  married 
Eliza  Mercer,  died  when  twenty-one  years 
of  age;  Julia  A.  married  Joseph  D.  Bald- 
ridge:  Annie  M.  married  William  Hamil- 


836 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


ton,  of  Lincoln  county,  Tennessee.  The  fol- 
lowing children  were  by  William  Telford's 
second  wife:  Thomas,  deceased;  Zetta  died 
in  infancy;  the  third  child  died  in  infancy 
also;  Alva  died  at  the  age  of  seven  years; 
Samuel,  who  is  farming  near  Champaign, 
Illinois,  first  married  Ella  Baldridge,  to 
whom  two  children  were  born,  Clifford  and 
Lester.  Ira,  the  sixth  child  of  William 
Telford  and  his  second  wife,  is  a  farmer  on 
the  old  homestead  in  Haines  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  and  he  married  Sadie  Roper; 
Boyd  is  a  farmer  near  Alma,  Illinois ;  he 
married  Alice  Wyatt;  Maggie  married  Don 
Sharp,  of  Redbud,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  one  son,  William ;  Marion  is  now 
deceased;  he  married  Maria  Smith. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  George  P.  Baldridge;  Pella 
A.,  born  December  12,  1874,  married  Rob- 
ert Lacy,  who  is  employed  in  the  post-office 
at  Mount  Vernon,  Illinois,  and  they  are  the 
parents  of  three  children;  Ralph  L.,  Worth 
and  Alice;  Berthold  G.,  who  was  born  No- 
vember 24,  1879,  married  August  23,  1904, 
Edith  Williams,  of  Belknap,  Illinois,  to 
whom  two  children,  William  R.  and  Mary 
R.,  have  been  born.  Berthold  G.  Baldridge 
was  in  the  meat  market  business  in  Cen- 
tralia.  He  attended  McKendree  College  in 
Lebanon,  Illinois,  and  read  law  there,  but 
was  compelled  to  give  up  his  studies  on  ac- 
count of  failing  health;  E.  B.,  the  third 
child  of  the  subject,  was  born  September 
19,  1882,  married  Mollie  Armstrong,  May 
10,  1905,  and  they  have  one  son.  Harry 
Berton.  E.  B.  is  a  farmer  on  the  old  place 


in  Jefferson  county.  Lota  T.,  the  subject's 
fourth  child,  was  born  June  11,  1887,  is  a 
bookkeeper  and  stenographer  and  is  living 
at  home. 

After  his  marriage  our  subject  lived  in 
Grand  Prairie  township,  Jefferson  county, 
Illinois,  buying  the  old  Baldridge  homestead 
on  which  they  lived  until  1907,  when  they 
moved  to  Centralia,  and  he  and  his  sons 
engaged  in  the  meat  market  business.  Mr. 
Baldridge  has  always  been  a  farmer  and 
stock  dealer,  and  he  is  making  a  success  of 
his  present  business.  He  now  lives  at  515 
South  Elm  street,  Centralia.  He  held  sev- 
eral township  offices  and  took  a  great  deal 
of  interest  in  Republican  politics.  He  is  a 
member  of  the  Modern-  Woodmen  of  Cen- 
tralia, and  he  is  also  a  member  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church.  He  is  known  as  a 
good  business  man  and  is  successful  at 
whatever  he  undertakes. 


WILLIAM  C.  WOOLDRIDGE. 

There  is  much  that  is  commendable  in 
the  life  record  of  Mr.  Wooldridge,  and 
naught  that  is  dishonorable.  He  has  been 
true  to  many  noble  principles,  and  he  is  held 
in  high  esteem  by  the  people  of  Romine 
township,  Marion  county,  Illinois,  by  the 
people  who  know  him  best  in  his  home 
community,  which  is  conclusive  proof  that 
his  life  record  has  been  above  reproach. 

William  C.  Wooldridge  was  born  August 
30,  1853,  in  Tazewell  county,  Virginia,  near 
Jefferson,  the  son  of  James  and  Sarah  Jane 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


837 


(Patterson)  Wooldridge,  both  natives  of 
Tazewell  county,  Virginia,  the  former  dy- 
ing October  25,  1892,  and  the  latter  on 
February  25,  1907.  They  grew  up  and 
married  in  Tazewell  county,  Virginia,  and 
in  1860  went  to  Vermilion  county,  Illinois, 
where  he  farmed  until  1885,  when  he  came 
to  Romine  township,  Marion  county,  buying 
forty  acres  of  land  in  section  24,  later  add- 
ing to  the  same  until  he  had  a  good  farm 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  The  sub- 
ject's parents  were  first  members  of  the 
Christian  church  and  later  of  the  Latter 
Day  Saints'  church.  The  following  chil- 
dren were  born  to  them :  Sarah  J.,  born  June 
18,  1851,  is  deceased;  William  C,  our  sub- 
ject; James  R.  (see  his  sketch  in  this  vol- 
ume) ;  Elizabeth,  born  October  30,  1857,  is 
deceased;  Lucinda,  born  December  28, 
1859,  is  deceased;  George  W.,  born  March 
25,  1862,  is  deceased;  Kyle  C.,  born  Janu- 
ary 27,  1864,  died  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years;  Martha,  who  was  born  January 
i,  1866,  married  Chadwick  Thomas,  be- 
coming the  mother  of  three  children;  she 
is  deceased;  Mertie,  born  June  4,  1872,  is 
deceased;  Emma,  born  February  20,  1868; 
Julia,  born  January  28,  1870,  lives  in  Dan- 
ville, Illinois. 

William  C.  Wooldridge  was  educated  in 
the  home  schools  until  he  was  sixteen  years 
old,  when  he  started  to  work  out,  having 
followed  whatever  he  found  to  do  that  was 
honorable  and  remunerative.  He  was  united 
in  marriage  April  12,  1880,  with  Alice 
Edgerton,  of  Crawford  county,  Illinois,  the 
daughter  of  Henry  and  Nancy  (Beard) 


Edgerton,  natives  of  Montgomery  and 
Crawford  counties,  this  state,  having  died 
in  the  latter  county. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
the  subject  and  wife,  one  of  whom  is  de- 
ceased: Lulu,  who  married  Ole  Henson, 
died  July  26,  1908;  Mertie  married  Hugh 
Kelso,  of  Xenia,  Illinois;  Ethel  married 
Frank  Friend,  of  Xenia,  Illinois ;  Sadie, 
Grover,  Nannie,  Opal,  George,  Bernice  and 
Bernard,  all  living  at  home. 

In  February,  1885,  the  subject  located 
where  he  now  lives  in  section  25,  Romine 
township.  He  has  a  fine  home  with  beauti- 
ful surroundings.  His  farm  is  highly  im- 
proved and  very  productive,  and  is  a  most 
desirable  property.  He  cleared  a  great  deal 
of  the  land  and  made  all  the  improvements 
himself.  His  farm  consists  of  one  hundred 
and  ten  acres,  which  is  nearly  all  cleared, 
and  on  which  he  carries  on  a  general  farm- 
ing business  with  much  success.  He  also 
operated  a  mill  and  a  threshing  machine  for 
several  years  with  equal  success.  Whatever 
he  turns  his  attention  to  results  in  a  grati- 
fying measure  of  success  for  he  has  rare 
soundness  of  judgment  along  commercial 
lines. 

Mr.  Wooldridge  was  school  director  for 
several  years;  also  ably  served  as  constable, 
and  takes  considerable  interest  in  township 
affairs,  always  voting  the  Democratic  ticket. 
Mrs.  Wooldridge  is  a  member  of  the  Lat- 
ter Day  Saints'  church.  Mr.  Wooldridge  is 
regarded  by  all  who  know  him  as  a  very 
industrious  and  honest  man. 


838 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


JOHN  SOGER. 

f 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  is  one  of  the 
well  known  men  of  Romine  township, 
where  he  engages  in  farming  and  merchan- 
dising in  a  manner  that  stamps  him  as  a 
man  of  excellent  business  ability  and  sound 
judgment,  succeeding  by  reason  of  the  fact 
that  he  devotes  his  time  to  his  personal  af- 
fairs. 

John  Soger  was  born  at  Mount  Carmel, 
Illinois,  Wabash  county,  July  15,  1853,  the 
son  of  George  Michael  and  Mary  Elizabeth 
Soger,  who  were  natives  of  Rohrboch,  Ger- 
many, where  they  grew  up  and  married, 
then  emigrated  to  the  United  States  in 
1851,  first  locating  in  Evansville,  Indiana, 
later  coming  to  Mt.  Carmel,  Illinois,  where 
the  subject's  father  conducted  a  hotel.  In 
1 86 1  he  came  to  Haines  township,  Marion 
county,  Illinois,  where  he  secured  a  farm, 
and  where  he  lived  until  his  death  in  1881. 
His  wife  passed  to  her  rest  in  1894.  They 
were  members  of  the  Lutheran  church,  and 
the  parents  of  eight  children,  as  follows: 
William,  a  farmer  and  rice  grower  in  Gil- 
lett,  Arkansas;  Peter,  a  farmer  in  Haines 
township;  Wester  married  Joseph  Middle- 
ton,  and  they  are  living  in  Stevenson  town- 
ship; Lizzie  married  Riley  Eddings,  of  Ste- 
venson township;  John,  the  subject  of  this 
sketch ;  Charles  lives  in  St.  Louis ;  two  chil- 
dren were  named  Jacob,  both  deceased. 

John  Soger  received  only  a  limited  edu- 
cation in  the  home  schools,  but  he  made 
proper  use  of  what  opportunities  he  had. 
He  remained  at  home  working  on  his  father's 


place  until  he  reached  the  age  of  twenty- 
five  years,  when  he  took  up  farming  in 
Haines  township,  this  county.  He  also  de- 
voted much  of  his  time  to  the  mercantile 
business  at  Kell,  where  he  had  a  number  of 
business  interests.  When  he  located  in  Ro- 
mine township,  he  began  to  buy  land,  at  one 
time  owning  one  hundred  and  sixty  acres,, 
but  he  has  sold  off  his  land  until  now  he 
has  only  forty  acres  on  which  he  lives,  but 
it  is  choice  land,  being  well  improved  and 
very  productive.  He  built  his  substantial 
and  comfortable  home  in  1888,  and  he 
erected  his  store  building  in  1893.  He  de- 
votes considerable  attention  to  raising  fruits 
and  especially  apples,  but  he  raises  many 
things  on  his  place  and  has  a  very  desirable 
little  farm.  He  buys  and  sells  all  kinds  of 
farm  produce,  and  for  several  years  he  has 
operated  a  fruit  evaporator,  doing  a  large 
business  in  this  line ;  he  also  has  a  feed  mill 
and  does  custom  grinding  of  all  kinds.  Be- 
ing a  hustler,  he  has  made  a  great  deal  of 
money,  but  has  met  with  some  reverses. 
He  has  accomplished  his  tasks  unaided  and 
single  handed  in  an  honest  and  praiseworthy 
manner. 

Mr.  Soger  was  united  in  marriage  with 
Mrs.  Mary  F.  Swank,  of  Shipman,  Illinois, 
on  February  27,  1908,  and  they  have  a 
pleasant  home,  where  their  friends  are  al- 
ways welcome. 

Mr.  Soger  has  never  aspired  to  public 
office,  although  he  is  a  stanch  Republican. 
He  is  a  member  of  the  Christian  church, 
and  belongs  to  the  Independent  Order  of 
Odd  Fellows.  He  is  a  very  kind-hearted 


BKIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


839 


man,  very  generous  and  liberal,  and  will  al- 
ways discommode  himself  to  do  a  favor  for 
a  friend.  He  is  a  great  lover  of  good  horses 
and  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the  best  driving 
teams  in  Marion  county.  His  store  is  al- 
ways well  stocked  with  fresh  goods  of  an 
excellent  quality,  and  he  enjoys  a  good 
trade  with  the  community,  believing  in  fair 
dealing  with  everyone,  as  a  result  of  which 
he  has  many  warm  friends  throughout  the 
township. 


W.  J.  ANDERECK. 

Peculiar  honor  attaches  to  the  career  of 
Mr.  Andereck,  who,  beginning  the  struggle 
for  life  alone  and  unaided,  gradually  over- 
came unfavorable  environment,  and  by  the 
force  of  his  own  individuality  succeeded  in 
winning  for  himself  a  position  of  esteem 
and  influence  among  his  fellow  men. 

W.  J.  Andereck  was  born  in  Marion 
county  in  the  same  log  house,  where  he  has 
lived  practically  all  his  life,  his  date  of 
birth,  having  occurred  September  26,  1853, 
the  son  of  Jacob  and  Eliza  (Precise)  An- 
dereck. The  latter  was  the  daughter  of 
Grief  Daniel  and  Margaret  (Huntsman) 
Precise.  They  were  natives  of  Virginia, 
who  came  to  Illinois  in  1827,  and  settled  in 
Marion  county  among  the  pioneers.  They 
took  up  government  land  and  developed  a 
good  farm,  where  they  reared  their  family 
and  where  they  died,  having  been  the  par- 
ents of  twelve  children,  one  dying  in  infancy 
and  the  others  grew  to  be  men  and  women, 


nine  of  whom  reared  families  of  their  own. 
The  subject's  grandfather  lived  to  be  sixty- 
six  years  old  and  his  wife  to  be  sixty-eight. 
They  were  members  of  the  Baptist  church, 
and  the  former  was  a  Democrat.  Grand- 
father Andereck  was  from  Ohio,  who  came 
to  Illinois  in  1829,  having  settled  in  Marion 
county,  entering  government  land  here,  be- 
ginning his  farming  operations  in  the  woods 
which  he  gradually  cleared,  having  entered 
two  hundred  acres.  Here  he  reared  a  fam- 
ily on  the  farm,  which  he  developed,  and 
died  at  the  age  of  fifty  years.  His  wife 
lived  to  be  seventy-four  years  old.  There 
were  six  children  in  their  family,  five  of 
whom  lived  to  maturity,  three  of  whom  died 
of  cholera  in  1854.  Members  of  this  fam- 
ily were  Baptists. 

The  father  of  the  subject  was  the  second 
child  in  order  of  birth  in  this  family.  Al- 
though his  principal  life  work  was  devoted 
to  farming,  he  became  a  teacher  of  some 
note.  He  was  a  Democrat  and  both  he  and 
his  wife  were  members  of  the  Baptist 
church.  The  mother  of  the  subject  lived  to 
be  sixty-two  years  old. 

W.  J.  Andereck,  subject  of  this  sketch, 
attended  the  district  schools  of  the  same  lo- 
cality where  he  now  lives.  He  was  the  only 
child  of  the  family.  Early  in  life  he  had 
to  take  charge  of  the  farm  and  has  con- 
tinued working  the  same  place,  which  con- 
sists of  one  hundred  and  fifteen  acres.  He 
had  sixty  acres  of  timber  in  its  original 
condition,  the  balance  of  the  farm  being  un- 
der cultivation.  It  is  highly  improved, 
showing  that  our  subject  has  been  a  very 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


industrious  man  and  a  good  manager.  He 
has  gradually  improved  the  place  since  he 
assumed  charge  of  the  same  until  it  is  one 
of  the  best  farms  in  the  community.  On  it 
stand  excellent  buildings.  The  place  yields 
large  harvests  of  grains  of  all  kinds,  and 
much  stock  of  various  kinds  is  to  be  found 
in  his  fields. 

Our  subject  was  united  in  marriage 
March  24,  1880,  to  Sarah  E.  Merdith, 
daughter  of  Samuel  ad  Martha  J.  (McClel- 
lan)  Merdith.  Her  father  was  a  native  of 
Ohio,  and  her  mother  was  born  in  Marion 
county.  Her  father  was  brought  here  by 
his  parents  when  he  was  six  years  old. 
They  lived  and  died  here,  the  father  reach- 
ing the  age  of  thirty-nine  years  and  the 
mother  seventy.  There  were  five  children 
in  their  family,  four  of  whom  lived  to  ma- 
turity, one  of  whom,  John  M.,  was  in  the 
Union  army,  having  been  with  Sherman  on 
his  march  to  the  sea.  He  died  shortly  after 
serving  his  time  out.  All  the  members  of 
this  family  were  farmers. 

The  following  children  have  been  born  to 
our  subject  and  wife,  namely:  Clarence, 
who  was  born  in  1881,  is  single  and  living 
at  home;  Grace  Myrtle,  born  in  1883,  is 
the  wife  of  Albert  Holstlaw,  who  was  a 
teacher;  Samuel  was  born  in  1884,  is  de- 
ceased, having  been  killed  at  Smelter,  in 
1908;  Harvey  was  born  in  1886,  and  is 
single,  living  at  home;  Eliza  Jane  was  born 
in  1888  and  is  a  teacher;  William  Everett, 
who  was  born  in  1889,  is  at  home  with  his 
father;  Martha  Elizabeth  is  also  a  member 
of  the  family  circle;  Marion  Hazel,  who 


was  born  in  1891,  is  at  home;  Raymond 
was  born  in  1893  and  is  living  at  home; 
Lillian  Marie  was  born  in  1900. 

Both  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Andereck  are  mem- 
bers of  the  Baptist  church  and  their  chil- 
dren also  adhere  to  this  faith.  The  former 
is  a  Democrat  and  has  long  taken  an  active 
interest  in  political  affairs.  He  was  Con- 
stable at  one  time  anad  resigned  to  become 
Road  Commissioner,  and  is  now  serving 
his  first  term  in  a  most  efficient  manner. 
He  has  been  school  director,  having  served 
his  third  term,  during  which  time  the  edu- 
cational affairs  of  the  district  were  greatly 
enhanced  and  encouraged. 

Although  our  subject  never  had  a  mili- 
tary record,  he  is  proud  of  the  fact  that 
members  of  the  family  served  the  country 
in  its  hour  of  need.  William  Forsyth  died 
during  the  war,  of  disease  contracted  while 
in  line  of  duty.  A  son  of  his,  Walter,  was 
also  in  the  Union  ranks  and  died  in  Libby 
prison.  Henry,  another  brother  of  William, 
was  a  soldier  in  the  Confederate  army,  and 
was  conscripted  in  Texas. 


JAMES  R.  WOOLDRIDGE. 

What  Mr.  Wooldridge  has  achieved  in 
life  proves  the  force  of  his  character  and  il- 
lustrates his  steadfastness  of  purpose,  and 
his  advancement  from  none  too  favorable 
conditions  in  his  youth  to  a  position  of 
credit  in  the  agricultural  life  of  the  com- 
munity is  the  direct  outcome  of  his  own 
labors. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS- 


841 


James  R.  Wooldridge  was  born  Novem- 
ber 2,  1855,  in  Tazewell  county,  Virginia, 
the  son  of  James  and  Sarah  Jane  ( Patter- 
son) Wooldridge,  both  natives  of  Tazewell 
county,  Virginia,  where  they  grew  up  and 
married.  In  the  fall  of  1860  they  moved 
to  Vermilion  county,  Illinois,  where  the 
father  of  our  subject  engaged  in  farming 
until  1885,  when  he  came  to  Romine  town- 
ship, Marion  county,  first  buying  forty  acres 
which  was  later  added  to  until  he  owned 
in  all  one  hundred  and  twenty  acres.  He 
died  October  25,  1892,  and  his  widow  sur- 
vived him  until  February  25,  1907.  They 
were  members  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints 
church.  The  following  children  were  born 
to  them:  Sarah  J.,  born  June  18,  1851,  is 
deceased;  William  C.  (whose  sketch  in  full 
appears  in  this  work)  ;  James  R.,  the  subject ; 
Elizabeth,  born  October  30,  1857,  is  de- 
ceased; Lucinda,  born  December  28,  1859, 
is  deceased;  George  W.,  born  March  25, 
1862,  is  deceased;  Kyle  C.,  born  January 
27,  1864,  is  deceased;  Martha,  born  Jan- 
uary i,  1866,  and  who  married  Chad  wick 
Thomas,  is  deceased,  leaving  three  children ; 
Mertie,  born  June  4,  1872,  is  deceased; 
Emma,  born  February  20,  1868,  lives  in 
Danville,  Illinois;  Julia,  born  January  28, 
1870,  also  lives  in  Danville,  Illinois. 

James  R.  Wooldridge  received  only  -a 
limited  education  in1  the  common  schools. 
He  lived  at  home  and  worked  on  his  father's 
farm  until  he  was  twenty-eight  years  old. 
His  marriage  took  place  on  October  n, 
1888,  in  Prescott,  Kansas,  to  Bertha  Ham, 
who  was  born  in  Marshall  county.  Illinois, 


the  daughter  of  Ira  J.  and  Martha  J.  (Tor- 
rey)  Ham,  natives  of  New  York  state,  who 
came  to  Illinois  when  young,  where  they 
married.  They  lived  in  Marshall  county 
until  1866,  when  they  went  to  Linn  county, 
Kansas,  where  Mr.  Ham  got  a  farm  and 
carried  on  farming  in  a  general  way.  His 
wife  died  April  4,  1904.  He  now  lives  re- 
tired at  Prescott,  Kansas.  He  is  a  member 
of  the  Methodist  Episcopal  church,  to  which 
his  wife  also  belonged.  Nine  children  were 
born  to  them,  six  of  whom  are  living,  name- 
ly: Allen,  born  August  23,  1865,  died  Jan- 
uary 26,  1874;  Bertha,  the  subject's  wife, 
was  born  December  7,  1866;  Nettie,  born 
December  25,  1868,  married  George  E. 
Gentle,  and  they  live  in  Prescott,  Kansas; 
Jennie,  born  November  9,  1870,  married 
James  McCormick,  of  Cabool,  Missouri ; 
Frederick,  born  January  20,  1874,  died  No- 
vember 28,  1897;  Albert,  born  March  27, 
1876,  married  Emma  Faber,  and  they  live 
in  Prescott,  Kansas;  Maude,  born  February 
5,  1878,  married  William  Bellingham,  and 
they  are  living  at  Foraker,  Oklahoma;  El- 
mer and  Ella,  twins,  were  born  March  i. 
1888,  the  former  dying  February  28,  1894. 
Ella  married  James  Cure,  of  Warwick, 
Kansas. 

No  children  have  been  born  to  the  sub- 
ject and  wife.  After  his  marriage  Mr. 
Wooldridge  located  on  his  father's  old 
homestead  in  Romine  township,  where  he 
has  since  lived.  His  place  is  in  a  high  state 
of  cultivation,  and  is  well  improved,  every- 
thing showing  that  Mr.  Wooldridge  is  a 
modern  farmer  and  a  hard  worker.  He  sue- 


842 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


cessfully  carries  on  general  farming  and 
raises  some  good  stock  and  considerable 
fruit.  He  has  always  devoted  his  life  to 
farming.  He  has  a  nice  dwelling,  and  other 
good  buildings. 

Mr.  Wooklridge  is  a  Democrat,  and  has 
held  several  of  the  township  offices.  He  is 
a  member  of  the  Latter  Day  Saints'  church, 
and  is  well  thought  of  in  Romine  township 
and  wherever  his  acquaintance  extends. 


W.  DURAND  HILLS. 

Each  man  who  strives  to  fulfill  his  mis- 
sion in  life  is  deserving  of  recognition, 
whatever  may  be  his  field  of  endeavor,  and 
it  is  the  function  of  the  works  of  this  na- 
ture to  perpetuate  for  future  generations  an 
authentic  record  concerning  those  repre- 
sented in  its  pages  whose  lives  are  worthy 
of  imitation,  like  that  of  the  subject  of  this 
sketch. 

W.  Durand  Hills  was  born  in  Waupun, 
Wisconsin,  December  16,  1857,  the  son  of 
Seth  E.  and  Melvina  (Durand)  Hills,  the 
father  a  native  of  New  York,  and  the  latter 
of  Mentor.  Ohio.  They  were  married  in 
the  Buckeye  state,  and  moved  to  Wisconsin 
in  the  spring  of  1856,  and  in  1861  they 
came  to  Marion  county,  Illinois,  where  they 
bought  land,  locating  in  Salem  township. 
Mr.  Hills  lived  here  until  his  death  in  1901. 
His  wife  died  January  12,  1887.  They 
were  members  of  the  Christian  church,  and 
the  father  of  the  subject  was  a  great  Sun- 


day school  worker,  and  was  superintendent 
of  the  Sunday  school  at  Odin,  this  county, 
for  many  years,  where  he  did  a  most  praise- 
worthy work.  He  was  also  a  great  worker 
in  the  church.  He  was  educated  in  the 
common  schools  of  New  York,  later  taking 
a  course  in  Hamilton  College,  where  he 
graduated.  Both  he  and  his  wife  taught 
school  in  their  young  days.  Mr.  Hills  was 
a  graduate  of  an  engineering  school,  and 
he  was  for  some  time  civil  engineer  for  the 
Milwaukee  &  St.  Paul  Railroad.  After 
coming  to  Illinois  he  engaged  in  farming. 
He  was  a  Republican  and  served  Marion 
county  for  three  or  four  terms  as  Surveyor. 
He  and  his  wife  were  the  parents  of  only 
one  child,  W.  Durand,  our  subject. 

The  subject  of  this  sketch  was  a  small  boy 
when  his  parents  brought  him  to  Marion 
county.  Illinois.  He  received  a  good  com- 
mon school  education  in  this  county.  He  as- 
sisted with  the  work  on  the  place  which  he 
now  owns.  It  consists  of  one  hundred  and 
forty  acres  of  well  improved  land,  being  one 
of  the  most  desirable  farms  in  the  town- 
ship. He  has  been  a  traveling  medicine 
salesman  and  was  also  in  the  nursery  busi- 
ness for  several  years.  He  is  an  independent 
voter,  always  voting  for  the  man  rather 
than  the  party.  He  is  a  faithful  member 
of  the  Christian  church  in  Salem,  Illinois. 

W.  Durand  Hills  was  united  in  marriage 
in  1886  to  Ella  E.  McMorris,  who  was  born 
in  Arkansas,  the  daughter  of  Perry  and 
Jane  (Jay)  McMorris. 

The  farm  now  owned  by  the  subject  was 
bought  from  the  railway  company.  It  was 


UXKEKHOFF  S    HISTORY    OK    MARION"    COUNTY,    ILL1XOIS. 


843 


all  wild  land,  but  our  subject  built  a  good 
barn,  improved  the  farm,  and,  in  fact,  made 
all  the  impovements  which  makes  his  place 
a  very  valuable  one. 

Mr.  Hills  has  traveled  extensively.  He 
first  went  to  North  Bend,  Ohio,  where  he 
remained  a  short  time,  then  moved  to  Indi- 
anapolis, Indiana,  remaining  there  for  a  short 
time,  where  he  purchased  property,  which 
he  sold  and  returned  to  his  home  farm.  He 
then  drove  to  Kansas,  where  he  farmed  for 
one  year,  then  drove  to  Pueblo,  Colorado, 
and  from  there  to  Colorado  Springs;  then 
to  Cheyenne,  Wyoming,  later  to  Ogden, 
Utah ;  from  there  to  Sacramento,  California. 
He  was  in  business  there  for  three  years, 
then  he  sold  out  and  moved  to  Pensacola, 
Florida,  where  he  resided  and  owned  prop- 
erty for  three  years,  finally  coming  back  to 
the  old  home  farm  in  1901.  The  subject  de- 
cided to  make  another  trip  to  Colorado  for 
the  benefit  of  his  health  during  the  Boer 
war  in  Africa.  He  got  as  far  as  St.  Louis, 
Missouri,  and  there  met  a  party  of  young 
men  with  a  cargo  of  horses  for  the  English 
army.  He  abandoned  his  trip  to  Colorado 
and  enlisted  in  the  British  ranks  as  horse- 
man. He  made  this  trip  successfully,  arriv- 
ing in  Africa  at  the  close  of  the  war.  The 
British  government  then  sent  him  to  Eng- 
land, when  he  was  honorably  discharged. 
He  visited  the  principal  cities  of  the  Island, 
such  as  Birmingham,  New  Castle,  Sheffield, 
Bristol  and  others.  On  his  return  home  he 
came  through  Canada  and  visited  Quebec, 
Montreal  and  other  principal  cities  in  Can- 
ada. Mr.  Hills  is  a  very  entertaining  talker 


on  his  travels.  He  has  a  capacity  to  see 
more  than  the  average  man  wherever  he 
goes  and  he  has  a  retentive  memory. 

Mr.  and  Mrs.  Hills  have  a  pleasant  home 
and  they  are  very  neighborly. 


THOMAS  G.  LUTTRELL. 

Among  the  influential  fanners  of  Romine 
township,  Marion  county,  is  the  gentleman 
whose  name  appears  above,  who  was  born 
in  luka  township,  this  county,  December  23, 
1841.  the  son  of  John  and  Polly  (Grant) 
Luttrell,  both  natives  of  North  Carolina, 
descendants  of  Virginia  stock.  They  mar- 
ried in  the  South  and  came  to  Illinois  in  an 
early  day,  but  after  remaining  in  this  state 
several  years  returned  to  Dixie  land  and  in 
1831  moved  back  to  Illinois,  locating  near 
Salem,  Marion  county.  He  had  a  corn  field 
where  the  city  of  Salem  now  stands.  Later 
he  moved  to  luka  township,  and  then  to 
Garden  Prairie;  also  lived  at  Stringtown, 
Illinois,  for  a  period  of  four  years.  In  1854 
he  came  to  Romine  township  and  secured 
some  school  land  on  which  he  farmed  suc- 
cessfully until  his  death,  in  July,  1857,  hav- 
ing reached  the  age  of  fifty-seven  years. 
His  good  helpmeet  survived  him  until  1871. 
She  was  born  in  April,  1801.  John  Luttrell 
was  also  a  blacksmith  and  did  a  great  deal 
of  work  in  connection  with  his  farming. 
He  and  his  wife  were  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist Episcopal  church.  To  them  the  fol- 
lowing children  were  born :  William,  who 


844 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


died  when  young;  Benjamin,  who  died  July 
7,  1900,  was  a  farmer  in  Romine  township 
and  the  husband  of  Martha  Owens ;  Orsilla, 
who  married  Eli  Cramer,  is  deceased; 
Thomas  G.,  our  subject;  Mary  S.,  deceased. 

Thomas  G.  Luttrell  received  only  a  lim- 
ited schooling  in  the  common  schools  of  his 
native  community,  which  he  attended  dur- 
ing the  winter  months,  having  worked  on 
the  farm  during  the  remainder  of  the  year. 

Our  subject  remained  at  home  until  his 
patriotic  fervor  led  him  to  enlist  his  services 
in  defense  of  his  country  on  August  9,  1862, 
in  Company  H,  One  Hundred  and  Eleventh 
Illinois  Volunteer  Infantry.  He  was  first 
sent  to  Columbus,  Kentucky,  then  to  Fort 
Hinman,  Tennessee,  and  into  winter  quar- 
ters at  Paducah,  Kentucky;  then  up  the 
Tennessee  river  and  to  Gravel  Springs,  Mis- 
sissippi, where  he  joined  the  command  and 
Avent  to  the  front,  engaging  in  several  bat- 
tles and  skirmishes,  among  which  was  that 
of  Buzzard's  Roost,  Kenesaw  Mountain,  Ft. 
McAllister,  in  all  of  which  Mr.  Luttrell 
proved  to  be  a  gallant  soldier.  He  was  in 
the  Western  Department  under  General 
Sherman.  He  was  discharged  June  6,  1865, 
at  Washington,  District  of  Columbia,  and 
was  paid  off  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  June 
27,  1865.  The  only  wound  received  by  our 
subject  was  inflicted  on  May  28,  1864,  when 
he  was  shot  through  the  right  cheek  and 
right  shoulder  at  the  battle  of  Dallas,  Geor- 
gia; but  he  was  sick  a  great  deal  while  in 
the  service.  He  relates  some  very  stren- 
uous experiences  during  his  soldier  days. 

After  the  war  Mr.   Luttrell  was  on  his 


father's  farm  until  1872,  his  labors  being 
amply  rewarded,  for  he  was  a  hard  work- 
er. He  was  first  married  April  23,  1861, 
to  Anna  Boyle,  a  native  of  Romine  town- 
ship, the  daughter  of  William  and  Mahaia 
(Ware)  Boyle,  who  were  Southerners,  hav- 
ing removed  to  Illinois  in  an  early  day,  set- 
tling in  Romine  township,  Marion  county. 
The  subject's  second  marriage  occurred 
June  21,  1893,  to  Mrs.  Rebecca  Scott,  a 
native  of  Ohio,  the  daughter  of  David  and 
Jane  Fairn,  of  near  Cincinnati.  They  came 
to  Shelby  county,  Illinois,  in  1865,  and  died 
there.  The  subject's  second  wife  was  the 
widow  of  Thomas  Scott,  of  England.  Two 
children  were  born  to  Thomas  Scott  and 
wife,  namely:  Effie,  the  wife  of  Albert 
Jourdan,  of  Romine  township,  this  county; 
Daivd,  is  deceased.  Six  children  were  born 
to  the  subject  by  his  first  wife,  namely;  John 
W.,  who  lives  in  Colorado;  Amanda,  de- 
ceased; Benjamin  F.,  who  married  Cora 
Schanholster,  is  a  miner  at  Centralia,  Illi- 
nois; Francis  is  deceased;  Charles  W.,  who 
married  Addie  Pippin,  lives  at  Vandalia, 
Illinois;  Ida,  who  married  Charles  Crouse, 
lives  in  Shelby  county,  Illinois.  One  child 
has  been  born  to  the  subject  by  his  second 
wife,  Laura  Eveline,  who  is  still  a  member 
of  the  home  circle. 

In  1872  the  subject  went  to  Shelby  coun- 
ty, this  state,  where  he  remained  until  1880, 
when  he  came  to  Romine  township,  Marion 
county,  and  bought  forty  acres  of  land  on 
which  he  now  lives.  He  first  lived  on  the 
place  for  four  years  when  he  went  back  to 
Shelby  county,  where  he  remained  for  four 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


845 


years,  then  went  to  Vandalia,  where  he  re- 
mained three  years,  since  which  time  he  has 
lived  on  his  farm  in  Romine  township,  Ma- 
rion county,  carrying  on  general  farming. 
He  has  a  nice  place,  a  good  house  and  barn 
and  is  comfortably  established.  He  has  al- 
ways been  a  farmer. 

Mr.  Luttrell  is  a  member  of  the  Grand 
Army  of  the  Republic,  the  Cyrus  Hall  Post. 
He  is  regarded  by  all  who  know  his  as  a 
worthy  citizen,  neighbor  and  friend. 


MATTHEW  B.  WELLS. 

In  connection  with  the  business  life  of 
Marion  county,  as  well  as  in  its  civic  affairs, 
the  name  borne  by  the  subject  of  this  re- 
view has  been  one  of  prominence  from  the 
first  epoch  of  general  development  to  the 
present  day,  for  his  grandfather  in  the  pio- 
neer days  was  an  extensive  farmer  of  that 
time,  and  his  son,  father  of  Matthew  B. 
Wells,  was  also  a  farmer,  while  our  subject 
himself  is  numbered  among  the  substantial 
agriculturists  of  this  section,  having  a  fine 
landed  estate  and  much  additional  property. 

Matthew  B.  Wells  was  born  in  Romine 
township,  Marion  county,  December  24, 
1864,  the  son  of  Matthew  C.  Wells,  a  na- 
tive of  Jefferson  county,  Illinois,  a  man  of 
considerable  influence  in  his  community. 
He  was  a  member  of  the  famous  One  Hun- 
dred and  Eleventh  Illinois  Volunteer  In- 
fantry during  the  war  between  the  states, 
having  been  in  many  hard  fought  engage- 


ments and  important  battles,  in  all  of  which 
he  bore  himself  with  the  dignity  of  the  true 
American  soldier.  He  was  wounded,  cap- 
tured and  imprisoned  and  died  in  Anderson- 
ville  prison  in  1865,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
six  years. 

The  grandfather  of  the  subject  on  his 
paternal  side  was  Barney  E.  Wells,  who 
came  from  Tennessee  to  Jefferson  county, 
this  state,  in  1822,  and  was  one  of  the  pio- 
neer farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  the  state, 
and  is  remembered  as  a  man  of  many  ster- 
ling qualities,  and  became  a  very  wealthy 
and  influential  man.  He  spent  the  rest  of 
his  life  in  Jefferson  county  and  passed  to 
his  rest  in  1872,  at  the  age  of  eighty-two 
years. 

The  mother  of  the  subject  was  Louisa 
E.  Branson,  who  was  born  and  reared  in 
Marion  county,  this  state.  Her  father  was 
Ellis  Branson,  a  native  of  Tennessee,  and 
was  long  known  as  one  of  the  substantial 
farmers  and  stock  raisers  of  the  county.  He 
reached  the  advanced  age  of  ninety  years. 
The  Branson  family  as  far  back  as  the  an- 
cestors can  be  traced  were  all  very  religious 
people.  The  subject's  mother  married  J. 
B.  Donahue,  of  Romine  township,  and  three 
children  were  born  to  this  union. 

Matthew  B.  Wells  was  reared  in  Romine 
township,  where  he  attended  the  district 
schools  and  received  a  good  education.  Hav- 
ing early  began  to  take  an  interest  in  po- 
litical affairs,  he  was  elected  Supervisor  of 
Romine  township  when  only  twenty-two 
years  old,  but  he  ably  handled  the  affairs 
of  this  office  to  the  satisfaction  of  everyone, 


846 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


and  was  re-elected  to  the  same  two  years 
later,  and  he  held  this,  together  with  that 
of  Justice  of  the  Peace  until  he  was  thirty- 
two  years  old,  developing  into  one  of  the 
best  justices  of  the  county,  his  decisions 
having  been  noted  for  their  fairness.  In 
1898  he  was  elected  Sheriff  of  Marion  coun- 
ty on  the  Democratic  ticket  and  he  became 
so  popular  through  his  able  work  that  his 
friends  induced  him  to  make  the  race  for 
Congress  in  1904,  from  the  Twenty-third 
Illinois  Congressional  District,  but  he  was 
•defeated.  Since  that  time  he  has  been  en- 
gaged in  farming  and  stock  raising  on  a 
large  scale.  Buying  on  the  Western  mar- 
ket and  shipping  on  the  Eastern  market,  he 
"handles  in  a  successful  manner  large  num- 
bers of  stock,  and  he  is  well  known  to  the 
live  stock  dealers  throughout  the  country  as 
an  excellent  judge  of  all  grades  of  live  stock. 

Mr.  Wells  is  the  owner  of  one  of  the 
most  valuable  farms1  in  Romine  township, 
consisting  of  four  hundred  and  sixty  acres. 
It  is  regarded  as  a  model  stock  farm  by  all 
who  see  it,  being  exceptionally  well 
equipped  for  the  handling  of  large  numbers 
of  stock  to  the  best  advantage.  The  soil  is 
rich  and  is  kept  to  a  high  state  of  efficiency. 

Besides  his  farm,  Mr.  Wells  owns  a  resi- 
dence in  Salem,  which  is  one  of  the  finest  in 
Southern  Illinois,  being  beautiful  in  archi- 
tectural design,  modern  in  every  detail,  and 
elegantly  furnished  and  this  beautifully  ap- 
pointed home  is  presided  over  by  the  sub- 
ject's cultured  wife,  whom  he  married  Au- 
gust i,  1883,  her  maiden  name  having  been 
Mary  E.  Bond,  a  daughter  of  A.  W.  Bond, 


a  well  known  resident  of  Jefferson  county. 
Eight  children  living,  and  two  deceased 
have  been  born  to  the  subject  and  wife, 
named  in  order  of  birth  as  follows :  Lillian, 
the  wife  of  Marvin  Bryan,  of  Salem;  Ida, 
a  teacher;  Belle;  Eva,  also  a  teacher;  Jess; 
Charles,  deceased:  V.  H. ;  Nellie,  deceased: 
Ethel  and  Ray. 

In  his  fraternal  relations  Mr.  Wells  is 
affiliated  with  the  Knights  of  Pythias  and 
the  Modern  Woodmen.  Both  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Wells  are  faithful  members  of  the  Meth- 
odist church  as  is  also  their  family.  Mr. 
Wells  is  now  a  member  of  the  finance  com- 
mittee of  the  Democratic  party  of  the  state 
of  Illinois,  and  he  is  regarded  as  one  of  the 
leading  spirits  in  this  great  movement.  Per- 
sonally Mr.  Wells  is  an  excellent  neighbor, 
a  steadfast  friend,  and  enterprising  citizen. 


JESSE  STONECIPHER. 

One  of  the  most  influential  men  in  Ro- 
rnine  township,  Marion  county,  is  the  sub- 
ject of  this  sketch,  his  life  being  exemplary 
in  every  respect,  for  he  has  ever  supported 
those  interests  which  are  calculated  to  up- 
lift and  benefit  humanity,  while  his  own 
high  moral  worth  is  deserving  of  the  high- 
est commendation. 

Jesse  Stonecipher  was  born  July  16,  1830, 
in  Morgan  county,  Tennessee,  the  son  of 
Thomas  and  Elender  (Goddard)  Stone- 
cipher,  both  natives  of  Morgan  county.  Ten- 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


847 


nessee,  the  former  having  been  a  farmer, 
spending  all  his  life  there,  and,  together 
with  four  sons,  fought  in  the  Union  army 
in  Company  B,  Second  Tennessee  Regi- 
ment, having  enlisted  in  1861,  and  served 
until  his  health  gave  way.  He  died  Feb- 
ruary 13,  1885.  His  wife  passed  away  July 
4,  1890.  They  were  members  of  the  Mis- 
sionary Baptist  church,  and  to  them  the  fol- 
lowing children  were  born:  Lavina,  who 
married  John  Brown,  lived  in  Cumberland 
county,  Tennessee;  Jesse,  the  subject; 
Wayne,  who  is  now  living  retired  in  Romine 
township;  Mary  Dow,  who  married  Mathias 
Williams,  is  deceased,  as  is  also  her  hus- 
band, who  was  in  Company  B,  Second  Ten- 
nessee Regiment :  Curtis  is  a  farmer  in  Ro- 
mine township.  (A  full  sketch  of  Thomas 
Stonecipher  and  his  sons,  Wayne  and  Cur- 
tis, appears  in  this  volume  under  the  cap- 
tion of  the  father's  name.)  Louisa,  the 
sixth  child,  is  the  widow  of  Jeremiah  Jones, 
and  she  is  living  in  Morgan  county.  Ten- 
nessee ;  Timothy,  who  came  to  Marion  coun- 
ty, Illinois,  in  1862,  enlisted  in  the  Seventh 
Illinois  Cavalry,  and  served  during  the  Civil 
war.  He  settled  in  Romine  township  after 
the  war  and  married  Olive  Daggett,  and  he 
is  now  living  in  Centralia,  a  Justice  of  the 
Peace.  Elizabeth,  the  eighth  child,  married 
James  Brown,  both  now  deceased.  Mr. 
Brown  was  in  Company  B,  Second  Tennes- 
see Regiment.  Joseph  is  living  in  Scott 
county,  Tennessee.  He  married  Nancy 
Parker.  He  was  also  in  Company  B,  Sec- 
ond Tennessee  Regiment:  Mahala,  who  is 
married  and  is  living  in  Morgan  county. 


Tennessee;  Ezra  Thomas  married  Califor- 
nia Todd,  and  he  is  a  farmer  in  luka  town- 
ship, Marion  county. 

Jesse  Stonecipher  had  only  a  limited 
chance  to  attend  school,  having  spent  about 
three  months  each  year  in  the  subscription 
schools  in  his  community.  He  lived  at 
home  assisting  with  the  work  about  the 
place  until  1852.  He  was  one  of  the  patri- 
otic sons  of  Tennessee,  only  a  few  of  whom 
now  remain,  who  volunteered  in  1847  to 
fight  in  the  Mexican  war.  His  captain  was 
R.  Oliver,  of  Clinton,  Tennessee,  but  Mr. 
Oliver  failed  to  get  a  company  together  and 
the  subject  and  others  went  to  Knoxville, 
Tennessee,  in  November,  1847,  where  they 
enlisted,  going  by  boat  down  the  river  to 
Paducah,  Kentucky,  from  thence  to  New 
Orleans  by  boat  and  from  there  on  a  ship 
to  Vera  Cruz,  where  they  landed  January 
7,  1848.  The  subject  and  a  comrade  were 
detached  to  unload  crackers  and  molasses 
and  they  remained  there  over  night,  joining 
their  company  the  following  day.  They 
stayed  there  in  camp  for  three  weeks  and 
then  went  on  a  scouting  expedition  in  the 
direction  of  Arazolia,  where  they  had  a 
skirmish  with  the  guerrillas.  They  had  a 
long  tedious  march  through  the  deep  sand 
with  only  a  little  water  in  their  canteens. 
This  gave  out  and  they  were  compelled  to 
march  all  day  without  any  water.  At  night, 
the  subject  says,  they  came  to  a  small  creek 
and  the  soldiers  plunged  into  it  like  cattle. 
The  march  back  to  Vera  Cruz  was  sixty 
miles.  They  later  marched  to  the  national 
bridge,  where  they  went  into  camp  and  they 


848 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


were  at  this  place  until  peace  was  declared. 
While  in  camp  at  Vera  Cruz  the  subject 
and  his  comrades  experienced  the  discom- 
fiture of  a  terrible  rain  and  wind  storm, 
which  blew  down  their  tents  and  did  much 
damage.  Mr.  Stonecipher  was  discharged 
at  Memphis,  Tennessee,  July  10,  1848.  He 
went  to  Nashville  by  boat  and  from  there 
marched  home  with  the  rest  of  the  company 
on  foot.  He  has  always  been  glad  of  his 
experiences  in  Mexico. 

Mr.  Stonecipher  lived  in  Tennessee  until 
1868.  He  was  County  Treasurer  of  Morgan 
county  for  six  years.  When  his  term  expired 
he  was  elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  for  six 
years,  served  two  years  of  the  time,  re- 
signed and  moved  to  Marion  county,  Illi- 
nois. He  farmed  in  Tennessee,  in  which 
state  he  went  to  school  and  taught  school 
for  several  years.  On  October  18,  1853,  the 
subject  first  married  Sarah  Melton,  of  Mor- 
gan county,  Tennessee,  who  was  born  Feb- 
ruary 15,  1827,  and  she  passed  to  her  rest 
May  31,  1873  ;  then  the  subject  married  Ella 
Waggoner,  born  June  23,  1853,  at  Jones- 
ville,  Indiana,  the  daughter  of  John  William, 
who  was  a  gallant  soldier  in  the  Civil  war, 
and  Cynthia  (DeWitt)  Waggoner,  the 
former  of  Kentucky,  and  the  latter  of  Ohio. 
They  went  to  Indiana  when  young  and  were 
subsequently  married  in  that  state.  He  died 
in  Jonesville,  Indiana,  in  1865.  Mrs.  Wag- 
goner is  still  living  at  that  place  in  1909. 
Three  children  were  born  to  Mr.  and  Mrs. 
Waggoner,  James,  Oscar  and  Ella,  the  sub- 
ject's wife. 

Following  are  the  names  of  the  subject's 
children  by  his  first  wife:  James  Sampson, 


born  August  23,  1854,  married  Nancy 
Lluellen,  a  farmer  in  Romine  township; 
John  Calvin,  born  January  23,  1857,  i§  a 
railroad  man  and  farmer  at  Campbell,  Mis- 
souri. He  married  Delia  Crawford;  Lucy 
Elender,  born  July  9,  1859,  who  married 
John  Phillips,  is  now  deceased ;  Estel  Monet 
Lincoln,  born  September  16,  1861,  died 
September  24,  1869;  Timothy  Greely,  born 
October  25,  1864,  who  married  Florence 
Cutchin,  is  deceased,  but  his  widow  is  liv- 
ing in  Romine  township;  Thomas  Isham. 
born  October  27,  1867,  married  Rosanna 
Jones  and  they  live  in  Romine  township. 
The  following  children  are  those  of  the  sub- 
ject and  his  second  wife,  eight  in  number: 
Alice  Maude,  born  July  15,  1876,  married 
Daniel  Henson,  of  Mendota,  Illinois;  Leon- 
odaf  H.,  born  April  13,  1879,  who  married 
Narcissus  Burkett,  is  a  farmer  living  with 
the  subject  of  this  sketch ;  Ruth  May,  born 
April  1 6,  1 88 1,  married  George  Fourth,  of 
Orchardville,  Illinois:  Luther  and  Samon, 
twins,  were  bom  July  7,  1885,  are  both  sin- 
gle; Net  and  Nellie,  twins,  born  July  31, 
1887,  the  former  having  married  Charles 
Branson,  of  Romine  township,  and  the  latter 
married  Charles  Taylor,  of  Mendota,  Illi- 
nois; Ebon  B.,  born  September  16,  1891,  is 
living  at  home. 

In  1868  the  subject  located  in  Romine 
township,  Marion  county,  buying  a  farm,  on 
which  he  lived  for  ten  years.  He  sold  it  and 
bought  another  of  one  hundred  and  sixty 
acres  where  he  lives  at  this  writing,  engaged 
in  general  farming  in  a  most  successful 
manner,  having  an  excellent  and  highly  im- 
proved farm  on  which  stands  a  good  dwell- 


BRIXKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


849 


ng  and  out  buildings  and  over  which  roam 
tine  grade  of  stock.  He  devotes  some  time 
o  fruit  growing. 

Mr.  Stonecipher  has  taken  considerable 
nterest  in  local  political  matters  and  has 
bly  served  as  Supervisor  of  his  township, 
'own  Clerk  for  three  terms  and  Treasurer 
or  thirteen  years.  He  is  a  loyal  Repub- 
can.  He  is  a  Mason,  belonging  to  the 
ohn  D.  Moody  Blue  Lodge,  No.  610,  at 
uka.  He  is  a  member  of  the  Independent 
)rder  of  Odd  Fellows  at  Kell,  Illinois.  He 
;  well  known  in  Marion  county,  where  he 
lught  school  for  several  years  soon  after 
is  arrival  here.  He  is  a  well  informed 
ian,  being  a  free  thinker. 


WILLIAM  H.  BURNETT. 

William  H.  Burnett,  a  well  known  grocer 
f  Centralia,  Marion  county,  is  descended 
rom  an  old  Virginia  family,  prominently 
lentified  for  many  years  with  the  tobacco 
idustry.  His  grandfather  Burnett  came 
rom  France  in  early  life  and  lived  to  the 
reat  age  of  one  hundred  and  two  years. 
)n  his  mother's  side  he  is  a  direct  descend- 
nt  of  Benjamin  Franklin.  The  Franklin 
imily  was  of  Tennessee. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  was  born  in 
Vashington  county,  Illinois,  on  August  7, 
878,  and  is  the  son  of  James  T.  and  Lin- 
ey  (Franklin)  Burnett.  His  father  was 
orn  in  Roanoke  county,  Virginia,  on  Octo- 
er  22,  1844.  In  early  life  he  learned  the 
54 


milling  business  and  worked  for  several 
years  in  his  father's  mill.  In  1866  James 
Burnett  came  to  Illinois  and  in  1875  was 
married  to  Linney  Franklin.  To  them  were 
born  seven  children,  of  whom  William  H. 
is  the  oldest. 

William  H.  Burnett  received  his  early 
training  in  the  common  schools  of  Carlyle, 
Illinois,  but  at  the  age  of  twelve  years  was 
compelled  to  join  the  ranks  of  the  wage 
earners  in  order  to  aid  in  the  support  of  the 
home;  his  father  having  met  with  an  acci- 
dent which  incapacitated  him  as  bread  win- 
ner for  many  months.  William  worked  in 
the  mines  for  fifteen  years  and  his  energy 
and  frugality  yielded  him  a  good  sum  of 
money.  An  earnest  longing  for  more 
schooling  prompted  him  to  study  at  night, 
and  by  unremitting  effort,  with  the  aid  of 
night  schools,  he  had,  at  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  acquired  a  good  education.  Later,  he 
completed  a  course  in  Brown's  Business  Col- 
lege. He  was  married  May  27,  1903,  to 
Miss  Maud  Brown,  a  daughter  of  James 
Lawson,  and  Clemmie  Brown.  Both  par- 
ents are  natives  of  Southern  Illinois,  and 
are  of  old  Scotch  covenanter  stock,  a  race 
of  strictly  moral  and  religious  people. 

Mrs.  Burnett  is  a  graduate  of  the  Cen- 
tralia high  school,  and  has  two  sisters.  Miss 
Anna  Brown  and  Mrs.  H.  E.  Tenney,  both 
of  whom  reside  in  Centralia. 

To  Mr.  and  Mrs.  Burnett  have  been  born 
two  children,  Emily  and  Donald  Brown,  the 
former  having  died  in  early  infancy. 

On  the  first  of  March.  1907,  William  H. 
Burnett  started  a  grocery  store  at  415  East 


850 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


Fourth  South  street,  Centralia.  Previously 
he  had  been  located  in  the  same  business  on 
the  west  side  of  the  city,  where  his  store  was 
totally  destroyed  by  fire. 

In  his  present  location  he  owns  a  house, 
lot  and  store,  which  occupies  eighty  by  one 
hundred  and  sixty  feet.  His  family  resi- 
dence, which  is  a  substantial  one.  fronts  on 
South  Maple  street.  His  grocery  is  up-to- 
date  in  every  respect.  It  is  double  roomed 
and  carries  a  full  line  of  all  household  neces- 
sities. 

"Modern  methods  to  meet  modern  re- 
quirements" is  the  motto  of  its  proprieter 
and  the  attention  which  orders  receive  and 
the  facility  of  their  delivery  is  of  the  best 
description. 

The  subject  of  our  sketch  is  yet  a  young 
man  and  in  the  years  to  come  his  present 
prosperous  standing  in  the  community,  aid- 
ed by  his  progressive  and  forceful  qualities, 
and  his  remarkable  ability  to  surmount  diffi- 
culties, is  sure  to  reach  a  higher  plane. 


MRS.  CARRIE  SHIRWOOD. 

Mrs.  Carrie  Shirwood,  widow  of  George 
Shirwood,  is  one  of  the  best  known  of  the 
older  inhabitants  of  Centralia.  She  is  a 
woman  whose  career,  especially  her  early 
life,  reads  like  a  page  of  romance.  Born 
in  London,  England,  on  the  3d  of  Decem- 
ber, 1839,  her  family  name  being  Wilson, 
she  was  taken  by  her  parents  and  members 
of  her  family  at  an  early  age  across  the 


ocean  to  the  United  States.  The  voyage 
proved  an  ill-fated  and  most  disastrous  one 
for  the  family,  the  vessel  they  sailed  on  go- 
ing down  at  sea,  and  her  parents,  the  ship 
crew,  and  all,  with  the  exception  of  herself 
and  her  grandmother,  perished  in  the  catas- 
trophe. Mrs.  Shirwood's  providential  res- 
cue seemed  to  mark  her  for  a  special  des- 
tiny, and  it  came  to  pass  that  as  a  mere  babe 
she  was  adopted  by  a  kind  and  generous 
man.  Doctor  Berge,  who  ever  afterwards 
acted  as  her  parent.  She  was  given  a  most 
excellent  education  in  New  York  City  by 
her  foster-father,  passing  through  the  pub- 
lic and  high  schools,  and  the  New  Jersey 
Ladies'  Academy.  Having  finished  her  ed- 
ucation she  entered  upon  a  life  in  keeping 
with  her  social  standing.  She  married  in 
St.  Louis,  Missouri,  the  late  George  Shir- 
wood. They  entered  upon  a  very  happy 
married  life,  and  became  the  parents  of 
three  children,  two  girls  and  a  boy,  whom 
they  named,  Charlotte  Bing  Shirwood,  who 
married  Hugh  Green,  now  deceased;  the 
second  daughter,  Hattie,  is  deceased,  and 
the  brother,  George  R.  Shirwood,  married 
Emma  Siple.  George  R.  Shirwood  and  his 
wife  have  two  children,  a  boy  and  a  girl. 

George  Shirwood  was  a  tailor  by  trade, 
and  was  a  skilled  and  high  class  workman 
whose  services  always  commanded  a  high 
price.  He  was  employed  by  one  Centralia 
firm  for  more  than  twenty-nine  years.  Mr. 
Shirwood  was  well  liked  and  respected  and 
his  demise  was  mourned  by  a  large  section 
of  the  people  of  Centralia. 

Charlotte,  or  as  she  is  better  known,  Mrs. 


I5RINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS- 


Lottie  Green,  was  educated  in  the  Centralia 
schools,  and  upon  receiving  an  adequate 
educational  training  she  became  a  dress- 
maker. She  has  now  successfully  followed 
her  occupation  for  over  twenty  years,  and 
has  achieved  quite  a  name  for  herself  in 
Centralia,  as  a  prominent  and  capable  busi- 
ness woman.  She  cares  for  her  aged  parent, 
the  subject  of  our  sketch,  and  lives  at  No. 
734  South  Maple  street  in  her  own  prop- 
erty. Mrs.  Green  is  an  active  and  clear- 
brained  woman  and  one  thoroughly  ac- 
quainted with  the  business  affairs  of  the 
day.  Since  the  death  of  her  husband  and 
even  previous  to  it,  she  managed  and  exe- 
cuted all  affairs  of  a  business  and  financial 
nature  with  consummate  skill  and  ability. 
She  is  an  energetic  and  athletic  woman  and 
has  all  the  present  day  American  woman's 
enthusiasm  and  love  of  outdoor  sports.  She 


spends  the  greater  part  of  her  leisure  hours 
in  forest  or  field,  where,  with  a  dog  or  gun 
or  fishing  rod,  she  is  perfectly  happy.  Her 
prowess  in  the  hunting  field  and  as  a  fisher- 
woman  has  not  infrequently  excited  the  ad- 
miration and  envy  of  her  male  companions. 

Mrs.  Lottie  Green  has  the  distinction  of 
being  the  only  lady  in  Centralia  who  takes 
out  a  hunting  license.  She  is  also  a  dog 
fancier  of  note  and  is  the  possessor  of  three 
fine  bull  dogs,  well  blooded  animals,  and  a 
good  horse.  She  enjoys  the  company  of 
her  pets  on  her  outdoor  excursions,  and  is 
always  solicitious  for  their  welfare. 

Mrs.  Green  and  her  mother,  Mrs.  Carrie 
Shirwood,  are  social  figures  of  no  small 
importance  in  Centralia.  Their  residence  is 
always  a  hospitable  meeting  place  for  old 
friends  of  the  family. 


NATIVE  TREES  OF  TIMBER  SIZE  IN  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 

( Furnished  by  State  University  of  Illinois. ) 

NOTE — The  following  articles,  which  the  banks  of  streams.  The  wood  is  exceed- 
properly  belong  in  the  historical  section  of  ingly  durable  and  is  valuable  for  many  pur- 
this  publication,  were  received  too  late  to  lie  poses,  notably  for  the  making  of  lead  pen- 
placed  there.  cils. 

PIXACEAE.  SALICACEAE. 

Red  Cedar  (Jnnipcrits  Virginiand) — This  Black  Willow    (Salix  Nigra). — 1'his  is  the 

is  the  only  evergreen  conifer  of  the  county  only    native    willow   that   reaches   anything 

and  from  its  size  can  hardly  be  classed  as  a  like  tree  size.     It  is  sometimes  called  crack 

timber  tree  for  this  region.     It  is  slow  of  willow  on  account   of  the  brittle  bases  of 

growth  and  is  confined  to  limited  areas  on  branches.     It  grows  along  the  streams  and 


852 


INKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


becomes  abundantly  propagated  by  the  de- 
tached branches. 

White  Willow  (Salix  Alba)— This  has 
been  considerably  introduced  and  was  for- 
merly used  for  hedges ;  it  is  still  valuable  for 
wood  lots.  This  grows  into  a  large  tree 
and  its  soft,  fine  grained  wood  is  highly 
esteemed  for  making  charcoal.  As  grown 
on  the  farms,  it  is  one  of  the  best  for  long 
slender  poles  not  to  be  placed  in  the  ground. 
A  variety  of  this  is  the  golden  barked  wil- 
low sometimes  planted  for  ornament. 

Weeping  Willow  (Salix  Babylonica). — 
Often  planted  for  ornament. 

JUGLANDACEAE. 

Black  Walnut  (Juglans  AKgro).— This 
well  known  tree  has  become  almost  exterm- 
inated. There  was  no  other  wood  so  eager- 
ly sought  after  in  North  America  or  which 
commanded  so  high  a  price  in  its  day.  It 
is  still  considered  a  very  important  timber 
tree. 

Butternut  (Juglans  Cinerea). — The  wood 
of  this  tree  is  something  like  that  of  the 
Black  Walnut,  but  lighter  in  color.  In  this 
region  of  the  country  the  tree  does  not 
usually  develop  as  well  as  does  its  relative 
and  saw  logs  from  it  are  never  so  common. 
The  nuts  of  both  trees  are  highly  esteemed. 

Butternut    Hickory    (Hickoria    Minima) 

Pignut  Hickory  (Hicoria.  Glabra). — 
These  are  much  alike  and  produce  thin- 
shelled  nuts  with  a  bitter  kernel.  The  wood 
is  not  so  valuable  as  that  from  other  hick- 
orys,  but  is  used  for  the  same  class  of  pur- 
poses. 


Shag-bark  or  Shell-bark  Hickory  (Hic- 
orai  Ovata  . — This  bears  a  small  sized  nut 
of  highest  quality. 

Big  Shag-bark  or  King-nut  Hickory 
(Hicoria  Laciniosa). — The  nut  of  this  tree 
has  a  somewhat  smaller  kernel  and  a  much 
thicker  shell.  The  nut  itself  is  of  large  size. 
The  former  grows  upon  rather  dry  ground 
and  the  latter  is  mainly  found  along  the 
river  bottoms.  Both  have  shaggy  bark  and 
are  celebrated  for  the  quality  of  the  wood. 

White-heart  Hickory  or  Mockernut  (Hic- 
oria Alba)  is  less  common  but  has  some- 
what the  appearance  of  the  last  two  men- 
tioned. The  nut  is  of  medium  size  and 
more  pointed  at  its  outer  end. 

BETULACEAE. 

Blue  Beech  or  Hornbean  (Carpinus 
Carolinana. 

Iron-wood  or  Hop-Hornbeam  (Ostrya 
Virginiana.) — These  are  not  uncommon 
small  trees.  The  wood  is  exceedingly  dense 
and  heavy,  immediately  sinking  when  green 
in  water. 

River  Birch  (Betula  Nigra)  is  a  small 
slender  tree  which  grows  along  the  water 
courses.  It  is  a  desirable  tree  for  door- 
yard  planting,  but  it  lacks  the  white  color  of 
the  bark  that  some  of  the  other  birches  have. 


Beech  (Fagns  Americana). — It  is  doubt- 
ful if  this  tree  is  native  to  the  county  though 
it  is  found  in  some  places  in  Illinois,  both 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


853 


north  and  south  of  the  region.  It  is  easily 
recognized  by  the  smooth  bark  of  the  trunk 
and  by  its  descending  branches. 

OAKS. 

The  oaks  everywhere  constitute  a  large 
part  of  the  forest  and  furnish  a  greater  part 
of  the  timber  of  highest  value.  They  are 
easily  divided  into  two  classes,  which  may 
be  called  the  red  oak  class  and  the  white 
oak  class.  The  lobes  of  the  leaves  of  the 
former  are  terminated  by  a  bristle  or  point 
while  those  of  the  others  are  rounded. 
Acorns  of  the  first  class  require  two  years 
to  develope  and  when  mature  are,  therefore, 
found  upon  wood  of  two  years'  growth, 
while  those  of  the  second  class  are  borne  on 
twigs  of  the  current  season.  Generally  the 
wood  of  the  red  oak  class  is  less  durable  in 
the  ground  and  has  less  tensible  strength 
than  that  of  the  white  oak  class.  Common- 
ly in  the  lumber  markets  only  two  kinds  of 
oak  are  kown,  namely,  red  oak  and  white 
oak,  but  the  wood  comes  from  various 
species. 
Of  the  first  there  grow  in  Marion  county: 

Red  Oak  (Quercus  Rubra). 

Pin  oak  or  Swamp  Oak   (Qucrcus  Pal- 
ustris  . 

Schenck's  Red  Oak  (Qutscus  Schenckii). 

Scarlet  Oak   (Qucrcus  Coccinea). 

Back  Oak   (Qnercus  Velutina). 

Black-jack  Oak   (Quercus  Marylandica). 

Shingle     Oak     (Qnercus  Imbrivarid). — 
With  Peach-like  leaves. 
Of  the  White  Oak  class  there  occur : 


White  Oak  (Quercus  Alba). 

Post  Oak    (Quercus  Minor). 

Bur  Oak  or  Mossy-cup  Oak  (Quercus 
Macrocarpa  . 

Swamp  White  Oak  (Quercus  Platan- 
oides  . 

Cow  Oak  or  Basket  Oak  (Quercus  Mich- 
au.vii. 

Chestnut  Oak   (Quercus  Acuminata). 

ULMACEAE. 

This  family  includes  the  elms  and  hack- 
berries.  Of  the  former  there  are  three  na- 
tive species: 

American  Elm  (Ulmus  Americana) — 
Well  known  and  often  given  several  local 
names,  running  into  numerous  varieties,  all 
attaining  large  size. 

Slippery  Elm  (Ulmus  Fulva)  or  Red 
Elm.  Something  like  the  preceding,  but 
easily  known  by  the  character  of  its  bark. 

Winged  Elm  (  Ulmus  Alata). — A  tree  of 
much  smaller  size  and  easily  known  by  the 
peculiar  corky  expansions  of  the  twigs. 

Hackberry  (Celtis  Occidentalis)  Is  well 
known  to  all  woodsmen.  It  does  not  at- 
tain so  large  a  size  as  the  American  elm, 
but  at  its  best  development  reaches  well 
towards  the  upper  limit  of  height. 

MORACEAE. 

Red  Mulberry  (Morns  Rubra) — A  tree  of 
small  size  known  to  craftsmen  for  the  dur- 
ability of  the  wood  and  by  the  fruit. 


854 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


MAGXOLIACEAE. 


DRUPACEAE. 


Tulip  Tree  (Liriodcndron  Tiilipifcra) — 
In  the  original  Illinois  woods,  there  were 
three  trees  which  vied  with  each  other  for 
supremacy  in  height ;  namely  :  tulip,  syca- 
more and  burr  oak.  It  can  hardly  be 
doubted,  however,  that  there  were  more 
trees  of  the  present  species  which  reached 
one  hundred  and  seventy-five  feet  than  of 
all  the  others  put  together.  This  tree  has 
furnished  a  very  considerable  part  of  the 
best  building  and  cabinet  wood  which  has 
been  cut  in  the  state.  It  was  and  is  greatly 
sought  after  for  veneers  used  largely  in  the 
making  of  fruit  boxes.  It  is  often  called 
yellow  poplar,  but  it  is  not  a  relative  of  the 
true  poplars. 

LAURACEAE. 

Sassafras  (Sassafras  Sassafras} — In  the 
woods,  a  slender  tree  mainly  known  for  its 
aromatic  bark.  It  is  considered  a  desirable 
tree  for  ornamental  use. 

PLATANACEAE. 

Sycamore  (Plat anus.  .  Occidentals) — 
Found  usually  along  streams  and  has  a  very 
peculiar  and  characteristic  appearance.  The 
wood'  was  formerly  thought  to  be  without 
value  on  account  of  its  tendency  to  warp, 
and  the  difficulty  of  splitting  it,  but  the 
former  can  be  overcome  by  proper  kiln  dry- 
ing and  its  beautiful  grain  has  brought  it 
into  prominence  for  many  purposes,  and  its 
toughness  of  fibre  has  caused  it  to  be  used 
in  the  making  of  brushes,  etc. 


Black  Cherry  (Pntnns  Scrotina). — This 
tree  seldom  reaches  a  large  size  in  this  re- 
gion, though  it  produces  in  some  quarters 
wood  of  the  highest  value,  well  known  to 
the  lumber  trade.  Every  school  boy  knows 
the  tree  by  its  strings  of  somewhat  astring- 
ent fruit.  It  must  not  be  confounded,  how- 
ever, with  its  similar  relative  the  choke 
cherry,  whose  fruit  is  reddish  instead  of 
black  colored  when  ripe. 

CAESALPINACEAE. 

Honey  Locust  (Gleditschia  Triacaiithos) 
— This  rapidly  growing  tree  has  sometimes 
been  confounded  with  the  black  locust,  but 
usually  can  easily  be  told  by  its  enormous 
sharp  pointed  spines  produced  in  clusters 
along  the  trunk. 

Kentucky  Coffee  Tree  (Gymnocladus 
Dioica) — In  the  woods,  a  slender,  straight 
growing  tree  bearing  large  bean-like  pods. 
This  tree  ought  to  be  better  known  than  it 
is  for  street  planting. 

PAPILIONACEAE. 

Black  Locust  (Robinia  Pseudacacid) — 
Has  sharp  pointed  prickles  on  the  twigs. 
Is  probably  not  a  native  of  the  county, 
though  often  found  growing  spontaneously. 

ACERACEAE. 

There  are  three  maples  native  to  the  coun- 
tv.  namely : 


BRINKERIIOFF  S    HISTORY   OF   MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


855 


Soft  Maple  or  Silver  Maple  (Acer  Sac- 
c/iiiriuiiiii) — So  commonly  planted  in  the 
streets. 

Red  Maple  (Acer  Rnbritm) — Much  like 
the  latter,  but  reaching  smaller  sizes,  and 
having  the  twigs  tinged  with  red. 

Hard  Maple  or  Sugar  Maple  (Acer  Sac- 
chantm) — To  this  family  belongs  also  the 

Box  Elder  (Acer  Ncgundo}. — All  of  these 
trees  are  easily  recognized  and  are  common- 
ly correctly  named  by  those  interested  in 
them. 

H IPPOCASTANACEAE. 

Buckeye  (Acscnlns  Glabra) — A  tree  of 
moderate  dimensions.  As  nearly  worthless 
for  timber  purposes  as  anything  in  the  list. 
No  doubt,  however,  some  peculiar  use  for 
the  wood  may  be  found.  When  the  hand 
fret-saw  was  common,  the  wood  of  this 
tree  was  greatly  sought  after. 


TILIACEAE. 

Bass-wood  or  Linden  (Tilia  Americana) 
— A  common  well  known  tree  furnishing1 
soft,  fine-grained  wood  highly  esteemed  for 
certain  purposes. 


EBENACEAE. 

Persimmon  (Diospyros.  Virginia}. — 
This  hardly  reaches  timber  size.  Its  wood 
is  sometimes  used  for  wood  engraving  and 
for  turning  purposes.  It  is  exceedingly 
hard  and  heavy.  It  is  a  relative  of  the  tree 
from  which  ebony  wood  is  derived. 

OLEACEAE. 

White  Ash  (Fraxinus  Americana). — This 
and  green  ash  are  often  confounded,  but 
can  be  told  apart  by  the  more  vigorous  habit 
of  the  former  and  by  the  light  color  of  the 
under  side  of  the  leaves  seen  best  when  look- 
ing at  the  tree  in  foliage,  and  by  the  peculi- 
arities of  the  seed  and  fruit. 

Green  Ash  (Fra.rintts  Lanccolata) — 
Usually  grows  along  the  banks  of  streams, 
while  the  white  Ash  is  upon  higher 
ground.  Both  are  used  for  the  same  pur- 
poses, and  as  the  green  ash  is  much  more 
easily  propagated  from  seed,  it  is  more 
common  where  artificially  grown. 

Blue  Ash  (Fraximts  Quadrangulatd) — 
Differs  from  the  preceding  in  having  sharp 
ridges  of  bark  on  the  branchlets,  making 
them  somewhat  square.  Usually  found  up- 
on well  drained  soils  where  it  grows  into  a 
slender,  tall  tree. 


\  FARM  CONDUCTED  SCIENTIFICALLY. 


(For  the  following  sketch  we  are  in- 
debted to  Prof.  J.  E.  Whitchurch,  student 
of  Illinois  University  at  Urbana,  furnished 
him  by  Prof.  Lloyd.) 


In  March,  1903,  John  W.  Lloyd,  of  the 
Horticultural  Department  of  the  University 
of  Illinois,  purchased  the  J.  D.  Camerer 
farm,  consisting  of  eighty  acres,  near  Kin- 


856 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


mundy,  Marion  county,  Illinois.  This  farm 
occupies  the  north  half  of  northeast  quar- 
ter of  section  21,  township  4  north,  range 
3  east,  and  is  one  mile  northwest 
of  the  Chicago  &  Eastern  Illinois 
Railway  station.  At  the  time  of  the 
purchase,  twenty  acres  of  this  farm 
were  in  oak  brush,  and  ten  acres  more 
had  recently  been  cleared,  but  had  never 
been  touched  by  a  plow.  Much  of  the  rest 
of  the  land  was  still  filled  with  stumps.  The 
soil  is  of  the  type  known  as  "post-oak  flats." 

In  the  spring  of  1904,  possession  was  se- 
cured, and  W.  B.  Lloyd,  father  of  the  own- 
er, moved  from  Du  Page  county  to  take  up 
his  residence  on  this  farm,  and  has  re- 
maied  there  in  the  capacity  of  manager 
since  that  date. 

Immediately  upon  securing  possession, 
the  twelve-acre  apple  orchard  on  the  farm 
was  thoroughly  pruned,  and  a  peach  or- 
chard of  three  acres  was  planted.  The  fol- 
lowing year,  six  acres  were  set  to  apple 
trees,  consisting  entirely  of  high  quality 
varieties  such  as  Jonathan  and  Benoni.  The 
policy  established  upon  this  farm  from  the 
beginning  was  a  selection  of  varieties  and 
system  of  management  that  would  result 
in  the  production  of  high  quality  products. 

A  specialty  has  been  made  of  gem  melons 
as  the  money  crop  in  a  three-year  rotation, 
consisting  of  cow-peas,  melons  and  corn. 
The  cow-peas  are  cut  for  hay  and  fed  to 
everything  on  the  place,  including  horses, 
cows,  hogs  and  hens.  This  crop  leaves  the 
land  in  fine  condition  for  melons.  The 


manure  made  on  the  place  is  carefully 
saved,  and  additional  manure  hauled  from 
town.  This  is  composted  with  rock  phos- 
phate and  applied  to  the  melon  crop. 
After  this  addition  of  plant  food  and  the 
thorough  tillage  required  for  the  melons, 
the  land  is  in  good  condition  for  the  pro- 
duction of  corn.  In  1905,  sixty-five  bushels 
of  corn  by  weight  were  produced  upon  one 
measured  acre. 

The  success  with  melons  on  this  farm 
has  been  due  to  scientific  methods  of  cul- 
ture, combined  with  skillful  marketing.  The 
seed  planted  is  the  best  strain  obtainable, 
regardless  of  cost.  Careful  and  thorough 
tillage  is  practiced  from  the  beginning  and 
continued  even  after  the  vines  have  to  be 
turned.  Spraying  for  the  rust  is  also  prac- 
ticed. The  melons  are  carefully  graded  and 
attractively  packed ;  and  the  best  grades  are 
sold  under  a  guarantee  as  to  quality.  By 
this  means  and  by  having  one  firm  handle 
the  entire  product  it  has  been  possible  to 
build  up  a  reputation  for  the  goods  and  se- 
cure remunerative  prices. 

A  similar  method  has  been  employed  in 
marketing  the  poultry  products  from  this 
farm.  The  eggs  are  sold  under  a  guaran- 
tee as  to  freshness  and  freedom  from  un- 
desirable flavor  such  as  might  be  produced 
by  the  feeding  of  onions  or  other  objection- 
able material.  One  firm  has  handled  the 
eggs  from  this  farm  for  the  last  four  years 
at  prices  considerably  above  the  local  mar- 
ket. 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY.  ILLINOIS. 


857 


After  five  years  of  skillful  management, 
this  farm  is  now  recognized  as  one  of  the 
most  productive  in  the  vicinity,  and  its 


products  are  eagerly  sought  in  the  market 
because  of  their  superior  quality  and  care- 
ful packing. 


EARLY  SETTLEMENT  OF  THE  EAST  PART  OF  MARION  COUNTY. 


Y    A.    W.    SONGER. 


In  furnishing  an  account  of  the  early 
pioneer  settlers  of  the  east  part  of  section 
3,  range  4,  now  Omega  township,  the 
writer  will  be  compelled  to  depend  on  his 
memory  in  regard  to  date  with  some 
of  the  settlement  as  entries  cannot  be  re- 
ferred to,  all  having  settled  on  government 
land,  this  having  been  preferred  on  ac- 
count of  the  occupants  having  no  tax  to 
pay  on  the  land. 

Adam  Gallaway  was  the  first  settler  along 
the  east  line  of  the  township  in  about  1829, 
erecting  a  cabin  on  the  southeast  quarter  of 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  13,  town 
3,  range  4.  It  was  a  very  good  double 
hewed  log  house.  He  improved  a  small 
farm.  Frederick  Songer  bought  this  claim 
and  moved  with  his  family  on  it  in  the 
spring  of  1835.  In  1838  he  entered  the  east 
half  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  13, 
town  3,  range  4,  on  which  he  lived  until 
1871,  and  continued  to  own  until  his  death 
in  1873,  when  seventy-eight  years  old. 

Then  came  Alexander  Kyle,  a  Methodist 
minister,  who  built  a  hewed  log  house  on 
the  northwest  quarter  of  the  southeast 
quarter  of  section  24,  early  in  1837.  The 


next  settler  was  James  Craig,  in  the  latter 
part  of  1837,  who  put  up  a  round  log  house 
on  the  southwest  quarter  of  the  northeast 
quarter  of  section  13,  town  3  north,  range 
4  east,  and  improved  some  land,  where  he 
lived  until  his  death.  Soon  after  this,  along 
the  east  line  of  the  township,  John  Gee 
located.  Robert  Shadden,  Abraham  Beard 
and  Owen  Tate  also  settled  along  the  east 
line  of  the  township.  Thomas  Jones  and  a 
Mr.  Bozier  lived  about  two  miles  west  in 
the  Skillet  Fork  timber.  All  lived  in  log 
houses  which  were  very  poorly  provided 
with  light,  a  hole  cut  in  the  wall  serving 
as  a  window,  but  minus  the  glass.  They 
were  all  provided  with  wide,  deep  fire- 
places, with  backs  and  jambs  made  of  flat 
rocks  placed  in  mortar  to  protect  the  wood 
from  the  fire.  The  upper  part  of  the  chim- 
ney was  made  of  slats  or  lath,  surrounded 
by  mortar  made  of  clay.  The  fire-place  had 
to  be  made  so  as  to  take  in  a  large  quantity 
of  big  wood  to  make  sufficient  heat  to  keep 
the  family  reasonably  comfortable :  in  fact 
in  a  very  cold  time  the  family  had  much 
difficulty  in  keeping  all  sides  warm,  as 
many  of  their  houses  had  no  protection 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


overhead  other  than  the  board  roof,  but 
sometimes  there  were  loose  boards  placed 
on  the  joists  overhead;  and  the  only  floor 
in  some  of  them  was  mother  earth.  In 
those  days  the  friction  match  was  unknown. 
If  the  fire  went  out,  which  it  would  some- 
times in  warm  weather,  a  member  of  the 
family  would  be  compelled  to  call  on  some 
neighbor  for  fire,  or  would  have  to  catch 
fire  with  flint  and  steel,  gun  powder  and 
flax-tow.  There  was  some  solid  comfort 
after  all  in  retiring  before  those  big  fire- 
places, if  it  was  not  too  cold,  and  in  all  of 
them  the  cooking  had  to  be  done.  A  full 
supply  of  cooking  utensils  consisted  gener- 
ally of  a  skillet  in  which  all  the  corn- 
dodgers were  baked,  also  biscuits,  if  they 
had  any  flour,  which  would  be  for  breakfast 
and  night  only  on  Sunday;  a  stew  kettle, 
for  cooking  meat  or  vegetables,  a  tea-kettle 
for  heating  water,  and  a  coffee  boiler. 

The  farmer  in  those  days  was  poorly  pro- 
vided with  teams  and  mostly  oxen  were 
used,  consequently  they  could  cultivate  only 
small  farms  on  which  enough  corn  was 
grown  for  bran  and  to  feed  stock,  with  the 
help  of  prairie  hay  to  feed  cattle  and  horses, 
and  to  fatten  their  hogs,  provided  they 
failed  to  get  fat  on  white  oak  acorns. 
But  if  the  pioneer  failed  to  have  fat  hogs 
he  could  take  his  rifle  and  go  to  the  woods 
and  find  all  the  fat  deer  he  wanted,  or  in 
fact  any  kind  of  wild  meat  he  wanted.  Both 
deer  and  turkey  were  plentiful. 

Apples,  peaches  and  pears  had  to  be 
grown,  and  it  took  time  to  prepare  land 
for  an  orchard,  and  then  it  took  years  for 


the  trees  to  grow.  The  settlers  had  much 
to  contend  with.  The  women  had  to  spin 
and  weave  the  cloth  to  clothe  themselves, 
the  men  and  the  children.  The  flax  had  to 
be  grown,  cleaned  and  spun  to  make  the 
linen;  the  sheep  had  to  be  raised,  sheared, 
the  wool  carded  and  spun  from  which  to 
make  the  winter  clothes.  The  stockings 
had  to  be  knit — all  was  done  at  home.  The 
worst  of  all  that  the  old  pioneers  had  to 
contend  with  was  malarial  chills  and  fever. 
Through  the  summer  and  fall  it  was  no  un- 
common thing  for  the  father  of  a  family  to 
be  down  with  this  dreaded  "complaint." 
The  stock  had  to  be  protected  from  the  wild 
beasts;  the  sheep  and  calves  had  to  be 
penned  near  the  house.  The  wolf  was  the 
most  destructive.  There  were  three  kinds: 
the  little  prairie  wolf,  and  the  big  black  and 
gray  wolf.  It  was  very  common  to  hear 
them  howl  about  the  farm,  and  one  not  ac- 
customed to  hearing  them  would  think 
when  two  or  three  were  howling  that  there 
were  not  less  than  eight  or  ten.  Notwith- 
standing all  these  things  some  of  the  pio- 
neers laid  the  foundation  for  a  good,  com- 
fortable living  in  the  after  part  of  their  life. 
The  first  school  taught  in  the  eastern 
part  of  Marion  county  was  by  Alexander 
Kyle  in  the  southeast  quarter  of  section  23, 
Omega  township,  in  the  old-style  log  house 
with  dirt  floor.  The  benches  were  made  of 
split  logs.  The  subjects  taught  were  spell- 
ing, reading,  writing  and  arithmetic.  Web- 
ster's blue-back  speller,  any  book  that  they 
had  to  read  in,  and  Pike  &  Smiley's  arith- 
metic. This  school  was  supported  by  sub- 


BRINKERHOFFS    HISTORY   OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


scriptipn.  This  was  about  1839  or  1840. 
Only  one  term  of  four  months  was  taught 
here.  The  next  school  building  was  put  up 
about  1842  or  1843,  made  of  hewed  logs, 
which  was  used  for  both  church  and  school. 
It  was  located  on  the  southwest  quarter  of 
the  southeast  quarter  of  section  12,  town  3, 
range  4,  and  was  used  by  the  Christian  de- 
nomination, it  being  near  Skillet  Fork  creek 
where  there  was  "much  water".  The  first 
minister  in  charge  was  William  Chaffin  and 
later,  David  R.  Chance,  Uncle  Henry  Van- 
dusen  and  others.  The  first  marriage  in 
that  vicinity  was  Moses  Cockrell  and  Mar- 
garet Craig,  and  the  next  was  Giles  M. 
Songer  and  Elizabeth  Hamilton.  From 
this  time  on  settlers  came  in  more  freely, 
so  at  this  late  date  I  cannot  give  dates  or 
names  of  settlers  as  they  located  in  that 
part  of  the  county. 

The  first  mills  in  the  eastern  part  of  the 
county  were  water  mills.  In  1836  or  1837, 
Major  John  Onstott  put  up  a  saw  and  grist 
mill  on  Skillet  Fork  creek  in  the  northwest 
quarter  of  the  southwest  quarter  of  section 
35,  town  3,  range  4  east,  which  he  operated 
for  eight  of  ten  years.  Finally  it  was 


washed  around  and  abandoned.  In  1837 
Frederick  Songer,  in  company  with  Samuel 
Songer  put  in  a  water-power  saw  and  grist 
mill  on  the  Skillet  Fork  creek,  which  began 
operation  early  in  1838  in  the  southwest 
quarter  of  the  southeast  quarter  of  section 
3,  town  i,  range  4,  now  Romine  township. 
The  saw  mill  was  an  old  still  sash,  and  the 
grist  mill  was  one  set  of  burrs,  on  which 
they  ground  both  wheat  and  corn.  It  had 
no  cleaning  machinery:  the  grain  was 
ground  just  as  it  came  to  the  mill,  no  mat- 
ter whether  dirty  or  clean.  The  bolting 
machine  was  one  chest  about  ten  feet  long, 
reel  about  nine  feet  long,  which  was  op- 
erated by  hand.  Later  this  mill  was  washed 
around,  and  about  1846  was  moved  farther 
up  the  stream,  and  rebuilt  by  Frederick 
Songer  and  operated  by  him  until  1851, 
when  he  sold  it  to  "Quill"  Gordon  and  Bob 
Foster.  A  few  years  later  it  was  aban- 
doned. This  was  a  fine  site  for  a  water 
mill,  if  the  clay  bank  had  been  properly 
cared  for.  It  is  now  a  waste  and  few 
would  suppose  by  the  present  appearance 
of  the  place  that  a  mill  had  ever  been 
located  there. 


A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  TRINITY  GERMAN    EVANGELICAL    LUTHERAN 
CHURCH,  NEAR  IUKA,  MARION    COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


EART.Y    HISTORY. 


Wending  your  way  westward  or  south- 
ward from  the  town  of  luka,  and  crossing 
the  southern  portion  of  Stevenson  and  luka 


townships  and  part  of  Romine  township, 
you  will  find  there  today,  on  both  sides  of 
the  public  highway,  cheerful  country  homes, 


86o 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


smiling  gardens  and  fields  which  bear  wit- 
ness to  the  comfortable  circumstances  and 
the  happiness  of  their  proprietors. 

If  you  had  inspected  the  same  territory 
forty  years  ago,  you  would  have  found 
nothing  but  a  dense,  trackless  forest  for 
miles  and  miles,  which  was  traversed  only 
by  the  various  watercourses.  It  was  by  the 
indefatigable  labor  of  German  settlers  that 
the  flourishing  farms  we  see  today  were 
carved  out  of  the  stubborn  wilderness. 

In  the  year  1870  five  German  immigrants 
came  here  with  their  families  and  purchased 
tracts  of  land  lying  from  four  to  seven 
miles  to  the  southeast  of  the  town  of  luka. 
The  names  of  these  pioneers  were:  Emil 
Dierolf,  John  Behrudt,  Chris  Timm,  Au- 
gust Behuke  and  Louis  Hahn.  They  had 
not  come  here  immediately  upon  their  arri- 
val in  this  country,  but  had  spent  a  few 
years  in  Chicago,  and  by  dint  of  hard  work 
and  thrift,  had  been  able  to  save  a  small 
amount  of  capital.  In  the  heart  of  the  for- 
est they  now  pitched  their  tents,  and,  axe 
in  hand,  forthwith  began  the  task  of  clear- 
ing off  the  trees  and  underbrush  from  their 
newly  acquired  property.  Log  houses  were 
built  and  the  ground  was  gotten  ready  for 
cultivation.  Within  the  next  few  years 
other  settlers  joined  the  brave  little  band.  A 
time  of  severe  trials  was,  however,  soon  to 
come  over  them  before  all  their  difficulties 
had  been  successfully  overcome.  Most  of 
the  settlers  had  a  little  money  left  after  se- 
curing their  land,  and  there  was  some  ap- 
portunity  for  replenishing  their  slender  re- 
sources somewhat  by  the  sale  of  railroad 


ties.  But  owing  to  the  fact  that  their  farm- 
ing had  to  be  done  in  a  rather  primitive 
way,  and  was  not  as  yet  very  profitable, 
while  they  were  obliged  to  pay  cash  for  all 
their  supplies,  their  meager  funds  soon 
dwindled  away  and  they  were  reduced 
to  straitened  circumstances  for  a  time. 
Their  troubles  were  greatly  aggravated  by 
the  appearance  of  fever  among  them,  an 
unwelcome  guest,  which  often  comes  un- 
bidden where  men  are  cultivating  virgin 
soil  and  lacking  wells  or  cistern,  get  their 
drinking-water  from  neighboring  rivers  and 
creeks.  Soon  there  were  fever  patients  in 
almost  every  house.  Meantime  their  work 
must  not  be  abandoned  lest  their  efforts 
hitherto  be  entirely  defeated.  Those  were 
trying  times  for  the  young  settlement. 

ORGANIZATION     AND     GROWTH     OF     TRINITY 
CHURCH. 

These  early  settlers  did  not  forget  God, 
and  His  Word  in  the  wilderness.  While  at 
Chicago  they  had  become  acquainted  with 
the  German  Evangelical  Lutheran  Synod 
of  Missouri,  Ohio  and  other  states,  and  to 
this  synod  they  now  made  application  for  a 
minister  who  might  preach  to  them  the 
Word  of  God  and  minister  the  holy  sacra- 
ments among  them.  On  April  27,  1873, 
the  Rev.  J.  G.  O.  Kattham.  of  Hoyleton, 
Washington  county,  a  member  of  the  afore- 
mentioned synod,  visited  the  settlement  for 
the  first  time  and  continued  serving  the 
people  from  that  time  forth.  Under  his 
guidance  a  congregation  was  organized  on 


BRINKERHOFF  S    HISTORY    OF    MARION    COUNTY,    ILLINOIS. 


86 1 


September  28,  1873,  and  at  the  same  time 
a  constitution  was  adopted.  For  a  number 
of  years  divine  services  were  conducted  at 
the  various  homes,  but  on  November  9> 
1876,  the  members  of  the  congregation  be- 
gan to  construct  their  first  church  building, 
which  was  dedicated  to  the  service  of  God 
on  the  I2th  day  of  August,  of  the  following 
year,  the  Rev.  Mr.  H.  Meyer,  of  East  St. 
Louis  preaching  the  sermon  on  the  occasion. 
The  church  was  built  at  a  place  about  four 
miles  southeast  of  luka,  and  is  still  stand- 
ing, being  at  present  used  by  the  congrega- 
tion as  a  school-house. 

Four  years  later,  more  Lutherans  having 
moved  here  from  elsewhere,  the  congrega- 
tion had  grown  sufficiently  strong  to  sup- 
port a  pastor  in  their  own  midst.  The  first 
resident  minister,  the  aged  Rev.  F.  W.  Eg- 
^erking,  was  inducted  into  his  office  on  Au- 
gust 15,  1880,  by  pastor  O.  Kattham.  A 
parochial  school  was  founded  immediately, 
ind  this  school  is  still  in  operation.  It  is 
:he  aim  of  this  school  that  the  children  be 
taught  not  only  the  common  branches 
:aught  in  the  public  schools,  and  in  addition 
the  reading  and  writing  of  their  German 
mother  tongue,  but  first  and  above  all 
things,  that  they  be  taught  to  know  and 
thoroughly  understand  the  doctrinal  teach- 
ings of  their  church  in  order  to  a  firm  foun- 
dation in  their  holy  Christian  faith. 

After  serving  the  congregation  a  little 
3ver  a  year,  pastor  Eggerking  was  obliged, 
an  account  of  old  age,  to  resign  his  office, 
ind  the  congregation  once  more  had  to 
5eek  the  help  of  non-resident  ministers. 


They  did  not  secure  a  minister  of  their  own 
again  until  November  23,  1883,  when  Mr. 
G.  F.  Luebker,  a  candidate  for  the  holy 
ministry  from  the  Lutheran  Seminary 
at  Springfield,  Illinois,  began  his  la- 
bors here.  After  a  stay  of  only  two 
years,  however,  the  latter  accepted  a 
call  to  a  charge  in  Indiana.  The 
Rev.  Mr.  A.  Kaeslitz  succeeded  him  and 
served  the  congregation  for  a  period  of  six- 
teen years,  beginning  with  the  month  of 
December,  1886.  He  died  suddenly  and 
unexpectedly  April  26,  1903,  and  was 
buried  in  the  cemetery  belonging  to  the 
church.  In  the  fall  of  1903,  the  writer  of 
these  lines  succeeded  to  the  pastorate  of  the 
congregation. 

Our  church  has  known  the  day  of  small 
things,  but,  in  the  course  of  time,  has 
grown  in  numbers  as  well  as  in  grace.  At 
the  present  time  the  membership  is  com- 
posed as  follows:  Thirty-six  voting  mem- 
bers, one  hundred  and  seventy  communi- 
cants, two  hundred  and  fifty  baptized  mem- 
bers. The  church  now  possesses  a  new  and 
beautiful  house  of  worship,  fifty-six  by 
thirty-four  feet,  with  a  steeple  seventy  feet 
high.  The  building  was  erected  by  Mr. 
Chris  Borcherding,  one  of  the  members  of 
the  congregation.  It  was  dedicated  to  the 
service  of  God  on  October  n,  1908.  and 
a  large  concourse  of  people  attended  the 
ceremonies  and  listened  to  the  sermons 
preached  upon  the  occasion.  Pastor  C. 
Strase  of  St.  Peter,  preached  the  German 
sermon,  and  Pastor  R.  Kissling  of  Ferren, 
spoke  in  the  English  language.  The  names 


862 


BRINKERHOFF'S  HISTORY  OF  MARION  COUNTY,  ILLINOIS. 


of  the  elders  and  trustees  cf  the  congrega- 
tion at  the  present  time  are :  J.  Brinkmann, 
H.  Koenemann,  E.  Borcherding,  A.  Roch- 
litz,  Father  Lamp  and  C.  Hahn,  Sr. 

CONFESSION    OF    OUR    CHURCH. 

There  being  but  few  Lutheran  churches 
in  this  part  of  the  state,  and  various  erro- 
neous opinions  being  in  circulation  concern- 
ing the  character  of  our  church,  a  brief 
statement  of  our  doctrinal  position  is  here- 
with given. 

We  believe  that  the  Holy  Scriptures  in 
their  entirety  were  written  by  the  holy 
prophets,  evangelists  and  apostles,  by  in- 
spiration of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  that  for 
this  reason  they  are  the  Word  of  God.  and 
the  onlv  source  of  spiritual  knowledge, 
since  man.  however  wise  and  progressive 
he  may  be  in  many  temporal  affairs,  by  his 
own  reason  does  not  and  can  not  possess 
any  knowledge  concerning  things  spiritual 
and  divine,  except  as  these  have  been  re- 
vealed to  us  by  God  in  his  Word. 

Hence  we  still  believe,  teach  and  confess 
all  that  the  church  has  confessed  in  her 
ancient  creeds  from  the  beginning;  the  doc- 
trines of  the  Holy  Trinity,  of  the  incarna- 
tion of  the  Son  of  God,  and  of  the  redemp- 
tion of  our  whole  fallen  human  race  by  his 
holy  life,  suffering  and  death. 

Concerning  the  way  of  salvation,  we  be- 
lieve and  confess  that,  bv  his  own  works  of 


piety,  man  cannot  attain  to  righteousness 
before  God  or  eternal  salvation,  but  solely 
through  the  merit  and  righteousness  of  out- 
Lord  Jesus  Christ,  appropriated  by  faith; 
and  that  such  faith  does  not  come  of  man's 
own  reason  or  strength,  but  it  is  the  work 
of  the  Holy  Ghost,  operating  through  the 
preaching  of  the  Word  and  the  holy  sacra- 
ments (baptism  and  the  Lord's  supper). 

We  teach  furthermore,  that  Christians 
should  avoid  sin  with  great  earnestness  and 
be  diligent  in  all  good  works;  not,  how- 
ever, in  order  that  they  might  by  these 
works  merit  the  grace  of  God  and  everlast- 
ing life,  but  in  filial  obedience  to  the  divine 
command.  In  fact,  only  he  can  do  works 
that  are  truly  good  and  acceptable  to  God, 
who  by  faith  has  become  a  child  of  God. 
On  the  other  hand  the  true  faith  can  never 
be  void  of  good  works ;  neither  can  it  stand 
with  the  love  of,  or  clinging  to,  sin. 

We  teach  and  confess  that  the  Holy 
Spirit  ever  preserves  a  Christian  church  on 
earth,  embracing  only  such,  but  certainly 
all  such,  who  truly  believe  in  Christ  as  their 
Savior. 

Concerning  the  end  of  the  world  and  final 
judgment,  we  believe  that  at  the  last  day, 
the  Son  of  God  will  return  visibly  with 
power  and  great  glory  to  judge  the  world 
in  righteousness.  We  believe  in  the  resur- 
rection of  all  the  dead  and  life  everlasting 
for  all  believers. 


